Kauai Garden Island: Bicyclist lights up night as beacon of safety

If Kaua‘i bicyclists want to know how to negotiate roads safely at night, they should look up Gary Simao of Lihu‘e. For safety reasons, Simao, an avid bicyclist for 27 years, rides a customized mountain bicycle that has been fitted with five headlights and 22 flashing lights.  “People say I look like a 747 (airplane) or a nuclear weapon starting up,” Simao said of riding at night with the lights on. “When they say that, I know I am safe. I am visible.”

His flashing lights are affixed to his frame and fork and headlamps — three in a row — are affixed to his handlebar. From a distance, he looks like a moving Christmas tree, Simao has been told. He said he knew he made a wise investment in the lights when a visiting police officer from Washington state complimented him for being safety conscious.

All the lights make his eight-year old bike heavier than most, but he would rather peddle with the extra weight of the equipment to increase his stamina and strength. “I like it heavy because it means I build power,” said Simao, a fitness buff. “I also like the big knobby tires so I can get more resistance.” He decided to switch to night-time riding after witnessing near collisions between bicycles and motorists during the daytime.

“Riding during the day is 10 times as dangerous versus riding at night,” he said. Simao said he is glad his bicycle becomes a beacon when he rides along a five-mile stretch of Kuhio Highway from Hanama‘ulu to Wailua Bay, which he deemed as “the most dangerous road corridor on Kaua‘i” because of narrow road shoulders and heavy traffic.

But in defiance of the speeding motorists, he sprints on the highway shoulder. Simao said he rides four to five times a week, with each ride ranging between three to four hours. He averaged about 200 miles a week but recently cut back his riding time to take classes at the Kaua’i Community College. Originally from Hanapepe, he moved to Lihu‘e five years ago to have easier access to the college.

Simao generally rides around East Kaua‘i. When he wants a change of scenery, he puts his bicycle in the bed of his truck and looks for new riding spots elsewhere on the island. Simao said he supports the county’s proposed 16-mile bicycle and pedestrian path planned from Nawiliwili to Anahola and will use it when it is completed. “Personally I think the bike path will be a wonderful thing for the community,” he said.

“More people will turn to bicycling because of it.” Simao said he used to lift weights and jog but now rides exclusively because it gives him the best overall workout. “It is low impact. You are not hurting your joints or hurting your body by jogging,” he said. “I feel like a rejuvenated person after my ride.” Riding also helps rid anxiety and tension, giving him a fresh outlook each day, he said. Simao said he plans on riding bicycles for a long time. “I will be doing it till my 90s,” he said “I will never get off a bicycle.”