Hawai’i – Conditions of Participation

BaltiCCycle (BC) is not a commercial tour, all organizers are volunteers, and the collected registration fee goes only to cover organizational expenses. Each route is different; therefore, it is impossible to work out all details in advance. By joining BC you become a part of the team, and we expect from you goodwill and a right understanding of our principles and rules. Your assistance in organizing the daily program and solving all difficulties is highly appreciated.

Notes. The ride will happen on the conditions we offer below if enough participants – at least 10 covering all parts of the route – register for the tour. We must know it in advance (for booking ferries, campsites, car hire, flights, etc.); therefore, the deadline for registration is fixed at 25 November 2022, three months before the start day. If we do not collect enough participants the current ride conditions can be changed. After registering you will be regularly informed by email about the registration progress. Knowing the exact number of participants is very important because we have to obtain permits to enter national parks and campgrounds as early as possible; otherwise, we can lose the campsite place.
The ride is open to everybody but before signing you should think about your mental and physical capability to complete it not making problems for yourself and the group.
BC participants gather for the ride from different countries. We recommend bringing on your bike a national flag or another symbol so that local people could see us as an international friendly cycling community. Our Olympic rides are organized under the honorary patronage of the Polish Olympic Committee and we will carry its symbols, too.

Organizational rules. We try to keep our organizational principles similar to the previous BC tours.

• Usually the daily cycling distance does not exceed 70-80 km, in exceptional cases, it will overrun 100 km.
• The rest days are planned once a week.
• We will sleep exclusively in official campsites (wild camping is strictly forbidden, permits for camping will be obtained in advance).
• The maps with a marked day’s route will be available for printing in advance. GPS tracks also will be available for download. Every morning during a map meeting the day’s program will be explained.
• From one sleeping to the next sleeping place you can travel individually or in small groups. When according to the program some common event is planned we will cycle in a group wearing T-shirts and other BC symbols.
• Though we will have the support car, you should be ready to carry all your necessary stuff on the bike. It could happen that the car will be in service or we cannot use it because of another reason. The service of luggage transportation is limited to 25 kg.
• In case of a serious emergency, you can call the driver asking him to transport you to the nearest first aid or service center. In case of injury, sickness, or other reasons when the participant is not able to continue cycling the organizers can offer to transport the bike and the cyclist for 2-3 days.
• When planning the route, we try to avoid roads with high levels of traffic but not everywhere it is possible. You should be very careful cycling on busy roads. The longer part of the route will go on paved roads but sometimes unpaved dirt roads will be available too.

Arrival/Departure. Costs of the arrival/departure are not included in the participation fee. You can join and finish the ride at any point of the route, and you have to plan how to do it. We can pick you up for the additional fee within a radius of 50 km (100 km both ways, 5 € per 10 km). You should contact the ride organizers by phone or email at least two days before. Though the ride schedule is fixed the real dates can be slightly shifted (plus/minus 2-3 days) because of bad weather conditions or other unexpected obstacles. Have it in your mind when planning your arrival.
There are no direct flights from Europe to Hawaii but there are many options with 1 or 2 stops. You have to look for flights to Kona airport (KOA) on the Big Island and return from the Honolulu airport on O’ahu Island. For interisland flights look at the information here.

Visas. You have to check if you need visas at your country’s consulate. If you are a citizen or national of one of the Visa Waiver Program countries you have to apply for ESTA. Your passport should be valid for at least 1 year ahead from the start of the ride. You can be asked to show your back ticket and financial sources.

Flights. We will use the following interisland flights:

• March 09: Big Island to Maui Island (KOA to OGG),
• March 16: Maui Island to Kaua’i Island (OGG to LIH),
• March 23: Kaua’i Island to O’ahu Island (LIH to HNL).

Ticket prices are not included in the membership fee. You can purchase tickets yourself or ask organizers to do it for you. The prices for one flight can vary depending on the day of purchase from 60 USD up to 100 USD, additionally for the bike 35 USD. We are trying to arrange bicycle transport from one island to another by cargo flights (if we succeed it will be no need to pack the bicycle).

Ferries. We will use the ferry to cross from Maui Island to Lanai and return. The ticket price is not included in the membership fee, and you have to pay for it during the ride. We will book tickets for the group in advance. The approximate fare for this ferry according to 2022 prices is 30 USD one way.

Catering. It is highly recommended to bring along a gas stove for preparing meals at campsites. There will be parts of the route without restaurants and supermarkets. Entering unpopulated areas, it will be a possibility to carry some reserve of products as well as drinkable water in our van.

Vaccination. You must have a covid passport and bring with you the International Certificate of Vaccination (the yellow booklet) with the necessary confirmations. The vaccination/medicine to be active must be taken a few weeks before your start. No obligatory vaccinations (except covid) to enter Hawaii, but there are some recommended here.

Necessary equipment and documents:

• bicycle prepared for long travel (carriers with panniers or saddlebags, safe brakes, reflectors, and light); click here for the recommendations on how to prepare the bike;
• good bike wear for different weather conditions and sun protection creams;
• cyclist first-aid kit (some tools will be available in the support car);
• first-aid kit (more medicines in the support car);
• mosquito net and insect repellents;
• valid passport (at least 1 year ahead) with visa if necessary;
• INDIVIDUAL MEDICAL and TRAVEL INSURANCE is obligatory, no group insurance is provided;
• camping gear (tent, sleeping bag, mat, gas stove, light, etc.);
• money for personal expenses i.e. bicycle repair, food, museums, excursions, ferries/flights, entrance to national parks, and others);
• mobile phone;
• GPS navigation device.

Children until 18. Children can take part in the ride only together with parents (one or both) or another adult who is authorized by the notary to take care of and is fully responsible for the juvenile.

Luggage transport. We strongly recommend carrying all necessary personal stuff in the panniers on your bike. The service of luggage transportation by the support car is limited to 25 kg; it is included in the registration fee. You should be ready to carry all your stuff for a few days on the bike in case of problems with our support car or some other unexpected circumstances. Neither organizers nor drivers are responsible for the safety of your luggage. You should insure your luggage personally.

Membership fee. We fixed a membership fee of 35 € per diem. It is higher than BC standards because of very expensive accommodation and car rental costs. You have to indicate the number of days you plan to travel in the table of the Registration Form, and your membership fee will be counted automatically. To organize the whole event with less trouble we ask everybody who has the intention to take part in the expedition to fill out the Registration Form as soon as possible.If the registration and the half of membership fee are not received until November 25, 2022, the whole fee increases by 15% automatically as well as all discounts are canceled. The second half of the participation fee must be paid before February 1, 2023; otherwise, it increases by 15% as well. We can’t give a guarantee of participation for these who will register after November 25, 2022.

The membership fee includes:

• sleeping places for a tent under simple conditions (drinking water, waste baskets) in official campsites (State campsites, County campsites, or private).
• car following the group with a first-aid kit and basic bicycle repair instruments and tools; the possibility to call the car in case of emergency;
• transportation by car of 25 kg luggage;
• GPS tracks for downloading, copies of maps with the marked route for printing; a list of recommended sights as well as a short description, daily consultation regarding the route and cultural program;
• T-shirts, flag, and sticker with BC2023 ride symbols;
• cozy surprises prepared by organizers or local authorities.

Discounts. The discounts are applicable only if the Registration Form and at least the half of membership fee is received no later than November 25, 2022. Discounts don’t accumulate.

• 10% – for students (until 26 years old), families (3 and more persons), and BC veterans who cycled more than 100 days in the previous BC tours. If a cyclist reaches 100 BC days during the ride, the discount is counted for the remaining days.
• Participants who obtain potential sponsors or support organizers before or during the expedition in another way (preparing descriptions, finding sleeping places, medical care, bike service, etc.) will receive a privilege discount negotiated personally.

Emergency Fund. Hawaii is a very busy and expensive tourist destination with strict regulations. It is impossible to evaluate in advance all expenses; therefore, we create the Emergency Fund, which money will be used only in the case of unexpected situations (for example, car accident, penalties, robbery, losing the place in the campsite, etc.). Your deposit is 5 € multiplied by the number of your participation days. The unused part of your deposit will be returned back in 60 days after the ride finish.

Additional paid service (optional):

booked by registration;

• additional T-shirt with the logo of the ride – 20 € (on is included into the participation fee);

booked during the ride:

• possibility to use the transport of organizers for arrival/departure to/from the ride in a radius of 50 km (5 € per 10 km).

Resignation rules. The date of resignation is fixed up when the resignation letter is received by organizers: before the ride by email bc2022@bicycl.lt or bc2023@bicycle.pl, during the ride, it should be delivered to the leaders of the expedition and confirmed by them. The date is important because it determines the amount of the refund. The membership fee is returned in the following manner:

• up to 60 days before the start – 80%;
• less than 60 days before the start – no money returned, however, 50% is deposited in the participant’s account for the next year’s BC tour;
• money is paid back under mentioned above circumstances within 30 days after the end of the expedition;
• money is not paid back to the excluded tour participants;
• if you decide to change the sleeping place provided by the organizers to another, you will cover the cost of it, the organizers don’t give money back if you don’t sleep with a group;
• if due for some reason the participant separates from the group for one or more days (nights) no refund for this lost time is applicable.

Organizers:

• GMPR Lithuanian Fund: +37068659375, bc2022@bicycle.lt, Sigitas Kučas;
• CROTOS – The Travellers’ Association: +48 604 255 722,  bc2023@bicycle.pl, Maryla Zielińska.

Honour Patronage. ThePolish Olympic Committee.