Most of the time when I read drive guide articles by mainland writers, I rarely find something original or different. It's far too easy to trod the beaten path and many editors far from Hawaii don't know the difference. When John Heckathorn, editor of Hawaii Magazine, and a longtime resident of these islands, writes a drive guide article, it's worth the read. In his publications latest issue, he lays out a nice historical narrative and blow-by-blow of the fine drive from the sheltering harbors of the Kona Coast up into the Kohala Mountains of the Waimea District. Worth the read.

—Alex, 07/22/07