Under the super full moon

KAPAA — Randy Blake is “calling all lunatics” to the Kauai Path Monday night for a bike ride under the super full moon.

“We’ve done this before and it’s pretty nice with the moonlight coming down and reflecting off the water — the coast is pretty spectacular,” Blake said.

The goal is to leave from the Kapaa Neighborhood Center at 6:15 p.m. and be north of Kealia Beach by the time the moon rises over the water, anticipated at about 6:30 p.m.

“We’ll be away from the city light and we want people to have been riding along for a while,” Blake said.

The Nov. 14 supermoon will be the closest full moon to Earth since 1948, according to NASA, and we won’t see another one like it until 2034.

The moon will be at its perigree, or the point where its orbit puts it closest to Earth, at the same time it’s full.

“The perigree occurs each year but it doesn’t always occur during a full moon,” Blake said.

The moon will appear about 12 percent larger and 25-30 percent brighter than it seems when the moon is at its apogee, or when it’s farthest from Earth.

“It’s a unique and rare experience,” Blake said. “There have been other big full moons, like maybe one in October, that wasn’t quite as close, and the moon will be close next month, but this one will be the closest.”

The gathering is a spontaneous grouping of bike riders that are opening up their Monday night plans to anyone else on Kauai who is interested.

Tommy Noyes of Kauai Path said he’s happy to see people using the path.

“That’s one of Kauai Path’s goals, to fully integrate the path into our daily lives and routines,” Noyes said. “The path is proving to be a social catalyst and we like to see that.”

Noyes aims to attend the event, and he’s hoping to find a wireless speaker to blast some music for the riders.

“We’re also talking to the bike rental companies and they might be able to stay open a little longer if we need, so people can rent bikes if they don’t have them,” Blake said.

Info: Randy Blake, 635-8823.