Maui Wind

Past the beach through the resorts and onto the sugarcane fields, the wind in Maui was constant. I first noticed it while I was on the beach one night photographing the early evening light. I spoke to a lot of people who had visited Hawaii prior to my visit and I don’t remember many of them talking about the wind. Perhaps they mentioned it and I didn’t take note or maybe I was foolish not to expect it on an isolated island chain in the middle of the Pacific. Strong enough to knock you over at times, I’m sure that I will miss it on warm nights in the Arizona desert.

The Accidental Tourist

I’ve come to realize that tourist get a bad rap. There have been times when I have traveled and seen the big, air-conditioned motor coach and thought to myself “those people aren’t having an authentic experience…” But then there I was, in Hawaii, on a big air-conditioned motor coach in my swim shorts, flip-flops and a one-inch layer of 48 spf sunscreen, headed out for some grand adventure called the “Rain forest hike” or the “Sea kayak adventure”. Granted that these experiences where closer to something you would see on the Disney channel rather than the Discovery channel but they do provide some insight. By figuratively and literally being able to stick your toe in the water you are introduced (or re-introduced) to an activity that you didn’t have the time or resources to normally experience. I haven’t ridden a bike in a number of years, but riding down Haleakala reminded me how much fun bike riding can be. I’m not the greatest swimmer but snorkeling gave me a greater appreciation for why people enjoy diving so much. These are certainly guarded and well choreographed excursions, but they can provide a limited taste to a much greater experience. So here are some pictures from my grand sea kayak and snorkeling adventure; and full disclosure, I didn’t see any jelly fish on my snorkeling trip this shot is from the Maui Ocean Center which is an aquarium located in the central part of the island. I didn’t have any other place to post it and it makes my adventure look so much more dramatic.

The Road to Hana

Being from the desert, waterfalls are usually only a seasonal phenomenon during the spring runoff. In Hawaii, waterfalls run all year, fed by the constant accumulation of moisture from the rainforest in the upper mountains. I went on two hikes earlier in my trip, the best being one that led to Waimoku Falls in Kipahulu (this trip was on Monday). The falls are on the eastern most end of the island about 9 miles past Hana, which is a small town surrounded by dense rainforests. The Highway to Hana is a tourist attraction in its own right, as it winds for hours through green valleys, past waterfalls, and over one-lane bridges. To get to the falls you take an easy 2.5-mile hike up through a bamboo forest. The pictures doesn't do a good job of illustrating that this water fall is over 470 feet high.

The biggest fraud

My friend Tim likes to say that selling burgers 'well done' is the biggest fraud perpetrated on the American public. I tend to agree. When I got to Maui on Thursday night I met up with some friends who had already been on the island for a few days. Anyway these girls told me that I should try out the “Cheeseburger in Paradise” restaurant in Lahaina, which is over on the western side of Maui. The next day I drove over and after exploring around Lahaina for a while, I tried the burger place out for an early dinner. The burger was very good, unfortunately it was cooked well done. I had forgot to order it medium rare. But not a big deal since I had a window seat and the day was perfect. I thought that I would test out the video feature of my digital camera so the attached is the scene as I sat there that afternoon. Kinda boring but it gives you a flavor of the spot. Not a bad place to have a burger even if it is well done.

Random report from Maui...

Spent the early part of the week doing several activities, one of which was a sunrise mountain bike ride down Haleakala volcano. The tour company that leads you down the mountain picks you up at your hotel at 2AM so that you can get up the mountain before the sunrise. There is a national park at the summit and the staging for the ride down is done in the parking lot there. Not exactly the most intimate setting because you are up there with 300 other bikers from the various tour companies. Before the ride you can watch the sunrise over the volcano’s crater. It is a unique site, but because you are over 9500 feet, it is extremely cold and windy. I snapped off a few pictures before I headed back to the van to warm up. The ride down is a blast. You basically coast down the mountain never having to peddle. It is like the fastest hike you have ever experienced. Great views all the way down to the ocean. Pictures are of sunrise and the mid-point stop.