Maui: Haleakala Sunrise and Downhill Bike Ride

I wanted to do the Haleakala Sunrise Tour my first day. Not only was it my birthday, but my internal clock was still on Texas time and it made the early morning trip easier. When the van picked me up at 1:45 and I joined the crowd of 10 other sleepy tourists participating in the tour with Maui Downhill. Our driver, Kiko, took us to the base camp near the airport to get fitted for helmets, rain suits and fill up on a light breakfast of danishes and coffee. Our guide, Josh, joined us and we began the curvy 90 minute drive up the mountain toward the summit. Sleeping was near impossible given the crowded conditions and the drive could make anyone a little queasy, but we survived. Once at the top a few of us got out and were immediately overwhelmed with the view overhead. Thousands of stars, brighter than I have ever seen shined in the night sky above. At that altitude you can see everything since you’re usually above the cloudine. It was too cold to stay out long so we huddled back in the van to try and catch a quick nap before the sunrise. A few hours later, we piled out and joined the hundreds of others at the visitors center to watch the view. It was incredibly cold and the gloves our driver passed out did little to stop the numbness. A few people decided to climb to the summit to the right (about another 50 feet higher) and catch the view there. I was glad I did. The sun eventually came up and it was a sight to see. Haleakala crater looks very lunar and the rugged landscape got brighter and brighter as the sun finally peeked over the clouds around 6:30. I took a movie of the surroundings, grabbed a water from the visitors center then piled back into the van for our safety instructions. We were assigned a bike and began our decent down the mountain. A little moisture mixed in with the wind made the first 5 or 6 miles bitter cold, but the view of maui 10,000 feet above sea level made me forget about the weather. The further the traveled the less cold it got and by the time we reached the ranger station 45 minutes later, we were halfway down the mountain. We continued through upcountry Maui where the scents in the air were incredible. Upcountry Maui is home to hundreds of plantations, ranches and farms that produce everything from macadamia nuts to protea flowers. The smell of eucalyptus and flowers filled the air as we rode past ranch houses and summer homes until we reached the Pukalani Country Club where we stopped off for breakfast. Nothing fancy, but the coffee, eggs, bacon and Hawaiian fried potatoes were a welcome sight for hungry bikers. After our meal, we stripped off the “banana suits” and coasted 10 miles through pineapple and sugar plantations finishing up in the colorful coastal town of Pa’ia. What a ride!