We awoke early from our Dale Parson’s B&B. We rode down a ways to take a picture of an overturned truck on the side of the road. I am convinced that the truck is of a local, not from a tourist. We found that locals go way too fast for the conditions. Sometimes they don’t make it, and usually there is a cross on the side of the road to remember them.
We were told by Dale that the road around Hana has improved since our 1998 trip in which we rode all the way around the eastern end with a Ford Mustang. This time we had a Ford Fiesta. I treasure that Mustang now.
Most rental agreements will not cover you if the car breaks down at this juncture. I now see why, the road is horrible. For about twenty miles there is nothing but gravel and thousands of bumps.
You are rewarded, though, with incredible vistas. Our first major vista was of a cliff on this one lane road.
At this part of the road we were fortunate that we did not come across anyone. That luck soon wore off. As we were going up and down several hills three Ford 150 trucks—ok, they could have been GMC’s– come barreling down the road.
It was the third truck that was going way too fast for the twenty mph road. I remember boys sitting in the back of the truck—something which is against the law in Florida. The driver—from what I could tell was a young man– intentionally swerved into our lane trying to “freak us out.” We were to the far right as possible. For an instant, our lives were in the hands of that local driver. He swerved back. Kathie couldn’t believe what happened. After the truck passed, I pushed on the pedal praying someday that boy doesn’t get killed. There is just one too many crosses in Hana.
We came across the Huialoha Church, on a small peninsula. It was stunning. It is hard to imagine that a church like this exists, much less people living out here.
We came across St. Joseph’s Church of Kaupo, Maui. This church, too, was in a beautiful setting.
We crossed over several gorges/canyons that were immense. They always warn you about possible “flooding” out this way even though it looks bone dry and desert like.
All of a sudden the road is 100 percent better. The road is about 1 1/2 lanes wide. I wonder if the Maui authorities just leave “that forbidden” section primitive to keep most of the people out. There is some politics going on here.
We came across several beautiful “windmills” that generates energy for Maui. There is plenty of wind and sun on Maui. There is a push in Hawaii to get away from oil dependence.
Up about 3000 feet we stopped at the Tedeschi Winery. Captain Magee first started building here back in circa 1840. He brought trees from New Zealand like the Norfolk Pine. A few years ago the farm was turned into a winery. One of its first wines was “Pineapple wine.”
We rode through an area called “Upcountry.” There were a good number of trees in bloom, with lavender leaves. These Jacaranda trees—imported from Brazil– are absolutely beautiful. A guy named Elmer F. Cravalho convinced authorities to plant the Jacaranda trees back in the 1950’s.
We made it to the airport in plenty of time. All the planes basically fly between two dormant volcanos and close to Maui’s major city of Kahului.
We have “Global Assist,” and go through the TSA Pre-check line. I saw this huge man, 6’5” with broad shoulders right in front of us. He later cut right in front of Kathie without excusing himself when he made a mistake of trying to go through security with his watch.
The TSA agent said to the man, “You are living the dream.” He smiled and went on with his family. I later asked the agent who this man was. “Tony Gonzalez,” the agent said.
Tony was the All-Pro tight end for Kanas City Chiefs for many years. I later read he eats, “organic fruits and vegetables, free-range chicken, grass fed beef (no more than 18 ounces a month), and fish.” Tony may, though, want to concentrate on his manners.
