maui-molokai-maui-oahu

Hello everybody,

This is my next and last rapport from Hawaii.
I arrived in Maui on monday,janari 5th. I left my bikebox in the bagage department form Hawaiian airlines but when I wanted to leave was gone. Luckily theyt let me fly without me putting the bicycle in a box. My experience is that this more the rule than exeption. This was the fith time I flew with my bike and only one time I boxed it in.

In Lahaina on Maui Jason met me and we cycled together to his place. He was a bikeguide but is now unemployed because of the crisis. I get some first hand information about the island. His girlfriend Yodi is a ranger in the park and that helps me a lot to.

They show me a church where Father Damian used to work before he went to Molokai and the lepracy colony. They used to signal from to Molokai with lights. The rumour has it that with the last renovation they found some codebooks.

I cycle to the Haleakala NP. This is an extinct vulcano and it is a lot of uphill. I camp at 2oom altitude where it is pretty cold at night. Almost freezing. The next day I go to the summit at 3050 m or 10 023ft. The highest I ever cycled. It is a nice feeling.

Here I start a 2 day hike in the crater. It is fantastic : it is as walking on the moon. Very desolated and only some cactus at most places. I camp at near the ridge and here it rains a lot. I have some in the morning but after a 30 minute walk I am out of the rain.

I am hiking to the next campsite Holua when I realise that I lost my watch. I return and meet Joe and his group. We talk a little bit and it turns out he is staying in the cabin at the same campsite. I find my watch.

The next day I hike down to the campsite where Istayed 2 days earlier. My plan is to leave my backpack here and hitch hike to the summit to get my bicycle and ride down.
The ride down is great. I camp on the campsite again and my neighbour has a campfire. Because it is cold several people come to warm up. Soon we are with 10 and having a good time.

Haleakala means land above the clouds and that is very much true and gives great views.

I cycle further along the coast and go to Hana. The road to Hana is famous for its scenery. I come from the west but the most tourists come from the east. The locals do not want many tourists on the west side so they do not maintain the road very well. Partly it is even unpaved and much is one lane with bad pavement. I cycle through rainforest and love it.

Now I am on the other side of the NP and here is a trail to a waterfall. I like the part hiking through the bamboeforest. There is also a creek which froms 7 pools. You can swim in it and I enjoy it very much.

On monday I leave the NP and cycle on the east side. I complete my loop around the east side and return to Jason and Jodi. We have a good time together.
I continu my trip to Kihei where they are a lot of resorts with nice beaches. I camp on one and see a beautiful sunset.

On tuesday, january 15th, I visit the Maui Ocean Center and see a lot of sharks, seaturtless and so on.
I want to take the ferry in Lahaina to go to Molokai. The ferry does not sail because there is another storm. It is a bumber especially if you get up at 6am and hear the news at the ferry.

The storm is not really on Maui but on Molokai.

My time is up and have to end this session right now.

greetings,

nico