Surviving the Road to Hana

If you look around Maui, you can find many t-shirts that say I survived the road to Hana. I have been coming to Maui for 25+ years, and have always avoided this trip around the island. My love of the ocean has always called me, as I waved to friends and family that decided to make the trek.

I don't know what changed my mind yesterday, but I was game for a day in the car.  Armed with my camera, I was promised amazing photo ops.  They know how to set the hook, don't they??  It was a most enjoyable day.  I was given the choice seat up front, and had a bird's eye view of what was ahead.

Back in college, Mark, Dave and I did many things together. It seemed that most places we went, "Iowa" as he was nicknamed was along for the ride.  This time there was a tad bit more girl power as Dave's wife Karen was along as well.  The odds were even. It wouldn't be a total "boy trip" Girls would have some say.  Patience was running strong, and Dave did a good job of stopping whenever one of us yelled, "stop" so we could take a photo.

We enjoyed fruit stands, dry desert areas, jungles, and a three hour hike through a bamboo forest to a forceful waterfall.  It had rained before we got to each spot, and the hike was a bit muddy, but it didn't dampen our spirits. It was peaceful, beautiful, and a trip that will be remembered for a long, long time.

and the trip begins...the road to Hana

potty break

such different terrains, all beautiful in their own way

college buddies....after all these years

how now brown cow???

I can always find God in Hawaii...he's everywhere!

my crazy sense of humor.  Do they leave the beers for the postman???

looked like white bleeding hearts...so pretty

I was so amazed when I first saw large shrubs of Poinsetta's growing along the road..my children were appaled when I made them pose in front of them.  ha ha ha ha

my latest obsession. I just can't get enough papaya

This was a great stop. We bought coffee, strawberry papaya, and toured their garden. It was amazing. Oh me oh my what you can grow in a tropical climate.

This guy appears to not have made it to Hana

Three hour hike begins...all smiles, little mud

The guys think this is just a suggestion

almost there

I think they are trying to get a walking stick, but it looks like a native dance to me.

the guys set up a great system for helping people cross the stream.  The people that came up behind us were so grateful

The waterfall was so huge, and roar of the water was deafening!

Iowa looks so small next to it. He said the wind was about 30mph as he got up next to it, thus keeping him from going behind

bamboo forest

I don't know what this tree is, but it looks like it's made from multi colored crayons

one of the many one lane bridges we crossed

How picturesque is this little village??

This town was destroyed by a flood in the 1940's.  Only this church survived.  There were graves from the early 1800's

last bit of daylight...moving on.

Nice music in the town of Paia to finish our evening