...Haleakala sunrise and bike ride

Mrs. Huffy and Laura wait for the sunrise in the Visitor's Center at Haleakala National Park.

Many other sunrise watchers were waiting in the Visitor's Center as well.

Uh...sunrise atop Haleakala.

Our intrepid group with our Haleakala sunrise in the background.  Don't look for the sun.  It isn't there.  But, now we are ready to ride!

Laura and her bike at the staging area on Haleakala.

Laura and the cloud enshrouded West Maui Mountains in the distance.

Mrs. Huffy and fellow bikers on Haleakala.

Laura and the first rainbow of the day.

Laura and Mrs. Huffy cruise down Haleakala.

Laura poses under another rainbow as we near the bottom of Haleakala.

Mrs. Huffy somewhere under the rainbow.

I was there, too.

1:30 AM--the alarm goes off.  We move slowly after just a few hours sleep and soon we are out the door of the condo and in the car on our way to the Haleakala Bike Company headquarters in Haiku, Maui, Hawaii.  The road is wide open, albeit dark and we make good time.  We arrive plenty early to be outfitted and briefed for our trip up Haleakala to watch the sunrise and then bike down its flanks for 26 miles.  We climb aboard a van and and start up the volcano.  The driver provides information about the volcano, the sunrise, biking tips, and points out landmarks we need to know about to make our way back to headquarters.  It was too dark to see much so he promised to give us a map before we started biking.

We arrive atop Haleakala in some serious wind, rain, and dark.  Of course, we got there an hour early to get a prime parking location for the van, which has to be turned off in accordance with national park service regulations, so there is no heat.  Our driver tells us it is warmer in the visitors center, so we brace for the wet, gale force cold and make our way toward it, along with many other sunrise viewers/bike riders.  Once inside we huddle against the chill and look at the items for sale which include beautiful posters of the sun coming up over Haleakala.  Our sunrise wouldn't be anything like the posters.  The park ranger announces 'time to sunrise' every few minutes and after a serious wait we head outside for the sunrise chant into the wind--which continues to blow like a banshee.

Then, suddenly, it's light.  Even though we can't see it, the sun has risen right on time.  The scene is grey, ethereal, and other worldly in our sleep deprived states, but we can see.  We all look at each other and laugh at our good fortune with the sunrise.  Quickly we make our way back to the van which we hop aboard and ride to the bike staging area to begin our descent of Haleakala.

When we arrive at the staging area we collect our gear and hop on our rental bikes.  Already the clouds are breaking and the temperature is warming.  We grab the handlebars and steer downhill without pedaling.  Before long we are clamping the brakes to slow our speed.  In the remaining 26 miles there would be little need for pedaling as it is almost entirely downhill!

After a couple of miles we stop for photos of rainbows and valleys.  Our fingers operate the camera controls much better now that the air is warmer and they have thawed.  After photos we hop back on our bikes and continue to careen down the side of the volcano with reckless abandon.  We lean into corners and grind the brakes most of the way.  It's fun and the sleepiness has left our heads.  Every few miles we stop for more photos and marvel at the beauty of the ride.  Other bikers pass us and we pass them.  Everyone whoops it up upon meeting another group.

Before long we are near the base of the volcano and close in on the bike company headquarters.  We pull into the parking lot at 10:15 AM.  The day is done as far as sunrises and biking down a volcano goes.  We return our bikes and get in the rental car for the trip back to our condo, happy for the memory of a...Haleakala sunrise and bike ride.