Maui

[Rick C]

Went to Maui last week, ran the Oceanfront Marathon, a 26 mile/42 km run from Wailea to Lahaina along the Pacific, then spent a few more days lazing about.



Above, a scene along the marathon route, a beautiful point-to-point jaunt. This was a tough race not because of the terrain but because of the temperature. It was already 70 F or 21 C when I stepped out of the car at 4:15 a.m. to catch a shuttle bus to the start line and 81 F or 27 C when I got back into the car at the end, so probably 85 or near 30 C on the pavement. Consequently, my time and, it seemed, everyone else's took a hit. Great experience though. Loved it.



Above, next day, some cows eye me balefully as their bird friends take a powder. I was hiking up Waihee Ridge Trail, a 1,560 foot elevation gain over a round-trip of 8 km. My legs were pretty stiff from running the day before.



Above, on the trail. I was first along here this morning and cleared all the spider webs out of the way. Maui has some awesome looking spiders.



Higher, higher . . . .



. . . . . still higher on a gorgeous trail. Miraculously free of rain too.



The best place to be on the island at that moment.



Above, a young boy jealously watches a family frolicking in the waves.



Above, a young woman watches a sunset in the old whaling town of Lahaina.



Above, on the road to Hana at sunrise. With 600 curves in only 42 miles and frequently reduced to one lane, you want to be on this road before anyone else lest your road rage drive you insane. And it's prettier earlier in the day anyway.



Above, the small village of Hana, hard to get to, with 10,000 foot Haleakala in the background. Again, a clear day. This is a very rainy place.



Above, driving through cattle/horse country the other side of Hana. In a quiet, obscure, virtually invisible churchyard down this road is buried Charles Lindbergh, famous aviator and the first to fly the Atlantic.



Above, catching the big surf of Ho'okipa . . . .



Above, on top of Haleakala. I hiked down into the crater where it was foggy and raining even as this picture shows clear skies. Hiking down from 10,000 feet comes with a price, you have to hike back up to 10,000 feet. The astronomical facilities in the background benefit from the fourth clearest skies on the planet.



Above, a humpback whale calf leaps into a Maui sunset. The calf is strengthening it's tail for the long voyage to Alaska yet to come while also practicing a technique for encircling schools of fish. Surprisingly, there is nothing to eat for whales in Hawaiian waters and they can go six months without food. They are here to mate and calve.



Above, in the moment on Maui.

Rick C
www.goldentales.ca