Maui Moped Madness

Relying on public transportation isn't easy on an island created from volcanic eruptions. Only a small percentage of the island is accessible by bus, so we thought why not rent a moped for the day and ride as far as we can go?? BEST IDEA EVER! It was seriously one of the most enjoyable days we've had out here and I officially want a moped! It was only $55 for a whole 24 hours for the both of us and $2.50 to fill the tank! SOLD!

We definitely got our money's worth! We jumped on that bad boy at 9:00 AM and booked it north! First stop, Honolua Bay for a quick and dirty dip and snorkel sess. We've only been to Honolua Bay once since we've been out here and had a blast! Great snorkeling, which I wrote about in a previous post: In The Eyes of Love... The first time we snorkeled the right side and everyone has been telling us to snorkel the left side, so that's what we did. Compared to the right, the left has deep drop offs of coral reefs and tons of turtles! It's quite majestic watching them float around in the bright blue under water universe. We swam so far out trying to follow them, we didn't realized how far from the shore we were!

After our quick turn around our adventure continued! Like I said quick and dirty! The left side isn't the cleanest or easiest water getting in and out of. The bay merges with a stream runoff of very cold water and tons of boulders. I slipped a good 20 times, but laughed it off trying to play cool. Our moped madness took us through the most beautifully emerald covered valleys I've seen on the island! The Honoapiilani Highway outlines the northern coastline and is made up of gradual declines followed by steep inclines. At one point we had to jump off our little-moped-that-could and walk it up the mountain. Totally worth it with the views we had.

We stopped along the way at a bunch of little lookouts and hiked along the coast to enjoy even more breath taking views. After a few snapshots we went on our way just past mile marker 38, where you can walk down to a light house. Another .5 miles is the Nakalele Blowhole, which has been on our list of things to see while in Maui. In between the lighthouse and the blowhole is an area marked "Acid War Zone." As the name aptly describes, it's a barren landscape where boulders have been severely damaged due to countless years of salt water spray. These massive stones are pock-marked, sculpted and perched precariously along the coastline.

Before even stepping foot on the rugged rocky path, we encounter a warning sign to hike at your own risk and it's advised to view from a distance. People have been killed!! Being the incredibly windy day that it was, I took a couple more steps down and enjoyed the view from there. The jagged terrain did not look too inviting to me today. Here, a solidified lava shelf meets the wrath of the sea. There is a partially submerged ocean cave with a small opening that shoots a jet of water into the air every time the ocean rises and waves crash into the coastline. The effect of this well known natural landmark is much like a geyser, shooting water periodically into the air. Depending on the tide, the blow can reach over 50 feet high! 

We made a final stop at the Ohai Trail before turning around. It's an easy 1.2 mile trail with coastal views and lush greenery. You can also see the peak of Kahakuloa Head in the distance. It's not a trail I would go out of my way to hike, but it was a nice stop to explore and enjoy the attractions of the unpopulated northwest coast. By the time we made it back around we were both sore and starving.

Being the anxious and excited voyagers that we are, we forgot our Maui travel guide at home and returned to realize we made our turn around right before the Olivine Pools and another coastal hike just past that! Have no fear, we still have another 6 weeks here! And we will definitely be renting a moped again! So stay tuned because the Olivine Pools are NOT to be missed! 

After getting a good meal in our bellies, we journeyed around the hills and mountains in our backyard. It's amazing how much more you can see on a moped! We drove all the way up till the street ended, which dead ends into our neighborhood high school! And get a look at these kids' views from their football field! Jealous!! Greg told me way back in the day when they were first building the school, they wanted it as far from the coast as possible to keep the kids away from horny sailors...

Our eager enjoyment was well accomplished! But all things must come to an end.  Feeling like a badass and our moped madness ended with a sunset at the top of the mountains.