Maui bike tours
May 31st, 2007, 07:19 AM
#1
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Maui bike tours
National Park Service report (short article). If you talk with the Maui police, they will report similar stories. It's important for participants to understand what the challenges are before heading down from the volcanic summit road.
http://www.mauinews.com/story.aspx?id=30960
http://www.mauinews.com/story.aspx?id=30960
May 31st, 2007, 07:40 AM
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You won't see much on a bike ride down. You have to concentrate the whole time to stay on the road and the tour services push you to keep up the pace so you won't hold up traffic. As far as driving the road, see the section in this article titled "The Drive to the Summit." (I hope this link works for you).
http://travel.nytimes.com/frommers/t...015021189.html
http://travel.nytimes.com/frommers/t...015021189.html
May 31st, 2007, 08:51 AM
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If you drive up and plan to walk around at the summit or hike down into the crater (very worthwhile to just go a little way to see the landscape inside), be sure to bring a jacket or polar fleece. It gets cold up there!
May 31st, 2007, 09:32 AM
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If you're the driver of the car you won't see much either. For pretty much the same reasons as the bikers - keep your eyes on the road.
You have to stop to take in the view.
The family and I were there two summers ago. I recall that there were plenty of places to stop and take it all in.
I found the top a little windy and coolish, but not so much. I had a windbreaker on. That was enough.
You have to stop to take in the view.
The family and I were there two summers ago. I recall that there were plenty of places to stop and take it all in.
I found the top a little windy and coolish, but not so much. I had a windbreaker on. That was enough.
Jun 1st, 2007, 08:47 AM
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Here's the official report that was posted on the National Park Service incident website today....
Rangers and park staff dealt with two bike accidents with serious injuries last week. The first incident occurred on Wednesday, May 23rd, and involved a tour leader for a bike company who’d ridden the park road “hundreds of times.” He was looking over his shoulder at the group he was leading when he failed to make a turn at the 8,500-foot level and plummeted over a 12-foot cliff, landing in a field of sharp lava boulders. He sustained severe leg and hip injuries and head lacerations. Many members of the park staff assisted with traffic control and extricating the man from the gorge. He was flown by helicopter to an area hospital. Six days later, rangers responded to another bicycling accident. A 13-year-old boy lost control of his bike, hit road curbing, and landed in rocks. He sustained a deep cut on his knee and minor bruising and lacerations on his side.
Rangers and park staff dealt with two bike accidents with serious injuries last week. The first incident occurred on Wednesday, May 23rd, and involved a tour leader for a bike company who’d ridden the park road “hundreds of times.” He was looking over his shoulder at the group he was leading when he failed to make a turn at the 8,500-foot level and plummeted over a 12-foot cliff, landing in a field of sharp lava boulders. He sustained severe leg and hip injuries and head lacerations. Many members of the park staff assisted with traffic control and extricating the man from the gorge. He was flown by helicopter to an area hospital. Six days later, rangers responded to another bicycling accident. A 13-year-old boy lost control of his bike, hit road curbing, and landed in rocks. He sustained a deep cut on his knee and minor bruising and lacerations on his side.
Jun 6th, 2007, 08:00 AM
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There is an article today in the Hawaiian Advertiser about Maui bicycle tours being reviewed. Last year there were two fatalities.
http://starbulletin.com/2007/06/06/news/story11.html
In 2005, there were 79,000 people who did the trip. That statistic alone makes me sort of nauseous. Obviously tour operators are raking in a fortune. Probably while suppressing injury and death rates, IMHO.
http://starbulletin.com/2007/06/06/news/story11.html
In 2005, there were 79,000 people who did the trip. That statistic alone makes me sort of nauseous. Obviously tour operators are raking in a fortune. Probably while suppressing injury and death rates, IMHO.
