tommyd

I just booked a 38 mile downhill bike ride through Mauidownhill.com. Have any of you fodorites done it?? What can I expect?? Lots of photo ops, etc.?? It's the Super Sunrise Safari. Leaves way early, but awesome sunrise?? Let me know what you thought!! Thank you.

Big_Daddy

experience of a lifetime!
watching the sun first peak over the crater
cruising down the crater with sweeping views of islands and the ocean

tommyd

WOW! Sounds awesome!! Can't wait until October!! Thanks BigDaddy!!

Ally

I think it's considered something that everyone should do once, which is what I did. It's VERY, very cold up there at Sunrise so make sure you have on several layers to start, then you can start peeling off layers on your way down. Don't even THINK about doing this in shorts. I'm talking jeans, and sweaters/coats. Yes, the sunrise is an awesome sight coming up over the crater. Beautiful.
Yes, there are some stunning sights, but we only stopped once or twice. Most of the time I was just concentrating on keeping up with the pack and not crashing! It's an easy ride, all downhill, but that required a lot of braking to make sure your not going TOO fast. I can't remember the name of the company I went with, but didn't really care for the restaurant they took us for lunch. It was crowded and cheap and not that good, although I was starving by this time and ate every bite! The only reason I would not do it again is because of the freezing temps for the first couple hours and the awful hour of the morning we had to get up.

tommyd

Thanks Ally. I was hoping to be able to stop for photos more than that! Probably couldn't catch up if you stopped on your own, huh? We're staying in Lahaina, so pick up time is around 3am. Oh well, hopefully the midwest body clock hasn't adjusted to the time difference yet! 5 hour time difference, so really 8am!! Yeah, right!!!

Dick

Ally is right about dressing in layers. You start out with all of your layers being worn aqnd wind up in shorts and a T-shirt.

It is best to do the ride the first day you are on Maui...since your body clock will have you up very early anyhow.

It's a fabulous experience.

Big_Daddy

Yes do the trip early on during the trip. We followed the advice of other posters and did it the first day. When we go again I plan on doing it the second day b/c the first day you are just getting adjusted, usually the flight arrives in the late afternoon. We stopped for groceries once we arrived, picked up the car and checked in. Although we were exhausted it did take a little time before going down - just with the excitement of being in Maui. So getting to bed the first night around 9-10 and then waking around 2 was torture. the second night we were still adjusting to the time difference and I think the second night is the night to pick to wake up early - just in my opinion from experience.
Also you can't stop for photo ops along the way on your own b/c the van is behind you and protects you from traffic.
You do get one photo op halfway down but unfortunately this is nothing as breath taking as the scenes higher up.

Big_Daddy

when I say first day - I'm referring to the first full day - not arrival day

gualalalisa

Tommy: Agree with Big Daddy - loved it, loved it, loved it!

See my reply to Nancy's post today about Haleakala for more detail.

Have fun!

here_today_gone2Maui

I have done this a few times, but may I suggest you reconsider the guided tour with Maui Downhill and look at a self-guided ride with a company such as Haleakala Bike Company. The guided tours are like cattle drives, and you are limited to going as slow as the slowest member of your group. Phot ops are few, and are when the group leader stops--not when you see something you want to snap. When we hear about accidents they are almost exclusviely from a guided tour, as they are herded along in a group, much too close together, with a van on either end of your group. A self-guided ride allows you to stop where and when you want--breakfast at the Kula Lodge, a picnic along the way, or to take in a breath-taking view. We see the guided groups rushing into Pa`ia every morning, one after another. With a self-guided bike ride you can have the bike all day, stop and play in Makawao, visit the goats at Sufing Goat Dairy, or just sit on the side of the road and enjoy the view all the way across the island.

Big_Daddy

with all due respect to here_today_gone2Maui - Don't do the self-guided tour!!!! Do the group tour!! We almost did the self-guided and were so glad we didn't!
The self-guided can ONLY be done outside the park itself thus forcing you to miss the MOST spectacular part of the bike ride (the first 8 miles from the top of the crater)!!!
You must do the ride with a tour and do the entire trip. I didn't feel pressured on the group tour and I felt protected from trafffic by the van following us.

rb_travelerxATyahoo

I don't understand why anyone would pay the big buck$ to go on this ride if you can't "stop to smell the roses".

Not that I have done this, but I have bicycled from LA to Boston twice and many other bicycle rides, both organized and solo trips. One writer said, "there are some stunning sights, but we only stopped once or twice. Most of the time I was just concentrating on keeping up with the pack and not crashing" ... well what fun is that? There are MANY opportunities throughout this U.S. (and the world) to ride "white-knuckled" in a pack of cyclists so close together you have to keep your eye on the wheel in front of you almost every second ... if one were to be in a beautiful place line Maui, why wouldn't you wish to see the sights, stop and take pix? Save your "racing" for boring places without the beauty of the islands: (Rt 54 in Kansas comes to mind.)

So I side with "here_today_gone2Maui". Should HI vacation be a place to have left your "Type A personalities" at home?

here_today_gone2Maui

There is also another, little-known Haleakala bike ride down the other side to the winery. It includes a wine tasting at the end of the ride. We have not done it yet, but plan to soon. My husband is a mountain biker and he rides Poli Poli Springs, Ulupalakua and down the other side to Kaupo. these are way too much for me. I am not an avid rider, but will do the downhill with him. I think a downhill ride with a winer tasting is the best kind of "mountian biking".

Big_Daddy

rb_travel...
Everybody has their own idea of what is enjoyable. I never felt "whiteknuckled", or herded, or rushed. There were no trees to block the spectacular views for the first 16 miles or so and I enjoyed the views. True this trip is not for everyone but there is no doubt this activity was in my five all time experiences.
I personally don't understand paying big $$$ to have a bunch of fins in my face at molokini crater when snorkling off the beach is just as good but it doesn't mean the people who find that enjoyable are wrong. Just their cup of tea not mine.
The fact we didn't stop more often was disappointing but then again with about 15 or so groups doing the trek each day there is not much of a choice. Also it would be different if there were only pull over spots to enjoy the views - this was not the case, no trees obstructed my views and I enjoyed it especially for the first 16 miles.
I wish nobody was at the Grand Canyon when I go there but I think I'll have to share it.

JohnD

Reply to rbTravelerxATyahoo: Very impressive:

"I have bicycled from LA to Boston twice"

Was this ride part of an iron-groin competition?