The Hana Hiatus 202km Perm - A Nice Break!

It's been in the teens all day as I write this, with a mixture of snow and graupel ushering in a Colorado month of March.  While many of us have been eking out a Platteville Poke-Along or Kersey Kick permanent in between snowstorms and the polar vortex, a few lucky riders - four so far this season - have been able to enjoy my Hana Hiatus 202km circuit of south Maui, starting with our own local luminary, Ray Rupel.

You can read Ray's write-up in the spring issue of American Randonneur.

- CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE -


The route takes in South Maui, featuring the Hana Highway, the quiet south coast, and the SW flank of the Haleakala volcano.



Here are some photos I took researching this route.  The ride starts in Lihei, on the west coast of South Maui, near hotels and services.  You pass the local rowing club's canoes arrayed on the beach.



A tranquil start on the bikepath from Kihei to Kahului.



Beyond Pukulani is the route's high point, just above 3,000 ft.  



After a flat start, you climb (if you're riding counterclockwise) up the shoulder of the Haleakala volcano to Pukulani. (Clockwise, it's a nice downhill treat towards the end.  There is a runaway truck lane, by the way.)

Some traffic heading down the Haleakala Highway on the way to work.




The road becomes pastoral and even quieter.




Looking up the flank of Haleakala.



Verdant stretches even on this, the leeward side.




The Piilani Highway descends to the south coast.



Nice views of the Pacific and nearby islands.




Some fun on a twisty descent!



This quiet road narrows to one lane.




More volcanic terrain.  Yes, we're looking down on the bridge we just crossed.



Nice outcroppings on the coast.



The segment just pictured has fairly new asphalt, and is in wonderful shape.  What follows is eight miles of rough pavement and (somewhat smoother) dirt. 



This pavement feels even rougher than it looks!



This shot of the bridge shown above - courtesy of Google StreetView - shows the pavement before it was redone.  Now it is very smooth. 




Goats graze on a ridge.




The road traverses volcanic outcroppings.



In this verdant country, even the cattleguards are overgrown with grass.



Deep ravines proceed to the coast.





The services tend to be isolated ranch and general stores.




A tempting sidetrip ... up to 10,000 ft.




Enjoying the beach at the start/finish, looking towards cloud blowing off West Maui.



Jenny and Shawn Hatfield are the latest to have ridden the Hana Hiatus as of this writing.  Check out Jenny's photo report.   And remember to look for Ray's article.

The Hana Hiatus is a tough 200k in some ways.  It has almost 11,000 ft. of climbing.  The south coast can be hot and has limited services.  The Hana Highway - a succession of rollers and bridges over inlets - has cumulative climbing and being on the windward side, can be wetter.  But with the right preparation and attitude, you're in for a rewarding, scenic experience!

-jle

P.S. I have not posted info on the Colorado Permanents pages (because it's not in Colorado), but you can find basic info here and a RideWithGPS map here.