Day 8: The Adventures of Jen and RaeRay...

T-shirts across Maui rave about the island's remote southeastern tip. "Survivor," say some, and "I Survived the Road to Hana," say others. Tourists wear them everywhere after taking the 50-plus-mile trip to this town of roughly 1,200 residents. The problem with the drive is that the road twists through rainforests banked by high peaks and ocean cliffs. In dozens of spots it goes to one lane, and cars must stop and wait for oncoming traffic to pass. The speed limit at best is 20 miles per hour, which makes this at least a two-and-a-half-hour trip. Of course, most cars stop several times to look at the roaring waterfalls and lush pools below them. Hana is separated from the rest of Maui by a 10,000-foot volcano called Haleakala. It has been inactive since 1790, but it has shaped the island into the landform it is today. Several days earlier, Jen and RaeRay had toured the lava fields below Haleakala.

Rae had plans for Jen and Ray to see more than just the usual road to Hana. She would take them around the western rim of Haleakala so they could look down over the other portions of Maui they had visited. They headed out toward Hana before 9 a.m. and headed up the road that would've taken them to the Haleakala Crater. They didn't have time for it, though, so they traveled on past towns like Kula and Keokea and on around the southern rim of the mountain. That route overlooks the upscale towns of Wailea and Makena and the lava fields. Soon the road was twisting along the coastline, only 2,000 feet above. The path was often packed rocks, and it twisted around tight curves. They could see the West Maui Mountains in the distance, topped with clouds and obviously much smaller than Haleakala.

As they neared Hana, the group stopped at Haleakala National Park, which is another lush reserve with hiking trails to landforms and waterfalls. Rae showed them the spot next to the Seven Sacred Pools -- a series of waterfalls cascading down the cliffs -- where she had camped on her 26th birthday and first fallen in love with Maui. Also along the alternate road to Hana, Rae stopped so Jen and Ray could meet Linda, a long-time resident who runs a small general store in the remote ranching community of Kaupo. There, Jen admired the unique flowers growing around the yard. Another stop for the group was the Venus Pool, where some scenes of the movie "Jurassic Park" were filmed. It was a crater-like rapids emptying into a deep pool. Visitors jump from the cliffs into the clear water.

Finally, Jen and RaeRay arrived at their lodging spot for the night, a sort of guest house more like a youth hostel with a sign outside calling it Joe's Place. Now called Hana Inn, it is a building with five rooms on the second floor and three on the lower floor, sharing five bathrooms between them. It is owned by Gabby and Poe Franklin, who live in the rear of the building. They have a helper living on the land and assisting with chores. He is an Arizona native named Sean, who has traveled the world mostly by foot or hitchhiking. Other guests in the inn with Jen and RaeRay included a couple from northern New York and a group from Spain. After unloading their car, Jen and RaeRay walked down to a nearby black pebble beach, along the way meeting two young women about Rae's age who were filming scenes for a documentary. Meanwhile, a truck loaded with coconuts stopped and a Maui native calling himself Kai leaped out with a machete. He said he removed the fruits from trees on resort properties so they wouldn't drop and injure guests. He said he made $75 for climbing a tree, and he kept the coconuts. Kai told them they should try some fresh coconut water, and chopped the top off three coconuts for them to sip.

Back at the Hana Inn, Jen and RaeRay headed to a food truck park about a mile away for dinner. They had already looked at prices in the Ranch Restaurant -- the town's only real eatery -- and it was far too upscale for this trip. Ray tried a pulled-pork quesadilla from one vendor, and Jen and Rae shared a stir-fry from an Asian truck. Those cost less than $10 apiece. The group had enjoyed about all the entertainment Hana could offer. They were ready to settle in for a good night's rest. They would take the real Road to Hana back to Wailuku the next day.