Day 9: The Adventures of Jen and RaeRay
Ray was up before 5 a.m. watching the patterns of countless stars over Hana and drinking coffee from a pot that had been prepped the night before. He figured owners Gabbie and Poe Franklin left it for the earliest riser to brew. Ray was first up in the house. Rae finally appeared shortly after sunrise, and she and Ray walked to the black rock beach to view the morning colors. Back at the inn a little later, they visited with Gabbie and Poe on the slope behind the building and watched the waves in the distance. Gabbie is Gabriel Franklin, who was once a filmmaker in Los Angeles and had worked on many movies, including "Men in Black" and "Jurrasic Park." His family had owned property on the opposite side of Maui for 50 years. Last year he bought this inn, which had been called Joe's Place, and began restoring it. The rooms begin at about $150 per night, which is a bargain anywhere on the island.
Jen and RaeRay's last day on the road in Maui was another maze of twists and turns, waterfalls and valleys. The infamous Road to Hana was, for these travelers, the road back from Hana. It was smooth roadways but narrow curves and bridges -- unlike the rocky path from the previous day. Again, the drive was more than two and a half hours, again with many stops for awesome sights. The first one was Wai'anapanapa State Park with high cliffs and more black beaches down below. Rae was delighted to find the two wanderers she and Jen had met the day before -- Savannah and Anna -- in the campground there. Adjoining the state park property was a well kempt garden with two decorated graves. The group marveled at the toys and flowers that adorned the plots and wondered who might be buried here. They never found out. The second stop was at the National Tropical Botanical Gardens in Kahanu. Jen and RaeRay visited with the keeper of the small gift shop and bought a few souvenirs. The garden tour cost more than they could afford for the few minutes they had to spend there.
Rae kept close watch for a food stand amid the winding curves that she had seen on a previous trip to Hana. It was called Kok's, which Rae considered practically the same as her sister Kaki's name. The tiny business was perched on a cliff with a beautiful view, and the aging lady who manned it was jolly and talkative. She laughed and chatted with Rae and welcomed her parents. She seemed to remember this Southern visitor who had last been here on her first visit to the island two years ago. The stand had a small kitchen in the back, and anytime someone approached it, Kok's dog ushered them away. As the Subaru continued through the lush forest, Rae suddenly saw a small lot on the side of the road and stopped abruptly. This seemed to be the spot where she had crawled through a lava tube on a previous visit. Sure enough, a thinning grove of vines exposed an entrance to the mountain. Rae donned her headlamp and encouraged Ray to follow. They crawled through the hole into a cavern through the rock. Ray was hesitant to go past the opening, but Rae insisted. They traveled maybe 100 feet or more into the darkness past a fork into another cavern. A bit farther, they saw light. The lava tube had another entrance higher up the mountain. RaeRay applauded themselves for being so adventurous and then moved back toward the car. The tunnel was becoming crowded with other explorers. This was one of Ray's favorite adventures during the Maui tour.
Jen and Ray hadn't really seen sea turtles on the island, other than a few heads popping up in the surf. That all changed as they arrived at Ho'okipa Beach County Park. An oceanside park here had a public beach with one side covered in sea turtles. Gawkers stood along a line watching as the gigantic creatures as they traipsed in and out of the water. Their endangered status prohibits humans from getting too close. Also at Ho'okipa Beach, Ray satisfied his growing hunger pains with a cheeseburger from Bob's Burgers food truck. This is the creation of another California film producer named Bob Voit. His aging food truck posts a promise that if this is not the best burger on the island, it's free. Ray finished his meal and nodded to the owner: "Keep your money, Bob." After that, Jen and RaeRay arrived in Paia for a bit more shopping and a chance for Rae to get away from her parents and have an acai bowl at a restaurant there. She was beginning to miss her time alone, but Jen and Ray promised they would be leaving the next day.
Before heading back to the condo in Wailuku, the group stopped at Kanaha Beach next to the Kahului airport. This is one of the best spots for wind surfing. They watched a few surfers as a heavy rain cloud floated along the shoreline in the distance. This might have been their last chance on Maui's beaches during this adventure, but Jen was determined to get in two more hours of sunning during the morning they would be leaving on Saturday. The ocean is one of her very favorite things.
Jen and RaeRay's last day on the road in Maui was another maze of twists and turns, waterfalls and valleys. The infamous Road to Hana was, for these travelers, the road back from Hana. It was smooth roadways but narrow curves and bridges -- unlike the rocky path from the previous day. Again, the drive was more than two and a half hours, again with many stops for awesome sights. The first one was Wai'anapanapa State Park with high cliffs and more black beaches down below. Rae was delighted to find the two wanderers she and Jen had met the day before -- Savannah and Anna -- in the campground there. Adjoining the state park property was a well kempt garden with two decorated graves. The group marveled at the toys and flowers that adorned the plots and wondered who might be buried here. They never found out. The second stop was at the National Tropical Botanical Gardens in Kahanu. Jen and RaeRay visited with the keeper of the small gift shop and bought a few souvenirs. The garden tour cost more than they could afford for the few minutes they had to spend there.
Rae kept close watch for a food stand amid the winding curves that she had seen on a previous trip to Hana. It was called Kok's, which Rae considered practically the same as her sister Kaki's name. The tiny business was perched on a cliff with a beautiful view, and the aging lady who manned it was jolly and talkative. She laughed and chatted with Rae and welcomed her parents. She seemed to remember this Southern visitor who had last been here on her first visit to the island two years ago. The stand had a small kitchen in the back, and anytime someone approached it, Kok's dog ushered them away. As the Subaru continued through the lush forest, Rae suddenly saw a small lot on the side of the road and stopped abruptly. This seemed to be the spot where she had crawled through a lava tube on a previous visit. Sure enough, a thinning grove of vines exposed an entrance to the mountain. Rae donned her headlamp and encouraged Ray to follow. They crawled through the hole into a cavern through the rock. Ray was hesitant to go past the opening, but Rae insisted. They traveled maybe 100 feet or more into the darkness past a fork into another cavern. A bit farther, they saw light. The lava tube had another entrance higher up the mountain. RaeRay applauded themselves for being so adventurous and then moved back toward the car. The tunnel was becoming crowded with other explorers. This was one of Ray's favorite adventures during the Maui tour.
Jen and Ray hadn't really seen sea turtles on the island, other than a few heads popping up in the surf. That all changed as they arrived at Ho'okipa Beach County Park. An oceanside park here had a public beach with one side covered in sea turtles. Gawkers stood along a line watching as the gigantic creatures as they traipsed in and out of the water. Their endangered status prohibits humans from getting too close. Also at Ho'okipa Beach, Ray satisfied his growing hunger pains with a cheeseburger from Bob's Burgers food truck. This is the creation of another California film producer named Bob Voit. His aging food truck posts a promise that if this is not the best burger on the island, it's free. Ray finished his meal and nodded to the owner: "Keep your money, Bob." After that, Jen and RaeRay arrived in Paia for a bit more shopping and a chance for Rae to get away from her parents and have an acai bowl at a restaurant there. She was beginning to miss her time alone, but Jen and Ray promised they would be leaving the next day.
Before heading back to the condo in Wailuku, the group stopped at Kanaha Beach next to the Kahului airport. This is one of the best spots for wind surfing. They watched a few surfers as a heavy rain cloud floated along the shoreline in the distance. This might have been their last chance on Maui's beaches during this adventure, but Jen was determined to get in two more hours of sunning during the morning they would be leaving on Saturday. The ocean is one of her very favorite things.
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