Haleakala Ride

Was it worth it? Going up Haleakala in one day, 10,000 ft ascent from sea level, from the ocean to the top of the world?

Well, depends… It was a dream of mine, one of the most famous descents in the world, an adventure like no other.

From a biking perspective, it was less of an achievement than I thought it would be. Every time I do Old La Honda I am humbled; this time, I wasn’t. Should have pushed harder, but I was taught that having your gear with you makes all the difference.

In any other respect, I loved it. It was a social event, with everybody constantly asking me things, talking to me, making me feel really supported. The downhill bikers laughed with me, the guys at every stop (and there were too many of those) shared all their stories. The scenery was majestic, and every turn of the road brought something new. 10,000 ft of new.

You should do it! I loved it, and although I said I would never do it again, I would leave tomorrow morning if I could.