After twin sisters plummeted off a Hawaii cliff, one died. The other was charged with murder.

Washington Post ^

[Mears]

How would neglect of the highway forestall development on Oahu?

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[Carriage Hill]

The earth is nothing, if not resilient.

[Covenantor]

Don't know when you were on it last, but in 1977 for many sections it was not much more than a lane and half, no guardrails at all, and before you were out of one turn you were cranking hard the other way. Hana Ranch folks had warned us when we made reservations to take the commuter plane to their private airfield instead of renting a car in Lanai, just too damn dangerous.

Can't tell when that was taken, but you can see a downhill stretch and a car for scale. IIRC, there were tighter stretches on the uphill runs from Lanai

Just couldn't get heavy construction equipment up that road and scaring the tourists kept all but the affluent from making the effort. Part of the Thomas-Lindburgh, effort was keep the native population and culture intact. Colonialists, but well meaning. And it worked for some time.

Final note: on that afternoon we were the only vehicle on the road coming and going.

[doorgunner69]

Final note: on that afternoon we were the only vehicle on the road coming and going. These days, you are likely to be in a long train of rental cars. Most everywhere in Maui is like that, endless lines of tourists in rental cars. Nowhere to pass the gawkers.

We have sworn off ever going to Maui again due to the excessive tourism and liberalism that is the worst in the state.

[Mears]

I was on it in the mid nineties,wasn’t the driver,and probably had my eyes closed for the tricky parts.

I had similar experiences in Colorado and Norway.

I would NEVER drive on those roads.

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[Covenantor]

That's a damn shame. Back then it was like spending two weeks in paradise. Take the Hana bikes, nice ride to one of the nearby coves just my wife and I... and have staff deliver a picnic lunch with wine, linens, china, etc. Just gorgeous and tranquil. We hated to leave.

So Lowell Thomas and Lucky Lindy were correct to fear what eventually happened

Just remembered Hasegawa's General Store, small at the time and the rice paddies nearby.

[Mears]

In Honolulu you have to step over the homeless.

They were catching the last bus at night and spending the night at the airport-—open 24 hours a day.

They can freshen up(?) and snooze the night away.

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[doorgunner69]

So Lowell Thomas and Lucky Lindy were correct to fear what eventually happened

One of my best memories of Maui was eating at Mama's Fish House near Paia around forty years ago. Magical.

Hit it a few times over the years after, and after moving to Hawaii, took the Superferry over from Oahu, eight or so years ago after a twenty year absence and the place had changed so much we did not recognize it. You used to park on the sand lot, now they have valet parking.

Prices are stratospheric. Gone totally tourist. yet another reason to avoid the island. Yes I am conservative and like things the way they were.

[Covenantor]

The early morning helicopter ride to the southern base of Haleakala (sp?) was outstanding. Best E ticket ride ever...for me at least. Pilot zoomed to the Seven Sacred Pools, not, at tree top level, did a slow turn around them and then Hulu ! upslope, nose down. Sitting in right front I could see the ground running past under my feet. Into the mist before the early morning cloud cover, the rotors were casting circular rainbows above and below us. Nose still tilted downward we entered the could, nothing but white all around and then the break thru. Zooming at what felt like 30 feet above the terrain suddenly the lip of the crater appeared along with the vast deep unworldly crate with the ochers and purples on the leeward all brightly lit, with shadows to the right. Clearing the lip, the pilot hit the throttle and dove, again nose tilted downward a bit. Wahooooo! Felt like Slim Pickens riding the missile. Dear wife was quite happy to be in the back seat looking straight ahead over my shoulder.

Were told the entire island of Manhattan could fit with room to spare and not one roof tower peek above the rim.

Truly one of those events that has to be experienced first hand. IMax won't cut it....mebbe.

[dfwgator]

Was she wearing this?

[doorgunner69]

Bet you $100 that that sort of flight through clouds is no longer legal, after the variety of fatal crashes of fixed and rotary wing aircraft in poor visibility.

Had to be a kick-ass ride, one you wish video cameras were cheap enough for we peons to have back then.

[Covenantor]

No doubt about that...but it was 1977, and the pilot had a bit of a swagger, maybe former WO, and it was just the three of us over, ummm, unoccupied territory, his only charter for the day and hell, a chance to fly and show off to my wife, as was understable.

As for the cloud cover, it was the typical morning capture by the volcano, not all that deep, but still...

After the fly around inside the crater, the return was a more sedate run back up the coast to show us the best small beaches.

Back in NYC, we dined out on that story for months and almost forty years later still a very vivid memory.

Guessing from your nick, you’ve had a few such rides...