Just got back from a tript to Maui Drove the Hana Hway in a reented Jeep. Everything they say about its instability is true. Finally got a clear run where I could get over 20. Hit a divot going over one of those many one lane bridges. The Jeep got real squirrly. Felt like it could either roll or pitch into the bridge abutment. I think what may have saved the day was my imprint of stering a Mini - a quick correction to one siude and back to neutral position with the steering wheel. A little more oversteer into the skid and I would probably have seen the bottom of the lava flow

Anyway, sue wished I could have gottent the JCW through airline baggage. Looks like the road may be fun in a Coop, but, it seems like you would get interminably stuck behind the tourists. But, on a clear stretch, it looks like it could be oh so fun. Didn't see any Mini's on the road, not that anything lasts long in you rear view mirror on that road. Any experiences you want to share to let me know what I missed?

 

Well I could tell you all about the road. Imagine a tourist thinking they could over take our big yellow school bus as we went to hana highs gym for a basketball game. :D.

I have heard some rumors of volvo doing some testing on it... That road is scary fun in my moms S60 T5. Amazing !

 

Was the tourist on foot or on drugs? Hopefullly everyone survived. How'd Volvo do testing on the road - did they get the authorities to close it down? Hard to imagins since there's no other way across the top of the island.

 

well there are two roads into hana. the back road and the front road. I think volvo does all the testing on the back road.

We were fine in the bus, but the toursit thought they could go past us on one of the small bridges. We all laughed. :D

 

On the bridge Must have been drugs

 

it was a japanese tourist, yelling at us too it was horrible. The funny thing was most of us in the bus took japanese and could understand him. It was funny :D

 

What's the back road? Rt.31 out of Keokea? Sorry. My only map of Maui is a tourist magazine from 2001. God I want to go back so bad !!!

 

basically, goes through kula. It's a pretty tight road... few travel it.

rt 31? crap there are rts and highways?

 

I couldn't even find Kula on the map

 

Been there, done that. Didn't stop for nobody or nothing, just hauled but (er legally, of course). Fun drive. Took it slow coming back ... boring.

 

Must not have gotten the knack of the road. There was always someone in front who wouln't yield the roadway and seemed like blasting through a bridge was not an option Maybe the time to drive it was between midnight and 5 am I'd also love to go back, not so much for Maui, which was incredible (but I try not to see the same place twice - - there's too much world out there and so little time and money ), but to take another stab at the highway. It was the most incredible road I've ever seen. I think the back road Flyn might be talking about is the Cowpa road (if I have it right) that goes along the south coast and then you have to take 31? up to the airport. EVERYONE advised not to take the road exceptthe guy who drove the airport shuttle from the rent a car at the end of our trip. He said it's bumpy but you can fly. Anyway, made it in the Jeep from Hana to the airport in 1.5 hours. Wife was very

 

rofl, it take me 3 to 4 hours from hana airport to kmart. ummm yah! maybe at midnight in the mini I could do it in 30 minutes?

 

IMHO, in all deference to the local population, I thought Lanai was by far the best island followed closely by Molokai. No commercialism at all. Quiet and beautiful. Little puddle jumpers. Very cool.

 

now try living there? I love kona. Probably going to sell the house in maui and buy one there. Maybe a few acres O_o.

There is a costco in kona now. WEEE

 

I gathered that so I deferred to you all ...

But I still liked them best (from my tourist POV)!

 

yah very understandable