The air became cool and humid. It smelled green. As it winds around the steep flanks of Mt. Haleakala, the dormant volcano that dominates East Maui, Hana Highway twists, curves, hugs rock walls, often narrows to one lane and frequently skirts deep ravines and major drop-offs without benefit of guardrails. It's not dangerous or scary for people who like to drive. Posted speed limits range from 10 mph to 20 mph.
Signs warn drivers to sound horns at blind curves, to yield to traffic on one-lane bridges.
Our family too often measures life by quotas, appointments, deadlines and race results. We had better things to do with our eyes. Far below, surf hammered black lava boulders. East Maui averages 360 inches of annual rainfall. EMI ditches and tunnels carry 60 billion gallons of water a year to central Maui cane fields, where it takes one ton of water to produce one pound of refined sugar.