Gone to See Hawaii, Maui Day 1: Haleakala National Park.
While attending a scientific meeting in Hawaii, I had the afternoons free. For the first day I decided to drive to Haleakala National Park to check out a good location for a sunrise or sunset photo shoot on top of the volcano for later in the week. It is amazing going from sea level to Pu’U’Ula’Ula (Red Hill) the summit of Haleakala at 10,023 feet. There were not many bicycles riding up, but many riding down. It looks like the tour operations bring you up the mountain and then let you ride a bicycle down. Up at the summit, I got some images of the rare Haleakala Silversword plant (one in bloom), and the Haleakala US Air Force Satellite Observatory Station. Going down the mountain, I stopped at the Kalahaku Overlook to take a panorama of the volcano crater. Further down, near the visitor center there were a pair of Nēnē (Hawaiian Goose) at the side of the road. The Nēnē is the state bird of Hawaii. I had previously seen Nēnē on the Big Island of Hawaii during a photography workshop with Thom Hogan.
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