Maui Stables, Kipahulu

Today we drove three hours of the beautiful, treacherous winding Road to Hana out to Kipahulu to ride with Maui Stables. This is one of the most remote parts of the island. It is actually past Hana. The road itself runs along the coast with 600 and some curves.
We woke up at 5AM to make the three hour drive to Kipahulu. Along Hana Highway, we stopped to watch the waves crash on the cliffs and to take in the waterfalls and pools that dot this area of rainforest.

Keoni would be taking me out along with two other visitors. Keoni grew up in the area and has a deep connection to his Hawaiian heritage. He would serve as out Alaka’i or guide into the rainforest. Before riding, Keoni sang and prayed a traditional oli or call to his ancestors.

Maui Stables has about 42 horses, who have been trained by Keoni. No horse is bombproof, but his are pretty close. They are all great trail horses. They also can break out of the nose to tail thing and listen well.

Keoni rode Makani Hoolua, which means Mountain Wind. I rode a chestnut Quarter Horse Thoroughbred cross named Makani Kulupe, which means North Wind. Our whole crew had to ride on this trip, as we were venturing to land where no vehicles could travel. This is a true testament to how well behaved the horses are and how pristine the land is here.

We rode by several sacred sights on the way to the mountain trails that would take us up to higher elevations for our picnic lunch. Not that I would necessarily be hungry for lunch after munching my way through the forest.

We passed some wild cows, as Keoni reached up to grab me a mango off of a nearby tree. I had already tried and apple banana. Yes, for all of you banana lovers out there, they have various kinds of bananas on the islands here. The apple banana tastes, well, like an apple.

Keoni said that his ancestors lived off the land and the sea. I could see how people could still live this way, as we picked a star fruit.

The passion fruit was my favorite. I puckered a bit at its flavoring, as we rode through the wide forest trails. We had croissant sandwiches for lunch at a look out point. There was a massive waterfall in the distance. The setting was beautiful, but what made it even more special was being with Keoni, someone who loves the land and whose ties to its history remain strong.

Lahaina, Maui

Lahaina is a busy shop and restaurant filled port town, which though touristy, has enough history to make it worth a stop on your trip, or at least a drive through. I wanted to see the big old Banyon Tree down by the water, so we headed to Lahaina to check it out.

Front Street is the main street in Lahaina. During the 1800’s, when whaling was a major industry, Lahaina was a place that sailors would visit, after being isolated at sea for months at a time. Lahaina was, for a time, also the capital of the Kingdom of Hawaii. We spent half a day here, eating breakfast and lunch and just poking around in the various shops along the shore.

I also spent time working out the kinks from riding all of these different horses over the summer. While we are riding, sightseeing and tomorrow zip lining in this area, we are staying in the resort area of Ka'anapali at the Westin Ka'nnapali, a true oasis. If you are riding in this area, the hot tubs at the Westin are a welcome relief after the end of a long day in the saddle. You will enjoy them. The beaches here are gorgeous too.

Maui Sunset Ride

Today we took a sunset ride in the West Maui Mountains with Jordan and Traci of Lahaina Stables. The stables overlook the beach town of Lahaina and it’s harbor, which is known for its stunning sunsets.

I rode another great horse, an 18 year-old Palomino, Quarter Horse Thoroughbred cross named Mana, which means “power” in Hawaiian.

This ride can only be summed up with some photos of the setting sun.

Makawao, Maui

Makawao is a very cool little Western town in Upcountry Maui. So far, this is my favorite town in Maui. It’s right down the street from Piiholo Ranch, so if you are riding there, you may want to check it out.

After using Makawao as a base for travel and getting restaurant suggestions from the locals and then trying them, here are a couple of recommendations. This town consists of all locally owned shops and restaurants, so each place is really unique.

Lodging: We are staying atHale Hookipa Inn Bed and Breakfast, a great spot from which to explore upcountry and beyond. This inn is on the National Register of Historic Places. Cherie, the owner, sat with us and the other guests over breakfast and gave us great recommendations for a good beach and the best area restaurants. Staying at Hale Hookipa will make you feel right at home, as the island breeze blows through the screen windows. It’s also right in Makawao, my favorite island town!

Shopping: Aloha Cowboy has some really cool Western gear. We stopped by to shop. I got some shirts and a new straw hat. This is a great place to shop if you want to fit in with the locals.

Makawao Food: A couple of doors down from Aloha Cowboy is a good sushi place. We’ve been eating a lot of fresh seafood on the island and trying a lot of different fish that I had never even heard of before.

Hali’imaile General Store was my favorite island dinner place. We tried the Sashimi Napolean, which was spicy and crispy. I had a macadamia nut crusted fish with mashed purple sweet potatoes. I love the sweet potatoes here. They are delicious. My fish came covered in mango, papaya and other island fruits. Desert consisted of pineapple upside down cake, which reminded me of the buttery version that my mom used to make. It was really good.

I definitely recommend stopping in Makawao while you are on the island.

Pi’iholo Ranch, Maui

We’re in Upcountry Maui, riding at Piiholo Ranch with Tamalyn Baldwin and other riders. The Upcountry is the lush ranch area and Piiholo Ranch is a working cattle ranch that also serves as a sanctuary for the Hawaiian State Bird, the endangered Nene. Seeing the Nene up close would be one of the highlights of my ride at Piiholo.

I rode a 4-year-old Quarter Horse named Stick. Though young, Stick was amazingly patient and well trained. Tamalyn said that he would probably be the best horse that I rode on Maui, and he was really good.

Piiholo Ranch is open to the public. Anyone can come and ride through areas of rain forest and lush rolling hills overlooking the sea.

Our group of four riders warmed up a bit by walking, trotting and cantering through a nearby field before venturing down to peer into a large and deep, nearby gulch. The lush surroundings held trees of papaya and flowers. It looked like what I had imagined parts of Hawaii to be.

We then cantered a bit on our way out to find the cattle. The ranch raises Coriente cattle that are used for roping. These cows and horses have quite a view on the ranch, looking out to the blue waters of the Pacific coastline.

The Baldwins, who own Piiholo, have a long legacy on the island, having been living there for six generations. We rode towards an area that has been set aside as a safe zone for the Nene, an endangered bird that is thought of by many as a lost Canadian goose.

There were a couple of Nene hanging out. It would be my only chance to see them on Maui.

Gathering of the Kings Luau

So I still have this song in my head from tonight’s luau and festive musical extravaganza, the Gathering of the Kings on the grounds of The Fairmont Orchid. This is quite a production, complete with dancers, torch jugglers, people on stilts and all sorts of acrobatics. It tells the story of the settlement of the islands in Polynesia. I certainly enjoyed it and the music.

There was food to taste from Tahiti, Hawaii, New Zealand and Samoa. I tried lots of different things, including poi, a traditional Hawaiian startch made from pounding the roots of the taro plant. We had ridden by fields of taro the other day in Waipio. I had heard that it could be an acquired taste and that infants are sometimes given this somewhat pasty concoction from birth.

It was sort of a grayish color and tasted both sweet and bitter. Not my cup of tea, but if prepared another way, perhaps I would have liked it.

Outrigger Canoeing and Beaching It, Big Island

I was out on the open seas today, using a paddle to navigate our long, white outrigger canoe with Umi, a beach boy at the Fairmont Orchid who loves outrigger canoeing. The Fairmont Orchid is a beautiful resort on the Kohala Coast. The waters are clear here. The ocean breeze blows, and it is a paradise with very good banana mango smoothies. It is also not too far from Waipio or Waimea, so a good place to use as a jumping off point to visit both, if you manage to leave the resort.

I’ve been snorkeling in these waters over the past few days. There is a sanctuary here for sea turtles, who you can easily spot while snorkeling and canoeing. Umi showed me the proper technique for rowing, as well as how to push off and jump in the canoe. We were off.

An outrigger canoe is different from a regular canoe, as it has an outrigger, which allows it to be more stable in the water. Long ago, the Polynesians traveled in these canoes and today in Hawaii, outrigger canoe races are popular.

Umi told me that he could stay out at sea canoeing all day, but I, on the other hand, would need to rest my arms a bit. We saw several sea turtles, one of whom swam under our canoe. I enjoyed seeing the sea life and learning about Umi’s culture through the canoe.

Waipi’o Valley, Big Island

To get to Waipi’o Valley, the Valley of the Kings, you have to drive or hike down a VERY steep road into a valley surrounded by high cliffs. 4 WD is essential. Many people hike down into the valley to take in the lush, tropical environment and its black sand beaches. Waipi’o is off the grid, meaning the folks that inhabit this area today live without electricity, phones or sanitation.

I rode a Hawaiin horse, the breed of horses found wild in Waipi’o Valley. Maile, of Na’alapa Stables, who grew up in the valley, trains the Hawaiian horses. Some of them were thought to be pure Mustang, but since a Quarter Horse stallion was released into the Valley the breed called the Hawaiian Horse by Maile and other residents of the valley may be a mix.

Sherri, Maile’s mom, explained that the Hawaiian horse is different than other breeds. The valley is so wet and lush that she doesn’t know of another breed that could survive there. The Hawaiian horse is smart, independent and its feet can withstand the wet and muddy conditions there. It is also the only herd of feral horses in Hawaii. Current numbers range from 40 to 150. People are not sure.

We all rode Hawaiian horses on our trek into the valley. I rode Midget, who was at times very vocal. The Valley is very lush and seemed truly exotic to me. There are rivers running everywhere and the high cliffs are lined with cascading waterfalls.

There are also a lot of characters living in the valley. It’s not a normal sort of place to live. Like any place, there are advantages and disadvantages, like being able to pick fresh fruit from the trees and being remote enough that hordes of people don’t drive your street. This is not to say that people don’t visit Waipio, they do. A good number drove through the streets where we were attempting to film on our outing with Maile.

Waipio is called the Valley of Kings, because many Hawaiian rulers, like King Kamehameha, the king who united the Hawaiian islands, lived in the valled. In the 1800’s, Waipio was home to a thriving community. We rode from the stables past an small old house, which Maile said used to be a hotel. In the 1940’s Waipi’o Valley had a healthy population, but a tsunami devastated the valley and since then, the population has been small.

Waipio is a fascinating place to explore on horseback and in general. If you’re on the Big Island, I definitely recommend a visit. Just make sure you have a ride back up that hill that leads into the valley. I saw some hikers looking pained as they traveled back. You don’t want to experience it on foot.

Kahua Ranch, Big Island

Something that makes the rides at Kahua Ranch different is that if you are an experienced rider, you can ride fast. We’d do a bit of that meeting up with Maile of Na’alapa Stables. Na’alapa Stables, who runs a ride that we will take in Waipi’o Valley, also runs rides here at Kahua Ranch.

Kahua Ranch is up at a higher elevation than Parker at 3000 feet above sea level. It’s more hilly and green, but like Parker, it’s a historic working cattle ranch. Kahua raises primarily black Angus cattle.

I was riding Buddy, a 14-year-old buckskin Quarter Horse mix. Buddy liked to go fast, so I was usually a little in front of our group. We raced up a verdant green hill, with the Pacific Ocean and the island of Maui behind us in the distance. It was quite a rush riding Buddy with Maile and the others.

We had rain roll in and out, but that is not unusual for this lush area of Waimea. The best part of the ride was the gorgeous views of the ocean and the Kohala Coast in the distance.