Preparation for the big race this Sunday is going well here in Maui. We are all staying up on the slopes of Mount Haleakalā with Kai and Lauren Bartlett at there amazing farm. It has been great hanging here and going on trips down to the beach for training. The crew is all here and we have been out practicing our exchanges and getting used to the Outrigger stroke.
Today Lauren took a bunch of us up to the top of the mountain to Haleakalā Crater National Park. It is a massive volcanic crater that caps this beautiful 10 000 foot mountain. We drove up to the summit on a seriously windy road this morning, and set out for a 14 km hike down into the crater and back out. It was an intense hike, with a drop down to 6000 ft. and then a steep hike out of the crater on switch backs back up to 8000 ft. where we got picked up. It was a beautiful day and the crater itself was the most unique geographic area I have ever seen. Check out some pics from the hike!
The boys pre-hike on the edge of the crater.
Sam carries Frodo up Mount Doom.
Strolling through the Crater.
Mark on a switch back, long way down.