Postscript (postmortem?) on the Hana loop bike journey. Yes, wind is an issue. A HUGE issue, as I now understand. If you ever embark on this ride yourself, I strongly advise you to do it CLOCKWISE.

My 10.5 hour journey started at the sugar museum in Pu'unene (just south of Kahului). The ride up to the Kula Hwy. and past Ulupalakua was what I expected -- a significant climb, but not a big deal. Then, the wind.

The wind on the Piilani Hwy. east of Ulupalakua is unreal. I later learned that this area is the "accelerated wind zone", where trade winds accelerate because of the mass and shape of Haleakala. These were the strongest winds I've ever dealt with on a bike. I'd estimate about 40 mph -- straight headwind -- for a stretch of about 20 miles. I had to put much effort into just maintaining balance. Even though much of this stretch is about a 3-4% downgrade, it was all I could do to average 10 mph.

I took comfort in knowing that at least I would have a comparable tailwind after Hana. WRONG! About 75% of the Hana Hwy. is sheltered from the wind, with all of the trees and switchbacks. There was precious little tailwind until about 10 miles east of Kahului.

So, the ride is spectacular, and I strongly recommend it if you are an avid cyclist. Just go clockwise and have someone on call to support you.

By the way, the unpaved portions are no big deal unless there has been some flooding. The old, cracked and bumpy paved part of the highway is actually more jarring than the 4-5 miles of dirt road.