Hawaii: Part 2

On Monday we rode some bikes down a volcano.  It was a 20-something mile ride, but it was all downhill through gorgeous landscapes with incredible views.  We stopped half-way down the mountain to have lunch at a great restaurant.  This was definitely one of the highlights of my trip and I only thought I was going to die a couple times when we got going really fast down that mountain.

On the way up the mountain, our tour guide had us stop and take these awesome pictures on the side of the road.  It was so foggy at the top!

Mom and Dad

James and Steph--James is infamous for faces like these. ;)

 Here we are!  Most awkward bike pose ever.

Michael and Stacie--ha, they are the best.

The fog was so cool!

Here is a view from where we started the ride

Matt and I looking awesome on our bikes.

The biking clan: Me, Matt, James, Stephie, Stacie, Dad, Mom, and Michael

It was an incredible experience riding down the mountain in this thick fog!

Stephie-Lynne (aka: Hot biker chick)

Stephie and James

We stopped at this cool fruit stand on the way and bought a few tangerines and pineapple-guavas by putting some change in a little cash box nearby.

 Me and Stacie in our awesome biking gear. :)

It was so incredible to see all the different plants, trees, and flowers that grow in Hawaii because the climate is so different.

I even spotted this Chameleon (I think) in a tree.  He was so cute that Matt's dad just had to pick him up.  He didn't like being picked up very much...

Michael with the tangerine tree

I kept laughing at Matt's helmet.  Doesn't it look so funny?

These looked like massive Aloe Vera plants, but I'm not sure what they are.

Here is Matt with the plants to give some perspective.

On the way up we saw this house and it reminded us of the Swiss Family Robinson house so we planned to take a picture on the way down.  However, when we stopped to look at it it was actually really creepy.  I ran up and snapped this picture and ran away as fast as possible.  It was like a zoo in there with tons of different caged animals and several rabid dogs that were barking non-stop.  Maybe you can't tell from the picture, but this place gave me the creeps!

Around half-way we stopped for lunch at this great little restaurant.  Matt and I shared this BBQ pork pizza with pineapple and it was delicious.

Dad and Stacie--you can see some of landscape behind them.

In the back of the restaurant there were these incredible gardens with a gorgeous view so we took some pictures out there while we waited for our food.

Here is the view

The gardens

 Stacie and Michael

 James and Steph

Me and Matt

The girls!  (Minus Steph who wasn't on the bike ride with us!)

Mom and Dad

I kind of like this guy.

And then I proceeded to take pictures of every plant and flower in that garden because they were all so breathtaking.  I hope you love these as much as I do.

Seriously?  How cute is this little guy?

After lunch we continued our ride down the mountain and stopped to take a few pictures along the way.

Michael and James

Michael, James, Stacie, and Dad

The girls: Me, Stacie, Mom, and Steph--isn't that view incredible?!

The boys: Matt, Michael, James, and Dad

Part of the ride was through this eucalyptus forest and it smelled so good! :)

Just some more amazing views.

Haha, that helmet.  Sorry babe, I just can't stop laughing at it!  Though, mine is not much better...

Is this real life? (Name that YouTube sensation!)

Now can you see why this was one of the highlights of our trip?  Incredible right?  I'm so glad I took so many pictures to remind me how beautiful it was because it's hard to believe.