For day 5, we decided to change things up with a breakfast at Cane & Taro... and that was one of the best decisions EVER! Joey ordered the banana macadamia nut pancakes and I had the Hawaiian sweet bread French Toast, which was stuffed with strawberry cream cheese and deep fried with a macadamia nut crust. These were extraordinary on their own, until they brought out the coconut whipped cream and coconut syrup. The most delicious breakfast we had EVER had. Ever.
Then, we drove about 30 minutes up into the mountains for our horseback riding adventure- at Mendes Ranch. I was super excited because I love horses, and Joey was was really excited too- but he was just a little apprehensive since he is terribly allergic to them. (Thankfully that wasn't a problem. Must be because of that perfect Hawaiian air!) We got there a little early, and enjoyed a delicious barbecue lunch. Our riding skills were assessed, and then we were driven in a van further up into the mountains to where the trail began and the horses were waiting. I was given "Lowenbrau", a feisty mare who was named after a beer. This gave me pause.
And then I asked to wear the dorky riding helmet. I had serious doubts about her at first, not only because of her given name, but also since she could hardly stand still- even when I was firm with the reins! Our trail guide, "Butch", assured me that she was a good horse, she just couldn't wait to get started! (The horses are quite content, and enjoy the trail. The ranchers set them loose on the mountain each night, and they come back each morning for their food and water.) Joey was given "Cowboy", a gentle stallion. Which was quite fitting. :) Not sure if they did this on purpose, and could see somehow which horses we were most like- to pair us with. Curious. :)
The trail began slowly, we started by ascending the mountain even further to observe a tremendous view, with waterfalls in the distance. Butch was so kind to take pictures for us at each scenic spot! My apprehension about Lowenbrau faded quickly after we got started, she was a peach. But I had to be careful to keep her centered on the trail, or she would grab something to munch on and it would be difficult to get her back on track. Butch did let them stop for a drink and a snack, though. He had genuine love for all the horses, and knew them all so well... which was great to see.
The best part of the whole ride was the few times we got to let the horses run. And I mean RUN. It had been years since I had been on a horse, and it was absolutely exhilarating!!! Thrilling. There was that thought- that sensation that I might fall off, but I just held on tight and couldn't stop smiling! It was an adventure for sure, and the views were majestic.
At the end of the trail, we could not BELIEVE how filthy we were! We knew the dust was flying, but to get a look at ourselves in a mirror was comical. We had dirt caked everywhere, except for where our sunglasses had been. Especially since we first slathered on the sunscreen, which acted as an adhesive. This made the dirt almost impossible to get off without some sort of tool. Awesome.
On our way back to the hotel, we stopped to try a Maui Taco. Really cheap, and really yummy! People were staring at us, we assume it was because we were both covered in dirt. So we thought, what better place to rinse off than the ocean?? So we headed to the beach, and played in the waves. Which turned out to be a mistake. Of epic proportions. I seriously thought I was going to die. We.got.rolled. If you don't know what I mean when I say that, then lucky you. We were just swimming out in the ocean, not too deep at all. Maybe chest high in the water. When all of a sudden, a huge freak of a wave came crashing into us. My feet were knocked out from under me and I began to tumble through the water, not knowing which way was up. I didn't see it coming, so I wasn't able to take a deep breath beforehand. So, I knew I didn't have long. I was actually calm, while I was being thrashed about under the crushing power of that wave. I remember thinking, "this is it. This is how I'm going to die." When all of a sudden, it was over. We were both on the shore, disoriented, and stunned. Joey less so than myself, since I was also coughing and trying to find air beyond the water that I had breathed into my lungs. It was absolutely terrifying. I think the first thing I was able to say to Joey after that ordeal was, "Now I understand Alabama's "ROLL TIDE" thing. I never knew why that would be indimidating... now it is crystal clear." And then we both laughed... and thought about how funny we must have looked flopping around in that wave. Arms and legs flying, and then coming up dazed and confused. Anyone watching would have most likely found our mishap quite humorous. After all, to anyone else it was only a few seconds. But for me it felt like minutes. So, after all that, we went for a dip in the pool. Nice. Safe. Chlorinated pool. We watched a beautiful sunset on the beach, and actually saw a few others get rolled. Turns out, it is kinda funny. ;)
After finally getting all the dirt off, we headed out for dinner in Lahaina. Cool Cat Cafe was our choice for the evening, since we heard they had the best burgers on the island. Everyone was right, they were amazing! Good Lava Flows too. Goodness knows I needed a drink after that day! We ended day #5 as every other day, with our moonlit stroll, and also by thanking God for keeping us safe- especially on that particular day.
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