Haleakala, or what the Hawaiians called "House of the Sun," rises 10,023 feet above sea level at its summit. It is located in a 30,000-acre national park, home to rain forest, rare native species, 400-foot waterfalls, freshwater swimming holes and striking archaeological features. Ride a bike through this gorgeous terrain and glide more than 30 miles down the ocean to sea level.

If you want to catch the sunrise from the top of the volcano, plan on getting up in the dead of night. Of course, hauling out of bed in the wee hours isn't necessary. Most bike companies offer later tours, some even schedule sunset rides.

Currently, all bicycle tours stage outside the park entrance at about 6,500 feet elevation. A few companies maintain permits to conduct sunrise van tours inside the park, but all commercial biking activity inside the park has been suspended.

Tour bicycle operators are working on their own set of safety requirements. Some operators say tours will be offered only to experienced, competent bike riders. Meanwhile, if you want to bike down Haleakala, call any downhill tour company for current information about the availability of bike tours and to make reservations.

Biking companies offer three kinds of tours: structured, guided and freestyle. On the guided trips, the slowest riders ride in back of the lead guide so the group never exceeds the abilities of its least experienced rider. The van that transported you up the mountain now brings up the rear and protects the riders from following traffic. The lead guide and van driver keep in touch with each other via two-way radio. The bikers ride single file, with comfortable spacing in front and back to avoid pile-ups. If you decide you're not skilled or comfortable enough to ride safely from the summit, you can stop and ride in the van to a lower elevation. The average tour speed is 15 to 20 mph slowing to 10-15 mph for turns and curves.