Don't piss off Pele

In addition to lovely beaches there are also apparently volcanoes on Hawaii.  I have wanted to see one of them for as long as I can remember and so was incredibly stoked at the chance to get to check out Haleakala while on Maui.  The drive up is pretty intense because in the space of about an hour and a half you go from sea level to 10,020ft.  There are a LOT of insane switchback on that drive.  Also, said switchbacks do not always have guardrails.  So that's fun.
Behold the photographic evidence of my inner (well not really so inner) nerd bliss.

Starting the drive up

Looking back toward the ocean

Goats!  There's a ton of ranch land on the interior of the island

Getting higher

Above the clouds!

At the first lookout area

Volcanic rocks everywhere.  I do not recommend walking on them in flip flops.  FYI

Incredible colors

Lava rocks above the clouds.

Phenomenal

Clouds creeping in to the crater

A trial down in to the crater

So that was awesome.