Travel briefs

The National Park Service has suspended commercial bicycle tours within Haleakala National Park after the third fatal bike accident there in a year.

The bike trips are one of the most popular tourist activities on Maui. About 90,000 tourists a year pay $100 to $150 for the thrilling ride down the world’s largest dormant volcano. They are driven by a van to the 10,000-foot summit of Haleakala. Without much pedaling, the tourists get on rented bicycles and take a downhill scenic ride for about 38 miles along a two-lane, bending highway.

The suspension order was to take effect Oct. 10 and would last at least 60 days while officials analyze the situation.

The suspension affects seven companies that hold permits to operate within Haleakala. The permits, known as commercial use authorizations, were terminated.

The order does not ban bicyclists from riding in the park on their own.

Park Superintendent Marilyn H. Parris said the Park Service needs to make a determination if bicycle tours can safely operate in the park.

Roberta Blake of Amherst, Ohio, was killed in October when she lost control of her bicycle while on a tour and crossed the double yellow line into the path of an oncoming van.

Blake, 65, was on a tour with Maui Mountain Cruisers. The vehicle that struck her was owned by another tour company, Maui Downhill.

In March, a 44-year-old woman was killed when she went off the roadway, and in November, a man died after falling off his bicycle, the National Park Service said.

The Park Service said operators will have 30 days to respond and provide information before it makes a final determination on the future of bike tours within the park. Parris would not rule out a permanent ban.

National Park sites tell stories of WWII at home

Has Ken Burns’ PBS miniseries “The War” gotten you interested in learning more about the experiences of Americans during World War II?

The National Parks Conservation Association, a nonprofit that works to protect and enhance the park system, has put together a list of National Parks that commemorate and interpret historically significant aspects of life in the U.S. during World War II.

Three of the sites are in California. Manzanar National Historic Site, about a four-hour drive from Los Angeles, was one of 10 internment camps used during the war to detain Japanese-Americans. Today, Manzanar offers tours, movies, and exhibits to help understand life within the camp. Details at www.nps.gov/manz.

Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial, about a 45-minute drive from San Francisco, commemorates a 1944 explosion in which 320 men were killed while loading explosives on outgoing ships. More than 200 of the victims were black. According to the National Park Service Web site (www.nps.gov/poch) no new safeguards were put in place to protect workers on the docks following the blast, and 258 black seamen refused to return to their dangerous jobs. The workers were imprisoned, and 50 were court-martialed, dishonorably discharged and sentenced to jail. The incident, now viewed as a prime example of racial injustice in the military, helped put pressure on President Truman to end segregation in the armed forces in 1948.

The Rosie the Riveter-World War II Home Front National Historical Park in Richmond, Calif., about 45 minutes from San Francisco, preserves stories about the challenges and opportunities presented to women on the home front during the war. The Web site (www.nps.gov/rori) describes a self-guided driving tour and walking tour that visitors may take.

A fourth site being highlighted by the National Parks Conservation Association is the Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site in Alabama, which tells the story of how the Tuskegee Institute was selected to train black pilots and others for the U.S. military in World War II. The site, about two hours by car from Atlanta, offers exhibits and films about the famed airmen. Details at www.nps.gov/tuai.

Travel deals

Lake Quinault Lodge on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula has reduced rates for stays through Nov. 18. The Forest Fall Colors deal starts at $109 a night (usual rate is $146); lakeside rooms start at $119 (usual rate is $164). Taxes are an extra 11.3 percent. Info: 800-562-6672, www.visitlakequinault.com. Request offer code FALL.

United Airlines has extended its military fares for domestic travel through Dec. 31. Sale fares are sometimes cheaper, but military fares are less restrictive, requiring just a one-night minimum stay and no advance purchase, and allowing travel any day of the week. Discounted fares are for active-duty military, their spouses and dependent children; proper ID required. Call 800-241-6522 and request discount code MIL. Details: www.united.com.

Orbitz has started a Sun &Ski sale to Mexico, the Caribbean, Florida, Hawaii, California and many U.S. ski destinations. The deal includes discounted rates, plus an extra $150 off packages five nights and longer, and $75 off three- and four-night vacations. Book by Nov. 12 and complete travel by March 31. Holiday and weekend travel rates are generally more expensive. Book at www.orbitz.com; request promo code SUNANDSKI150 or SUNANDSKI75.

Travel classes, seminars

Rick Steves’ Europe Through the Back Door hosts free travel classes from 10 to 11 a.m. most Saturdays at the Edmonds Theater, 415 Main St., Edmonds.