Bike tour halted

Haleakala National Park on Maui last week banned commercial downhill bicycle tours because of safety issues. Park officials cited three fatal accidents in the last year, including one Sept. 26 in which a woman lost control of her bicycle on a curve and crashed into a van. The guided trips will be suspended for at least 60 days while the park service evaluates the situation. Individual bicyclists, not on guided tours, are still allowed to ride down from the 10,000-plus-foot summit of Haleakala, a dormant volcano.