Day 100 - a lazy 100 on day 100. - Unfinished Business

August 9, 2023

Day 100 - a lazy 100 on day 100.

I asked for a big breakfast and I got it. The diversity of food is one of the advantages of being in a tourist hot-spot, not that there are many tourists about.

That's fuel: two large, hot banana pancakes smothered in chocolate sauce.

I should have gone further on this, but I got a late start after writing a Pedal Power article, something I find tricky on a phone. Also, I did stop a lot for happy snaps. It was a day of easy cycling through paddy, coconuts and bananas with many river crossings, mostly on dodgy bridges, and occasional glimpses of the sea. It was certainly one of the more pleasant days I've had on the Indonesian leg of this journey.

The pleasant surrounds and relatively quiet road may explain why they hold this event here.

I think that pictures describe the day, so here's a thousand of them rather than a hundred words.

I didn't have to go far before another...........marlin roundabout.

Soon I was out of town and in greenery. That's the word to describe the day: "green".

An excellent surface with a spectacular drop from the edge.

The electioneering posters suggest a key location.

I crossed the river that flows through the famous green canyon. I was surprised not to see tourists here.

There's nothing like a handyman's delight in a paddy. I'd start by ordering a truck load of bamboo.

I saw a few things that made me smile today.

A recycling centre - mainly plastic bottles, I think.

Motorcycle delivery person required. Must weigh less than 45 kg and have a sound understanding of physics.

It's terrific seeing children flying kites. Paddy fields are ideal places in this wiry country.

One person mowed; the rest just kept marching.

I think this is the first Pandanus I have seen since the Northern Territory.

Another of those incredible nets. It was hard photographing from the bridges today because they shook when almost anything passed.

Yes, it's very pretty and a great idea for celebrating independence but IT'S PLASTIC!

I've mentioned already that I occasionally touched the ocean today. Here are a few ocean-related photos.

I'd really like to get my boat out. It's the blue one on the inside, second row.

As always, there are the vendors. They tend to be women but today my banana vendor was a man.

This woman knocked me out a terrific lunch, several cups of tea and a fine coffee. It was her idea to pose near my bike.

Now, here is a mystery photo for those of you who "like looking over the fence".

As I mentioned yesterday, I feel as though I have neglected trucks and wish to do better. So here is the truck of the day.

Who, on earth, came up with the English phrase? It's priceless!

And now it's time for the bicycle of the day.

The green pedals and the suspension won the day.

Now, a prize to Ian for picking up on this suspension. It leaves me wondering, however, that if it is so good why don't all bikes have it?

If you don't hear from me again it's because ingesting large quantities of snake fruit causes toxicity. I've just eaten a kilo while writing this blog.

Today's ride: 110 km (68 miles)
Total: 7,376 km (4,580 miles)

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Graham SmithIan it’s looking as if the south coast of Java would be a good area for a short, relatively comfortable, unepic cycle tour.
Excellent reconnaissance by you.
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8 months ago

Ian WallisTo Graham SmithGraham, after today, I would say no. The scenery was good, the cycling hard with relentless undulations, the road good, relatively little traffic, but so many loud motorcycles that it spoiled my day. There's a whole industry here to make motorcycles as loud as possible - remove the muffler and fit an expansion pipe. It's simply unbelievable that the population can be subjected to this noise. Why support it? Let's cycle somewhere peaceful.
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8 months ago

Graham SmithTo Ian WallisAh yes. The small motor bike syndrome. I remember it well from cycling in southern Italy and the Peloponnesus.
My theory is the riders are reincarnated Harley riders. Their kharmas probably ran over their dogmas.
I’m yet to work out why noise is so prevalent in hotter climates, and seems to abate in countries closer to the poles.
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8 months ago