Day 103 - why were things so like yesterday? - Unfinished Business

August 11, 2023

Day 103 - why were things so like yesterday?

My preferred accommodation, when away from home, is a tent. In much of Asia, however, camping isn't practical and so I stay in cheap hotels. I might add that I use my own sleeping sheet and pillow. The one I'm in now, in Cianjur, Java, is cleaner than most but could still benefit from a good scrub and a message to staff to check rooms for roaches. This place is unusual in having hot water, which I didn't need. But it was useful for putting an end to three large roaches that greeted me in the bathroom.

Yesterday's place was a disgrace. It had square metres of ceiling mould. Has no one heard of scrubbing brushes, bleach, mould-resistant paint and ventilation?

There was no towel and electrical fittings were falling from the walls, but it did have a jug and I had water, coffee and a cup. I just needed to combine them. The easiest way was to pull the bed away from the wall, something you really don't want to do; scary stuff lives down there. If you can't scrub a wall or tighten a screw, it's unlikely that you can install a shelf near a power point.

Anyway, I got my coffee, ate bread, bananas and papaya for breakfast and was away by 7, determined to have a big day. Three hours later, I was in the warung where I ate last night, having another nasi goreng and generally regrouping. Once again, Komoot had put me on a goat track. Three people had said the track goes to Bogor - it probably does. The fourth said "extreme" and told me to go back.

These fellows told me to go back. I should probably have turned back at the first hint.

But let me add that the scenery was good from the moment I left Margaluyu.

They were the nice bits; this is what I was up against. The gradients were extreme; it was a tricky ride on a motorcycle.

The road wasn't good but they were clearing the vegetation on the side of it.

An incredible effort is going into independence celebrations. Doesn't anyone say "we've been independent for 73 years and this is the road to our village?"

My vendor of the day - she made me an excellent nadi goreng and hot tea, as she did last night.

It was 1030 and hot by the time I was on my alternative route to Bogor via Cianjur - today's aim. It's 75 km away with 1600 m of climbing and I've already used some of my climbing kms. What's more, it will be busy. Need I say that I plugged away, rarely stopped and took few photos. I have no bicycle or truck of the day.

Again, the scenery was good for much of the way but the surface was poor and I didn't roll.

It was near here that I saw a gorgeous snake, dead on the roadside - a tree snake or whip snake, I guess. Here are a few photos for a certain inhabitant of the USA.

I climbed and climbed, and as I did, tea plantations appeared.

I'm unsure of the trees or their purpose

As happens several times a day, some teenagers wanted their photo with me. I often relent when they're pleasant.

I had a quick stop in a town where I tried to boost the energy in my legs with Fanta and chocolate. It worked reasonably well and gave me a chance to buy fruit and to photograph a couple of stalls before one final haul up.

I cycled past a substantial tor and among more tea before a huge descent. Due to the patchwork nature of the road and the increasing traffic, it wasn't much fun. From the bottom it was 15 km to Cianjur.

The last 15 km were most cyclists' ideas of hell - extremely busy and loud with matching air pollution. But for me, the noise is the killer.

The direction app in my head worked well from here. I skirted around the chaos and popped out at the railway station. I saw a hotel of a chain I knew and that was good enough! Was I going to ride further checking out hotels? No! 98 km with 1600 m of climbing plus the climbing on the goat track was plenty.

What I haven't mentioned, is that I have a bottom bracket that's dying. And, I'll be lucky to find a replacement. It will compete with my shoes to make the finish line. I'd be sidelined now if I had a derailleur rather than hub gears.

Today's ride: 98 km (61 miles)
Total: 7,649 km (4,750 miles)

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