Day 70 - Down and down other than the uphill bits - Unfinished Business

July 9, 2023

Day 70 - Down and down other than the uphill bits

I got a good enough look at the road yesterday to realise that my last day on the trans-Flores Highway- the 128 km downhill to Labuan Bajo, would still be a challenging day.

The call to prayer woke me early and song from the Catholic church with the intriguing corrugated room came in at 6.

I read the Guardian over the good breakfast of eggs, toast, papaya, banana and coffee. A headline reads:"Crypt-flation: the rising costs of graves and mausoleums in Melbourne". The answer is here - use your front yard. Come on Australia, make a decision and move forward.

A few factors influenced my decision on having a crack at getting from Ruteng to Labuan in a day. First, I had just done Aimere to Ruteng in a day and pulled up feeling good. Second, even though both rides involved 2000 m of climbing, I assumed the ride to Labuan would be easier because I was starting at 1200 m. Thirdly, and something I gave little weight, was that Yuven who comes from Ruteng and has ridden a motorcycle to Labuan dozens of times, assured me it wouldn't be difficult.

I was away by 7.30 pedaling in a quiet Ruteng.

Ruteng - Sunday morning before the bustle.

Soon I was tackling the hills I saw yesterday, something I would do all of the way to Labuan Bajo.

Cycling on a Sunday is different here, especially on a clear day with a breeze. People were dressed in their finest walking to church. Later it was a day for household chores - washing, removing nits from hair, drying crops, and then socializing. I saw many parties and heard much music. Aromas of cloves and vanilla were constant companions.

I think they are citrus. No, they're Solanum mammosum - thanks Daisy. Good looking, but toxic; alkaloids no doubt. Same family as tomatoes, spuds, eggplant but also the Datura spp and tobacco.

Ripening coffee berries. Everywhere people were extracting the beans, often with mortars, and laying them out to dry.

Pigs countered the vanilla and clove aromas.

After 35 km I got a terrific laugh as the rider of a passing motorcycle - a local, yelled "RICKY COWBOY'S, I SEE YOU".

After three hours and 50 km of relentless undulations I had a break and gorged on biscuits, bananas and the fruit of the day, snake fruit or salak.

Classic fruit stall. You buy from one and then feel guilty for ignoring the next 20.

I like the anomaly of green bananas among yellow. I might add that they're ripe.

Snakefruit, so named from its scaly skin.

When peeled, you see three segments, each with a big brown seed. It's crunchy, tangy, sweet, and with pineapple overtones.

I then got the break that I needed, rolling downhill for 17 km to a grotty little town where I recuperate with a good lunch washed down with sweet tea. I was over halfway to Labuan Bajo, feeling good but with serious cycling ahead.

After lunch I got another break and had easy cycling until I had done 80 km. I reached a rather strange plain - no doubt a mass of flurescent green, at times. Less than 50 km left.

I was heading for the hills and a 950 m climb.

And serious it was, starting first with a plummet to a bridge and a climb of ridiculous gradient only to then repeat. I was drenched.

Those couple of climbs were just warm ups for the main act. Unlike most of the previous hills on the trans-Flores Highway that have been challenging but fair, this was unfair. My bike is geared as low as I can go with the Rohloff hub, but I needed another gear. Fearing knee damage, I pushed up some of the switchbacks. I drank and I ate but my body failed to respond. When my climbing battery indicated 3% charge I saw the most beautiful sight.

Was the descent even steeper? I don't know. It was certainly fast but still undulated. With the day getting on, I took the mandatory photo and kept going.

The bright patch is the sea near Komodo.

I stopped only to celebrate 100 km and to watch the sinking sun with Allison and her group from Wollongong. They know about the indigo foundation!

I really got cracking with 20 km to go, overtaking many vehicles on the next descent. I was unaware of the burning hoops that would be thrown in front of me - an ATM that didn't work, a Google maps link that failed, one way roads in Labuan and a mass of tourists. I thought that I had just arrived in Kuta, Bali. Most accommodation was fully booked but, as luck would have it, I bumped into a couple who had been staying in the guesthouse at Ruteng, and they pointed me to Hotel Kalton - the pride of LB, apparently. It was now 9 pm.

I rate this as my hardest day ever on a bike - 136 km, 2100 m of climbing, 15.7 average, close to 9 hours in the saddle on a clear hot and humid day. I bit off more than I could chew but if you chew slowly you will get there.

And remember, the first law of cycle touring ..................

Today's ride: 136 km (84 miles)
Total: 5,496 km (3,413 miles)

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Ian DouglasThe Tour de France did 184km with 3949m of vertical gain that day, but they appear to have lighter kit.
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9 months ago

Ian WallisTo Ian DouglasIan, I've heard that they ride on hard, skinny tires. What was the temperature and humidity? And how many 65 year old are doing it? But all said, that's impressive.
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9 months ago

Craig BarrettNice work Ian. Keep safe.
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9 months ago

Ian WallisTo Craig BarrettCraig, Thanks! Much appreciated! I'm not sure I did a very good job of describing the ride from Ruteng to Labuan Bajo. I'm not even sure that I can without smearing the blog in sweat. It was tough.
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9 months ago

Craig BarrettMate I got tired just reading it haha. Really well done. Tough mind and body.
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9 months ago

Ian DouglasTo Ian WallisThe 65 year olds are in the commentary box. Congratulations on completing the Trans Flores hwy; shame about the crater lakes.
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9 months ago

Ian WallisTo Ian DouglasThanks Ian, it was a tough ride all the way from the Timor Leste border. I looked at Sumbawa with just 4000m of climbing in 400 km and breathed a sigh of relief. I seem to recall that the climbing comes early. I'm unsure how I will cope with the flat!
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9 months ago