Ubud
From the luxurious to the luxuriant
This stage was different to the others; no heart-in-the-mouth slippery single tracks with vertiginous drops on at least one side, no tarmac broken to the size of cats heads bounce and skittle descents, or reach for a third lung bursting climbs. This stage was all about showing off the countryside to the north of Ubud.
After leaving the trendy art galleries and day spas behind, you enter in the bosom of the bountiful rice paddies on the edge of town. The landscape slopes slightly uphill toward the three volcanos which dominate the north of the island, allowing the irrigation system to gently drop the water from one paddy to the next.
Although the volcano's fury can be devastating, the Balinese owe the magnificent fertility of their fields directly to the fiery furnaces. They periodically spew forth the inside of the planet, bringing with it fresh minerals and trace elements, enough to sustain many harvests. They both destroy quickly and violently, and then provide slowly and gently for many years to come.
Last night it rained heavily, and as we cycle between the verdant paddies we are reminded that it is not just the soil, but the abundant water which sustains this crop. It fills not only the paddies, but the irrigation ditches, drains and streams. We ride along a ridgeline. Between us and the next ridge is a steep gully filled with coconut palms, fruit trees and jungle. The other ridge is just like ours, covered in rice paddies of various sizes, shapes, and stages of rice production. We pass farm workers who look different to the other Balinese in the villages and towns. Whereas the townies wear clean clothes and don't look worried about their next meal, these workers look harried, weather beaten, wiry and filthy. They carry a small handled sickle and a confused look as we pass by.
At the 'top of the ride' we are met by Made with refreshments, we then continue on by slipping through farm yards and fields of vegetables, every now and again we transfer from one dirt section to the next with a quick foray onto tarmac.
As we nip back through Ubud, we play dodgems with the tourist buses and local traffic, breaking all the rules and using footpaths to get around the jams. When we arrive at the hotel, Made gives us our lunch which he picked up from a local warung. We juxtapose the insane luxury of the swim-up bar with a cardboard box of local food.
For those playing at home we rode 32k in 2:29, ascending 456m and descending 456m
https://www.strava.com/activities/69130565
After leaving the trendy art galleries and day spas behind, you enter in the bosom of the bountiful rice paddies on the edge of town. The landscape slopes slightly uphill toward the three volcanos which dominate the north of the island, allowing the irrigation system to gently drop the water from one paddy to the next.
Although the volcano's fury can be devastating, the Balinese owe the magnificent fertility of their fields directly to the fiery furnaces. They periodically spew forth the inside of the planet, bringing with it fresh minerals and trace elements, enough to sustain many harvests. They both destroy quickly and violently, and then provide slowly and gently for many years to come.
Last night it rained heavily, and as we cycle between the verdant paddies we are reminded that it is not just the soil, but the abundant water which sustains this crop. It fills not only the paddies, but the irrigation ditches, drains and streams. We ride along a ridgeline. Between us and the next ridge is a steep gully filled with coconut palms, fruit trees and jungle. The other ridge is just like ours, covered in rice paddies of various sizes, shapes, and stages of rice production. We pass farm workers who look different to the other Balinese in the villages and towns. Whereas the townies wear clean clothes and don't look worried about their next meal, these workers look harried, weather beaten, wiry and filthy. They carry a small handled sickle and a confused look as we pass by.
At the 'top of the ride' we are met by Made with refreshments, we then continue on by slipping through farm yards and fields of vegetables, every now and again we transfer from one dirt section to the next with a quick foray onto tarmac.
As we nip back through Ubud, we play dodgems with the tourist buses and local traffic, breaking all the rules and using footpaths to get around the jams. When we arrive at the hotel, Made gives us our lunch which he picked up from a local warung. We juxtapose the insane luxury of the swim-up bar with a cardboard box of local food.
For those playing at home we rode 32k in 2:29, ascending 456m and descending 456m
https://www.strava.com/activities/69130565
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