2013 Tour de Bali - Stage 3

Pidpid to Perasi beach

From the verdant to the virgin

We were picked up from the remote luxury of Ocean View Tulamben by the ever smiling Ketut and Made in the team bus and transported to Pidpid. We headed south away from the dry north east coast, and into the lusher interior of Bali. Today and tomorrow we are being joined by Paul, the six-four rangy Canadian, and Roberto, the five-six stocky Ecuadorian. They are both geologists working and living in KL for an American oil company. Their families have been packed off to their respective homelands, so the boys were out to play for a few days. Paul has the slow laconic drawl of someone who has spent time around Houston oilmen, and Australian miners. Roberto sounds like Tony Montana.

Today's riding was the best so far; smooth and flowy. We dropped and contoured, then climbing through farmyards for most of the morning. We’d cruise across the hillside passing between houses and farm buildings, alternately scaring chickens (ayam), dogs (anjing), cats (cucing), pigs (babi) and school children (school children). Then we would drop down verdant gullies flanked by stands of bamboo, only to pop back out into someone else’s yard. Surprisingly no one seems at all phased by five mountain bikers swooshing through their world, using it as a playground.

The ride ended at Perasi / White sand / Virgin beach, depending on which sign you read!
Upon arrival, we stripped back to the bare essentials, and splooshed into the welcoming sea to wash away the accumulated salt and road grime of the day. Lunch and a much appreciated icy cold (dingan) Bintang awaited us in the shade of the beachside restaurant (warung makan). Quenched and sated, we headed for our digs.

For those playing at home we rode 37k in 2:34, ascending 552m and descending 1258m

https://www.strava.com/activities/68200617