Besakih to Manggis
From shower to shower
We breakfast on the hotel balcony to the roar of what was yesterday pancake flat, but is now a boiling and angry sea. There is no wind, so the cause of this rage fuelled vendetta against the shore is not apparent. The sky is overcast and brooding; we may have some rain today.
When picked up by our team bus, we travel in convoy with Paul and Roberto ably piloted in the other Bali Trailblazers chariot by the reliable soigner, Gede. As we travel inland and up incredibly steep roads toward todays start point, it starts to rain. We have a lot of descending today, and I make a mental note to be particularly careful on the trails.
My trusty sidekick has a forehead slapping moment when he realises his riding shoes and helmet are still in the hotel room. When we arrive at the start point there is nothing for it but for him to return to the hotel with Made, retrieve his gear, and join the ride at our lunch break.
We start the ride in the rain, descending sections of jungle single track and rough roads through black stone quarries. Using the heavily laden quarry trucks as gates, we slalom down the rough rock-strewn roads. Leaving the noise of industry behind, we disappear into cool, dark bamboo forests and onto super-smooth single track. Approaching the lunch stop, a traditional ceremony blocks our path as heavily made up young girls, dressed in garish yellow-gold costumes cross the road to perform a dance to a clanging Gamelan orchestra. The girls finish, and are replaced by young boys dressed as warriors in equally outlandish costumes. We grab a few touristy snaps and then head for lunch.
When we are joined by my companion - and his riding gear, we lunch on the balcony of a rundown establishment with great views of the jungle covered hills and the Bali oil terminal on the distant coast. Paul, Roberto and I take great delight in regaling him with tales of our morning's riding exploits. Great swoopy downs, and very few and only short ups. "You would have loved it!"
Not long into the afternoon riding session, we encounter a steep, greasy, narrow hike-a-bike section. It leaves my lungs stretched to bursting point, my skin leaking like a sieve, and my patience a little thinner.
After a small break to re-gather out composure, we re-start to a groan from behind me. His bike's rear suspension has failed, and his 6 inch travel dual suspension bike is reduced to a very low to the ground hard-tail. That's two, what could be next? Luckily the rest of the ride is mainly downhill. Some sections are so steep, we are reduced to an exercise in controlled braking - a good skill to have, but not great fun.
We finish the ride in Manggis, and just as we are packing the team buses, it starts to rain again.
As the rain continues into the evening he is re-thinking the following morning's activity, a trek up Gunung Agung (3124m) to watch the sun rise. This is scheduled as part of our tour, but I never had any intention of partaking. The thought of going to bed early, then getting up at 1am to trek in the dark to the top of a volcano, with the chance of not seeing the sunrise, does not fill me with enthusiasm. I'll look at the photos!
For those playing at home we (I) rode 29k in 2:14, ascending 435m and descending 1326m
https://www.strava.com/activities/68380479
When picked up by our team bus, we travel in convoy with Paul and Roberto ably piloted in the other Bali Trailblazers chariot by the reliable soigner, Gede. As we travel inland and up incredibly steep roads toward todays start point, it starts to rain. We have a lot of descending today, and I make a mental note to be particularly careful on the trails.
My trusty sidekick has a forehead slapping moment when he realises his riding shoes and helmet are still in the hotel room. When we arrive at the start point there is nothing for it but for him to return to the hotel with Made, retrieve his gear, and join the ride at our lunch break.
We start the ride in the rain, descending sections of jungle single track and rough roads through black stone quarries. Using the heavily laden quarry trucks as gates, we slalom down the rough rock-strewn roads. Leaving the noise of industry behind, we disappear into cool, dark bamboo forests and onto super-smooth single track. Approaching the lunch stop, a traditional ceremony blocks our path as heavily made up young girls, dressed in garish yellow-gold costumes cross the road to perform a dance to a clanging Gamelan orchestra. The girls finish, and are replaced by young boys dressed as warriors in equally outlandish costumes. We grab a few touristy snaps and then head for lunch.
When we are joined by my companion - and his riding gear, we lunch on the balcony of a rundown establishment with great views of the jungle covered hills and the Bali oil terminal on the distant coast. Paul, Roberto and I take great delight in regaling him with tales of our morning's riding exploits. Great swoopy downs, and very few and only short ups. "You would have loved it!"
Not long into the afternoon riding session, we encounter a steep, greasy, narrow hike-a-bike section. It leaves my lungs stretched to bursting point, my skin leaking like a sieve, and my patience a little thinner.
After a small break to re-gather out composure, we re-start to a groan from behind me. His bike's rear suspension has failed, and his 6 inch travel dual suspension bike is reduced to a very low to the ground hard-tail. That's two, what could be next? Luckily the rest of the ride is mainly downhill. Some sections are so steep, we are reduced to an exercise in controlled braking - a good skill to have, but not great fun.
We finish the ride in Manggis, and just as we are packing the team buses, it starts to rain again.
As the rain continues into the evening he is re-thinking the following morning's activity, a trek up Gunung Agung (3124m) to watch the sun rise. This is scheduled as part of our tour, but I never had any intention of partaking. The thought of going to bed early, then getting up at 1am to trek in the dark to the top of a volcano, with the chance of not seeing the sunrise, does not fill me with enthusiasm. I'll look at the photos!
For those playing at home we (I) rode 29k in 2:14, ascending 435m and descending 1326m
https://www.strava.com/activities/68380479
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