Waiting to enter the ferry port on Java.
The headwind is blowing strong.
Tweet ##transoceaniaCategory Archives: Sumatra Sutra
First section from Medan to Carita
Bombah
Killing time in the waiting loop with students on a trip to a 3 months traing csmp in the Java forest.
Bombah (Indonesian equivalent for ‘cheese’)
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Java Programmed
Embarked the Ferry to Java.
It is supposed to be a 2 hours ride. Sea looks calm. 80 km on Java to go to complete the Sumatra Sutra section.
Tweet ##transoceaniaLeaving Sumatra
After 3 weeks of cycling through Sumatra I am 30 km away from the ferry to Java. It was partially hard but very beautiful on Sumatra. Now it is time for a change. Let’s see what Java has to offer …
Kalianda is still sleeping and our Volcano in clouds.
Breakfast is calling.
Tweet ##transoceaniaStage 16: Sumatra
| Gisting to Kalianda | |||||
| Date: | 05-09-2014 | Time: | 06:15 h | Σ Time: | 95:47 h |
| Distance: | 142 km | Σ km: | 2017 km | Temp: | 20/40 °C |
| Up: | 962 m | Σ Up: | 19798 m | Calories: | 2952 kcal |
| Down: | 1310 m | Σ Down: | 19532 m | Σ kcal: | 44140 kcal |
| Conditions: | Sumatra Highway, all day long. Lungs are fully tarred now – feels like being a chain smoker for a life time. Got a mask now. | ||||
After the scenic rides of the past days, this is one to file under ”We don’t need more of these” . Although we were awarded with a long downhill, the ride as such was a ‘dirty’ and ‘hectic’ one. All day between a million trucks and motorcycles, blowing their exhausts into our lungs. I guess the Indonesians are being paid for burning their ‘gas’ (bensin solar) instead of having to pay for the fuel. I don’t know what they are doing on the roads all day?! Sure bringing kids to school in the morning and picking them up in the afternoon and carrying goods from here to there. But there is no rest in between. Roads are always busy. A few traders with goods on the bike, but others just youngsters cruising around … We had a small detour in the first larger town. However these attempts to bypass major traffic routes are often more difficult and dangerous to ride then staying on the main road, as the road conditions can get really bad on the secondary’s. Unfortunately another crash on a downhill of one of the fellow riders. 6 stiches in the local hospital and back on track!
You can sense, that your body is going weird, when you are wearing 3 layers of cycling functional wear (incl. wind stopper), but you still feel cold at air temperature of 40°C. I hope the rest day in Carita (after tomorrow’s 112k m) will get my body back in sync with my riding plans …
Pop Mie up
I had my shower and a hot Pop Mie ×)
Now I am feeling better but not too good. Chilling out at the hot spring pool, fed by the hot water of the volcano, the hotel is built into its slope.
Today was a ride to file under “don’t need more of these”. It didn’t do any good to my degrading health condition. All day cycling on the Sumatra Highway inhaling the smoke if a million trucks and motorcycles. At least I could buy a surgeon mask to apply a kind of filter to the air I breeze.
Tomorrow we are leaving Sumatra and cross over to Java, where we have a rest day. Chance to take a boat trip to Krakatoa Island, the collapsed volcano.
×) instant soup
Tweet ##transoceaniaDirectors in Joy
Andreas and Cristiano, our tour directors, are happily awaiting the brave & strong riders at todays Hotel. Both knowing, what they had scouted out for us. We were not too many who actually decided to ride this hard stage today. Chris, Brett, Shirley, Daniel, Paul and me made it to the finish line. Annegrete jumped the van on the last climb, just 5 km from the camp site. Not even a sweep was on the track in the afternoon … Brett even extended the final short downhill from the last summit and went passed the turn to the hotel. He had to climb back an extra 4 km to get back to us.
Well Done – All riders are safe and sound at the 21!
Stage 15: Sumatra
| Krui to Gisting | |||||
| Date: | 04-09-2014 | Time: | 08:09 h | Σ Time: | 89:31 h |
| Distance: | 150 km | Σ km: | 1875 km | Temp: | 22/38 °C |
| Up: | 1951 m | Σ Up: | 18836 m | Calories: | 2390 kcal |
| Down: | 1447 m | Σ Down: | 18222 m | Σ kcal: | 41188 kcal |
| Conditions: | Overcast and cool in the morning. The afternoon sun burnt away the clouds and temperatures raised to upper 30th. Roads were good, but busy. Many trucks. The National Park was very scenic. Little time for photos, as time and energy was a constraint. | ||||
Another tough one. Longer and with two steep climbs compared to yesterday. The final climb, starting at km 137, was consuming the last energy reserves. I am developing a cold – a result of the temperature changes, riding in sweaty wet clothes all day, A/C in some places, fans in other, cold showers, exhaustion, … therefore I set myself a moderate pace of 22 km/h for the flat parts of the day, targeting a 4 pm arrival. A few photo and Coke stops in the afternoon, after passing the first summit added extra time to my result. The steep uphill (max. 18%) of the first climb through the National Park was followed by an identical steep downhill. Those with normal rim-breaks had problems with overheating the rims and needed to stop several times to cool down the rims again. With my disk breaks I didn’t have overheating problems and could race down the hill. However I stopped for a few photos. The Indomarets (super market) were good on stock with real cold Coke and chocolate, so bottles could be refilled infinitely. Our hotel is on top of the last climb. Temperatures are down to a comfortable level. 3 mosques are surrounding our hotel, and they seem to be competing each other with their prayers and volumes.
Tomorrow is another 140 km day. Establishing my health is first priority now –> early bed time … The next rest day is two days ahead.
Stage 14: Sumatra
| Bintuhan to Krui | |||||
| Date: | 03-09-2014 | Time: | 06:55 h | Σ Time: | 81:21 h |
| Distance: | 139 km | Σ km: | 1725 km | Temp: | 23/39 °C |
| Up: | 1674 m | Σ Up: | 16885 m | Calories: | 3150 kcal |
| Down: | 1641 m | Σ Down: | 16775 m | Σ kcal: | 38798 kcal |
| Conditions: | Hot & humid (what else?). Steep climbs (20% grade), very scenic. Road good at the beginning at the end lot of gravel and potholes. Lunch again setup in a sort of paradise location at the beach – serving fresh coconuts. | ||||
This was one of a tough ride, today. The long big climb after 40 km was announced the night before. However there was no word about how steep some of the sections are going to be. And there was no saying about the many shorter but less steep ascents thereafter were following, adding to the total ascent of more than 1600m. We were mostly cruising along the coast line, except when crossing the national park with the big climb to 500m. The quick increasing temperatures did their part to the game and made cycling a sweaty job. At some point I thought Cristiano must be sitting somewhere at the beach, having a beer or more and a set of voodoo dolls of us all. For some unknown reasons he is punishing us the whole day, setting up more and more obstacles into our way and pushing the needles deeper and deeper. Reception at the camp was exceptional: We got a late lunch and fruits. Dinner was excellent – I added a fish to my diet. I think I gonna need some extra portion of energy for the days to come. Room at the Surfer camp is basic, but has got 2 fans, that are absolutely needed!
