We are sort of back into our old sleeping habits. I get out of bed early, and my place is usually immediately occupied by our poochy, and have breakfast while emJay and Daisy sleep in a little longer.
Breakfast at the Padma starts at 6:30am so up I went to the rooftop restaurant.
Nice view from the restaurant.
Some people need a little exercise before breakfast. Sunrise yoga offered daily on the apron round the pool. Got to try that tomorrow.
Here is a nice little idea for bicycle panniers . . . seems sort of Frenchy!
A wide assortment of foods, western and Indonesian available at the HUGE buffet. So much food . . . only one tummy!
It’s quiet at this time of the morning . . .
Breakfast with the Jakarta Post, English version.
Usually by the time I’m done emJay show up and I will continue to have coffee with her. The she is off to her meetings and I am . . .
. . . off to the pool??!!!
At the buffet tonight there was a great talent show put on by 10 groups that formed among the staff. The shows are quite popular at events like this and many have been practicing for some time. Rizal, the country director for Indonesia, had been in the private banking sector before coming on with TNC said that even at his banking conventions, talent shows were a BIG deal with some of the participant’s even hiring acting coaches and spending LOTS of money on props!!!
Tonight’s show centered around the environment with many of the groups singing, dancing or playing out little skits, complete with music and PowerPoint animations. The non-Indonesian visitors at this conference served as the judges ranking the groups talent, ambition and skills with a score from 1-100. The results will be announced before the meeting is over. Most of the groups had us all up dancing and trying to sing along with their finale. The Indonesians are REALLY fun people!!!
Linda, Margie and I would be traveling today from WI to CA via Denver . . .
We all met at the aeroporto and said good by to our loved ones . . .
emJay and I realized this will be the longest we have been apart sing the last time I road cross country . . . absence make the heart grow fonder. Lov’ you emJay and thanks for supporting me in fulfilling my crazy dreams!
We had a four hour layover in Denver and headed to the New Belgium Hub to begin ‘training’ for the ride. We were accompanied by Korina, a woman we met on the plane traveling to CA to pick up her mother. We had a great time with her and she was very excited and supportive of our ride.I think she might have gone with us other than she was married, had a young child at home and was a nurse/mid-wife with several clients who need her services in the near future!
She wondered where the rest of our crew was and we explained than Gina had flown ahead to CA and that Tom and Dan were . . . somewhere along the way probably having just as good of a time as we were . . . ‘training’!
or . . . maybe not!
Here Mary Jo our server and Korina discuss the benefits of a smooth IPA . . .
. . . while Linda described to us how much she was in love with Tim and had pictures of him along to prove it. Even one for her bike bag to gaze at as she pedaled along on the Southern Tier!!!
Soon we were on the plane for San Diego our last leg of today’s travels. As we chatted in the cab, our cabbie asked us if we were going to Mexico and we said, ‘No, we are riding across the US to Florida on bicycles’. After a moment of silence he asked us if were taking a GUN along on the journey!!!
Soon we at the Ocean Villa motel where Gina was already waiting or us and Tom and Dan had just arrived moments before we did.
I had some travel plans to change today because we decided to change one of our locations from a beach side resort on Bali to a beach side resort on another island, Nusa Lemgonan. Got some good advice from the Bali director. Soon it was time for lunch. I met emJay in the restaurant and implemented my lunchy, and dinner routine I have developed.
I follow here through the line and check out what there is being offered . . .
. . . the in an effort to treat my medical situation (READ: terminal sweet tooth) I peruse the dessert area next to see how much I should have for lunch, ensuring there is enough room for a goodie or two. My goal is to return home at at least the weight I left.
. . . today’s lunch winner!
emJay’s plate, not mine . . .
I ‘scrimped’ in order to enjoy these two yummies.
Each day around noon there seems to be a 15-30 minute storm . . . and here it came right on time. No lightning seen, but BIG TIME thunder.
But the Indonesian’s are set up for it. There is not usually much wind the the rain falls straight down. Wide 12 foot wide roof overhangs keep the rain out of the interiors. As you can see, life, and lunch goes on . . .
. . . and there are automatic rain shades that descend when the rain starts.
Then emJay was off to her meetings. This afternoon she would be co-presenting with Fitri, the Human Resources Manager for the country program. She and her staff did a GREAT job setting up this meeting. Firti has actually traveled to the US, shadowing several state meeting planners to pick up ideas. She is a quick study!
One thing Fitri learned in the US is having goodies at each break out session. Not only sweets but dumplings, meatballs, etc. Here you can see what emJay gravitated to!
On the job . . .
This afternoon the group had a team building exercise using a local entertainer. Sort of a young Indonesian Don Ho.
He did wonderful job engaging the group. The final outcome . . .
. . . with some co instruction by the country program Terrestrial Program Manager, was the gang playing a song using bamboo instruments. Each employee had an instrument that played one note and had an assigned number. When the number was pointed to on the board, you shook the rattle.
See and hear the result above.
There were group photos of each office and island represented. It was a great afternoon.
The evening dinner was superb, as usual, and included an appearance by one the the country programs trustees who addressed the group in Indonesian and English.
Meetings tomorrow morning then once the conference ends, we are on the way to Bali!! Stay tuned.
Everyone slept great last night although it did get a little chilly. The air conditioner/heater didn’t quite keep up and we might need a few more blankets.
After a hearty breakfast at the motel . . .
it was time for assemble, test, assemble, etc . . .etc.
Then it time for a little reorganizing and repacking. Guess which room had a bad case of the ‘messies’?
The Dog Beach area is a huge do beach with every kind of canine running everywhere. They are welcomed every where including some restaurants.
Our motel even had a doggie shower!
A view from our balcony. During a morning walk, Dan talked to the guy in the middle of this photo who owned 13 dogs!
After all that activity it was time for a test ride downtown and a little lunch.
This was the PLACE TO BE evidently but with a line a block long we head to a local Mexican cantina.
Gina took the healthy road . . .
While the rest of us had more ‘traditional’ Mexican cuisine. What to have for dessert . . . at just the right moment Taylor came by with her parents selling Girl Scout cookies. I bought two boxes of Tagalongs. Taylor is the top salesgirl in her troop!!! These cookie will never make it to the city limits of San Diego.
Good thing we took that test ride because I discovered I needed a new handlebar stem. The bars kept slipping down, even when severely torqued. Similar to what happened to emJay last year when she crashed in France! A quick stop at Bernie’s Bike shop and a new ‘slightly used’ Bontrager stem was procured, and installed, for $3.00!
Soon it was 3:00pm, 5:00pm CST, and time for a little happy hour on the veranda.
Dan had been out doing a little ‘training’ and soon joined some of the gang on the veranda for a little happy hour.
. . . and more ‘training’!
Soon we we’re all hungry and headed downtown for dinner. Everything was very busy so we settled om Monster’s for burgers.
. . . and another ‘training’ session!
Leslie did a great job taking care of us as we continued to ‘train’ as the rain that had predicted for the weekend started, coming down in sheets. After a 45 minute wait we were able to head to the liquor store, get some vino and head back to the room.
Tomorrow we start . . . and we’ll see what the ‘Big Ugly’ ends up being!
Today we leave Bandung and jet down to Bali, a quick 1 1/2 hour flight, but getting there would be the fun part.
At breakfast, I opened the English printed newspaper The Jakarta Post, and to my surprise on Page 2, right under an article about Russia, was a touch of home. DATELINE: Mayville, WI. Small world. I wonder if the kids were our riding buddie Dave E’s grandkids!
emJay says goodbye to her new friend Astrid, the TNC Executive Assistant to the Country Director, Rizal. Fitri and Astrid were REALLY instrumental in making our visit go VERY smooth, handling all the logistics for us.
The estimate was 1/2 hour drive to the airport but it ended up taking over an hour. The traffic in Jakarta, and now Bandung is UNBELIEVABLE, though we did make it in time. For an urban area over over 4 million, the airport was about the size of the one in Baraboo. The one door in was blocked by a uniformed officer who checked everyone’s ticket before allowing you to enter. Then your luggage went through a metal detector for which I did not see an operator.
A mad dash to the Air Asia counter and soon we had our tickets on hand and headed upstairs to the one and only gate. Crowded and loud! We passed our goodies through another metal detector. As I picked up my goodies from the conveyor belt I noticed the woman monitoring the detection monitor was checking email on her smartphone!!!!
Soon our plane was called and we walked out on the tarmac to our plane . . . trouble was the plane on the left of the picture was just taxiing in from the runway . . .
. . . nobody seemed too concerned about it and we just ‘moved to the right’ as it passed by!
Soon we were in the air, looping around Bandung, and heading east to Bali.
Air Asia must size their seating for their average Asian customer who is not 6’2”. NO LEG ROOM and my knees pressed into the seat the whole ride.
We landed in Bali which because of its tourist jumping off point had a HUGE airport . . . and they were ready for Christmas even though Christians make up less than 6% of the population. Our driver from Netafari Villas, Catah, was waiting for us and we were whisked to the villas in 1/2 hour’s time.
After we checked in, and enjoyed a welcome cocktail, we were escorted our villa, Pucuk, and its welcoming front door.
The main room . . .
with lots of room . . .
. . . and an open outdoor bathroom!!!!
Here is one of the outside sitting areas by our pool . . .
. . . our pool!
We had not eaten, it was 9:00pm and too late for us old folks to go into town, so we order room service from the Netafari kitchen Two entrees and two glasses of wine for about $12USD!!!! It will be interesting to see what the rest of the place looks like tomorrow.
We woke to the rain falling from the ‘ Big Ugly’ that had moved in overnight. Forecast was rain for the next three days.!!!!
We waited until it started to slow down a little . . . stalling as long as we could. Here Tom and Gina are talking to one of the staff from the Coast to Coast ride. Their group of 42 riders will be leaving from the Ocean Villa in six days. They’ll pass us in Louisiana when we stop for the 4 day Cycle Zydeco and a side trip to New Orleans.
He was nice enough to take a shot of our happy group us as we stalled some more waiting for the clearing that was supposed to take place at noon.
With a little break in the rain about 10:30am, we headed down to Dog Beach for our formal, start of the ride photo, and the traditional cross country rider tradition of dunking the back wheel in the Pacific Ocean. We’ll dunk the front wheel it the Atlantic when we get to Florida. Our happy group at the beach. You can see part of the large dog paw stencil on the round concrete pad.
It was time for the dunking . . . BUT no body else wanted to dunk. So only I did!
We passed the Ocean Villa motel on the way out, our home for the last two nights. Good place with a great view of the doggies on the beach.
The first 12 miles of todays ride was a paved trail through the south side of San Diego heading to Lakeside. We no more started biking and it started to rain . . . and rain . . . and rain. It ended up raining all day . . . no break in the weather.
Trails, roads and byways would be our home for the next two months. Right now the trail in San Diego is also home to many homeless. Quite a contrast, them pushing everything they own in a shopping cart or pull behind bike cart and we leisurely riding across the US with a sag vehicle and all the time in the world.
Here was another chap camped out in the bush. The plastic bag on the ground to the right of the bike was him sleeping in a plastic garbage bag trying to stay dry.
39 miles latter we arrived in Alpine after climbing 2,300 feet from sea level. We were all soaked, the temp was 54 and it was time for hot showers, a load or two of wash and Mexican dinner.
Tomorrow the forecast is for more rain, cooler temps and another 2,000 feet of climbing. Should sleep good tonight!
A very peaceful evening for sleeping and when we woke up it was bright daylight. Let’s look around . . . The pathway leading to the entrance of the walled villas. Very private . . . can’t see in, can’t see our . . .
The entrance to Pucuk. Even has a door bell . . .
emJay still in her PJ’s getting ready for a little morning wakeup dip . . .
. . . our front porch
Click above to see a video tour.
Guests can either eat in the restaurant or have breakfast room service. We thought we would try the restaurant option today. By the parade of trays exiting the kitchen it looked like most guests chose the eating-in option . . . tomorrow! Above is a table on an island available for breakfast, lunch or dinner. We chose the elevated restaurant.
Great flowers everywhere . . . this is plumeria we believe…
. . . another beauty with intricate details.
emJay ordered the banana pancakes, palm sugar syrup and bacon.
Like many of the guesthouse/villa options the Netafari is about three miles out of Ubud, nice and quiet, and offer free shuttles to and from town whenever you wish. All of the service industry pays into the Chamber of Commerce and part of the agreement is as a visitor you can go into any store, shop, etc., that has a phone, and ask them to call your hotel for a ride back. Nice!!!
One our neighbors . . .
In town there are many temples to visit . . .
. . . and many of the entrance statues have been dressed by the holy man for an upcoming ceremony, held every 210 days. The belief is that the statues dressed are thought to be magically charged.
After a brief walk about through the market, where there were hundreds of vendors selling everything we didn’t need, it was time for a gourmet lunchy at the number one rated restaurant in town the French, Locavore. As the sign on the chalkboard behind emJay says, they are full for the night. We were lucky to get lunch reservations.
The restaurant opened at noon and the kitchen was already a flurry of activity . . .
The chef’s gift to the table was lightly fried spinach leaves and marinated mushrooms, with a sweet potato puree . . .
. . . another gift from the chef was a pureed tomato sorbet served on top of a sweet cherry tomato. A hot tomato consommé was poured into the bowl around the sorbet. It was a hot/cold thing going on in your mouth at the same time. NICE!
I had the Sorrel Duck Egg soup as a starter that included a poached duck egg, with a pureed Sorrel consommé and small potato croutons. Great flavors.
emJay had a roasted beet appetizer. Her entrée was a piece of Queen fish with fresh mussels surrounded by green and carrots. A foam infused clam broth was then poured over the whole works.
My entrée was a nice piece of barramundi topped with a fried soft shell crab surrounded by greens and veggies topped with a cauliflower coulee. YUM!!!!!!!!!!!!!
emJay had not had enough and went with the five servings of chocolate dessert. I was full but our waitress brought me a small scoop of white chocolate mousse just so I didn’t feel left out. emJay was to start from the left and progress to the right going from sweet to bitter chocolate. First up was white chocolate mousse, followed by a warm sweet chocolate mousse, followed by a chocolate liquor followed by a slightly bitter chocolate mousse and finally a dark chocolate beignet. A meal in itself but she finished the whole thing!
As we walked out and back through the market we saw these two chickens in the entry way of a shop. Word was they had been told they had a job for the night . . . unknown to them it was on someone’s plate!!!
It started to rain but we headed over to a temple located on a lotus pond. Beautiful, even more so in the soft rain . . .
Inside the courtyard were artisans working on icons including this large puppet . . .
The inner temple.
An interesting note is that Bali is the major stronghold of Hindi in Indonesia. A practice that takes place all day is the placing of small offerings to the gods that are scattered everywhere. Placing them outside of a temple makes sense but why they are also scattered all over the city remains a mystery. They are refreshed several times during the day. Here a young woman appears with her gift tray and leaves an offering. In the morning they are all swept up and it starts all over again . . .
. . . some include food for the god’s like this one. mmmmmmmmmm . . . do I look like a god!
Some of the motorcycles even have an offering placed on them behind the license plate. I bet it’s the ones they rent to tourists. Good luck!
What . . . where did this gem come from . . . did we time warp through a black hole back to Cuba??? Actually, it was parked outside the Havana Cafe where they offered salsa dance lessons every Tuesday and Saturday.
Local urban forestry staff working on a planting project along the main drag . . .
. . . they just plug them into the ground, add some support and wait for the rain to bring them back to life.
Here is a fun shop we saw along the way. I thought it should be Flipper but they left out the ‘l’.
One of the local royalty died and there will be a HUGE event, unfortunately for us the day after we leave. The body will be hoisted on top of the bamboo tower that is being constructed and moved by over two hundred men to the cemetery . . .
. . . here was a parade preceding the event that was honoring several of the royalties’ granddaughters.
oh . . . one does see some Western influence even here in Bali. And of course there was the requisite Starbucks which has really made a presence here, all over Indonesia. When you walk by one they are mostly filled with what looks to be Americans and Japanese.
After a big lunch and walking around it was back too the shack for a little swim and nap. Got to get ready for tonight . . .
. . . when we attended a local Bali music and dance troupe presentation . . . and it was quite a show.
. . . the girls were beautifully made up . . .
. . . and there was even a demon, who wore a mask. Sort of creepy!!!
Click above to see part of the show.
After the show we had a few hunger pangs, even after having had the large lunch, so at 9:45pm, we ordered a little snack and a couple of Bitang beers. Like happened several time in Cuba, the Nefatari had run out of vino. We may have been drinking too much these last several days.
Today we decided to order breakfast in and within 10 minutes of placing our order . . .
. . . it magically appeared . . .
. . . .mmmm they say a hearty breakfast is the most important meal of the day.
. . . Hubert, our pet snail, had reappeared for breakfast so I gave him some left over butter. When it comes time to eat him . . . he’ll be basted!
I may not have given our unique bathroom its full due in prior descriptions so here it is . . .
. . . PLENTY of hot water.
not a Kohler but their main competitor in the Asia area, Toto!
Go here for the bathroom tour!
Ready to hit the road, we helped ‘clean up’ a bit from all of our meals.
When a guest needs a ride into town it may be any of the staff who provide the lift. One of the chefs gave us a ride into town this morning and had his knives lying on the front seat. As he showed them to me he related a funny story of how he was transporting some guests from the airport to Nefatari and he had left them lying on the seat. They asked him if they to be used to protect them from bandits!!!!
The big preparation for the royal family member funeral continues. This is the temple where his body will be laid into a carved bull casket. His body will then be ceremonially carried up the ramp to this tower . . .
. . . which is still being constructed. It is now draped with plastic to keep the rain off the floral appliques they are applying. You can see the loading tower in the left of the photo . . .
By the day of the ceremony all the metal scaffolding will be removed and all that will remain will be the tower. This tower will be lifted and carried by 200 local residents from one of the villages. After 1/2 mile they will be replaced by another 200 and several more times too as they wind the street to the cemetery. His body and the bull casket will then be burned. Sorry we will miss it, sounds very interesting.
some of the sculptures that will be included on the tower, made out of Styrofoam . . .
Here is an old beauty, a Fiat.
We will be hiking along this river today out to the rice fields. Here four young Caucasian women hold some kind of spiritual event in the foreground. Might have been yoga!!!
We toured the local temple as the construction crew who was building a new roof on the place was having their lunch break. Very impressive with the many side altars and ornamentation. Got to read up more on these.
Here was an offerings graveyard where in the morning they are all swept up and thrown away. Some still have some yummy rice and meat on them though and the local pups makes their rounds for breakfast!
Some of the little shrines are very picturesque.
Like many tourist towns, it doesn’t take long to get out of town, and as we headed north on the trail to the rice fields, emJay stopped at one of the shops in the rural area to buy some batik.
Another nice shrine along the route . . .
. . . which is all about rice . . .
emJay blazes the trail with rice paddies and irrigation on the right and left . . .
Seems like rice farming may be quite lucrative for some!
The paddies are separated by walls of mud and roots . . . and are flooded and drained several times during the growing season.
This chap is doing VERY well . . . just like your typical American farmer except instead of looking out over corn field it is rice!
This guy followed us for quite a distance and took refuge in the shade whenever we stopped.
Opening a diversion ditch . . .
Time for some bird watching along the way too . . .
Tending to the soil . . .
. . . and the final process after cutting and drying . . . hand thrashing over a screen . . .
. . . the rice would then be bagged brought to a central area and transported out . . .
by motorbike!
Heading back into town we were getting hungry . . .
. . . and as we passed this offering to the god of rice I wondered if the god might not be willing to share some of his Ritz crackers!!!
New construction was everywhere. The economy of Ubud is booming. Most construction is poured concreted columns. Columns and floors are held up by bamboo poles until they are cured. in the US we use the same method but use telescoping metal poles to hold things up while they dry. The women were carrying the mixed concrete to the site in baskets balanced on their heads!!!
Wifi is EVERYWHERE and any merchant or store needs to have it for their customers to stay competitive. Even here out on the rice trail, the Pomegranate Café that featured wifi and had their router/hotspot right out in front to prove it!
It was clearly apparent our rural rice field tour had ended and we were back in Ubud when we started seeing stores like this . . .
This was a funny name. Only saw women’s clothes inside. Maybe the woman shops . . . and the guy pays???
There was lots of produce available too, in the local market.
Quite a skill to do this whether carrying groceries or cement. One must need a strong neck.
Soon we were back at our cabana where right outside our door was this bamboo growing. Nice!
It seemed like there might be time for a nap before dinner . . .
but instead we ordered a couple of beers (no vino available yet as their supplier has not come) and took a swim.
Then time for a shower and getting ready for a BIG dinner event tonight. One of the local kitties had stopped by . . .
. . . and like cats everywhere, didn’t give us a second look!
Woke to a slightly overcast day. The forecast was for ‘scattered showers’. By the time we went to the breakfast room it was raining. It would be a ‘Yin/Yan’ kind of day.
How about a little breakfast conference, as we took over the whole place!
Guess who had there usually biscuits and gravy, Barb. We all chowed down ready for a big day of miles and elevation gain . . .considering it is only our second day of riding all winter.
After finally getting everything packed and waiting for a little break in the rain we headed up hill.
One thing you noticed different in CA is evidently that can use the center turn lanes for loading zones
Our San Diego cabbie had asked us if we were ‘packing heat’ here is one we could take along.
Not uncommon on a big trip to have a ‘second breakfast’ along the way. Here is CA you have ALL KINDS of options. After a brief visit we FINALLY headed off again!
Gee . . .Tom and I were confused on what way to go . . .
But down the interstate we all went for the next 5 miles . . . in the rain!
Click photo to see the death defying feat!!!
We stopped along the way to try and view the sites . . . too rainy and foggy!
We no more exited the intestate and it started to pour and the temp was dropping as we climbed. Four miles down the road we found refuge in a small store that had just been reopened. The rain began to look more ‘solid’ in form and soon it was snow, hail, rain, switching back a forth. Tom decided a donut was in order but was disappointed there were no nut cover ones left. He got over it.
The weather issues were one of those times when I think we were all thinking, ‘What am I doing here’ If at home during a winter ride if it gets ugly, one heads back for home or short cuts to Funk’s and drink beer. Not when you are on the road. It’s the ‘yin’ of life.
It kept up fro some time and we spent so much time, and money in the store the owner, Lois, though she would be able to retire after our visit.
The weather had looked promising when we started but I had brought my leg warmers today but decided to still wear biking sandals. My toes were getting cold and with no socks along I needed to improvise. Plastic bag socks! They really worked. Not adding any additional warmth but block the wind and holding in the heat one’s feet produce. Highly recommended, although not too fashionable!
After and hour of waiting around we figured we had been getting going in order to finish before it got dark. About a mile down the road, I noticed the snow that had accumulated on the peak ahead.I stopped to wait for a break in traffic to just get Linda and the mountain but she was pulling too far ahead. So I snapped this shot, started pedaling again, and realized I had a flat. I yelled to her but she was too far ahead. I tried to call her but No Service!! I knew I would need help putting the new Continental tires back on the rims. Tom and I had trouble doing it when I installed them in San Diego.
So it was just Connie and me alone for the tire repair and the remaining 45 miles of the day.
Sure enough . . . a piece of wire had taken it’s toll. Sure enough I got as far as changing the tube and getting the tire 7/8 of the tire on the wheel but I really needed one more set of hands OR a Velcro strap like Tom and I had discussed to hold the tire in place on one side. It took about 45 minutes before I finally got the tire seated, Connie’s pieces back together and rolling up hill again!
By this time it was getting colder and starting to hail, which you can see in this unfocused photo. Hard to ‘follow focus’ on hail stones.
After much much more uphill, rain, sleet and now high winds I reached the half way point at 3:06pm. A casino/travel mart. Something for everyone!
Despite having eaten only a couple of hours before, I was famished and cold. Let’s see one needs, protein, fat and carbs . . . so had to of my favorites, roller wieners with all the fizxin’s and a 1/4 pound walnut crusted chocolate brownie. I have planned to take a photo to eat but was too hungry. About five minutes, this was all that was left.
As I warmed up I watched the people run from their cars into the store and back getting blown off course along the way. Finally I figured I needed to get the other half of the ride done before it got any colder and dark. A quick check of the temp on the Garmin showed 39.8!!!
The rain had stopped but the extreme side winds mad for a very chilly start again. I wondered if the winds always blew like this here at the top of the pass . . . I guess the name of the road tells it all!
Haven’t seen too many road side memorials yet but saw this one coming up on this tight curve, right under the telephone pole. As I rolled by I saw there was more. You see so much when you are riding you can’t take a photo of everything, so I have developed the 15 second rule. if I am still thinking about a possible photo op 15 seconds after I go by it I go back . . .
. . . this is one deadly corner. This memorial had a sting of solar lights and a video surveillance sign!!!
I finally started dropping downhill, somewhat out of the wind, the sun was breaking though and so the ‘yang’ part of the day began. We probably had seen several hundred Border Patrol vehicle sin the last several days of all descriptions. Pickups, SUV’s Jeeps, dune buggies, 4 wheel drives, cars. You name it. If it rolls and goes off pavement I think they have it. All painted white with a green stripe. They are all busy driving around on and off road. We heard they had made an arrest of a group of several hundred the night before.
Lot’s of extras!
I knew we would be close to the border on this trip but had not studied the maps close enough to know it started today. I saw what I thought was a railroad trestle and it ended up being ‘the fence’.
Funny thing is ahead there was a gap in the fence. Might have happened between budget biennium’s when the funding ran out!!!???
Along that area there were no entry signs up due to ‘Environmental Concerns” I wondered if there were not buried proximity switches and motions detector’s to detect those crossing at night.
. . . and long the road I saw several of these zip tie configurations evidently a favorite ‘temporary’ handcuff used by the Border Patrol around customers wrists.
In some places there was fence only a sign to tell you which side to stay of the border you are on. I guess they use the honor system here too!!!!
Soon I ran into Mike, from Virginia, heading west on the Southern Tier. He started on Jan 7 and only had two days left. We chatted and exchanged emails and cards. I wished we could have chatted longer but we were both cold and worried about loosing daylight. I had no light with me on board.
My heart sank as I saw a sign that read Ocotillio, our home for the night, 14 miles ahead. Never make it before dark.
BUT . . . what if one had a nice downhill. Like 12 miles of it!!
So down I went with the grade varying between 4-8%. With strong winds I REALLY had to be careful but when it seemed safe I let Connie gallop at 39 mph. She need to run after struggling up hill all day. I would learn later that Gina had been blown off her bike earlier in the day because of the winds!!!
Soon a rainbow welcomed me to Ocotillo . . .
. . . as well as a wind farm strategically positioned at the bottom of the pass.
We were ‘out of the woods’ and now definitely in the dessert!
Gina had snacks and beer for us!!!
. .. and Connie and I had our own suite!!! Little did I realize at the time I had placed her rear tailrider pannier right in front of the quartz radiant header. When I returned from the happy hour the pannier was too hot to touch. Another fifteen minutes and there might have been a fire call to the ocotillo Trailer park and Motel!!!
My ‘booties’ had worked out well other than my ‘big pork chop toe’ had come through the end!
A GREAT day that started sort of rough but finished really nicely. Just like real life . . . things usually seem to work out OK.
Two great quote’s from the last to day’s, both from Tom:
Day 1: We rode through mostly through urban areas, in fact we we didn’t leave San Diego County proper until late on Day 2. As Dan and I were huddled over the maps and our two gps’, trying to figure out where we were, we heard Tom say, . . . “don’t worry about it we have a bike lane and are making good time” Although we were sure where we were or going!
We woke to a glorious morning still dreaming about the GREAT gastronomic experience we had at the Mozaic Restaurant last night in Ubud. Quite and experience and a great last memory of Ubud as today we continue our journey and leave for an even smaller Balinese Island, Nusa Lembongan.
So here is what last night was all about . . . we dined at the Mozaic which is a fixed price establishment with either a 6 or 9 course serving with an option wine pairing available that we of course took advantage of during the meal. A new glass of wine with each course. YES! It was a beautiful setting, beautiful night and beautiful wife . . .
When we arrived we were escorted into the lounge where we were able to lounge and have a drink . . .first martini of the trip for me!
We had time to catch our breath and revisit the last 10 days and all the great experiences we have shared . . .
. . . and we were able to share a little gift from the kitchen, puff pastry balls filled with white truffle cream and parmesan cheese.
Soon we were escorted to the main dining room. With a 6:45pm reservation the place was just starting to fill and by the time we left at 9:30pm it was packed! All the cutlery, chargers, serving plates and wine glasses were changed after every course!
I was surprised how casual some of the guests dressed but I guess it is a resort town and even flip flops are ‘de riguer’ . . . however, I ccouldn’t tell if this woman next to us forgot to put on part of her dress. Something seems to be missing . . . or I am just not up on the latest haute couture!
Our Amuse Bouche arrived and was a yummy rolled pastry shell filled with a beef pate toped with a softened cheese. It was standing in a glass of white and black sesame seeds . . .
The seared Indian Ocean Prawns appetizer with burnt cauliflower and fresh torch ginger flower . . .
. . . really woke up the palate . . . nicely paired with wine from Australia.
The next appetizer was a warm Maluku long pepper encrusted Yellow Fin Tuna block with globe artichokes . . . and of course another glass of wine from California.
It kept getting better, as the Duck breast confit with Foie Gras was delivered . . . with an Italian glass of vino.
The main course of suckling pork, young and ripe Balinese Jackfruit and mashed cheese potatoes arrived . . . with a Pinto Noir from Argentina.
After a rest of 10 minutes we were served a fresh Singaraja mangosteen sorbet, with rambutans and macadamia praline . . . served with a nice Riesling from Germany . . .
Our dessert was an interesting basil mousse turmeric root sorbet and red wine Sechuan pepper reduction . . . served with a lovely Muscat. Nice pairing.
. . . and finally a nice little choice of petit fours . . .
. . . and soon there was only one . . .
. . . which we split. What a nice night for our memory bank!!!
But today was a new day and we would be venturing on to Nusa Lembagan. Nice morning here, but we have been monitoring the weather north of us in the Philippines where they are having some heavy weather.
. . . not just a light sprinkle . . .
. . . we are about 1,200 miles from the Philippines about the distance from Madison to Yellowstone National Park. Enough breathing room for sunny skies . . . WE HOPE!
But . . . we felt the god of travel was with us as we noticed the offering outside out door when we left.
With a little rice too.
We are sad to leave Netafari but the adventure must move on . . . . Wynan walks us to the front door to say goodbye.
We are travelling by fast boat to the island of Nusa Lembongan with the Marlin Boat Company. There are about a dozen companies like this servicing this 1/2 ride route and most of them provide transport from you hotel to the island and from the arrival point to your hotel. It’s a get your feet wet operation. It’s easy! But not for the drivers who had to unload our luggage as shown above . . . heavy!
The island Marlin mini bus waiting to take us to the Indiana Kenanga Villas. There are no cars on the island only mini motorcycles and a few vans like this.
The main beach strip where we will be staying.You can see the island of Bali in the background. Looks like it might be raining there!
Our home for the next three nights . . .
Of course they have the coveted TripAdvisor rating. Without one you are barely in the hospitality game.
emJay getting the lowdown from Adfrin.
The courtyard of our villa/suite.
Nice welcome, the first thing you see when you walk in the room . . .
Wild furnishings!
Big bathroom. Although it is enclosed the shower does have a large window!!!
It was time for a late lunch so we headed down to the beach restaurant, one of two restaurants onsite, and had a ‘hearty’ lunch. All that traveling you know!!
Chicken fillet marinated in Thai sauce served with a mustard aioli sauce, (along with two Bitang beers of course) YUM!!!!
After a little settling in it was time to recline on one of the beach front settees . .
