Following the Front Wheel- Postie Bike Ride

I agree Blek, I wasn't implying that it's just foreigners being targeted, from what I've seen so far there are many more Indonesian tourists in Lombok than there are Bule, except in certain locations. Just making observations, and yes it would be nice to go fishing with Mone's father but that opportunity has passed. :-(

Leaving Kuta I'd decided to try to follow the road along the south coast as far west as I could. I was still navigating with a photocopy of a tourist map from the hotel in Senggigi.

<a href="http://s1160.photobucket.com/user/RDT953/media/Indonesia%20Postie%20bike%20ride/R_ROUTEMAP.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="https://www.advrider.com/advrider-photobucket-images/images/R/RDT953_Indonesia%2520Postie%2520bike%2520ride_R_ROUTEMAP.jpg" border="0" alt="Route map photo R_ROUTEMAP.jpg"/></a>

I was fine up to Selong Blanak but then lost the road. I'd stopped to cross reference the map and my phone GPS fix when this bloke in a car across the road yells out "is that a bloody postie?" turns out it's a couple of Aussie blokes working on the civil engineering works for an estate along the coast. I showed them on the map where I wanted to go and they said follow us we're going that way now, hang on.

The turn off was only about 100 meters up the road but I'd never have picked it, it looked just like a farm track.

<a href="http://s1160.photobucket.com/user/RDT953/media/Indonesia%20Postie%20bike%20ride/R_PLANTATIONROAD.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="https://www.advrider.com/advrider-photobucket-images/images/R/RDT953_Indonesia%2520Postie%2520bike%2520ride_R_PLANTATIONROAD.jpg" border="0" alt="Plantation Road photo R_PLANTATIONROAD.jpg"/></a>

A bit further on I saw this hill that sort of reminded me of the Close Encounters of the 3rd kind movie.

<a href="http://s1160.photobucket.com/user/RDT953/media/Indonesia%20Postie%20bike%20ride/R_CLOSEENCOUNTERS.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="https://www.advrider.com/advrider-photobucket-images/images/R/RDT953_Indonesia%2520Postie%2520bike%2520ride_R_CLOSEENCOUNTERS.jpg" border="0" alt="Close encounters photo R_CLOSEENCOUNTERS.jpg"/></a>

I didn't see Richard Dreyfus anywhere so kept following the Aussies, the road gradually deteriorated until we came to the construction site. This is in the vicinity of Sepi.

<a href="http://s1160.photobucket.com/user/RDT953/media/Indonesia%20Postie%20bike%20ride/R_ROADCONSTRUCTION.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="https://www.advrider.com/advrider-photobucket-images/images/R/RDT953_Indonesia%2520Postie%2520bike%2520ride_R_ROADCONSTRUCTION.jpg" border="0" alt="Road construction photo R_ROADCONSTRUCTION.jpg"/></a>

Got some verbal directions which I forgot soon after and just kept veering left at most road junctions. I had some nice smooth sections of road behind the beaches.

<a href="http://s1160.photobucket.com/user/RDT953/media/Indonesia%20Postie%20bike%20ride/R_BEACHROAD.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="https://www.advrider.com/advrider-photobucket-images/images/R/RDT953_Indonesia%2520Postie%2520bike%2520ride_R_BEACHROAD.jpg" border="0" alt="Beachroad photo R_BEACHROAD.jpg"/></a>

Went past a mosque under construction.

<a href="http://s1160.photobucket.com/user/RDT953/media/Indonesia%20Postie%20bike%20ride/R_NEWMOSQUE.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="https://www.advrider.com/advrider-photobucket-images/images/R/RDT953_Indonesia%2520Postie%2520bike%2520ride_R_NEWMOSQUE.jpg" border="0" alt="New Mosque photo R_NEWMOSQUE.jpg"/></a>

Then heading up into the mountains the roads got really testing with lots of first gear and some pushing with the legs on the really crappy bits. Somewhere after Belongas.

<a href="http://s1160.photobucket.com/user/RDT953/media/Indonesia%20Postie%20bike%20ride/R_BADROAD.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="https://www.advrider.com/advrider-photobucket-images/images/R/RDT953_Indonesia%2520Postie%2520bike%2520ride_R_BADROAD.jpg" border="0" alt="Bad road photo R_BADROAD.jpg"/></a>

Went through some nice isolated little villages.

<a href="http://s1160.photobucket.com/user/RDT953/media/Indonesia%20Postie%20bike%20ride/R_VILLAGEROAD.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="https://www.advrider.com/advrider-photobucket-images/images/R/RDT953_Indonesia%2520Postie%2520bike%2520ride_R_VILLAGEROAD.jpg" border="0" alt="Village road photo R_VILLAGEROAD.jpg"/></a>

And as the road got narrower I started having doubts about the direction, I was seeing very few other bikes now and no cars. West of Rambut Petung, not mapped now.

<a href="http://s1160.photobucket.com/user/RDT953/media/Indonesia%20Postie%20bike%20ride/R_NARROWROAD.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="https://www.advrider.com/advrider-photobucket-images/images/R/RDT953_Indonesia%2520Postie%2520bike%2520ride_R_NARROWROAD.jpg" border="0" alt="Narrow road photo R_NARROWROAD.jpg"/></a>

So in keeping with the ethos of following the front wheel I pressed on, I was actually really enjoying the ride and the scenery.

<a href="http://s1160.photobucket.com/user/RDT953/media/Indonesia%20Postie%20bike%20ride/R_COASTGLIMPSE.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="https://www.advrider.com/advrider-photobucket-images/images/R/RDT953_Indonesia%2520Postie%2520bike%2520ride_R_COASTGLIMPSE.jpg" border="0" alt="Coast glimpse photo R_COASTGLIMPSE.jpg"/></a>


Stopped at the top of one of the passes so these young fellas could have a look at the bike. They were both smoking huge hand rolled cigarettes.

<a href="http://s1160.photobucket.com/user/RDT953/media/Indonesia%20Postie%20bike%20ride/R_SMOKERS.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="https://www.advrider.com/advrider-photobucket-images/images/R/RDT953_Indonesia%2520Postie%2520bike%2520ride_R_SMOKERS.jpg" border="0" alt="Smokers photo R_SMOKERS.jpg"/></a>

The views of the coast were very spectacular but the mountain sides along the way show plenty of signs of clearing and burning.

<a href="http://s1160.photobucket.com/user/RDT953/media/Indonesia%20Postie%20bike%20ride/R_COASTVIEW.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="https://www.advrider.com/advrider-photobucket-images/images/R/RDT953_Indonesia%2520Postie%2520bike%2520ride_R_COASTVIEW.jpg" border="0" alt="Coast view photo R_COASTVIEW.jpg"/></a>

When the road goes up into the mountains for spectacular views it inevitable leads back down to the beach and creates more challenges for an old bloke on a small bike.

<a href="http://s1160.photobucket.com/user/RDT953/media/Indonesia%20Postie%20bike%20ride/R_DOWNHILL.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="https://www.advrider.com/advrider-photobucket-images/images/R/RDT953_Indonesia%2520Postie%2520bike%2520ride_R_DOWNHILL.jpg" border="0" alt="Downhill photo R_DOWNHILL.jpg"/></a>

Decision time on which of these horror roads to take; the one downhill headed back to the coast and the maps and GPS were telling me that I should by now be heading inland. I looked at the inland road and it didn't look promising so I opted for the coast road again. It turned out to be the right decision but by now I was in an area that on the paper map had no roads at all.

<a href="http://s1160.photobucket.com/user/RDT953/media/Indonesia%20Postie%20bike%20ride/R_THREEWAYS.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="https://www.advrider.com/advrider-photobucket-images/images/R/RDT953_Indonesia%2520Postie%2520bike%2520ride_R_THREEWAYS.jpg" border="0" alt="Threeways photo R_THREEWAYS.jpg"/></a>

I went down through a small fishing village and then back up into the mountains again for this brilliant view.

<a href="http://s1160.photobucket.com/user/RDT953/media/Indonesia%20Postie%20bike%20ride/R_HIGHPOINT.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="https://www.advrider.com/advrider-photobucket-images/images/R/RDT953_Indonesia%2520Postie%2520bike%2520ride_R_HIGHPOINT.jpg" border="0" alt="High point photo R_HIGHPOINT.jpg"/></a>

Then came to this encampment which turned out to be gold prospectors. I showed my map to the lady and pointed to where I was trying to get and she indicated I should keep on the way I was headed.

<a href="http://s1160.photobucket.com/user/RDT953/media/Indonesia%20Postie%20bike%20ride/R_GOLDMINERS.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="https://www.advrider.com/advrider-photobucket-images/images/R/RDT953_Indonesia%2520Postie%2520bike%2520ride_R_GOLDMINERS.jpg" border="0" alt="Gold miners photo R_GOLDMINERS.jpg"/></a>

And about 15 minutes later this.

<a href="http://s1160.photobucket.com/user/RDT953/media/Indonesia%20Postie%20bike%20ride/R_BLACKTOP.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="https://www.advrider.com/advrider-photobucket-images/images/R/RDT953_Indonesia%2520Postie%2520bike%2520ride_R_BLACKTOP.jpg" border="0" alt="Blacktop photo R_BLACKTOP.jpg"/></a>

I need to go right at that intersection to get to the place I'd sort of decided I wanted to get to but having come this far I wanted to see where the road went so turned left.

I came to four police boom gates spaced at about 50 metre intervals. The first three were up so I stopped at the forth and was waved around it by the attending officer. I stopped for a chat and asked if it was OK to go through. I have no idea why the police had this area under control but they were happy for me to go through and told me that if I needed anything to come back and see them.

This is what is at the end of the road.

<a href="http://s1160.photobucket.com/user/RDT953/media/Indonesia%20Postie%20bike%20ride/R_TURTLEBEACH.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="https://www.advrider.com/advrider-photobucket-images/images/R/RDT953_Indonesia%2520Postie%2520bike%2520ride_R_TURTLEBEACH.jpg" border="0" alt="Turtle beach photo R_TURTLEBEACH.jpg"/></a>

I had the whole place to myself so went in for a bit of a dip and them broke out the fishing gear, I thrashed the water to foam for about 2 hours for no reward. I could have camped but without much water and not wanting to go and fetch some and return I decided to find a room. The stomach was still not 100% either so I had an excuse for the soft option.

<a href="http://s1160.photobucket.com/user/RDT953/media/Indonesia%20Postie%20bike%20ride/R_DAYSEND.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="https://www.advrider.com/advrider-photobucket-images/images/R/RDT953_Indonesia%2520Postie%2520bike%2520ride_R_DAYSEND.jpg" border="0" alt="Days end photo R_DAYSEND.jpg"/></a>

Two nights here to recuperate.

Sepi?! Damn you, Postie! You hijacked my personal paradise!

Took this shot in the morning. Camera is my Nokia Lumia 920. The photo appeals to me because it looks like a watercolour painting. Keep in mind that I'm viewing it on small screens.

<a href="http://s1160.photobucket.com/user/RDT953/media/Indonesia%20Postie%20bike%20ride/R_WATERCOLOUR.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="https://www.advrider.com/advrider-photobucket-images/images/R/RDT953_Indonesia%2520Postie%2520bike%2520ride_R_WATERCOLOUR.jpg" border="0" alt="Rinjani watercolour photo R_WATERCOLOUR.jpg"/></a>

I bought the Lumia 920 on the strength of its navigation capabilities, it was the only smart phone I could find that could be used as a stand alone GPS navigator while being completely offline. I downloaded the maps for Indonesia and then found that the map is incomplete, showing no roads east of Bali. The bonus for me with this phone has been the camera for both still and video and I'm increasingly finding that it's taking superior shots to my point and shoot camera and easier to manage video than my GoPro and Drift.

Now that I'm in Bali the turn by turn voice navigation along with the visual display is brilliant. The only downside being battery drain; I have onboard charging but it can't keep up.

I had no intention of staying in Bali for any length of time having been there several times before, in the end I spent just the one night and then took the road along the north coast towards the west. It's actually a pretty nice ride without too much traffic and decent roads with a good variety of scenery to keep the it interesting. The coast is dotted with boutique villas, hotels and spas as well as plenty of dive operations.
I saw these two young blokes doing a bit of roadside maintenance and stopped for a look and a chat.

<a href="http://s1160.photobucket.com/user/RDT953/media/Indonesia%20Postie%20bike%20ride/R_EXTREME.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="https://www.advrider.com/advrider-photobucket-images/images/R/RDT953_Indonesia%2520Postie%2520bike%2520ride_R_EXTREME.jpg" border="0" alt="Vespa Extreme photo R_EXTREME.jpg"/></a>

They call them "Extreme Vespa" bloody extreme is right and dangerous but they are obviously having fun. These things are never legal but they only get caught when the police have a blitz and set up road blocks to check papers.

Stopped for an early lunch of coffee and gado gado (a spicy vegetable soup served with rice) $1.20

<a href="http://s1160.photobucket.com/user/RDT953/media/Indonesia%20Postie%20bike%20ride/R_GADOGADO.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="https://www.advrider.com/advrider-photobucket-images/images/R/RDT953_Indonesia%2520Postie%2520bike%2520ride_R_GADOGADO.jpg" border="0" alt="Gado Gado photo R_GADOGADO.jpg"/></a>

Then stopped for a shaved ice and fruit snack.

<a href="http://s1160.photobucket.com/user/RDT953/media/R_SHAVEDICE.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1160.photobucket.com/albums/q493/RDT953/R_SHAVEDICE.jpg" border="0" alt="Shaved Ice photo R_SHAVEDICE.jpg"/></a>

Hit the ferry port around midday and within a couple of hours I was on my way to Java.

I met a young bloke on the ferry who offered a homestay and guided service to Ijan mountain for a more than reasonable price so it was a nice easy transition from the ferry to a small village in the mountains. I'd been to Ijan a few years ago to see the crater lake and the workers mining sulfur from the crater but since then a fire has started that has a blue flame only visible in the early hours. So I was in bed by 8pm for a midnight trek up the mountain. If you want to see the blue fire you'll have to google it. A bit of a disappointment, no blue fire and bloody cold so before it was even light I opted to head back to bed.

Had a few hours sleep and then decided to take the southern route towards Yogjakarta and see what transpired.
The scenery is OK but the traffic was at time terrible with some very scary driving. In one day I was run completely off the road by oncoming cars and trucks pulling death defying overtaking maneuvers no less than four times.
I went through the city of Lumajang around 4pm and looked around for a hotel with secure parking. The city has plenty of one way streets and after driving around in circles for awhile I decided to get the hell out of there and find something along the road. Well it seems in Java that hotels only exist in cities, not in villages or towns. I looked a for a fuel service station with a camping area and still no luck. By now it was dark and nothing to be had despite asking a police officer and a couple of people in towns. All the advice was "Sir go back to the city. DO NOT be out here at night there are bad boys" So I pressed on regardless and stopped at a warung around 7pm for food. I walked in and a young lady greeted me in very good english. I told her I needed a place to sleep and asked if I could put my tent around the back. No problem sir, you don't need the tent you can sleep in the prayer room with two other travelers.

The Warung

<a href="http://s1160.photobucket.com/user/RDT953/media/R_WARUNG-1.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1160.photobucket.com/albums/q493/RDT953/R_WARUNG-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Warung photo R_WARUNG-1.jpg"/></a>

The sleeping / prayer room

<a href="http://s1160.photobucket.com/user/RDT953/media/R_PRAYERSLEEPINGROOM.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1160.photobucket.com/albums/q493/RDT953/R_PRAYERSLEEPINGROOM.jpg" border="0" alt="Prayer room sleeper photo R_PRAYERSLEEPINGROOM.jpg"/></a>

Had a good feed and a reasonable sleep then a hearty breakfast the next morning, all very cheap. The cook and manager wanted pics the next morning when they cam to open up the resto and get set up for the day's trade.

The Warung Cook. I think she thought I might be a keeper.

<a href="http://s1160.photobucket.com/user/RDT953/media/R_THECOOK-1.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1160.photobucket.com/albums/q493/RDT953/R_THECOOK-1.jpg" border="0" alt="The Cook photo R_THECOOK-1.jpg"/></a>

The English speaker who had worked as a nanny in Singapore for 5 years.

<a href="http://s1160.photobucket.com/user/RDT953/media/R_THESAVIOUR.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1160.photobucket.com/albums/q493/RDT953/R_THESAVIOUR.jpg" border="0" alt="The warung manager photo R_THESAVIOUR.jpg"/></a>

Then hit the road nice and early determined to make a big day of it and get as far west as I could. Man I've got great reslove. I was passing through the city of Blitar and was on the western outskirts when I spotted this.

<a href="http://s1160.photobucket.com/user/RDT953/media/Indonesia%20Postie%20bike%20ride/R_CHOPPEDSUPERCUB50.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="https://www.advrider.com/advrider-photobucket-images/images/R/RDT953_Indonesia%2520Postie%2520bike%2520ride_R_CHOPPEDSUPERCUB50.jpg" border="0" alt="Chopped Super Cub photo R_CHOPPEDSUPERCUB50.jpg"/></a>

I had to stop for a pic and ended up staying the rest of the day and night in the company of the Classic Honda Super Cub enthusiasts from Blitar. I'll just put in more pics here of bikes from the various members.

<a href="http://s1160.photobucket.com/user/RDT953/media/Indonesia%20Postie%20bike%20ride/R_MODSUPERCUB70DISC.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="https://www.advrider.com/advrider-photobucket-images/images/R/RDT953_Indonesia%2520Postie%2520bike%2520ride_R_MODSUPERCUB70DISC.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo R_MODSUPERCUB70DISC.jpg"/></a>

This next bike belongs to the local leader of the group. It's a 50 super cub with a modern 100cc bored and stroked to 112cc, it does about 110kmh.

<a href="http://s1160.photobucket.com/user/RDT953/media/Indonesia%20Postie%20bike%20ride/R_FAST50.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="https://www.advrider.com/advrider-photobucket-images/images/R/RDT953_Indonesia%2520Postie%2520bike%2520ride_R_FAST50.jpg" border="0" alt="Pocket Rocket photo R_FAST50.jpg"/></a>

The club mechanic has a whole nest of them in various states of completion.

<a href="http://s1160.photobucket.com/user/RDT953/media/Indonesia%20Postie%20bike%20ride/R_CUBNEST.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="https://www.advrider.com/advrider-photobucket-images/images/R/RDT953_Indonesia%2520Postie%2520bike%2520ride_R_CUBNEST.jpg" border="0" alt="A nest of Super Cubs photo R_CUBNEST.jpg"/></a>

An oil cooler modification. Thought about doing this with PB before and still might if I get the chance.

<a href="http://s1160.photobucket.com/user/RDT953/media/R_OILCOOLER.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1160.photobucket.com/albums/q493/RDT953/R_OILCOOLER.jpg" border="0" alt="Oil Cooler photo R_OILCOOLER.jpg"/></a>

A nice pair of Super Cub 50s waiting for attention.

<a href="http://s1160.photobucket.com/user/RDT953/media/R_PAIRSUPERCUB50.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1160.photobucket.com/albums/q493/RDT953/R_PAIRSUPERCUB50.jpg" border="0" alt="Pair of Super Cub 50s photo R_PAIRSUPERCUB50.jpg"/></a>

So now after being fed and housed for the night, some nice sightseeing around town and some grest company I need to continue west. But now I have a list of contacts along the way, all Honda Classic nutters.

Thanks Rob. I have just posted my ride on FB. Very tame in comparison to your exploits but it was fun.

That spicy vegetables soup isn:t gado-gado, I believe. It is capcay.

Trust me. I don't wear any sunglasses right now.

The Honda Classic Clubs Indonesia have taken me under their wings so I feel well connected now. I have a huge list of numbers for people who I can call on for assistance in the event I run into any sort of trouble. Thanks heaps, you're a great bunch of blokes.

In Blitar I was hosted and shown around the sights of the city by the Super Cub enthusiasts mentioned in the previous post and then taken to breakfast, the food was delicious.

<a href="http://s1160.photobucket.com/user/RDT953/media/Indonesia%20Postie%20bike%20ride/R_BLITARBREAKFAST.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="https://www.advrider.com/advrider-photobucket-images/images/R/RDT953_Indonesia%2520Postie%2520bike%2520ride_R_BLITARBREAKFAST.jpg" border="0" alt="Blitar Bfast photo R_BLITARBREAKFAST.jpg"/></a>

Then I had an escort to the city limits where we had some final pics and said goodbye.

<a href="http://s1160.photobucket.com/user/RDT953/media/Indonesia%20Postie%20bike%20ride/R_BLITARHCCI.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="https://www.advrider.com/advrider-photobucket-images/images/R/RDT953_Indonesia%2520Postie%2520bike%2520ride_R_BLITARHCCI.jpg" border="0" alt="Blitar HCCI photo R_BLITARHCCI.jpg"/></a>

From Blitar I took the south route towards Yogyakarta the traffic was pretty heavy, road conditions changed from very good to very bad and back several times. Rain started around 2pm and lasted until I got to Ponorogo where I checked in to a largish traditional style hotel.

Next morning I decided to try for Yogyarkarta and was packing the bike when I got a text message from a member of the Honda Classic Club saying he was in the area and going the same way so we agreed on a meeting place. I met up with Rocky and his Rat Bike near Purwantoro.

<a href="http://s1160.photobucket.com/user/RDT953/media/Indonesia%20Postie%20bike%20ride/R_ROCKYANDRAT.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="https://www.advrider.com/advrider-photobucket-images/images/R/RDT953_Indonesia%2520Postie%2520bike%2520ride_R_ROCKYANDRAT.jpg" border="0" alt="Rocky and his rat bike photo R_ROCKYANDRAT.jpg"/></a>

Bike and rider could very easily have been cast in any of the Mad Max movies, he's quiet the character and the bike is something to behold.

After a trip of several stops to keep the Rat Bike running and for Rocky to take a rest from the pounding his body was taking from riding the next to zero suspension bike we arrived in Klaton. Rocky had called ahead so the Klaton club members could meet the old guy on the classic Honda from Australia.

A sticker exchange started and I presented one of my stickers and explained that the quality could be better but in Dompu it was the best we could get at short notice. Well the president of the club decided he could do better and within the hour he had several sheets of new stickers made.

<a href="http://s1160.photobucket.com/user/RDT953/media/Indonesia%20Postie%20bike%20ride/R_NEWSTICKERS.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="https://www.advrider.com/advrider-photobucket-images/images/R/RDT953_Indonesia%2520Postie%2520bike%2520ride_R_NEWSTICKERS.jpg" border="0" alt="New Stickers photo R_NEWSTICKERS.jpg"/></a>

Great job and they refused payment saying it was a gift. We had some food and then visited the club-rooms where I tagged the front door.

<a href="http://s1160.photobucket.com/user/RDT953/media/Indonesia%20Postie%20bike%20ride/R_KLATONCLUBDOOR.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="https://www.advrider.com/advrider-photobucket-images/images/R/RDT953_Indonesia%2520Postie%2520bike%2520ride_R_KLATONCLUBDOOR.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo R_KLATONCLUBDOOR.jpg"/></a>

Time came to head to Yogyakarta, we had a photo session and then two of the Klaton members escorted the two of us to the Base Camp of the Yogyakarta club.

<a href="http://s1160.photobucket.com/user/RDT953/media/Indonesia%20Postie%20bike%20ride/R_kLATONCLUB.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="https://www.advrider.com/advrider-photobucket-images/images/R/RDT953_Indonesia%2520Postie%2520bike%2520ride_R_kLATONCLUB.jpg" border="0" alt="Klaton club photo R_kLATONCLUB.jpg"/></a>

Inside the Base Camp at Yogyakarta

<a href="http://s1160.photobucket.com/user/RDT953/media/Indonesia%20Postie%20bike%20ride/R_ROCKYBASECAMP.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="https://www.advrider.com/advrider-photobucket-images/images/R/RDT953_Indonesia%2520Postie%2520bike%2520ride_R_ROCKYBASECAMP.jpg" border="0" alt="Base camp in Yogja photo R_ROCKYBASECAMP.jpg"/></a>

I talked to Rocky and some of the other members about all the attention I was getting and that I was pretty surprised by it all. Rocky said it was because a foreigner was riding his own bike through Indonesia and that it was a bike they could relate to. He said that bikes like the BMW and Harley are so far out of their reach that they just don't relate to them at all. The Postie on the other hand is a classic Honda that has similarities to bikes they can own but it's still different and interesting. I think it's a combination of the bike, my age and the fact that I'm doing it solo is a pretty big deal to them and they want to show appreciation and camaraderie.

This bike is the pride and joy of the club, it's based on a Honda CB100.

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I took my leave early next morning and headed south at first to some black sand dunes and then west until the rain started. I stopped at an AHASS Honda workshop for an oil change for PB and was told the best way to go was via Cilacap where I'd be able to find plenty of hotels. Stopped overnight at a reasonable hotel, got some laundry done and charged batteries then a nice easy run to Pangandaran. I was here several years ago and had fond memories of the muesli and yogurt at the Relax Restaurant so it was my first port of call.

Yep, it's just as I remembered.

<a href="http://s1160.photobucket.com/user/RDT953/media/Indonesia%20Postie%20bike%20ride/R_PANGANDARANBRUNCH.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="https://www.advrider.com/advrider-photobucket-images/images/R/RDT953_Indonesia%2520Postie%2520bike%2520ride_R_PANGANDARANBRUNCH.jpg" border="0" alt="Brunch at Pangandaran photo R_PANGANDARANBRUNCH.jpg"/></a>

I'll rest up here for a few days and then head to Bandung.

Now that's what i call motorcycling. Being able to travel to distant lands on two or three wheels and never feel alone. The camaraderie you have experienced over the past few weeks says it all. What a great bunch of guys.

I forgot to mention a couple of days ago PB ticked over the 5000 km mark for the trip so far. Most ride reports have tales of mechanical mishaps or frame failures. Well so far so good, apart from the rear tyre replacement, a general service and regular oil changes the bike has had no issues. Fingers crossed it stays that way.

the bigger the bike, the bigger the pb

I

Actually it's all a bit overwhelming and a little disconcerting. Several Honda Classic Club Indonesia members have now offered to escort me along parts of the trip. I appreciate the spirit these offers are made in but it's not what my trip is about. I've found that solo I'm more readily approached by locals along the way and don't want to lose that. I also value my independence to move and stop as the moment takes me. It's a balancing act that I hope I manage to get right.

Some of the people following my ride are family and friends who aren't bikers and not registered on ADV so they have no way of commenting. So I've created a Facebook Page for the ride. Of course this will still be the primary place for the RR and the Facebook page will be primarily for pics and up to date location.

https://www.facebook.com/FollowingTheFrontWheel

I wanted to post my appreciation for the effort you are putting into your ride report. I very much admire the way you are undertaking your journey, and am enjoying tagging along! With three young kids and way too many ties and commitments it'll be a while before I can do the same from the other side of the computer....

Cheers!

Compared to those glittery-sneepy-snap well printed without-advertize-words stickers, this postie sticker from that damn dark-glasses printing company on my door feels like POS. I've somehow have this urge to burn that company along with the door now... =))

Very nice feedback, thank you. I primarily started this RR to both keep my family and friends informed of my adventures and as a way of forcing myself to keep a diary of the trip. In addition to that I wanted to be able to give something back to the ADV community, I've read plenty of ride reports and appreciated the effort that went into them.

After polishing off the mega cals in the Relax Restaurant I went looking for a place to rest up for a couple of days and found the Mini Tiga Homestay. Actually it's more of a hostel but it's a great little establishment with a friendly atmosphere and best of all it clean, comfortable and quiet.

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Apart from setting up the Facebook page and lots of reading I didn't do much at all other than eat and sleep for two days, nice.

However the days on my visa are slipping by and westward I must go. Decided to follow the coast road to Cipatujah and then head north to intersect with the main southern route but one of the local tour guides told me to keep heading west along the coast to Pameungpeuk as the road from there to Tarogong had great scenery. Decided to give that a try.

The road along the coast is undergoing major new works and for the most part it's awful, 2nd gear got lots of use, not because of hills mind, just because the condition of the road kept speeds down that low. The scenery along the way was some compensation though.

The river that flows through Green Valley.

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A timber milling operation, one of several along the route.

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Hard working farmers in the fields.

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Mining operations on the beach, several of these seen along the way.

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Some very nice sections of road to compensate for the horror stretches.

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I love seeing the traditional ways of life still being used. I've seen plenty of these fishing lift nets before in other parts of Asia but to this day I've never been there while one is actually in use.

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You can have any colour boat you like so long as it's blue.

<a href="http://s1160.photobucket.com/user/RDT953/media/Indonesia%20Postie%20bike%20ride/R_BLUEBOATHARBOUR.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="https://www.advrider.com/advrider-photobucket-images/images/R/RDT953_Indonesia%2520Postie%2520bike%2520ride_R_BLUEBOATHARBOUR.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo R_BLUEBOATHARBOUR.jpg"/></a>

Once I left the coast road and headed inland the condition improved but the traffic increased which was a pity as it's a great ride. Higher up in the mountains the scenery is brilliant with terraced rice fields, tea plantations and market gardens of cabages, pumpkins, carrots, potato and sweet potato, corn and cloves.

I tried to capture the scenery with my little camera and the phone but it's a poor representation of the real thing. This road has some of the best scenery I've had on this trip so far.

<a href="http://s1160.photobucket.com/user/RDT953/media/Indonesia%20Postie%20bike%20ride/R_PANORAMA.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="https://www.advrider.com/advrider-photobucket-images/images/R/RDT953_Indonesia%2520Postie%2520bike%2520ride_R_PANORAMA.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo R_PANORAMA.jpg"/></a>

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Once I crested the top of the range and started heading down towards Garut to find a hotel for the night the traffic quiet suddenly became very heavy and for some reason there were lots of young blokes street racing on small fast bikes. Bloody crazy stuff through the villages and against oncoming traffic often two up and without any helmets. One bike with two kids on came around a bend at high speed way over on my side of the road, they got so close that they clipped my saddle bag and the passenger let out a frightened yelp, a couple of seconds later another two bikes did a similar thing. I decided it was time to get off the road. I made up my mind that I'd check in to the first accommodation I came to, regardless of price. So here I am in a 4 star resort for the night. $45 with breakfast included and welcoming drinks of coffee and fresh juice. Bliss, and they even allowed me to ride PB up the path and through the garden to park in front of the bungalow.

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Bandung tomorrow.

450.000 rupiahs for a night and free breakfast aaarrrgggghhh congrats sir you killed me.