on yer bike to dine for the french connection

travel • dining • shopping • adventure • spas • villas • culture • entertainment
vol. 14 no. 06
june 2009
ON YER BIKE
AND OFF INTO WILD BALI
TO DINE FOR
3 DINING EXPERIENCES,
3 RESTAURANTS, 1 NUSA DUA
THE FRENCH CONNECTION
ONE MANGO TREE
AND A RANGE OF FRENCH
BEAUTY PRODUCTS MEET IN UBUD
IDR. 30.000
culture
adventure
A new off-road
biking company
text and images by justin eeles
based in Bali offers
enthusiasts some
hilly thrills and
tailor-made tours
through some of
the most stunning
scenery in Asia.
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41
culture
adventure
The void between heading into the
Balinese hills on your own bike, never to
be seen again, and following a train of daytrippers freewheel downhill to the next cold
towel stop has recently been filled. Over
the past four years a small mountain biking
outfit, Bali Trail Blazers, has been developing
trails across the island’s mountainous heart,
aimed at the more serious off-road biker
who doesn’t mind the odd calf-swelling
ascent or two.
With its extensive network of farmers’ tracks and
motorbike paths weaving up through the island’s
volcanic peaks, Bali is excellent mountain bike
terrain. Away from the humid heat of the lowlands,
the air is fresher and cooler allowing for a furious
climb or two up a grassy knoll without the impending
cardiac arrest.
The opportunity to create some bone-charring
trails across Bali was recognised by British geologist
Clare Price in 2005. While spending four years working
42
in the oil business in Jakarta, Price was introduced to
the wonders of volcano biking on weekends at the
nearby Sentul Selatan in the mountains of West Java.
It didn’t take her long to realise that she’d rather be in
the saddle on weekdays as well and Bali provided the
perfect opportunity for a drastic career change. With
no serious single-track off-road biking on offer but the
infrastructure and terrain for some superb rides, Bali
was the obvious place to set up an operation. After
spending months tracking out trails, armed with a
GPS and a Balinese guide, Bali Trail Blazers was born,
designed for overseas enthusiasts looking not only for
some serious single-track action but also a holiday at
the same time.
Designed to be flexible to riders’ requirements but
also offering a choice of established rides, ranging from
day-trips to 14-day safaris, Bali Trail Blazers is aimed
mainly at small groups, with an eight rider maximum
on most trails. The itineraries cater to different skill
and difficulty levels depending on the riders’ pre-tour
brief. The company offers ten hard-tail 27-speed bikes
but bikers are welcome to bring their own if they feel
more comfortable on their own saddle.
With only time for a one-day ride, I opted to
bike the trail around the outer crater rim of Mount
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adventure
the island‘s most trusted and
comprehensive guide to
the hottest dining, smartest
Batur. The rainy season was drawing to an end so I
was hoping for clear weather and lots of soft mud to
cushion any unplanned upends. I was lucky; dawn
broke into a perfect morning and as we climbed up
from the coast to Kintamani through the picturesque
craft villages around Ubud, all of Bali’s volcanic peaks
were proudly on display.
At the set-off point Clare kitted me out with bike,
helmet, gloves and water and after a safety review
and a quick spin on the road to get used to the gear
shifters we were off. The trails are designed to be
mainly single-track paths with only a bare minimum
of time spent on concrete or paved roads. Soon we
were off the tarmac, charging down rocky descents
and up weaving paths, nowhere near a road, with not
a soul in sight.
The Batur crater is an incredible sight from
pretty much any angle and I was trying hard not to
be distracted by the view and concentrate on staying
on the bike. Clare had advised me not to worry about
my immediate path as the Rockshox would take care
of most of the bumps, but it’s not that easy to ignore
what’s in front of you when hitting it at full speed may
catapult you into a muddy ditch. As we worked our
way around the crater we sped through tiny villages
whose inhabitants greeted this strange colourful
apparition with a mixture of bemused shock and
whooping excitement.
Despite the relative cool of the air, it’s not hard to
work up a sweat in the tropics and pretty soon I was
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ready for a gallon of isotonic fluid and a much-needed
refuel. Lunch was just around the corner and we
stopped for grilled fish and steamed greens in a local
restaurant overlooking Lake Batur. Here a chorus of
feline approval told us the fish must be good and we
weren’t disappointed. After a suitable rest, we saddled
up and continued on the trail around the lake towards
the fields of volcanic lava, evidence of the most recent
eruptions. This black jagged rock is a completely
different terrain to the lush greens of the descent and
is definitely not somewhere you’d want to come off the
saddle at speed.
As we approached the foreboding volcanic
cones, the weather added to the dramatic setting by
changing, with dark clouds rolling in from the south
threatening a major downpour. Luckily the track was
not technically difficult and was wide enough to avoid
most mishaps and we reached the pick-up point just
as the heavens opened, exhausted but exhilarated.
Those of you who may be looking for a more
leisurely guided biking excursion around the same
area in Bali can choose between Sobek or Bali
Adventure Tours who both offer cycling tours down
through the villages below Kintamani towards Ubud.
These tours focus more on experiencing traditional
life in Balinese villages rather than the cycling itself
and are a good way to get off the road and out of a car
and to see a bit of the island on two wheels.
http://bali-trailblazers.com
shopping, best bars, seductive
spas and incredible art galleries
& museums of bali
MAIN IMAGE:
looming agung
INSET IMAGE:
trailblazing bali
navigator
restaurants
bars
shopping
wellbeing
galleries & museums