Last minute briefings before we get back on the road. 183km ahead, 1880m of climbs. Hope the sun is not faster than me and I make it to camp before the 3rd call for prayers of the day …

Stirling, Annegret and Andreas

A BIG THANKS to the TdA scouts, who found this route!

Todays short distance ride was perfect to enjoy the sceneries, people and sunny weather. No rush, no hectic. Simple cruise thru the day and  inhale the beauty of the country and people. Although I am one of the strongest in the field, I was immediately caught by Chelsea, todays sweep, meaning I was the slowest on the track. However not because I was suffering from exhaustion, but because the landscape and citizens were so beautiful, and let me stop at every remarkable place. It was ‘picture time’, and a day to really start using the GoPro camera (videos will be prepared at my rest day on Monday). 

It was early morning and the kids were on their way to school. The scholars went crazy whenever I stopped and the teachers had a hard time to keep them under control.

These kids didn’t want to turn back to go to their school and posed for me, until their teacher told them to get back to class.

These kids jumped the wall around the school complex to get as close as they could get to me. High 5 is the name of the game. Girls and boys, although Muslims, equally in joy – unimaginable in other parts of the world.

In the afternoon we left the main road and followed a forest road thru gorgeous settlements. Children all ages, too many to count, were already expecting us around every corner and cheered us thru the day. 

Some have never seen a ‘white’ person in their life, at least not on a bicycle. Nellie and Chelsea are enjoying it as much as the kids.

Unfortunately  time is always too short to stay for longer.

This is an absolutely stunning valley, that we will cycle the next two days.
People working in the rice fields, with just basic tools or none.

This is it for today. Sorry for being brief with my write up today. Tomorrow is the longest riding day of the tour. Everybody is scheduled for an early and long refreshing sleep. So am I

Today should be a short one. 110 km, mostly flat.

We were rewarded with another climb and fantastic change in scenery. In the morning we were dropping down from yesterdays camp into lush vegetation and large rice fields fed by the waters of a big river, before we had to re-climb all of the early descent. The climb felt stepper and hard than yesterdays, although it was not as long. On top a fresh and cool headwind help to cool down the almost boiling blood.

Paul is racing down the first descent of the day

We were riding through numberless villages and the friendly ‘Hello Mister’ and ‘How are You’ calls did never end. Not only scholars and kids, but also adults were greeting us with big smiles in their faces.  Hard to believe that just about 100 years ago the last cases of cannibalism were reported from this area of Sumatra. Today there is a friendly mix of different religions: Islam, Christians & Buddhism live in harmony and peace next to each other. Why can’t this be in the Arab countries, too?

Here Muslim women wave you a ‘Hello’ with a great smile, as if this is the most normal in their religion. This night I even heard a supposed to be female voice doing prayers at the Mosque.

And this will obviously continue throughout Indonesia.

Dan, Shirley and John ‘chasing’ the racers

before pulling into lunch. Their faces speak for themselves how they like todays ride.