{"id":3848,"date":"2012-09-03T10:55:46","date_gmt":"2012-09-03T08:55:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.worldbiking.info\/wordpress\/?p=3848"},"modified":"2019-12-30T04:12:19","modified_gmt":"2019-12-30T09:12:19","slug":"warning-superhuman-strength-required","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.worldbiking.info\/wordpress\/2012\/09\/warning-superhuman-strength-required\/","title":{"rendered":"Warning: Superhuman strength required"},"content":{"rendered":"

A few superhuman cyclists with legs of steel manage to traverse the island too, using local buses to get up the worst hills and freewheeling down, but the topography of the island rules out cycling for all but Tour-de-France trainees.<\/em><\/p>\n

That\u2019s Lonely Planet\u2019s expert opinion on cycling Flores.\u00a0 Dissuasive.\u00a0 Discouraging. Daunting.<\/p>\n

Did we let that stop us?\u00a0\u00a0 NO!\u00a0 Absolutely not.<\/p>\n

It was impossible, we reasoned, that bicycle touring on Flores could be more taxing and tiring than Borneo.\u00a0 Honestly\u2026 \u00a090% humidity, 25% grades, and a steady stream of palm oil trucks on a pot-holed track known as the national highway is a pretty high bar to cross.<\/p>\n

That LP author, we were fairly certain, was a beer-guzzling backpacker type who hadn\u2019t sat in the saddle of a bicycle since primary school.\u00a0 Though we\u2019re far short of Tour-de-France trainees, we decided to give Flores a go.<\/p>\n

Day 1 out of the port city of Labuan Bajo and we’re ready to prove that LP author wrong. \u00a0Flores requires no Superhuman strength<\/strong> I will inform him in a snarky email.<\/p>\n

The road climbs steadily. \u00a0It’s hot. \u00a0It’s humid. \u00a0It’s Borneo all over again!<\/p>\n

We gain altitude for some 30 odd kilometers. \u00a0Each time we round a bend I tell my self that’s the last one. \u00a0The summit’s just around the corner. \u00a0But there’s another and another and yet another as the road spirals upwards.<\/p>\n

My heart pounds and my calves groan under the 35 kilos I\u2019m schlepping.\u00a0 Most cyclists set off with bursting panniers and end up shipping half their gear home within a month.\u00a0 Our load, on the other hand, has actually gotten heavier over\u00a0 the years.<\/p>\n

\n

\"\"
Okay, Kalimantan may be worse, but Flores is definitely a challenging destination for bicycle touring. 1,000 meters up, 1,000 meters down and repeat. At least there’s not the heat and humidity to deal with. Roads are smooth and the locals are friendly.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

At times like this, when the pain distracts me from the beauty of the surroundings, I regret all those little comforts I\u2019ve come to require.\u00a0 Is a minus 15 degrees all-season sleeping bag really essential in Southeast Asia?\u00a0 Could I do without the big bottles of shampoo, conditioner and hand lotion?\u00a0 Perhaps 3 cycling jerseys is a little over the top?\u00a0 Is it really wise to cart around two computers–one with a 17 inch screen?\u00a0 Might I do without my yoga mat and the 56 items in my medical kit?<\/p>\n

I ponder these extravagancies while willing my middle-aged body to keep cranking the pedals.\u00a0 We top out at around 1,000 meters and then comes 15 minutes of glorious freewheeling.\u00a0 I forget all about my vow to pare down my kit. \u00a0Flores is the most beautiful island in Indonesia, the kids are the friendliest on the planet and this is way better than Borneo.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Buses in Flores really are jam-packed–riding on the top is standard practice–they even pack goats and other small livestock on to the roof.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\n

\"\"
Sea meets Sky–the ride to Bajawa, Flores, Indonesia<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\n

\"\"
Kids stop and stare as we pass on our fully-loaded bicycles. The Hello Mister’s get tiring but the kids are so cute and curious you forget about the minor annoyance of being treated like a travelling circus.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Best of Flores<\/h4>\n

A ride up to Kelimutu is undoubtedly one of the highlights of bike touring on Flores.\u00a0 Leaving those 35 kilos of \u201cessential stuff\u201d back in the village meant we could really race up the 800 meters unloaded. \u00a0The roads winds past traditional villages and rice paddies before becoming thick tropical forest. \u00a0The views out over the valley are superb.<\/p>\n

Kelimutu \u00a0(elevation 1,639 m –5,377 ft) itself was something of an anti-climax.\u00a0 Sunrise is really the time to be there to get the full effect of the changing colors of the three crater lakes.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Biking up to kelimutu<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\n

\"\"
Ah, the joy of leaving all those panniers behind!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\n

\"\"
One of the three crater lakes at Kelimutu<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\n

\"\"
One of the last big hills of Flores, the port city of Larantuka is just around the bend.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\n

Our Verdict<\/h4>\n

Sorry Lonely Planet, you got it all wrong this time. \u00a0Superhuman strength is not<\/em> required to bike across Flores. \u00a0All you need is iron-clad willpower and the patience of Job.<\/p>\n

You will, after all, have to endure the curious stares of every villager you pass and a thousand \u00a0Hellooooo Misterrrr’s a day! And THAT’S torture. Trust me.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A few superhuman cyclists with legs of steel manage to traverse the island too, using local buses to get up the worst hills and freewheeling down, but the topography of the island rules out cycling for all but Tour-de-France trainees.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3857,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0},"categories":[148,49],"tags":[174],"yoast_head":"\nWarning: Superhuman strength required - Worldbiking.info<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"http:\/\/www.worldbiking.info\/wordpress\/2012\/09\/warning-superhuman-strength-required\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Warning: Superhuman strength required - 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