Ride Day 5
Meulaboh to Takengon - probably 200 km
Thought I'd head back into the mountains - Google Maps said impossible but locals said possible. Good enough.
Today put the A in ADV on this trip. Flat tyre not far from Meulaboh along with heavy rain on top of the mountains. I'd been meaning to swap the rear hoop out as it was stuffed. Sure enough, that funny feeling hit me and yep, tyre was flat. Workshop only 200 metres up the road so time for a new tube and tyre. $20 fitted. Lucky I was not in the mountains as the situation would have been very difficult for me.
Some say this is a Mickey Mouse operation but so far so good.
Sorted, up into the hills. Road quality deteriorated rapidly.
But views were good.
Up and up, into those blackbellies Pete!
Washouts were common, and large.
Then it dumped down. Rain gear time.
Luckily I found a road stop with about 20 other travellers - it being Ramadan all the kids were "pulang kampung" - heading back to their villages to be with family over the holiday period.
Rain eased a bit so time to head out.
I was running low on fuel, and stopped. Some passers by told me it was only about 10km to the next village, so I pressed on and turned down the hill to this village of about 300 people.
This girl sold me 5 litres of petrol from a barrel
Then her family took me into their home for coffee
These guys were builders, but they told me the village actually grows citronella plant.
Energy restored, another two hours down the mountains to my next stop, Takengon. Soaked and cold, hot chocolate and a donut helped!
EDIT - a year later, I can still taste the chocolate syrup from that donut! I really needed that after a long day.