DRAK: Long overdue COTES outing

After my last month's recce over at Batam, Drak Bike Park.. guess its about time to rustle up the group and go have some fun. COTES and friends since our own little Australian chapter is just too far away to tempt them back for the trip.

Few weeks of coordination and a gazillion Facebook messaging later, here we are.....






Fresh off the ferry, all smiles and not knowing what lies ahead...













Grab-a-Bike-and-Go

Pokemon hauling war_virus's Pugs

Arrived at Stewart's place..looks to be blistering hot  Will the sudden tropical storms rear up in the afternoon?

As usual, whose bike could be garnering more interest than the Pugsly! Everyone of the local riders just had to put a leg over those fatties for a spin in the compound

Just like good ol' military days,  "Final Inspection" before NMT....








The SOP group shot as always.... :)

"Here We Go Again"  ...Indonesian edition

Hot dusty singletracks. Brains cooked to the consistency of mashed bananas less than an hour into the ride

Spinning around waiting for the rest to catch up. Beats staying still in the breezeless open area.

 
Local rider Danny with a full face helmet strapped to the hydrobag and I was wondering why.... well later at the jump and drop features, it was all clear.

Riding through small local farmland and plantations... going up up and up....

XC Lovebirds

Turbo and Pokemon ...as usual, the first to reach all the break points....

Organic Isotonic Drink: Suck Me Dry

Yours truly  lugging 18kg worth of El Gigantosarus playing catch up to the above and the usual XC billyCOTEs

Back down.......more singletracks and small crossings.

Looking at Jeremy... I cant help thinking of the movie title "Gorilla in the Mist".....








Finally down all the way. Definitely more my cuppa.
Welcome relief for busted lungs and burning quads. Not DH stuff but sweepy singletrack descending straight to some fun spots

Danny "X"-ing things up.

Ber... our variable (0.10 -13) ton AirBear

Me performing some classic negative demonstration. 

Kids- if you are watching do not follow

Bloopers:  Marshmellow Legs & Banana Puree for brains after long hot ride = Bad Idea to Air

Aargh arrgh... Cow having a cramp

"Bagelman" Jones
Every bit of rest and comfort counts after the climb...

Tell me which part of him looks bagel-ish!
Nah...more like one of our local delight

Well Done Mrs "Virus"

Dylon-- one happy camper smiling all the way

with his new setup

Camwhore Frank before ride & after the big climb

More fun later... stomaches screaming for FOOD and WATER by now...



....almost there. 

Yes... HYDRATE or DIE

Food Chain: Top and Bottom "feeders" ...

A little post lunch warm-up before hitting the trails again.

I gotta take a closer look at his bar stem and see what is the secret that led to the smiles as he seemed to be chugging up every bit of elevation and climbing back down today. No wonder he is still smiling. Oh don't we all love it when the bike is set and seems to be just a part of you, flowing with every pedal stroke and more...

Looking here..it may not seem much for those who are used to miles and miles of crazy Northshore stuff... but 

if there is one irony in Indonesia... its the lack of wood. That is wood like these made into planks.

Ridiculous eh! Well its all part of the law and conservation issues in Indonesia. With one of the largest tropical forest patches in the world it has been reduced to importing wood from places like China and Russia

Its still not stopping a lot of the illegal logging that's going on in the country though.

Enforcement officials makes it difficult for many businesses which have  legitimate reasons to obtain much needed wood. Or in this case getting materials to build and maintain this place. A number of sections were unrideable due to the original planks decomposing  fast in the humid jungle environment.

Dark clouds during lunch had dispersed and back to more sunny weather... everyone was promised the next stretch would be a flowy jungle trail snaking along the edge of the lake.... Nice....  Definitely one of the best stretch of the day after the slight disappointment at the Shore section.

"Psycho" Cheryl and Jon bringing up the rear in the jungle trail section.

 

 Ice cold soda...thats pretty much on everyone's mind... right in the middle of nowhere. Yup we got our fill when we met up with a local wild boar hunting party with lots of cold drinks and ice. Can't really ask for more.

Finally back!

And let the washing begin...and some are just too lazy to shower.






Guess me got to wash the pet monkey too

Worry not brother...we never leave our own behind

SAVING PRIVATE GLENN

Post Ride Carbo Recovery @ J.C.O.

picture credits

"Bagelman" Jones

"Ah Gu" Frankie

"Ber" Bernard

"war_virus" Jeremy