Day 75 - A better day: to Empang - Unfinished Business

July 14, 2023

Day 75 - A better day: to Empang

I arrived back at Hotel Wisma Praja last night to discover that a rodent had gnawed through a pannier to a stash of bananas. It was an immediate wakeup call that I was not meeting my minimum requirements for accommodation.

It happened in my room with the pannier on my bike! That's unreasonable.

Today has been a better day in every way, although I'm not convinced that the garbage situation changed.

Feeding the 1,606,000 square km Great Pacific Garbage Patch.

The good thing about staying in such a dive is that an early start is easy. I was away by 7, riding on quiet streets with the intention of getting to Empang, 95 km away with 1100 m of climbing.

Finding a church will be as hard as spotting a pig.

Hotel Wisma did not offer breakfast, which was not surprising because they did not offer a towel or soap. I ate papaya and bananas but stopped for a bag of fritters - banana and sweet potato.

It was a hot and a reasonably hard day in the saddle. I did two decent climbs - each 300 m, in the first 30 km. I found monkeys tricky on the ascent; it's hard in the conditions to outsprint a charging male macaque! The remaining climbs were the 50 m variety as the road snaked along the coast and jumped over headlands.

Rice on the valley floor under dry ridges

Much different than the lushness of Flores

Hunger called me in after 40 km. I had a feed and a tea and a coffee at this woman's warung.

There were many good views from the vantage points on headlands. I invariably stood among garbage to photograph them.

Coastal areas are invariably interesting. Today's sample was no exception.

The typical architecture in the last coastal village before Empang.

Just as I was feeling a bit hollow, while simultaneously out of snacks, the Transit Hotel appeared. It was just 3 pm and I'd done my 95 km. I even found time to lift my level of hygiene and wash a few clothes.

The place is amazing - towels, soap, clean, breakfast provided, wifi.

I'm halfway across Sumbawa and tomorrow I hope to reach Sumbawa Besar, 100 km away.

Today's ride: 95 km (59 miles)
Total: 5,712 km (3,547 miles)

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