Day 21 Feb 26, Tuesday, Banyuwangi to Jember
Today is Andres’ and my biggest day thus far, 100km, we’d done 40km then 50km then 80km on Bali and we we’re ready log some miles, or kilometers, rather.
In the morning, Steve set off to have his wheel trued and Andres and I got our gear ready. Around 10, Steve returned and we set off, only thing is we had a hiccup in the first few minutes. I had a flat front tire, so replaced the tube, made our way to a store to fill up on water and then hit the road, following the signs to Jember.
We got our first taste of the infamous Java traffic. Honestly, it wasn’t horrific. Just bad. The best way I can sum it up would be to say that there is no hesitation. If you’re getting on the road, you just go. It you’re changing lanes, just go. If you want to pass the car in front of you.. yeah, you just go. Where it gets a bit hairy is the intersections, as everyone is headed in their own direction, just going. The good thing is, all the traffic is slow, sure it’s really busy, but not all too dangerous. The worst part of the ride wasn’t the traffic, rather it was the violent headwind we came across. It sucks. It’ll slow you down to hill-crawling-speed when you’re on the flat and at the end of a long stretch, you can’t gain that sense of accomplishment. We stopped for lunch after a couple hours, and had some watermelon for 5000 rupiah($1=10000rupiah), the fruit stand lady figured out too late that she had a westerner and then suggested buying a slightly bigger watermelon for 50000rp. Thanks but no thanks #nominationbestattemtpedburn.
photo: the classic roadside scenery, miles of rice fields
photo: lunch
photo: our lunch spot
photo: snacking on watermelon
A few more hours of riding and the wind stopped, but the hills began. We did a decent hill climb, stopped a couple times and near the top saw we still had 35 km and it was late afternoon, damn. The great part was, those last 35 km were all downhill and we flew into Jember in about an hour; stopped at the first hotel, it seemed quite posh actually and we got a nice clean room for 70000 rupiah. First 100km day done.
photo: our climb up to the awesome descent
photo: view of the street in front of our hotel
Day 22 Feb 27, Wednesday, Jember to Probolingo
Woke up early, meditated, worked out, packed up and checked on how Steve was getting along. We got break fast and finding out the bill was quite the ordeal. #lostintranslation A time when I really wish I spoke Indonesian better. We wanted to find out how much each of our bills was and they told us “Have to pay together” Okay, that’s fine, we’ll tally it up. But we didn’t know how much the eggs were. So we asked “satu telur, berapa?”(one egg, how much) to which they replied “can only pay together” Yes we got that part. “Okay but one egg, how much? satu telur, berapa?” The two behind the counter conversed for a bit, brought out the bill talked a bit more and repeated that we all had to pay together. After a few more of those back and forths, we got it, finally, settled the bill and took off on our bikes. Stopped by a bakery, got some snacks and stopped by a money exchange. By 10:30, we were really and this was another pretty straight forward ride. Just go along, hug the shoulder and stop for snacks.
One bit of hill and then a decent down to Probolingo. Andres and I agreed that we understand why celebrities get sick of people stopping to say hi to them all the time etc. Along the way 1/10 people would yell “Hello!” or “Hello mister!” “Hellooooooo, Hey, Helloooo!” It was a bit grating on the nerves. On the flat coming into Probolingo, a motorbiek rider pulled up next to me and started calling out “Hello, where are you going” “Hello!”, Hello!” Dude, I’m trying to straddle the 4 inches between the white paint lining the road end and the end of the asphalt, can you please not talk to me now. I answered “Probolingo” He asked something else and I waved him off, I’d love to have conversation.. not on the road though.
We were actually able to pass up all this traffic by riding on the shoulder, while the rest of the cars had to wait behind a really really slow truck.
We stopped at and Indomaret just as it started to downpour, waited for 15, checked where the hotel was, and set off, started raining again so we ducked into a tiny warung where we got our cheapest mie goreng(fried noodle) of the trip, 2500 rupiah. It was just raman noodles fried with some pepper, but hey, what should we expect?
Ready to drink at our little warung stop
Shelter from the rain as we enter Probolingo
From the Warung it was another 10 minutes to the hotel, Hotel Bromo Permai and we settled into our room, really settled, hanging our wet cycling gear on the drying racks and man, our room was.. dank, if you will.
That night we walked to a local café to hit up the internet, and set up camp for a few hours. Andres and Steve headed back early and I started back around midnight. A motorbiker asked if he could help me, I was hesitant, he asked what I was doing walking and I told him I was headed to Hotel Bromo Permai, he knew it, as it was a mileish away. He offered me a ride and I accepted. This is one of those moments where you have to remember that not everyone is out to get you. He said he just wanted to practice some english and he gave me a quick ride to my hotel. Turning a 25 minute walk at midnight into a 3 minute journey. Awesome. Next day Bromo.
Day 23 Feb 28, Thursday, Probolingo
We got up, packed, ate breakfast, put our bikes and stuff in a back room of the hotel and set off catch the public bus to Bromo.We needed to be there by 11 and were there about 10 minutes till. Right on time. Only problem was, they will only leave if we have 10 people for the bus, Ugh.
Fruit stand with tourist prices, at the minibus station..
So we started playing the waiting game, ate a second breakfast, bought snacks, and brought out the cards. Around 12:30, a Polish couple came up, awesome, 5 more people. But then the necessary number of people turned into 15, and we continued to hold out in the waiting game. After another hour or two, we started weighing our options for negotating a bus up the mountain. The ride should be 25000/person, but the drivers wanted 350000 from the five of us to leave early. We held out longer, continued to weigh our options. Another driver offered 250000rp, and we aimed to get him down to 200000rp. He was budging at all. We tried to have a friend who spoke fluent Indonesian bargain over the phone for us, no luck. Around 2, Steve Andres and I decided we’d get up there for free, by biking of the volcano, Mt. Bromo. From what we’d heard, it’s a hellacious climb, super steep, long, and sketchy. It’s 50km with 8000ft of elevation gain. Maybe a minibus isn’t the best way up anyway? We’d made up our minds and headed back to the hotel, the driver caved and offered 200000rp, but we’d made up our minds, and the Polish couple were already off to find their own way up.
Taxi bus on the way back from the minibus station
We went back to the hotel and I fell asleep for a decent bit, and later we finally got a new menu item, crab. Finally something not fried! I also ate a fish to myself as well. Both were great. We picked up snacks from Indomaret. Headed back and went to sleep early to rest up for Bromo.
Day 24 March 1, Friday, Mt. Bromo
Woke up with a bit of excitement and nervousness. I guess the word is anxious? Steve is an iron horse, but Andres and I are still getting our biking legs, actually, scratch that, just I am still getting my biking legs. Ijen really kicked our butts, so Bromo seemed a fair bit intimidating from the accounts we’d heard/read. We put out stuff back into the storage room and knocked on Steve’s door. Uh oh. Steve had a bad sleep and has a fever. Looks like he’s out, which left Andres and I to decided on our own whether or not we should tackle Bromo. W e had so much mental inertia that it was impossible to back down. Andres and I decided we at least want to try riding it. So just before 8, we set off.
Our classic means of navigation is stopping at each major intersection and saying the name of the town/place we’re heading too. It always works. Finding our way to the Bromo road was no different. We biked through Probolingo and hit the made the left turn onto Jalan(road) Raya Bromo. On this road we came across one of the most exciting sights on the entire trip: a bike line, sort of. It was a beautiful thing to see, an oasis amongst the exhaust/motorbike/crazy bus driver filled roads of Java. I could ride confidently down the center and think I am meant to be here. All that worry about riding in Indonesia, ha, we’ve found a bike lane! It was basically smaller road lane, 1/3 the size of the inner lane. There were the old guys on there rusty steel cruisers, the push cart/rickshaws, a couple commuters on the Indonesian “Polygon” mountain bikes, and yes, the motor bikes as well. The bike lane wasn’t too long, maybe 5km and then it turned back into regular road.
We rode for a long stretch, passing by the bus station, where our hours of waiting and frustrations in negotiation created the impetus for this crazy ride. Andres and I thought about stopping to find that bus driver that gave us grief, but decided we couldn’t until we actually made it up to the top on our own.
photo: near the beginning of the climb, close to sukapura
photo: up and up
The first portion of the ride was a simple, 20ishkm long stretch of barely inclined road , leading to the foothills of Bromo. We hit a town and then the hills started, in between easy and medium grade, Bromo here we come. Around 8:30 we actually saw two recreational cyclists heading back down the road, gave them the cycling nod of solidarity and pushed on. The hills were medium grade, Andres and I rested after each section crested and we were drenched, and it wasn’t raining. Around 10ish, we got to our first waypoint, Sukapura, ate our peanut butter and jelly sandwich(such good energy food) at a side shop rested and asked the shop owner how much further, “17km” “17km”?” Shit. 17km of uphill is daunting, and who knew how bad the hills would be.
After psyching ourselves up, we put our bikes in the lowest gear and marched on. The ride wasn’t grueling, just consistently uphill and long. For the Berkeley folk, it’s like going up Tunnel road, forever. For the Santa Barbara folk, it’s like going up the mellow grade parts of San Marcos pass, again, forever. Around 12:30 I saw a sign 5km until Ngadisari(the second to last town on the way to Cemorolawang, yes! The road leveled out and then turned into a steep hill, back into the low gear and did the sidewinding hill riding style, not going straight up but back and forth really slowly, I reached the next turn was excited to see the next mile marker on the side of the road, all my excitement left when I saw it said 4km. That was one of the longest kilometers of my life. Around the next corner I found Andres waiting for me, chatting with some local kids. We rested up and got word that the top was 8 km away, not necessarily close, but within reach.
Andres and friends
We hopped on our bikes and powered through the last section, pulling into Cemoro Lawang at 2pm, just as the rain started, yes! Made it. Now, we can talk to the bus driver. We searched around for hostels, were getting 150-300000 for a room with no breakfast and wifi, pshhh. We found a home for rent for 100000 rp, 3 rooms, we asked if breakfast was included, we weren’t sure if they were getting it they were replying “Monena” I thought that maybe that was the word for breakfast, but Andres thought that we weren’t getting each other. We left to search for a cheaper place and they offered us the house next door for 70000. After a couple more offers for 150k+ we went back. The owner let us into the homestay, we put down our stuff, he gave us the key and lock and said again “Monena” Wait, he was saying “Money now” Ohhhhhhhh, so I guess there’s now breakfast, that’s fine, and Andres was right, we weren’t getting each other earlier.
After such a big ride, Andres and I needed a shower. Here’s the shower sich in Indonesia, a big tub of water and a ladel. No complaints, but cemoro lawang is at altitude, about 8000 ft, and the water was freezing! I couldn’t help but shout out “Wooooooooh” when using that water. Andres and I nominate that for the best shower in Java.
We used the remainder of the day to walk around the hill top agriculture town and scope out where to see the sunrise the next day. We even ran into the Polish couple when scouting out wifi aft their hostel, they’d hitch-hiked up the day earlier for about 50000rp.
View of Cemoro lawang
The classic 4×4 FJ40s
Another view of cemoro lawang
View of Mt. Batok and on the left is Mt. Bromo, less visible.
Agriculture of Cemoro lawang
Mt. Bromo and Batok at sunset.
Andres and I got dinner, I snapped a few pictures of Sunset, which I reckon is better than sunrise cause you can actually see it, and we got breakfast snacks for the next morning. Amazing lightning show as well. We went to bed early to get up to see sunrise.
Not daytime, lightning
Day 25 March 2, Saturday, Mt. Bromo
Andres and I got up at 3, ate our breakfast food, grabbed our water bottles and set off to hike at 3:30.
So seeing sunrise seems to be the thing to do. The evening prior, Andres and I saw no tourists, but this morning we saw tons of tourists packing into the 4×4 fj40 land cruisers to be driven up to the viewing spots. Some set off across the “sea of sand” to drive to the highest view point and others set off our way to get to the lower one. We decided against the higher view point as 1) we could see it shrouded in clouds 2) we saw lightning up there.
As we made our way, all the Indonesians offered “ride in jeep?” No way, we were getting ourselves up. All the 4×4’s passed by filled with tourists(I’m sure it was 100k per person) we were the only hikers. Funny thing was, we got to the hill and started our way up the road, within 10 or 15 minutes, we were to the stopping point for the 4x4s and we joined the mass of people walking to view sunrise from Mt. Bromo. At 4:30 ish we were at the lower view point and Andres and I sat and waited. The caldera and surrounding hills slowly brightened up and through the clouds we saw a sliver of orange and red over the eastern corner of the mountain. It was fun to hike and at least we saw a lil’ bit of sunrise.
photo: that orange sliver is our sunrise. Still pleasant, though.
Photo: Mt. Batok with the sea of sand continuing into the background
At full light, Andres and I hiked back down, ate breakfast, mooched wifi from the lava hostel and made our way to see Bromo. To clarify, this is the set up of the mountain, there is a vast caldera/plateau up at 8000ft, Bromo is the semi active volcano cone, adjacent to it is a taller extinct(or dormant) cone and way in the background is a 10k, active volcano, Mt. Semuru.
Again, we were getting offers to go in 4×4’s or ride on the horses/mules across the sea of sand. Within 20 minutes, we were to Bromo. More offers for horse rides, more declines. A short hike up brought us to the edge; it was pretty cool. We looked straight down into this pock mark on the earth watching steam/smoke billow into the air and occasionally we could see straight through down to a mix of boiling water/mud/sulfur. We traversed the edge, got a good look and prayed for no sudden shakes or quakes. It’s a far way down into that water and as tempting as it was to keeping going along the edge, Andres encourage me to not go further and we truned around to the safety of the railing. From sea level to the very edge of Bromo, we did it!
photo: This is as far as we went, the incline behind was tempting..
We headed back, left at 12:20 and had an easy ride down, we were so high up that we rode through a few different cloud layers, entering a thick thick fog, where we couldn’t see all but 5m in front of us, then we made it through that, it started raining, and we entered the next cloud, a bit more water and then we made it through that. Once we got to Sukapura it was dry easy ride down, zooming down passing trucks and some motor bikes.
After the 2hr descent we rewarded ourselves by getting some non-warung food. I had small pizza and bowl of spaghetti. Nothing like my mom’s spaghetti though. #lostintranslation Ordering the pizza was an ordeal though. We were starved for a lot of food and weren’t sure if we should order one pizza or our own, as we didn’t know the size. So we asked our waiter how big the pizza’s are, and I put on my best charades. There were two options for pizza sizes. I pointed to the more expensive option and held out my hands in a circle asking “how big?” I held them out to make about a 12″ diameter circle. Our waiter confirmed “yes” Okay that’s a decent sized pizza, we can get two. But when I closed my hands to make a 5″ diameter circle, the waiter said “yes” again Okay, we’re not getting each other. So I restarted and pointed to the bigger price saying “Ini(this”) and gave the two size options again. Big imaginary circle. “Yes” Small imaginary circle. “Yes” “No no no, the size, how big?” Then we tried pointing to the smaller size price, same thing. I walked away from the table to the bar counter and held up a circular drink tray, drawing a circle with my finger around the edge asking “Pizza, big? Or small” Making a smaller circle as the second option. “Yes to both” I went back to the table and we were perplexed as to what we should order, within a few minutes, someone brought out a plat and said that was the size. Apparently my charades somewhere along the line went through. We’ve found that people will often say “yes” we’re not getting each other, and Andres and I just say “I don’t know” shrugging our shoulders. On the way back, it started pouring and we ducked in and out of every storefront, pausing at the intersections.
photo: wet season in the tropics
Andres and I picked up a brownie cake from a bakery, and were stoked to slice into it as the reward for our big climb. We decided this must be complemented by milk, so we ventured back out to buy some, and had a very serious discussion as to which we should choose. There were small juice box size containers in the drink fridge, but the decent size cartons were on the room temperature shelf. And then there’s the flavors, vanilla, chocolate, regular, and strawberry. We apprehensively bought the big carton of regular skim milk and headed back to the hostel, put it in the fridge there and waited 40 minutes.
#traveltip, baked goods are just not the same in south east asia. If you’re looking for a heavy, thick, chocolate filled brownie, go to sleep and start dreaming. The milk isn’t any better. We chalked it up to a loss and couldn’t finish neither the milk nor the brownie cake. We were too disappointed. We had plans to go out again to redo our victory dessert, but passed out at 8. We’ll have to hold off on our victory dessert for another town as we were heading to Malang the next day.