Day 22: Car Free Bonanza

April 24th, 2011

Days Left to Journey: 35

Kilometers Cycled Today: 40 km

Around Jakarta + From Jakarta to Parung

Training Kilometers Cycled: 675 km

Amount Raised: $10 USD

Becoming a Bike Groupie.

Do groupies consciously think to themselves, "I'm going to hang around this super-awesome band/person, then submit my groupie application after my probationary groupie 2 months"? I'm pretty sure that doesn't happen, unless there's the GU (Groupie's Union). So somehow I think I've just become a Bike2Work groupie. I just tag along when fun stuff happens, ride my (borrowed) bike, then hang out. I haven't been involved in any illicit tire-pumping parties, so I think I'm still just a fan.

Car Free Day Lagi (Again).

This morning the Srikandi went for a TV spot. Right next to them was the Urbanathalon! I never participated, but they had one in New York City which my good friend joined in on.

The car free day was relatively quiet, which was nice compared to the previous one.

These street performers, I was told, do a variety of Madurese cultural performances. I don't know if fire-eating is one of them, but I caught it on tape. Interesting to watch. In the background you can see how they bottle neck the traffic on car-free Sunday.

Below is a picture of the B2W community listening to one of the Srikandi share her experience.

Then we got rained on.

Coke's new tag line, credit goes to Lucy.

"Drink Coke, you're not going to live forever" - Mmmm... suddenly I'm thirsty for a few gallons of it.

Accessories and Advice.

Today I finally had chance to obtain a helmet, some safety lights, a water bottle, and a lock for Lontong - all under 150,000 Rp. (About $16). The helmet was free from Lucy though. On a side-note, I was under the impression that a cross-country bike would be best from a number of sources. On the other hand, several experienced Indonesian bike riders have told me that shocks, despite the comfort, are just not worth it on a long trip even if you can 'lock' them. Cyclist readers, what do you think?

Ideas and BikeJava2011.

Today, it was suggested to me to get the Indonesian Ministry of Health and the Indonesian Ministry of Education involved in my bike ride. The prospect sounds amazing! One major reason for this ride is to bring international and local awareness to the medical and educational needs of Indonesians in less urban areas. The downside would be intense press coverage, transforming this fun mission into just a mission. Also, there would be a likely chance to get sponsorship from Polygon cycles and similar Indonesian companies. I'll have to sleep on this.

First Solo Ride.

In Indonesia I've already gone 600 km on the roads, but I've yet to do a solo ride. Safety is important. Freedom to roam and to just be alone is good too. It was fun to ride the <30 kilometers home; dodging cars, potholes and angkots. Angkots are small public transport vehicles. They do have a frustrating habit of speeding up to only cut in front of me and stop to pick up or drop off a passenger, wait for me to pass by, then speed up and cut in front again - this process repeats until they get quite far from me.

From the Bike2Work office to my school.

Pencak Silat.

Tonight was my pencak silat night, but I was bushed. I passed out in the back of an angkot on the way. I stumbled down the road as if drunk. I just wasn't feeling it; my footwork was a mess, my punches were weak, my body was stiff. Later in the night, a Tae Kwon Do Indonesian teacher dropped by the begin learning this particular style of pencak silat. Here was a middle-aged man who had already mastered a martial arts coming to learn something completely new. He was learning what middle-school silat students learned and mastered long ago. Although I don't know this man at all, I admire his open-mindedness. Similarly, I admire my pencak silat teacher's willingness to teach him as well. Betawi style pencak silat is notoriously closed and secretive, so it was good to see. Undoubtedly, this man will surpass my own training quickly. Maybe by the end of the month I will be doing kotekan (silat-style sparring) with him.

I woke up the next morning sore, bruised, with a partial chunk of skin gouged out from one of my opponents (accidentally of course) yet satisfied with the previous night's training.