01/07/2014 - Cycling the Rockies on a Cheap Bike. Day 1

Distance cycled: 88.7km from 100 Mile house to Latremouille lake on Hwy 24
Average speed: 14.3km/h
Moving Time: 6h10m
Elevation Ascended: 1169m
Burned Calories: 4189 kcal
Burned Fat: 543g
Total Distance on Current trip: 88.7km
Distance until I have cycled the circumference of Earth: 12,890km
Money spent: $20

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Is it possible to load up an $165, Walmart bought, 21 speed bicycle for touring 650km over the Rocky Mountains? Well, let's see.

I've spent the last two months working my job here in Canada planting trees and it has been tough, back breaking work; it was about time for some time off. We now have a break between contracts from British Columbia to Alberta for 11 days and whilst on the block planting the other day I had the epiphany/great idea to cycle yet again over the Rockies to cover more kilometers towards my goal of cycling the distance of the circumference of earth.... on a crap bicycle as my normal bicycle had been left in Thailand along with most of my cycling gear.
Using my skills at fashioning up panniers from scrap parts after mounting the racks I performed a quick tune-up on the bicycle to check if everything was in order with the extremely cheap components... At this point I was doubting if this bicycle could make the distance but you know what, it could surprise me.
I started this perhaps lost cause of an adventure from 100 Mile House,  British Columbia in the caribou region and took hwy 24 that linked hwy 97 to hwy 5.
It was an incredibly scenic route with many lakes, near fluorescent trees and sky with plenty of friendly and helpful people. As it was Canada day weekend many people were camping and having a great time of the lake shores.
The handful of people I met and hung out with included a trio of South Africans who offered beer and good laughs. It was funny to hear Eden, Debbie and Patrick's near brash opinion of the Canadian peoples mannerisms and attitudes compared to the South Africans as due to safety concerns people are not nearly as friendly there than hear. Also, even they said traveling there in South Africa ( one place I have been hesitant to travel), whether cycling or backpacking would be incredibly dangerous that was followed up by a plethora of lip biting stories.
After a couple of beers and one for the road I continued in the still scorching afternoon sun on the highway up and over the mountain pass at 1300m and slowly descended down the hilly terrain towards Little Fort but found a turn off to a lame where I spent the evening with a couple from Vancouver.
Jean-mark and Laura were lovely and were cruising about BC finding lakes to canoe and camp. Laura and I got along very well talking all things photography till quite late at night before I needed to rest.

The bicycle held up fine today even over some dirt roads, severe headwinds and the excessive weight of my belongings. It's surprisingly ok albeit very uncomfortable.

Tags:

Here we have it, a $165 bicycle from walmart

 

Not sure if my bike will fair well with bumpy dirt roads but as it turns out, it was just fine

 

Highway 24, what an experience and I made my way out of the Cariboo.

The Safa’s I met

Im getting closer to the Rockies.

I made it to the top of the mountain pass, thumbs up!

The beautiful Lake I camped.. on, I guess as that is my rent pitched on a pier.

09/03/2014 - Cycling SE Asia. Day 73 - An epic winding road back to sea level.

Distance cycled: 162km from Rantepao to Pare-pare, Sulawesi, Indonesia.
Average speed: 21km/h
Moving Time: 7h43m
Elevation Ascended: 1497m
Elevation Decended: 2329m
Burned Calories: 4199kcal
Burned Fat: 545g
Total Distance on Current trip: 6613km
Distance until I have cycled the circumference of Earth: 13,137km
Money spent: $16



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THIS downhill run today was incredibly good fun but also frighteningly dangerous as I was taking every turn just a little bit too fast narrowly missing unseen vehicles around tight bends. This didn't stop me grinning when I had made it down to the bottom having passed such unique and stunning scenery.
162 kilometers is a long way to cycle in a single day with the last hour in the dark and right now as I write this in a hotel room I am squirming with aches and pains finding it difficult to keep my eyes open, let alone write this post.
However tomorrow is much the same with another 160 or so kilometers to Makassar. No rest for the wicked, eh?
This gives me one day to pack my bicycle into a box before I fly back to Thailand.
Right now its time for some much needed Sleep. Yawn!

The beautiful landscapes leaving the Toraja region of Sulawesi, Indonesia

08/03/2014 - Brutal Torajan funeral ceremony.

 

Being the most cultural experience I have seen in Indonesia the Torajan funeral ceremony just outside of Rantepao, South Sulawesi was intense.
The tomate (funeral) is the most important ritual for the people here and without proper funeral rites it's believed that the soul of the dead would cause misfortune to its family.
It may take some time for the family to accumulate money after the death of family member during which the deceased will be exposed to the elements within the home, rotting away for up to a year.
This excessive amount of time is necessary because the whole ceremony was incredibly intricate and extravagant involving many people, food and decorations including temporary structures for the guests and without doubt, definitely would have set the family of the deceased back quite a lot of dough.
 
My decision to attend this event came at the last minute as I was preparing to leave on my bicycle back to Makassar, I was told that the one who recently deceased was in the upperclass of this society and the events of the day would be worthwhile.
The inclusion of photos in this post show off this occasion, but be warned - there are some gruesome photos of the sacrifice of a water buffalo.

$8000 dollar albino water buffalo

Tongkonan - traditional houses and the body in a casket to be carried around the village

Buffaloes are a status symbol for the Toraja and traditionally been a symbol of wealth and power.

Torajans believe that the souls of the animals should follow their masters into the next life - although the sacrifice of the buffalo was brutal there was only one, I was told the previous year there was a sacrificial massacre of 147 buffaloes!? Dear reader I hope your not squeamish.

Portions of the buffalo meat is spread out amongst and consumed by the village folk however the family close to the one deceased are forbidden to eat the sacrificed meat.

Hundreds gathered for the very unentertaining buffalo fight...

The dozen buffaloes that entered the fighting grounds barely made contact, however I had seen enough bloodshed today

 

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Many if the people attending the event.

Oh, and we started off the morning by going to a baby grave where the infants that were deceased were placed within a cut hole in a special tree that over several years would encapsulate the body within it. The babies were placed on the opposite side of the tree to which the family lived.