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Mar 31st, 2014 Comments: 0

Going off the beaten path.

Plurk
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As I get more an more comfortable with navigating the countryside, I start to plan and do longer and more remote trips. This trip is supposed to be done with atleast a 200 cc off-road motorcycle. Ha, they just do not know how to ride a bike, I will show you what a 100 cc road bike can do.

I started the 2 1/2 hour ride to my first stop early the morning. After about 25 km, I left the tarred road for a gravel road. From here on it was eating dust for the next 50 m. Although I did pass over some nice bridges and rode along some nice country side.20140331-195539.jpg20140331-195532.jpg
Eventually I arrived at the ticket office, and parted with my $20 for the honor of entering the nature reserve.
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From here on, it was another long dusty ride as I climb up into the mountain. Here and there on dangerous sections, the road was cement.

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Eventually I arrived at the junction for the Kulen waterfall, and the 1000 lingas. First I visited the waterfall.
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Some shopping for those that want some local crafts.
I parked my bike at the top, and walked down. But was amazed at how the locals easily just ride up the path. Little did I know that what I was about to do later, would far exceed this.
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The river is past the eating places, and locals love to come here and swim in the river, and also sit under the waterfall. That is in the dry season, for in the wet season this is a raging river and to strong to swim in. A bridge gives access to small ruins on the other side.20140331-201854.jpg20140331-201923.jpg20140331-201913.jpg20140331-201943.jpg20140331-201935.jpg20140331-201950.jpg
The ruins are small, but not cleaned up, giving them that lost treasure look.
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From here I went to the river with the 1000 lingas. Some of the water comes out of the ground like a fountain, amazing to see.

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Following the path next to the river to the source of some of the water.20140331-203407.jpg

A fountain that has the water bubbling out from beneath the white sand.
After an early lunch, I went to find the big Buddha statue. However, I could not find the temple. Eventually a local guide came up to me and asked if I wanted to go to the temple. I said yes. He said $10. I thought it was too much to go to a nearby temple, but since I could not find it, I offered him $8, that he took. Little did I know he was talking about another temple in the mountain.

What followed was 11 km of mountain riding, burning rubber and scraping chassis over rocks, kicking sand up going through dry river beds, passing streams with the bike half underwater, going through dense forests and passing over log bridges. I could not take more pictures as a needed both hands and feet to keep the bike on the road, or rather track.

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When we stopped at our first spot, I am like. Okay, $10.
We did a side tour to the bat cave, that has 3 praying places inside the cave, and sleeping places for those praying on long sessions.

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After the cave excursion, we went to the top for a nice view, using sophisticated ladders. Nice of my guide to test it for me first.

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Then we headed deeper into the forest, for some more first gear bundu bashing. Until we eventually came to the temple. I am like, this is a giant elephant, where is the big Buddha. He is like, o, that is where we met, i take you later.

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Rhino or something.

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Then it was time to head back, all along the 11 km of mountain track, what fun. Eventually we got back to where the Buddha is. It is a massive Buddha, build on an even more impressive rock, in a temple on the rock. Amazing. You can take like a 1000 stairs to the top, or you can just ride your bike up from behind the temple like us ha ha ha.

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Place for prayer at the bottom of the rock.

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View from the platform.

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And then it was time for the two and half hour dust ride back home. Thanks for reading, more adventures to come.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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