Cycle Day 6 : Tando Bone to Poso

The smoke from the ridge fire last night drifted down and woke me around 4a. At breakfast our host Annalie told us the fire was started by a man who dropped some embers accidentally while trying to drive out some bees from a palm tree. He was so distraught at destroying his neighbours' adjoining gardens that he threw himself in the flames but the neighbours pulled him out. Injured but alive. There is no infrastrucure here for fire fighting on this scale. Some locals pitched in to try and trench it off but It smouldered on this morning. 

We had a late start today with our departure timed to the road closures. It was a 10a boat back to Tentena to pick up the bikes where I discovered my home and native land in Indonesia...

...then a short cycle to the road queue. We had our morning tea and waited for the road to clear. The construction crews work 8a-12p then 2p-6p. Traffic slips through on there siesta. The dust was bad for about 6km - I was happy to have my neck gaiter on. This has got to be one of the best pieces of travel clothing ever. Bamboo/cotton tube with 50 SPF that I wear around my neck to keep sun off but also keep wet to cool off. Great for cover my nose through the construction dust.

Clear of the construction it was an easy ride back to Poso although as we descended from the lake plane it felt like descending into hell heat-wise. Great lunch compliments of our last host along the roadside...

...with some curious on-lookers.

A stop for a swim broke up the rest of the trip.  

Saw some creatively stacked stove wood...

... And some corn drying.

We are back in the hotel from night 3 and have a long ride along the coast in the morning.

Distance: 60.85 km

Time: 3:06

Average speed: 19.59 km/hr

Maximum speed: 49.54

Elevation Drop: -500 +/- meters