In August 2001, I spent two weeks in Bali. The endless miles of singletrack were memorable ... so different from northern Taiwan's steep, slippery mountains. Just as memorable as the riding on the trails, was the ever-changing sky that always surrounded me. My proximity to the ocean combined with the flatness of the area of Bali that I stayed in gave me a much bigger sky to play with. There was something magical about the interplay of the sky, the sea and the sun. Here are some shots from on and off the trails in Bali.
I'm not sure which was happening faster - the bike rusting, or the rice growing. This beautiful, quiet scene sits just minutes away from Ubud, Bali's hectic centre for "Cultural Tourism."
The famous waves of Bingin, Impossibles and Dreamland weren't at their biggest on this day. The calm in the water was echoed by the pale blue sky and the tranquil coastline. Danger is never far though - Michele carefully negotiates a narrow path overlooking steep cliffs.
Taking a break from the waves, Dave grabs some big air on a borrowed bike. The mid-days were scorching hot, but the afternoons were somewhat cooler, helping to make late-day rides a daily occurence. Natural jumps kick ass!
Still going ... Dave loved this jump so much that he hit it over and over again. Before all was said and done though, the thorns on the ground won. Score another flat tire for the Bukit's Bite.
Cactus cannot be avoided on Bali's Bukit (southern peninsula.) Even the rising sun has to fight its way through these prickly tall-boys before continuing on its journey across the sky.
The sea is the giver of life for most Balinese people. It brings the surfers, the bikers, the divers and all the other tourists and their money. It also brings the plentiful seafood that all of these hungry bellies devour nightly.