I've been to Indonesia four times, spending a total of about seven months there. The main purpose has always been to shoot surfing photos and clock some water time for myself. With Indonesia long being known as an international destination for surfers, surf spots are packed with people from all over the world. Consequently the vibe in the water is usually very, very tense. Fights, arguments, and threats are far too commonplace as surfers compete for waves. I brought my bike on my last trip to remind myself what drew me there in the first place.
Village Kids. Bingin, Indonesia
These two grommets are lucky enough to live at Bingin village on the bukit peninsula. Bingin is perched on a cliff with an abundance of perfect surf right below. Bingin is also home to seemingly endless windy single track which inter-connects many villages. Though locals have become somewhat jaded towards travelling surfers, visitors on bikes tearing through villages seem to keep them stoked.
Dangerous Dave. East Bali, Indonesia
In the course of one amazing downhill run, Dave was able to completely piss off an ox, destroy a borrowed mountain bike, throw an assortment of rocks at dogs (narrowly missing locals in the process) and last but not least, fly over his handlebars with his left hand landing in a pile of dog shit.
Harley Sonic. Bukit Peninsula, Indonesia
I met Harley purely by chance one day. I took a wrong turn down an alley and wound up driving past his bike shop in Kuta. Turns out Harley and his brother are two of the top XC riders in Indo. I unfortunately learned this first hand by going on a ride with him one afternoon.
Local Coffee Farmer. East Bali, Indonesia
Halfway through a downhill descent we came screeching into a little coffee plantation. This guy caught my attention straight off. Wound up shooting an entire roll of film with him posing with his prized fighting chicken. I motioned to him that he could take one of our bikes for a spin, but this is the furthest he got to riding. Much to the delight of the locals, he politely declined the offer.
Dennis. East Bali, Indonesia
Bali has incredible potential for off road riding. From the dry single track of the Bukit, to the endless downhill tracks awaiting you in the interior, the place is holding big time. No one caters to off road riding yet and info on trails is hard to find. For now at least, the trails are empty.