The Luxe Nomad joins Bike to Care 2022 #TogetherForChildren
Bike to Care, an event organized by SOS Children’s Villages Indonesia for the benefit of Indonesian children, happened just last week from March 19 to 20, 2022. This year’s hybrid event had both offline and online components, and The Luxe Nomad was delighted to participate in both.
On-ground, four of The Luxe Nomad’s very own joined the 500km Bali Loop to stand #TogetherForChildren. Here’s how their Bike to Care 2022 experience went:
Meet The Luxe Nomad Cycling Team
The Luxe Nomad Cycling Team was four riders strong during this year’s Bike to Care on-ground event (from L-R):
Photo by @biketocare
- Mirko Corbella – The Luxe Nomad’s resident cyclist, and Bali General Manager
- Lyllian (Ian) Grace Banzon – a former Filipino water polo national team athlete who later discovered her passion for Triathlon and moved to Bali in December 2020
- Andreas Grosskinsky and Philip (Phil) Spaninks – they’ve called Bali home for many years and operate in the tourism industry – they are both avid cyclists
The passion for two wheels is the common denominator for the four of them, and they regularly meet in Bali to share fast and slow, long and short rides.
How would you describe your Bike to Care 2022 experience?
MIRKO: The 500km Bali Loop is challenging, scenic and thorough. The 2-day course covers the whole perimeter of Bali island, starting in Tanjung Benoa.
Day 1 saw the riders tackling the repeated sharp climbs of the Bukit peninsula in the south. Then, they headed to the green rice paddy fields extending for miles along the west coast. After that, the West Bali National Park and the long stretches of road on the island’s Northern Coast. Finally, they reached the tourist town of Lovina after 300km.
Meanwhile, Day 2 started with a long flat stretch to reach Amed, a diving resort village at the foot of Mount Agung. From there we rode up the many steep climbs of Seraya – Bali’s brutal northeastern coastal road – before descending towards Amlapura. Then, we approached the eastern coastal road that took us back to Tanjung Benoa after 200km.
Sounds like an exciting ride! Were there any challenges you faced on the road?
MIRKO: The rain! It started 10 minutes in and accompanied all riders for the best part of Day 1’s 300km. Not even an hour into the 500km-long adventure, we were climbing Melasti – a short by very steep climb in Bali’s southern peninsula – under torrential rain.
Photo by @biketocare
Heavy showers characterized Day 2 as well, adding 80km of cycling in adverse weather conditions. Climbing and descending the many climbs along the route with wet roads, soaked clothes and impaired vision have surely accounted as extra challenges the whole week-end.
It’s amazing that you all soldiered through the downpour. On to the brighter side: what were some unforgettable moments in this year’s Bike to Care?
MIRKO: Arriving at SOS Children Village in Tabanan after 115km on Day 1 was an unforgettable moment for all of us. The children cheering and welcoming us at their home topped up the riders’ energy levels. The delicious plant based lunch and dry spell over lunch were great too!
MIRKO: The handwritten card by the kids of SOS Children Village Tabanan found inside the Day 2 jersey on our beds in Lovina represented another highlight of BikeToCare 2022. It filled everyone’s heart and gave all riders a big sense of pride after the gruesome 300km of Day 1.
“Dear big brother Mirko Corbella, thank you for cycling for us. With love.”
Last but not least: the smiles of the children, bystanders and passersby’s, Organizers, Medical and Physiotherapy Teams, Mechanics and Photographers along the route, Resorts and Warungs Staff at the designated stops made the kilometers go by faster.
Photo by @biketocare
Pedalling away from a positive experience, how would you encourage others to join the event next year?
MIRKO: We can all contribute a little or a lot every day to make a difference in the lives of children that have lost parental care. The next BikeToCare 500km Bali Loop event is a great way to tackle a challenging course with likeminded people and benefiting from first class support along the way from the organizers.
Any closing remarks to wrap up your BikeToCare 2022 experience?
MIRKO: The ensemble of activities linked to BikeToCare 2022, from its inception to its realization on 19-20 March 2022, paired with everyone active involvement on social media and public and private networks, has certainly contributed to exposing SOS Children Villages Indonesia’s cause to the attention of the many family, friends, acquaintances of the people involved in the event and everyone reached by said platforms as well as the three pelotons of riders who circumnavigated Bali island with their beloved bicycles.
The Luxe Nomad’s online fundraiser is accepting donations until April 8, 2022. Help us reach our goal of IDR 50,000,000 (USD 3,400) for a brighter future for Indonesia’s children.