The Race (2/3)

I feel like I owe the forum a bunch of great photos during the ride. Lucky that finally the organizer just released the album, so here they are..
Hope this cure my awful photographs in the previous post.


Did I mention a cargo bike also participated?


So many supporters along the way from the day 1


I am amazed by how beautiful riding the side of the ocean during the 2nd day


From afar, I thought it was a building. Iron construction on the sides and some lines on a black wall. As closer as I get, this turned out to be the last climb before CP1




The race always held during the week of independence day. Therefore it is always festive. With it, comes roadblocks because the streets are used for parade practice. Like in this picture


We ride our bikes with bunch of cows!


The look of the biggest climb from afar


The amazing view hidden behind the climb


We had to take off from our saddle and push the bike around 8km

==
I think the race went as planned until my fourth day. Every time I reached 100K, I will stop for at the nearest supermarket to get some calories and isotonic drink. Also refuel my bidons. And I did add chamois to avoid blisters. This went well until the fourth day, I think my bottom has chaffed. At first there was sore, and one moment I checked my bottom to add chamois, it was already painful. So on the fifth day onwards, I tried my best to avoid sitting on the saddle when the road is a bit curly. It ended up breaking my joints. The left ankle started to feel funky, and there's a weird feeling too on my right ankle. Both were just fine when I pushed for a few hundred kilometers on the fifth day. But when entering the 6th day, which has the biggest climb, it was painful on those two location.

I managed to climb Mt. Bromo halfway, thinking I could still climb it off saddle for the last 3k's of the climb. But the pain was unbearable! So I pushed my bike for the whole 8k's of the climb.

Is there any ultimate tips that is failproof to avoid blisters when enduring ultra distance cycling?

I only apply chamois before the ride and every 100kilometers re apply. One day the whatsapp group was full of this discussion. Many tips erupted:
#1: use skintight before wear bibs
#2: shave the bottom hair that is contacted directly to the saddle. Apply chamois pre-ride
#3: alcohol wipe the area that is contacted directly with the saddle after the ride. And then, apply baby rash cream before going to sleep. Apply chamois pre-ride

Would love to know the trick that is working from the reader!