Author: MSK

Daily Stats

Distance: 142 kms

Time: 6 hours

Elevation: 549 meters

Speed: 23.6 kph

Accumulated Elevation: 34943 meters

Accumulated Distance: 3763 kms

---

Daily Disasters

1. Had to return (10kms) to do the Hanging Bridge
2. I rode most of yesterday with a through axel really lose.  😬
3. Ran out of money
4. 30kms of unanticipated gravel

---

I got up with the alarm packed most things on the bike and went in for breakfast. As a general rule all you can eat breakfasts are my favourite but I just was not terribly interested I had some fruit and an omelette.  Up to the room to collect the rest of my things and on the road by 7.15.

Yesterday Paul and I went over a couple of suspension bridges. I was so impressed I wanted to go over one today, so I adjusted the map accordingly.

My route went by the river and off I set, after a bit I thought I was going a rather long time. Then suddenly I turned and there was a bridge unfortunately it was not either of the suspension bridges it was possibly the most boring of bridges .

I was angry so I fired up Google and discovered I was 10 kms past the bridge. I gunned it back (little did I know with the wind) found the bridge I wanted

Then I rode back , into the wind to the original route where it went off road for a good long way. I was getting tired, stopping regularly to stuff drinks down my neck.  I was flagging big time.

Paul had ridden his moped to the border crossing and was waiting, but I was still so far away. I tried to increase my pace but that was short lived. My legs were aching my saddle area was real sore and my left shoulder was aching big time. (It’s not been the same since I had reconstruction surgery after dislocating it 12 years ago). Paul sensibly eventually left. Any increase in pace would not have made me much earlier.

I eventually got to the border at about 3.30 breezed through customs in about 20mins and collapsed into my accommodation.

I went to 7 Eleven and bought half the shops drinks and yoghurt. Never go shopping when you are hungry.

Daily Stats

Distance: 71kms

Time: 2 hours 50 mins

Elevation: 39 meters

Speed: 25.1 kph

Accumulated Elevation: 3474 meters

Accumulated Distance: 3694 kms

---

Daily Disasters

1. The hotel wouldn’t allow me to take my bike to my room… 1st time this trip.

---

I finally sorted a system that I don’t really have to take out my bag from the saddle pack. OK its taken me 2 months to work it out but, I’m a slow learner.

I was up and cycling by 7am and with a bit of cloud cover it was reasonably cool.

After a few kms to get out if town the route veered to a gravel road

Which is where it stayed for the next 20 kms

Then I popped up onto the road and back yo the flat route.

Everything is now covered in a red sandy dust .

As I got close to Battambang I was taken off road again. And then dropped off near my hotel. I asked nicely but they wouldn’t allow my bike into my room. I was a little upset and I had to sit down for a moment. But it passed. 🧘‍♂️

I somehow arrived at about 10.30 and was very pleased they allowed me to my room so early  soon afterwards Paul arrived and we went on a sightseeing tour of Battambang.

Daily Stats

Distance: 118kms

Time: 4 hours 41 mins

Elevation: 128 meters

Speed: 25 2 kph

Accumulated Elevation: 3435meters

Accumulated Distance: 3623 kms

---

Daily Disasters

---

5 days rest with Paul was just what my body and mind needed. Ankgor Wat is one of the most spectacular man made places on earth.

I packed and left by 7. Paul sensibly stayed in bed.

The road was busy at that time in the morning and I had to weave my way through commuters.

My route was the opposite of my ride a few days ago, and a bit more. 60kms of flat road with not a lot to look at. Then just after Kralanh the road turned left but not onto a road but a dirt track.

This wasn’t a surprise, I had designed this for the route. There was a stretch of straight rough track of mud embedded with largish stones it was bone jarring.

I bashed through this road and I gotta tell you my sore bits are sore again!

The last few kilometers were back onto the road and I’m now in Sisophon. Ready for a short day tomorrow but with a bit of gravel track.

You may have noticed that I have discovered a new feature where some information from my Garmin GPS is now displayed on my Videos.

Daily Stats

Distance: 63 kmd

Time: 2 hours 55 mins

Elevation: 78 meters

Speed: 21.5 kph

Accumulated Elevation: 34227 meters

Accumulated Distance: 3505 kms

---

Daily Disasters

1. I run out of storage space.

---

I went to write my blog last night snd when trying to upload the 1st video WordPress the blog host informed me that I had used up my data storage. The next level is for me to purchase £40/month…  before VAT it comes out to about £580 a year which personally I think is a bit steep.  You will notice now the videos are no hosted through YouTube (of course eventually there will be a storage limit to that, but we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it)…. hopefully it will be less than £40 a month plus VAT. I hope it works. Luckily I had Paul here to help and make suggestions 

I slept badly, again so didn’t wake till 6.30. The heat really is so oppressive starting early is a must. I rushed my stuff together and was out the door by 7.30 having scoffed a few Oreos.

The road to Siem Reap is one long straight road. But of course, and in retrospect happily, Komoot took offroad gravel side tracks. It was great going down these tracks. Some a real struggle with stones embedded and rattling jarring on the body and joints was tough.

Today despite being closer to an urban environment I spotted 2 live snakes moving across the road. No pictures unfortunately.

There were sandbag bridges to cross with my bike in hand.

Paul was following my progress through my Garmin Messenger tracker. That send up a location point every 10 mins.

I got in just after midday. We went for coffee, then lunch and an afternoon of relaxation. Then in the evening the festival of light

Siem Reap is the home of Angkor Wat (Im sure ypu know). I was here 12 years ago with Kathleen and I’m so excited to be back again.

Daily Stats

Distance: 120kms

Time: 4 hours 47 mins

Elevation: 92meters

Speed: 25.1 kph

Accumulated Elevation: 34146 meters

Accumulated Distance: 3342 kms

---

Daily Disasters

---

I was on the road before 7am. I took a little jaunt back into town to find a bit of food before doing a u turn and aiming south. My ride was on the main 68 road but luckily it was reasonably quiet.

Getting to a new country there are 2 essentials, money and a sim card. The first atm wouldn’t accept my card luckily there were 2 cashpoints. The sim I got today from the smart Network.

There is a different vibe here in Cambodia. The roads are more beaten up, the towns have more open fronted shops making everything look a bit more dusty.

One of these videos is speeded up double time

I’m definately getting a bit tired, irritable, and the saddle stuff is definitely not helping, in fact it’s the only thing I can think about for the whole journey.

When looking on Google maps I couldn’t find any guesthouses in Kralanh, in a panic it messaged Paul and he calmed me down and assured me there would be at least one, he was right. Its not the best but also not the worst.

Daily Stats

Distance: 74 kms

Time: 3 hours 5 mins

Elevation: 192 meters

Speed: 24 kph

Accumulated Elevation: 37054 meters

Accumulated Distance: 3224 kms

---

Daily Disasters

---

I wikecat 1.30am and couldn’t get vack to sleep for maybe 2 hours.  Then woke again before my phone alarm. I got up and put the bike together. Up and riding by 7.30. Such a beautiful temperature.

I rode through Surin towards the border and Cambodia 🇰🇭. 

I had plans for a long ride today.  But this was disturbed.  Another flat route rice fields. Small towns. I often sat on the outskirts of towns resting and drinking water, it’s interesting watching people live their lives.

Once again i was riding fast over the flat ground. Suddenly I was in Chong Chom the Thai border town. I sat down next to a Lotus Fresh and worked out my next move. I decided to ride through the border and then another 30kms.

So on to the border. Very smile border guards. Thailand stamped me out. Cambodia made me fill out a form at one window, took $35 then made me fill out the same form at the next window, then stamped me in

And I was through.  It was at this point I got hit by the lazy bug…… so I rode to the nearest guesthouse and booked in. Showered and lay down.

Tge pain in my littke toe is so bad. I have cut my shoe and super glued the cut edges. I hope it foesnt all unravel.

Daily Stats

Distance: 159kms

Time: 6 hours 6 mins

Elevation: 358 meters

Speed: 25.9 kph

Accumulated Elevation: 36862 meters

Accumulated Distance: 3150 kms

---

Daily Disasters

1. Sore + 75kms offroad + 159kms onroad = 🤔

---

My alarm clock did a little blip the other night. And I had to reset it fully last night, then this morning it did not go off. And I couldn’t get to sleep last night. One of the reviews of the guesthouse was a complaint that the owner raked keaved early in the morning. He was this morning and woke me up at 6.30, luckily. So everything was 30 mins late. But I don’t have an alarm now, and I hate leaving my phone on at night.

I’ve got it down to an hour from horizontal to cycling, that includes breakfast.

I have been trying to pre load fluids in the morning. So when I get going my stomach does feel pretty bloated. 

It was very slightly hazy and overcast this morning so it remained cool for a lot of the morning.  My riding rhythm tends to be me hitting it hard for 90 mins to an hour then a long break. Then another hard 90 mins and so on. Today I seemed to go a bit longer. The route was flat and it encouraged me to carry on.

I went through a town and saw this group with an elephant

Then suddenly to my surprise I saw the red dot on my GPS screen indicating I was at the end of the route. 95kms, I stopped and contemplated. Looked at a few routes and distances. I had made extremely good time and it was only midday.

After my calculations I decided to ride on down to the next town. So off I pedalled. Midday is a hot time and I was full of the fluids I had bought in the town.

Of course the accumulation of sore bits, a day off road then 159 kms…. is not a sensible or good combination for the undercarriage.  😖

Also during this second section I was starting to feel a bit drowsy, there were occasions where I closed my eyes and could easily have just ridden into the curb.

Luckily (?) It was a big road so a car roaring past would spike me awake and back into action.

I got into Surin and headed for the 1st accommodation I could find. Not my best decision, the pool is green, the fridge is manky and when the guy said I can get you a meal, chicken? I was expecting a meal rather than 10 fried chicken wings and a tomatoes cut into slices.

Daily Stats

Distance: 78 kms

Time: 3 hours 33mins

Elevation: 251 meters

Speed: 22kph

Accumulated Elevation: 36504 meters

Accumulated Distance: 2991 kms

---

Daily Disasters

1. I lost/couldn’t find/left my fantastic Pedaled jacket.

---

I felt a little lonely last night so phoned my sister (8pm here 1pm in UK) it was great to talk to her and cheered me up lots.

I took a punt and set my route planner on Gravel instead of road. As a bit of caution I only set 73kms to ride. Let’s see what happens.

I know, I know, why would you do that with all the saddle issues you’ve been having. 🤔 I have no real answer to that. But I did lower my saddle a couple of mms.

I searched and searched for my jacket. Every corner of my room, my balcony and the wider area of the guesthouse but to no avail. So after half an hour of searching I reluctantly left. Its a light jacket perfect for those slightly cool mornings/evenings just to take the edge off. Interestingly I originally didn’t like it then it grew to be a favourite.

I got out of the town and was nearly immediately off road. And then was mainly off road for the rest of the day.

There were some sections of sand. One of which if hit at full pelt, the bike slewed all over the place and much to my surprise I stayed upright, maybe i’m getting more skillful, I did err on the side of caution from then on.

About half way through the day my saddle contact point was back to the soreness before my day off. OK maybe the off road was not such a good idea.

The gravel sections were great and it reminded me why I put fatter tyres with a bit of tread on the bike. Let’s see I may alternate on/off road. Its very unlikely to be rough mountain bike style routes like it would get in Spain or Italy.

My glasses got very hot while I was riding a year of so ago and the acetate bent at the nose piece so the arms stick out wider than my ears. I superglued some wedges on the arms near the hinges to counteract this and one of the wedges has come unstuck. Grrrrrr.

Daily Stats

Distance: 87 kms

Time: 3 hours 39 mins

Elevation: 202meters

Speed: 23.9 kph

Accumulated Elevation: 36302 meters

Accumulated Distance: 2913 kms

---

Daily Disasters

---

The joy of getting up early. As I leave the hotel tge cool air surrounds me. I saw the sun rise from my hotel room window. But still there is no heat in it. Each morning I have a suntan cream ritual, I smother any exposed parts at least 20 mins before I get in the sun.

The riding is georgeous and Komoot takes me away from the main road and winds a route by a lake. There are no cars on the road here, and for at least the first 30 mins of my ride. Of course I wish more, but that would be asking a lot.

But Komoot did take me off road for a section. (sorry for my necklace in the screen 🤦)

Then I took a little off road excursion.  Some of my stuff is a bit lose, and did cause a few problems, which I hope I have fixed. I am hoping to do a littke bit more off road stuff in the next week, of course I will document successes …or failures.

I did a bit longer yesterday so I could do a little less today. I got in at about 12.30. I got all my clothes washed and dried by 3, then relaxed all afternoon.