A Couple of Days Ride Outta…….

Daily Stats

Distance: 124kms

Time: 4 hours 56 mins

Elevation: 366 meters

Speed: 25.2kph

Accumulated Elevation: 36160 meters

Accumulated Distance: 2826kms

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Daily Disasters

1. Walked for an hour found a resturant 2 mins away.

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I slept so badly last night. Eventuallyvatcabout 1am I got up and ate some salted oeanyts and then some peanut brittle. That’s entirely me to sleep,  no idea why.

But I awoke just before my alarm at 6am. The homestayvowners were already up and they waved me off, so kind and friendly.

It’s definitely nice and cool leaving earlier.

This route is flat and I moved at full speed

I have been very lucky with my mid morning stops, unfortunately today was not the best, but I had an iced chocolate which was nice.

My left shoulder is really aching and I definitely cannot hold it in a single riding position for long.

The valley was spectacular, beautifully lush.

I have been trying to just ride, then eventually when I feel a bit hungry I stop and check the distance. To my surprise when I checked the distance I was spot on 100kms. I selected an hotel in the next big town and ride off.

I got in showered,  washed my clothes. Applied ointment and creams to my sore bits. I went put and bought some supplies. Dropped them off into the hotel.

Eventually when I went out to find a reaturant i wandered the streets for an hour and eventually as I getting back to the hotel I found a restaurant next door. The food was average.

I have a short day tomorrow then 2 nights ghts in the same hotel. Hopefully get my clothes washed and my sore bits healedcup a bit.

Daily Stats

Distance: 123 kms

Time: 5 hours 36 mins

Elevation: 931 meters

Speed: 22 kph

Accumulated Elevation: 35794 meters

Accumulated Distance: 2702 kms

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Daily Disasters

1. Dog took my sandal

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I woke this morning and stepped out the door and one one of my Bedrock sandals were missing. I think I remained pretty calm. Suddenly I remembered having a conversation with the woman in charge. It was a Thai/English conversation neither of us something the others language.  I thought she was say make sure you take your shoes off before entering. Now I know she was saying the opposite.  Luckily the dogs had only left it the other side of the road.

I was on the road by 7.15 am. It’s a little cooler then. Maybe another half hour earlier would be better.  And so much faster in the morning cool.

I have a couple of hours of morning riding where everything is great. After that, my right little toe starts to hurt, pressing onto the side if the shoe. The tops of all my toes somehow rub against the shoe causing blisters. Then the saddle sores start to pain me, i have a little chammie cream left but its not helping much. The heels of my hands start to hurt causing pins and needles in my hands. Paracetamol is the only solution and not a very good one.

By about 10 all my cloths are wet with sweat. I sat in a chair and left a puddle underneath it.

I think the new suntan cream is a bit better. I try to reapply 3 or 4 times a day.  But my arms are definitely feeling burnt. There is a chance I will start wearing my long sleeve shirt.

I have been feeling a bit tired lately. Not the best sleep,  packing up and unpacking every day. I’m well into my second month now and it starts to tell.

Daily Stats

Distance: 99 kms

Time: 4 hours 3 mins

Elevation: 256 meters

Speed: 24.4kph

Accumulated Elevation: 34863 meters

Accumulated Distance: 2579 kms

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Daily Disasters

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The breakfast was rice fried egg and pork mince. Sat on a ledge above a lake, it was quite relaxing and I got there just after 7vand already people were there…… I’m always unhappy when I’m not the first.

After talking with Paul last night I decided to readjust my route a bit, so I’m going a bit further east and then south, this is putting another 100 or so kms onto the route, I think he’s scared of me disturbing his peace and quiet.

But the route was flat again and I made good headway.

The other day I bought some new factor 50 suncream, it’s useless so I bought some more today.

The route went through many rice fields

There was of course many temples

I saw this which was interesting

Pat gave me my morning coffee

More spectacular scenery.

I found a place to stay with modern units, but a good 1.5 kms our of town,  it’s too far. But it is nice and quiet.

It’s real hot now and I try to get finished by 2ish. I’m setting my alarm earlier tomorrow (6.15)

Daily Stats

Distance: 122kms

Time: 4 hours 49 mins

Elevation: 133 meters

Speed: 25.5 kph I know that fast

Accumulated Elevation: 34607 meters

Accumulated Distance: 2480 kms

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Daily Disasters

1. My phone is regularly overheating 😬

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The problem is I cannot even remember leaving this morning, or where I stayed.

I did get up early, just before my alarm. Packed fast and was out the door riding by 7.30.

The routecwas a bit twisty, sometimes this is frustrating, but Komoot does this to take you past some sights, in this case temples.

I heard tge humming snd didn’t know where it was coming from. Unfortunately I was too slow on the camera draw to get it hovering.

The route was flat as a pancake and I was hitting it hard on the pedal action. I am pronevto a bit of spinning and so I’m working hard to up the gear and slow my pedalling down a bit. I was moving quite fast as my average speed was 25kph.

I did get to stop at another pleasant coffee shop.

I started using a new suntan cream. Unfortunately it’s not as good as the last. I am feeling a bit crispy. I will have to reapply more often.

I felt tired and decided to stop. So I just looked up a place on Google maps and booked in.

I was just settled in when a woman came to my door and invited me into the city. She duly picked me up at 4 and off we went. The city was about 10kms away generally 15 or 20 mins but my hosts driving was cautious and very slow.

We picked up a friend. The fed me soup, with pork balls (no not testicles) I ate them but didn’t like them. Then we went to the temple, there was a lot of temple action many people there. I only took one video taking photos sometimes it just looks rude.

Then we went down by the river where there was a big Chinese celebration

Then off home.

I am so embaressed in that i was the worst conversationalist. Sometimes when I have very little common ground with someone I dry up and my life is just an embaressament. But I had a nice afternoon/evening.

Daily Stats

Distance: 114 kms

Time: 4 hours 55 mins

Elevation: 805 meters

Speed: 23.3 kph

Accumulated Elevation: 34474 meters

Accumulated Distance: 2358 kms

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Daily Disasters

1. Thumping music kept me awake till past 12
2. Broke the clip on the back of my seatpack
3. Nothing recorded on my video today

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Much better sleep last night and I was awake just before my alarm. Packed and ready to go by 7.30. I looked but didn’t partake of the breakfast.

I just jumped on the bike and rode off. 

There were 2 medium hills and lots of flats today.

This beautiful te.ple was at the top of the first hill. It was pretty spectacular and I really enjoyed wandering around.

The descent from this hill was fantastic the road winding its way down, seldom very steep and with a few rises. Lush vegetation either side and a lake to the left.  But so beautiful. And much longer than the ascent. 

As I hit the flat I spied this coffee shop and swung in. It seemed so out of place. Quiet and sophticated. I sat and ordered a hot chocolate snd relaxed for a good half hour.

After my meet with Pascal and Anna I lost the urge to push on, so I opted to stop at the next town, just 10kms away.

My evening meal was dissatisfactory. Hopefully tomorrow’s meal will be better.

Daily Stats

Distance: 140kms

Time: 6 hours 9 mins

Elevation: 1120 meters

Speed: 22.8 kph

Accumulated Elevation: 33667 meters

Accumulated Distance: 2244 kms

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Daily Disasters

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I woke feeling so much better this morning. I think some of my problems may have been caused by various lack of fluids. So I guzzler down a good liter of fluid. Packed up and carried my bike down stairs. I was on the road by 8.15.

Getting out of Chiang Mai  was down a long straight road through what seemed like quite affluen suburbs, with nice houses lining the streets.  Ai noticed a cafe and swung in. As always no decaf coffee  but I had my usual hot chocolate in the oerfect size mug. The atmosphere was so quiet and the music so pleasant. Probably my favourite cafe of the whole trip. @chapter_2wo.saraphi

The route was mainly flat with beautiful temples each side

Eventually I was out into the countryside and winding my way through a beautiful valley, vegetation covering the mountains each side.  A beautiful ride. There were a few hills but hardly noticeable after the previous riding days. I did pass a quite large lake once again I was enticed to sit at a cafe and drunk an iced chocolate drink.

I got into Li at about 4.30 a variety of hotels most closed. But this one seems OK.

Yesterday I organised to meet Zedenik and Ava who I originally met on the Mekong boat, at 8am. I have no idea what happened but I woke late. I felt I had been drugged.

Last night I went out to the restaurant up town then came back to the guesthouse to watch the 6 Nations Rugby.

I awoke at 8.30 with a message asking if I was OK. I feel I had blacked out in the night. I hardly knew where I was let alone the time.  Luckily Zedenik and Ava could wait. I crawled onto my bike and rode to the cafe, only 2kms away.

I was bad company. But really happy to see them and their friendly faces and the conversation brightened my day.

As I was so late they had to leave sooner, I rode back to my guesthouse and booked another night. Then went to lie down, which is where I have been all day.

Maybe the combination of staying up late watching the rugby. Now 4.30pm and still feeling a bit dodgy.

I phoned a few friends to just give me confidence all was OK.

Being ill and/or feeling out of sorts is a tough thing when a long way from home and alone.

If you click on the photos you get the full view.

While eating now I seem to have taken a style of sort of surrounding my food with arms and body, a bit like a wild animal protecting its prey. In Chiang Mai I have been eating in slightly more sophisticated restaurants and suddenly I realise how predatory I looked. There was a moment when a server came close I thought I was going to growl.

Daily Stats

Distance: 56 kms

Time: 2 hours 15 mins

Elevation: 142 meters

Speed: 25.2 kph

Accumulated Elevation: 32547 meters

Accumulated Distance: 2104 kms.

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Daily Disasters

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After my terrible meal I had a terrible night’s sleep. Waking up with my alarm at 6.45 but I got up slowly,  put my stuff together and was out on the road by 8.15.

Getting out of town was on the main, nearly motorway, which i stayed on for the whole ride. The route was flat and uninspiring,  I passed a few temples but just couldn’t muster the energy to stop and take a picture.

Then rode on into Chiang Mai……. it’s a city. I have minimal incentive to explore. I did immediately get my laundry washed. I have 2 nights here before heading south for the 1200kms to Cambodia.

Daily Stats

Distance: 68kms

Time: 4 hours 59 mins

Elevation: 2305 meters yep that’s true 🥵

Speed: 13.8 kph

Accumulated Elevation: 32405 meters

Accumulated Distance: 2048 kms

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Daily Disasters

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I really have no where to go, 2 days ago I said Brutal,  yesterday I said The Only Way is Up today was most certainly tougher than either. Possibly one of my hardest days on a bike. Harder than L’Angliru, definitely harder than the Zoncolon. The gradient really wasn’t so bad, yes it was 15, 16, 20% but it was the fact that it was practically constant for 30kms. Yes of course there were some 8% stretches that really did feel flat.

The day started with a long chat with Andrew from the Netherlands.  Over breakfast. He too was cycling around Thailand. 

I was reluctant to leave as the fog was so dense we could hardly see the end of the property. Eventually we mustered the energy to leave.

And maybe a kilometer later the road started to rise and just didn’t stop.

I wish I could say how beautiful the scenery was either side, or how much I enjoyed the first 20kilometers, but it was foggy and I was just concentrating on moving forward. 

At 9kms to go is the police checkpoint and sort of marks the start of the climb, despite the devastating 20 kms you had already done. There is a ticket to buy THB300. I asked if I could leave my bags there they were so pleasant and I dropped the bags off. And really no point in hanging around I set off.

It’s just a matter of putting all your effort into churning the cranks. I know I usually pedal at 90-100 rpm but this was less than 40 rpm. And it just went on and on. I had to stop a few times, I used the excuse I wanted a drink but really I just couldn’t carry on. 9kms it’s only 9kms surely it can’t be that hard. Each time I did my rest stop my legs nearly collapsed. After a good hour + of riding I saw the 3kms to go. It was at this point joy starts to fill the head and that gradient just dropped a little bit.  Way earlier I noticed a cyclist behind me and I was riding in fear of being overtaken and if Kaj had not stopped for a drink she probably would have caught me.

She was on a tour of Thailand also. I took some photos for her. Cyclists are not allowed to cycle down. So you have to get a taxi truck to take you down or hitch. We were offered the taxi for THB 1000. We both thought this was a bit steep so we waited 5 mins and asked a pickup driver if he would take us down to the police checkpoint. He readily agreed and wouldn’t take any cash.

After the police station we rode down to a resturant. Then went our separate ways. Kaj is a German medical student with near perfect English, I am humble by her vocabulary.   But I really enjoyed her company.

I eventually got to my guesthouse. Showered then went out and had my worst meal in Thailand. There are no pictures, I had to eat lots of peanuts to take away the taste.

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