Cycling Thailand... Done - well almost!!!
First of all, sorry for a rather late posting.
Well, cycling in Thailand is done, well except for rolling into Chiang Mai which is only 25km, so I won't really consider it a cycling day. I'm currently in Chiang Mai, arrived on a train as my bike is in Lamphun (25km south of here).
The last 3 days of cycling have been the most interesting. The mountain passes which I was dreading from the beginning were not as bad as I have anticipated. Thanks to a fellow cyclist and pretty good Thai military maps, I was able to get over two mountain passes with relative ease. Well except for the first one, which I had to conquer after riding 115km in the worst heat of the day.
The strategy to initially cycle the flats of Thailand proved to be a good one. The legs became strong as iron and powering through hills at about 22km heading up was quite a surprise. On a loaded bike, ok, not all that loaded, I'm down to about 8-10 kg of luggage, from which about 4 is bike gear.
Needless to say, one pair of shorts, two pair of cycling shorts, two t-shirts, one towel, pair of socks, have to buy underwear. But you learn to live with just some basic essentials and it is really quite fun after a while. Hand washing clothes everyday becomes a daily routine, as well as afternoon naps.
Some of the best experiences have been the Thai people along the way. It is really quite fascinating to fall on the other side of the world and meet total stranger, who without any real reason other than kindness and goodwill are willing to go out of their way to help a 'Farang' on a bicycle. Within this travelogue I have tried to capture some incidents and experience which have happened along the way, however to fully explain the feeling you get, it would take a book to describe such people. From small children curious about a bike to old ladies willing to give you money, to free food and drinking beer with locals at some remote villages, to thousands of smiles you get along the way.
The scenary consisting most of rice paddies, quiet villages around the coast to glorious mountains in the north. One day I cycled for about 80km between two moutain ranges, quite spectacular!
It is worth mentioning is the food here, I have never been too much in culinary pleasures (unlike some people at work , A.R. hahaha!). Eating in Thailand is a delight to the senses, the number of spices and herbs being used in everyday dishes is really beyond ordinary. The combinations of flavour 'playing music on your taste palette' and the cost is an extraordinary combination.
Favorite foods:
Red Curry with Grilled fish, pineapple, veggies in coconut sauce.
Tom Yum Coon - very spicy clear soup with shrimp, lemon grass, ginger, (many other spices)
Pad Thai - traditional thai noodles with egg and veggies
Anything with sticky rice.
... and of course my friend Cow Pot Gai - rice and chicken
There's some much more to write about Thailand , however I feel that this post will get too long to read.
Recap of the ride.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ko Lanta - Nua Khlong 77 km
Nua Khlong - Phra Saeng 74 km
Phra Saeng - Surat Thrani 68 km
Surat Thrani - Lamae 114 km
Lamae - Chumphon 103 km
Chumphon - F**k Knows - 107 km
F**k Knows - Phan Saghan 73 km
Phan Saghan - Khiri Khan - 96 km
Khiri Khan - Hua Hin - 100 km
Hua Hin - Pheteburi - 68 km
Pheteburi - Ban Pong - 103 km
Ban Pong - Kanchanaburi - 58 km
Kanchanaburi - Don Chedi - 110 km
Don Chedi - Chai Nat - 88 km
Chai Nat - Khanu Woralaksaburi - 134 km
Khanu Woralaksaburi - Kamphaeng Phet - 75 km
Kamphaeng Phet - Sukhothai - 83 km
Sukhothai - Thoen - 127 km
Thoen - Li - 54 km
Li - Lamphun - 108 km
Lamphun - Chian Mai (not completed - approx. 25 km - excluded from average)
Total: 1820 km
Daily Average: 91 km
Daily Computer Speeds: Between 22km - 24.9 (best average)
Best day on the road: 134 km with computer speed of 24.9
Best Moutain Ride: Thoen to Li: 28km mountain pass with little traffic and not so steep grades
Toughest Day: Sukhothai to Thoen: 127 km with a grueling 8km mountain after 115km
Rain Days: about 10 minutes on one day
Punctures: 0 (yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
Dog bites: 0 Dog chases: too many
Number of navigational screw ups: 2 (one for the good, one for the bad)
Number of 'Hellos': 1,222,244,211 - or some thing like that
Number of smiles : Number of 'Hellos' * 1,000,000
Tigirrrl Bites: Confidential
Overall cycling satisfaction rate scale: 10 out of 10!
Cheers for now and all the best!
Robert a.k.a. Hooked on Thailand!
Well, cycling in Thailand is done, well except for rolling into Chiang Mai which is only 25km, so I won't really consider it a cycling day. I'm currently in Chiang Mai, arrived on a train as my bike is in Lamphun (25km south of here).
The last 3 days of cycling have been the most interesting. The mountain passes which I was dreading from the beginning were not as bad as I have anticipated. Thanks to a fellow cyclist and pretty good Thai military maps, I was able to get over two mountain passes with relative ease. Well except for the first one, which I had to conquer after riding 115km in the worst heat of the day.
The strategy to initially cycle the flats of Thailand proved to be a good one. The legs became strong as iron and powering through hills at about 22km heading up was quite a surprise. On a loaded bike, ok, not all that loaded, I'm down to about 8-10 kg of luggage, from which about 4 is bike gear.
Needless to say, one pair of shorts, two pair of cycling shorts, two t-shirts, one towel, pair of socks, have to buy underwear. But you learn to live with just some basic essentials and it is really quite fun after a while. Hand washing clothes everyday becomes a daily routine, as well as afternoon naps.
Some of the best experiences have been the Thai people along the way. It is really quite fascinating to fall on the other side of the world and meet total stranger, who without any real reason other than kindness and goodwill are willing to go out of their way to help a 'Farang' on a bicycle. Within this travelogue I have tried to capture some incidents and experience which have happened along the way, however to fully explain the feeling you get, it would take a book to describe such people. From small children curious about a bike to old ladies willing to give you money, to free food and drinking beer with locals at some remote villages, to thousands of smiles you get along the way.
The scenary consisting most of rice paddies, quiet villages around the coast to glorious mountains in the north. One day I cycled for about 80km between two moutain ranges, quite spectacular!
It is worth mentioning is the food here, I have never been too much in culinary pleasures (unlike some people at work , A.R. hahaha!). Eating in Thailand is a delight to the senses, the number of spices and herbs being used in everyday dishes is really beyond ordinary. The combinations of flavour 'playing music on your taste palette' and the cost is an extraordinary combination.
Favorite foods:
Red Curry with Grilled fish, pineapple, veggies in coconut sauce.
Tom Yum Coon - very spicy clear soup with shrimp, lemon grass, ginger, (many other spices)
Pad Thai - traditional thai noodles with egg and veggies
Anything with sticky rice.
... and of course my friend Cow Pot Gai - rice and chicken
There's some much more to write about Thailand , however I feel that this post will get too long to read.
Recap of the ride.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ko Lanta - Nua Khlong 77 km
Nua Khlong - Phra Saeng 74 km
Phra Saeng - Surat Thrani 68 km
Surat Thrani - Lamae 114 km
Lamae - Chumphon 103 km
Chumphon - F**k Knows - 107 km
F**k Knows - Phan Saghan 73 km
Phan Saghan - Khiri Khan - 96 km
Khiri Khan - Hua Hin - 100 km
Hua Hin - Pheteburi - 68 km
Pheteburi - Ban Pong - 103 km
Ban Pong - Kanchanaburi - 58 km
Kanchanaburi - Don Chedi - 110 km
Don Chedi - Chai Nat - 88 km
Chai Nat - Khanu Woralaksaburi - 134 km
Khanu Woralaksaburi - Kamphaeng Phet - 75 km
Kamphaeng Phet - Sukhothai - 83 km
Sukhothai - Thoen - 127 km
Thoen - Li - 54 km
Li - Lamphun - 108 km
Lamphun - Chian Mai (not completed - approx. 25 km - excluded from average)
Total: 1820 km
Daily Average: 91 km
Daily Computer Speeds: Between 22km - 24.9 (best average)
Best day on the road: 134 km with computer speed of 24.9
Best Moutain Ride: Thoen to Li: 28km mountain pass with little traffic and not so steep grades
Toughest Day: Sukhothai to Thoen: 127 km with a grueling 8km mountain after 115km
Rain Days: about 10 minutes on one day
Punctures: 0 (yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
Dog bites: 0 Dog chases: too many
Number of navigational screw ups: 2 (one for the good, one for the bad)
Number of 'Hellos': 1,222,244,211 - or some thing like that
Number of smiles : Number of 'Hellos' * 1,000,000
Tigirrrl Bites: Confidential
Overall cycling satisfaction rate scale: 10 out of 10!
Cheers for now and all the best!
Robert a.k.a. Hooked on Thailand!
posted by Rob at 11:42 PM
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