Bicycle Wind Camp

Up early to start the bike ride around the village and surrounding area. About 70 people in all. Lots of cameras including a newspaper photographer and video crew... The evening before we met a TV director/ producer who is following Wan, Mou and their daughter as they organize their next world bike trip. He was also the first Thai guy to climb Mt Everest and has completed 6 peaks on 6 continents. Thwarted by the weather on the final one in Alaska. Interesting to talk to. Fairly new to cycling I think but giving it a go.  We headed down the road and then the first challenge was the steep climb  up to the high point  and pagoda. Some biked, some took a vehicle and some walked. Then down to the dinosaur museum where we had a tour as well as rice soup and coffee for breakfast. The dinosaur bones found here are at this stage an unknown species.
More biking and then a huge lunch at the cycle club presidents house. He had two massive teak tables that could seat thirty people. Beautiful teak home complete with a Liverpool FC emblem out the front!
On around the outskirts of town to  the police checkpoint, the police chief of the area was with us as he is an avid cyclist. They handed out biscuits. Then back to where we were staying and a rest before the evening.
About 50 km in all.
Woven mats to sit on for dinner in group's of 6 or so. The food was brought out on round bamboo tables. Sticky rice, (love it)  which is  common in northern Thailand. It is actually a different type of rice that is grown, not just a different way of cooking it, which was what I thought.  You just roll it into little balls and stick it to the meat and vege, eaten with your fingers. Awesome meal. A few people spoke, in Thai of course but a couple of people sitting with us translated. Such friendly, humble,  welcoming people.
Then traditional Thai music and dance performed by the locals. Another massive bonfire. Then a country singer with guitar. A little bit of  local whiskey and rice wine flowed.
We really felt privileged to be a part of the weekend.
The next morning the massive pot of rice soup arrived, people said their goodbyes and we headed off to Nan with everyone telling us we would need wings to fly over the hills...

Phayao - town by the lake

Whizzed down the hill to Phayao after the mammoth climb.  73 km in all. Nice town by a lake, it is flower season here so lovely. The little dip in the hill behind the dragon photo is the pass we came over. Enjoyed a nice evening and meal. Not many people around.
Phayao to Chiang Muang, 97 km day. Lovely 35 km flat ride through the sunflower fields. Now getting into the smaller, less wealthy  villages, a few scary dogs that think chasing bikes is fun. A 20 km climb then a nice ride across the top before the down into town. We checked out a guesthouse but were unsure so  then biked back to town to make sure we hadn't missed another one. Stopped at the shop for an ice cream and a guy came along in a pick up truck with bikes on the back. He told us the town was having a bicycle camp the next day with locals and out of towners coming and invited us to join them and to camp if we wanted for the weekend. So we biked another 7 km to a property up the rd. All set up for camping with showers and toilets, food, bonfire. The property is owned by Wan and Mou, the first Thai cyclists to bike the world which they did for 6 years including NZ and they stayed in Taupo on their journey. A fun evening sitting by the fire. We have a small tent with us  which was just right for a couple of nights. The majority of bikers would arrive the next morning to take part in the first bicycle wind camp. More on that in the next blog.

Racking up the kilometres

Sukhothai to Thung Saliam, 55 km, we met a Dutch couple, older than us (who cycle 3 months per year)  going the opposite way to us,  they write a lot of the routes for cyclists. So they gave us a few hotels on route and some quieter roads to Chiang Mai. Easy day riding though tired after our early morning jaunt around Old Sukhothai. We were shown some farmed rats thawing out to cook... (Photo)
Thung Saliem to Thoen, 70 km reasonably flat ride with national parks on both sides, quiet rds
Thoen to Li , 65 km beautiful ride climbing a lot of the way through bush but an ok gradient, lots of toots and thumbs up from those passing us on the hills. Dropped down into Li and found a nice place to stay, an almost new bungalow for 500 Bhat ($20 NZ ) great food just across the rd. We had a beer first and watched what others were getting then just pointed to the dishes that looked good, worked a treat!
Li to Ban Hong, 75 km, cruisy day, a little bit of rain and finally found somewhere to stay on the outskirts of town,  only 350 Bhat, $14,  huge comfortable room. The only place to eat nearby was a restaurant with karaoke, so that was a laugh.
Ban Hong to Lamphun, 50 km. Unseasonal rain we were told. Rained heavy all day, so quite unpleasant and cold. We had arranged to meet a couple, Robert and Kung after 4 pm, the last 15 km was on a busy highway, arrived at their place absolutely soaked and cold ready for a hot shower. They have a gorgeous place in a little village about 20 km south of Chiang Mai, a separate teak  guest house for visitors which we stayed in. Absolutely perfect for a couple of rest days. Quiet day on Saturday, Sunday afternoon Kung took us for a traditional Thai massage. Nothing like I have had before... Trevor thought his masseur maybe didn't like men because she caused him so much pain! His calf muscles took a few days to come right. They commented to Kung that our leg muscles were very hard and were shocked at the tan marks on my feet made by wearing sandals everyday. Thai women cover up completely in the sun. Even going home from work, big hat, gloves, socks, long sleeves, nothing exposed to the sun. The massage took about 2 hours. Lots of force with their feet, legs and elbows.
Monday we rode 50 km around Chiang Mai with Robert. Found a bike shop that had the right brake pads for my bike. Visited a Wat that had tunnels and enjoyed a latte and homemade icecream. Robert has biked extensively around northern Thailand so helped us put together a good route to cover over the next few weeks, about 1000 km and hills everywhere.
Lamphun to John's hut - 50 km,  Robert and Kung rode with us for a bit to make sure we got on the right rd, north east, 10.30 start so a bit late. Biked through an area of hot springs and caves, lots of tourist buses, then onto a no name rd with no big towns nearby  and found a little guest house with a little thatched hut up in the trees complete with hammock on the deck to watch the birds coming and going. It is mid winter here. The coldest night so far, down to about 6 degrees. But great cycling weather, cool morning and night, low 30's during the day. Run by a lovely Thai lady married for many years to a UK guy who was home from his job in Vietnam. Great English breakfast of bacon, eggs, tomatoes and beans! Plus great fresh honey on toast.
John's hut to  Ban Mae Khachen - 55 km. Head wind for the first time. Hilly rds, up and down. Felt like I had no fitness and was riding with two flat tires,  the wind took at least 5 km an hour off, Trevor kept saying he didn't know how I could go so slow... Stopped for lunch at another hot spring place. Then had a latte at a cafe that had places to soak your feet under the tables,  really hot thermal water, was fantastic. Perked up a bit after that and made it to the H2O hotel to find it fully booked. A group of Thai cyclists were there complete with 2 support vehicles. But their overflow was at the local guesthouse next door so we got a room there, $12
One of the group helped us out with dinner, breakfast, cycled with us for a bit and took lots of photos of us. A great bunch of people but we were going different ways.
Ban Mae Khachen to Phayao 65 km
Felt better today, no wind. But a huge hill to climb,  wound up for about 20 km, picture taken at the top looking down to the lake at Phayao where we stayed the night.
Clocked over 4000km

Sunrise over Sukhothai

The ancient city of Sukhothai was an early kingdom in north central Thailand which existed from 1238 for about 200 years. The old capital and its ruins are now a UNESCO world heritage historical park.
Phitsanulok to old Sukhothai, 82 km all on a straight flat highway. No stress. Arrived late afternoon and had a bit of a look around before dinner of different kinds of street food.
Got up in the dark and enjoyed a sunrise bike ride of 20 km before breakfast. Cool morning, actually needed another layer of clothing at 6.30 am. Beautiful sight seeing the sun come up over the ancient temples.  Amazing place, built in the same era as Angkor Wat. So quiet and peaceful, not very many tourists about. I think the photos say it all here !