Bicycle Touring – Page 11 – Simply cycling around

Wat Tha Pui > Ban Na Pong-Pak Kong (77km)

Today we finally left the Ping river and joined the Wang river for most of today. In fact, the ping river is the one that fills the Bhumibol lake. We will follow it again later before reaching Chiang Mai. The goal for today is to reach the bottom of the mountain range that creates the natural limit between the Lampang and Lamphun provinces. It will be our first climb for this trip (and the first for me too for the whole Thailand). If we get there tonight we will be able to start the climb tomorrow morning when the temperature is still fresh. 17km is not that much but I don’t know how Pita can handle that. Well, I’m sure she will but that’s more a question of time. The more early we start, the less we will be hit by the heat. Simple logic :-)

Wat Ban Nong Nuea > Wat Tha Pui (47km) > Dam (12km return)

Today we cycled only until midday but still did 47km :-) We done the first 20km until we reached a temple called Wat Phra Borommathat. After the visit we had breakfast and then continued travelling north. Then we kept on going until we arrived in Sam Ngao, a village very close to the Bhumibol artificial lake. In fact, in the 50’s the government started the construction of the Bhumibol Dam, named after the King. They needed 6 years to build it and another 6 years to fill it! Once we got to temple of the village, after a hot rest, we cycled and visit that famous dam. The way to reach it is far to be flat. That’s the most hilly place I’ve been to in Thailand until now.

Wat Ko Tamyae > Wat Ban Nong Bua Nuea (50km)

Today is another step towards Chiang Mai. The nights become slightly more fresh but that’s still not enough to use my 5°C sleeping bag :-) We have spent most of the day along the Ping river and visited a religious place when we arrived in Tak. This one as the particularity to have a huge collections of animals, mainly elephants and roosters.

Tudongkasatan > Wat Ko Tamyae (60km)

What is that? A Pile of gold? Nope that’s a temple :-) Today we have visited only one place early morning. A part that, we cycled on the smallest roads as possible. The temperature rose certainly above the 40°C around midday. It became very hard to cycle and even to rest. The break time was too hot as we did not find a very good place.

Salok Bat > Tudongkasatan (84km)

I’ve just realised how come we have done that much kilometres today. I did not take much pictures and the wind pushed us ;-) After two days of rest we are back on the saddle for the second part of our trip to Chiang Mai. This morning, we left Salok Bat and June behind. Kondhin cycled with us for about 10km. He said he felt good. He used to be a monk for many years and used to walk a lot around the country. He walks more than 20.000km! So today, he feels that same way, the adventure :-) Early this morning we came across a music school lesson and listened to traditional (loud) music for a moment. Then we kept on going until we stopped for lunch and a rest. Later this afternoon we pushed forward until we reach the temple for the night.

Salok Bat, visiting June’s rice field

One day off was good but a second one is better :-) In fact, yesterday we have done nothing (except the dishes ;-). Today we were guided by Kondhin and visited different places like his rice fields and property in general. During late afternoon, we will go to see the bats and the monkeys. That will be in the second coming post.

Salok Bat, day off

Very quickly yesterday night, after June and Kondhin offered us to stay one month more (!!!), we decided to have one day off. One month would be, how to say, a bit too long for a break haha and my visa would run out, and I would be kick out of Thailand, and I could not come back soon, well, one month is too long :-).