A bike Ride Across Thailand with Tour de Thailand

[TotallyOz]

Sometimes I do really crazy things. LOL

Well, I love adventures and I love Thailand so I decided that I would try to combine my love for the 2 things in a cross country trip across Thailand. That sounds great until I say that I'll be doing this on a bicycle. Yep, that is right. A bicycle. Not a motorcycle but a bicycle. I love riding bikes and I have rode the San Francisco to Los Angeles Lifecycle ride. It was a major challenge for me but I really enjoyed it.

I have wanted to spend time getting to know the people of Thailand better and to see it the way only someone who visited the back-roads and countryside are able to know it.

Tomorrow, I start this adventure. It is a bike ride from Chiang Mai Thailand to Phuket. It will take about 30 days for us to do the ride and over 2400 Kilometers. There are about 7 others that will do the entire ride and at times we will have 15 or more plus the bike clubs in each town come out to join us. I am not sure I'll make it 3 days or one week or the entire trip but I am willing to put my best foot forward and give it a try. My mother always said, nothing ventured is nothing gained.

I am putting a lot of time, energy and heart into this trip. I have planned for it for months. I have bought a bike that will accommodate my large ass (as much as possible). I have worked to try to prepare for the ride. Now, it is time to get on the bike and ride in Thai traffic.

I came to Chiang Mai about 5 days ago to test the bike and the roads. To be honest, I only rode for about one hour in the traffic here and the motorcycles buzzing by me, the tut tuts zooming in and out and the people walking in front of me, really put a scare into me. I wasn't sure this is something I would be able to do. I did not get back on my bike while in Chiang Mai and I am hoping that my trip will be away from the traffic in cities and more in the countryside. However, I don't know this will be the result. I'll only know this once I start riding. I'll only know if I am rugged enough to stay at the motels and hotels they have chosen for our group once I get going. I know no one on the ride and I know no city we are staying in. All I know is that I want to give this a shot. If I make it out of Chiang Mai alive, I'll consider my trip a success. If I have to stop along the way and be whisked away to the Marriott, I'll know I gave it a try. All I can do is try and see where it goes. I will not be hurt or sad if I don't make it the whole way. Hell, I'll be happy if I make it up the first mountain to be honest.

Tonight I met the other travelers. They are a motley group. A few hippies, a few young environmentalist, a few older father types and a entire group of excited people who hope to have the experience of a lifetime.

We ate dinner at a local restaurant. It was very Thai and very good. We all chatted, drank beer and laughed. I had to pack and get ready so I said goodnight early and made way to my hotel.

Tomorrow, we start. Tomorrow the adventure beings.

Day 1: Chiang Mai 55 plus miles

We met for breakfast at the Montri Hotel. The group was given breakfast at the hotel and it is where everyone was staying for the night. I was already registered in the Holiday Inn for the week so I just met the other cyclist there at 7AM. We went to the Tapai Gate for a photo op and to meet some of the members of the Chiang Mai bicycle club. They would be riding with us today out of the city.

We headed out of Chiang Mai first by riding around the city. We started at the Montri Hotel and started around the city and ended back at the Montri to get the support vehicles and head out of the city. After the loop around the city we headed out of the city and started on the journey.

The roads were rough and there was little traffic once we left the city. The majority of the day today , we saw very few cars at all. Everyone we passed was curious about a bunch of farangs dressed alike riding bikes and were all yelling Hello Falang.

The roads were not easy and some were big pot holes. IT was hard to navigate around them. Some were gravel, some were dirt but most were paved. The paved ones are the ones that seemed the most bumpy.

There was only one accident the whole day and it was of course, Moi. I was riding and the guy beside me wanted to miss a pot hole so he turned quickly bumping my tire and I went down fast. I landed on my hand and my wrist caught the majority of the pain. I did have a bloody knee and elbow but neither of them pained at all. My hand and wrist did hurt like hell but trying to be a "manly man" I got back on my bike, yelled to all I was OK and to keep going and I proceeded with the ride. (This was a stupid decision as you will later find out.)

From the accident, I think my ego was the most bruised. I have nothing to prove to anyone on this trip but I did hate everyone seeing my fat ass flying off a bike and shaking the pavement making the sound of an earthquake. I think the sound was heard for miles around.

We have water breaks along the way and I needed them. I filled up with water and electrolytes each stop. I made sure my body was fully hydrated. I had made a mistake with my first Lifecycle ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles and knew that I was going to avoid getting dehydrated on this journey. I had brought over my own Propel Powder packets and loads of Emergen C.

I was the first on to make it to the first water break. I was the first one to make it to the second water break. I was THE MAN. I was kicking ass on the bike and very happy. Well, as with most good things, they must come to an end. For me, it was around mile 45 that my legs were weary and my body was aching and everyone, I mean EVERYONE, passed me. The last 3 miles of the day, the directory rode with me so I would not get lost. The rest of the team made it to our hotel at least 15 minutes before me. That was OK for me and I did it the best I could but the last miles I really wanted to just jump off the fucking bike and walk. I knew I would be able to walk but my ass was sore and I didn't want to sit any longer. But, I did and my first day of riding was over.

The directory, Chris, asked us if we wanted to go to the highest spot in Thailand and to some beautiful Wat's. Most wanted to go so we loaded up the van and took off.

The mountain was a long 45 minute climb straight to the top. We stopped a few times along the way to see the waterfalls and the beautiful vegetation. It was simply remarkable and a beautiful view. The fog was out and we were not able to see far away but what I did see was truly beautiful.

We made our way down to the mountain and we started to smell the breaks burning. They were given out and they had nothing left on them. We bailed out of the van and pushed it to the side. We were on the mountain in the cold for about 2 hours. IT was cold and I was starting to get miserable. Finally a tow truck arrived and it took us down the mountain but didn't have enough room for all of us so some rode on the back of the truck and I took the risk of getting inside the van as it was being towed. I knew it was a risky move but I was freezing and didn't want to get sick so I opted for the risky road trip being towed.

The hotel we stayed at was lovely. Inthanon Riverside Resort was the name of the hotel and it was so nice and beautiful. It was peaceful and relaxing. I have a private room booked for the trip but they had a 2 bedroom bungalow that I shared with the 2 drivers. That was fine for me. The hotel is simply magnificent and I hope to return there one day with a group of boys from Pattaya to party all weekend long. The house we were in had an attached gazebo and table and chairs and I know the boys would love the lakes, the flowers and the trails all over the place.

Day one was over and I took 2 muscle relaxers to sleep better and hope that my injury would subside. Little did I know what was in store for me when I woke up.

Day 2 Ride from Chom Thong to Thoen (90 Miles/144 KM)

When I woke up, my hand had swollen quite large and was throbbing. After a nice breakfast at the hotel, one of the staff took me to the hospital to get an XRay.

I have only had great experiences with hospital in Thailand but this one was definitely a little off the beaten path. It was small, in a very rural area and not clean. I hesitated even going inside but I did. I had the Xray done and the doctor read it. It was not a specialist but just the only doctor for the hospital on staff at that moment. He said there was no broken bones and that it was sprained and to rest it for 7 days and it would be fine. I told him I was on a ride and asked if I could ride the bike and he said not a good idea but totally up to me and how I felt. He gave me some anti inflammation and some pain killers but the hospital had no wrist brace nor did the town we were in, nor did the next town, and so forth and so on.

I knew I didn't want to be taken out of the ride so I continued on. What I found most interesting about the ride today was the large number of guys walking around in groups to "get out the vote". It was a voting day and these guys were knocking on EVERY door. While 4-6 guys are not a mob, I might be intimidated not to go vote if they asked.

Today was the longest and hardest of the adventure. It was 95 miles and was really up and down mountains all day long. One mountain, we dropped 1200 meters in less than 45 minutes. What a ride.

For lunch, we stopped at a little mom and pop store and they were thrilled to have such a large group.

Once in the hotel for the night, we met for dinner and were treated to another excellent meal. The director's wife is Thai and she orders for us in advance so we are able to get what we need fast. The food choices are always different and she really does want us to try a little of everything Thai. The one thing I hated was the fish that was served. It looked like pork and I tasted it and it was very fishy tasting and then I asked what it was and was told it was fish. When I got my glasses on, I could see both the head and tail. It looked like a small overgrown guppy. ;(

The area is known for it marvelous oranges. The hotel is known for its own brand and they package them into plastic bottles. They are fresh and the taste is excellent. We also got quite a few oranges from the area to use as snacks on water breaks along the ride.

For Breakfast, the hotel had the best homemade orange marmalade that I have ever tasted. Simply divine.

The hotel did not have Internet so I went to an Internet Cafe about 30 minutes walk from the hotel. The rate was 15 baht an hour. I was there little over an hour and asked the lady about a motorcycle taxi and there were none in the town but she had one of the teenage boys take me to the hotel. I tipped him 100 baht and he thought he had hit the jackpot as he didn't know there was payment.

I also wanted a massage so I asked the bellboy at the hotel for one. He said 300 baht and I said OK. I was very excited as he was a very handsome lad. About 30 minutes a knock came at the door and it was an 80 year old day. LOL She was very strong and gave a fantastic massage but she talked to me the entire time. The conversation was in Thai and I didn't understand a word she said. She sang songs to me and tried to lullaby me to sleep. It was an interesting if not odd experience.

This hotel was not as nice as the previous one but it was the only one in this town so there wasn't much choice. The shower was Thai but the room was comfortable and the food was good.

Day 3 Ride from Thoen to Tak (60 Miles/96 KM)

We met with a small group from the town and they rode with us part of the way today.

We stopped about a local school about 20K out of the city we stayed in. The kids in the school met us outside for a ceremony and talked to us. It was such a lovely experience as I loved hearing them learn English. The word for today was Science and the entire school spelled it, said it in English and then Thai. They did this about 10 times. The school is made up of kids from 6-12. There were only 96 of them but all of them seemed happy to have us there and we had tons of smiling faces. It was a nice experience.

The entire day was supposed to be on the main highway but after the 2nd water break, the director said a local Thai bike guy wanted to take us on the back-roads. We agreed and off we went. The back-roads were beautiful and along the Ping River. It was a lovely trip.

I got off at one point in a rice field to walk in it as I have always wanted to do that. We were cheered on by a mob of local Thais.

I have passed more Thai temples than I ever thought possible. They are everywhere. In every city and small village.

Today was about 95k and the last 15 I really didn't think I was going to make it. I was tired, my legs were hurting, my ass was sore and my neck ached. I did not want to stop but my body was telling me to stop and rest. The director again rode me into the city. He stayed back with me as I was the last one as usual. He said, don't stop peddling your legs as that is what makes you want to stop. Just keep them rotating. I bitched and moaned but kept moving. Soon we were in sight of the hotel and I was able to pick up the speed the last 10 minutes or so.

For dinner we ate in the food stalls in a large food area next to the hotel. I had Pad Thai for 10 baht and a water for 7 baht. Not a bad price if you ask me.

I asked many at the hotel for a gay bar or gay club or gay anything and no one was knew.

Day 4: Ride from Tak to Sukhothai (47 Miles/75 KM)

We had breakfast at 6:30 and met with the group from Tak. They have a bicycle club and ride part of the ride with us each year. They had about 15-20 riders. We all started off together and they gradually turned back to go back to their homes.

We continued on. We had a short day today of riding and only about 85-95 K. It was supposed to put us into the next Sukhothai by around 2 and have lunch across from a temple and then ride to the hotel.

Today, I was mentally, emotionally, and physically exhausted. After 4 hard days of riding, I just was so tired I didn't think I would actually make the trip today. The riders from Tak keep me going until the first water break. I was last to pull in and first to pull out.

One of the other riders on the trip stayed back with me until the next water break and we chatted for about 1 1/2 hours. When I met him, I really thought he didn't like be because I was so openly gay. Turns out that is not the case. He is just hard to get to know for everyone. He told me that his roommate in college died of Aids and that it was the roommates lover that started the Aids Quilt. I did research this and it was true. He told me many stories about their time together. He also talked about his own family and his children. He is one of the faster riders in the group so I knew that he was staying behind only to encourage me to keep going. I didn't tell him that I really needed that today but he figured on his own after seeing the look on my face. He kept me going to the next break and it was nice to spend some quality time with him.

After the break, I had to change my tire. Yes, I have learned to do this on my own but it was nice to have men around who love doing these things so I don't have to get dirty.

I was the first out o that water break and the last one to lunch. I was a good 15 minutes behind the rest of the pack. I was all alone except for the support truck behind me following my every move. Once we made it into the city, I could not help but look around at the beautiful temples and ruins. There was one set of ruins that had a volleyball net strung up and some boys were playing. It was such a beautiful sight. I didn't have my camera but it is a memory that will be with me forever.

The ride took us by some of the most beautiful places I have ever seen.

Finally, I made lunch and some had already finished eating. I devoured all the food I could possible get in me and I had a diet coke for the first time in 4 days. After having all the water, orange juice and coconuts over the past few days, the taste of the diet coke was not the joyous experience I thought it would be. It actually tasted pretty bad and I have no craving for it at this moment in time.

After lunch we all took off together but not wanting to be the end of the caboose again, I peddled hard to reach the hotel first. LOL Well, it was only 5k and I think everyone felt so sorry for me always being last that no one really wanted to move ahead of me as I was trying to get to the hotel to book the first massage.

One thing I love about the ride is that at every turn, I have been able to get a great Thai massage and it has really helped me recover the next day. For a few hundred baht, I have found that my muscles can get much release.

Day 5: Rest Day in Sukhothai

Today was a rest day in Sukhothai. To say the temples and ruins were stunning is an understatement. The area was flourishing between the 14 and 16th centuries. I got up early to eat breakfast and took a baht bus from the hotel to the Old City. I went with another guy from the group. We hired a TutTuk driver. Not like the Tut Tut's in Bangkok or Phuket, these are motorcycles with front ends enough to accomodate 3-4 people.

We went to every temple in the Old city area and 2 other spots along town. I was simply amazed at it all. Such beauty. There was a hint of Hindu in some of the temples. There was one temple that had such a large Buddha that when invaded by Cambodia, the children of the village hid there to stay alive.

There is a great deal of history in this place and it is a registered historic treasure.

I had a great time today and loved the Thailand history lesson.

A few other things.

Before the ride began, my trusty old Mac laptop died. It was a very sad ending to a long relationship. It had been with me just about as long as the ex was with me. Both were hard to leave behind. When the laptop died I was in Chiang Mai and it was the day before the ride. I didn't want to miss the ride but knew I have to have a computer. Knowing the prices of Macs in Thailand, I thought I'll fly down to Pattaya to pick mine up. By the time I computed all the time and energy it would take to spend a day traveling to do that, I just decided to pick up another lap top. My computer in Pattaya is a large 24 inch IMac and is carried in a large 70 pound box. I called the ride director to see if I could take this monster with me and he said it would be OK. That was very nice of him but I don't think he realized what he was saying as he had not seen it. It is a monster. Anyway, I opted to buy another Mac laptop while in Chiang Mai. I bought the new 15 inch 4Gig 320 G hard drive beauty. If I am able to replace the boyfriend with just as lovely an item, my life will be complete.

It was truly a good decision to buy the laptop as at every hotel that we have stayed that has Internet (some have not) the Internet is only available in the lobby and not in the rooms. There would be NO way that I would have been able to unpack the "monster" daily to check e-mail in the lobby. Fate really did take care of me on this one.

When you do a ride like this there are several things you need: good bike shorts, good electolyte packets, good bike gloves and plenty of water. The last one is really the only one you can find in Thailand. The rest you need to bring over with you. I had brought everything but the bike shorts with me. I had to buy those in Bangkok but they only had a few of them so I have to wash them every night and leave them to dry.

The day after I twisted my wrist, I also lost one bike glove. I rode 2 days ago without one and it rubbed my hand so much that I now have blisters on them. I have medicated them and they are good to go tomorrow but the first thing I did when I got into this town was buy a good pair of bike gloves. Actually, it was not a good pair but it was the only pair they had and it was better than nothing.

I love Thai women. They make me laugh and I love joking with them. My massage lady the last 2 days has been a lot of fun. She laughs every time I yawn, everytime I pop my knuckes and every time she tickles my feet. She is just so jolly and fun loving. I have enjoyed my massages with her and while not the best massage I have had, she was the most fun to be with. Knowing I was gay, she kept playing with my nipples. I told her NO, only for boyfriend. She laughed, "I be your boyfriend" in a deep voice. And the she just laughed and laughed. I will miss her as I ride on.

Food is imported to eat and Thai food is wonderful bike riding food. It is high in energy and carbs and keeps you going. The rice has been something I have made sure I eat for lunch each day and I try to always eat some fish or chicken. Breakfast and lunch is provided each day by the tour group.

Today for lunch, I want to the Coffee Pot. It is directly across from the Museum. It had the best menu I have ever seen in Thailand and a large variety of Thai and Falang dishes. It was about 20 or more pages long with photos of each dish and the prices were very reasonable. The food was good and it was the best milkshake I have had in Thailand.

Sex is not something I have even thought about until today. On the tour of the ruins, I saw several of the structures that were very phallic in nature. I have not researched this but I will. I wonder if it was just my imagination or if it was truly meant to be that way.

I am the odd man out here. I am the only gay man on the trip and it shows. I am the only non drinker as most of the guys drink beer till wee hours of the morning and then get on the bikes to ride. I have to go to bed early and try my best to get up on time for the ride. I am not sure how anyone does it with a long night before a long ride.

There are some really inspirational stories with the guys I am traveling with. I will share some of the stories as time goes by but I have really been impressed with many of them and they have truly been kind, generous and giving to me. There is no one I dislike and no one that gives off bad vibes when we chat. It has been a very mellow group of people that just love biking and love helping other people.

I have yet to miss being in a gogo bar. It is not something I think of and not something I miss on the road. The thing I miss the most is the constant access to the Internet. When you are in the wilderness, you often have very very limited access. The hotel in Sukohthai has only one computer with Internet and its one cord is the only one that works. So only one at a time can use the Internet here.

Very few people even in the hotels speak English. I would love to come back and visit some of the villages and cities we have been in and biked through but I would bring with me a translator. It took me one hour today to find out from the hotel where a game shop was so I could get on the Internet outside the hotel. When ever I stop for breaks at mom and pop convenience stores, no one understands me at all and I just point to what I want. Unlike Pattaya, no one here has taken advantage of my lack of knowledge or the language barrier. The trip has increased my desire to learn the Thai language.

I have taken some photos of school kids at the ancient temple sites. I find them adorable. Why? They see a falang and they all start practicing their English. Hello Falang. How are you? When you speak back to them, you get a group of them around you with a teacher and they all want to ask questions about where you come from and what are you doing in Thailand. I love the inquisitive nature in them. I met one teacher today and she had me talk to a group of students about the bike ride. They all sat and listened and asked me a ton of questions. It was so refreshing for me to have people interested in learning and expanding their knowledge. It was less than 15 minutes but it was a very enjoyable 15 minutes. One girl, I think about 14 spoke better English than I do. She had no accent and her words were not typical of someone her age. They were much more advanced.

Riding on the roads I get a lot of stares and groups of people all yelling Hello. Sometimes they speak Thai to me and yell out something. I am not sure if they are saying, "hey, did you know your group is 15 minutes ahead of you? Why are you so slow?" or "Hey Falang, how does your big ass fit on that seat?" or "keep up the good work." Like I said I don't know what they say and honestly, I am not sure I want to know. But, at every turn, they smile, say hello and wave. It is so enjoyable the first 4 hours of the day and I find myself struggling to smile back after that time frame.

I guess that is enough ramblings for today. I have had a very good free day to relax, get caught up on e-mails and some business. I had a massage for 2 hours and I treated myself to a Strawberry milkshake. It was a very fun and relaxing day. Tomorrow, we are off again for about 60 miles and my pillow is calling my name. (or my Ambiem is calling it and the pillow is echoing it.)

Day 7: Ride from Sukhothai to Kamphaeng Phet (52 Miles/83 KM)

We ate breakfast at 6:30 at our hotel. We stayed at the Pailin Hotel and it was quite nice. The swimming pool was lovely and the food was good. The rooms were clean and it was inexpensive. The hotel is located between the Old city and the New city. On the same road is a Big C and tons of bars and restaurants.

We met up with the Sukhothai Bike Club and they were very friendly and fun to hang with. I loved their colorful cycling jersey.

The road today was a bit off the beaten path and full of bumps and rocks. I think I saw at least 200 dead snakes along the way. That is fine for me but luckily I did not see any live ones.

We road about 55-60 miles today and ended up in Kamphaeng Phet. We visited the historical center called Muang Kamphaeng Phet and that area is a large road that you can ride or drive and it takes you past one amazing wat after another one. It must have been a very lively place back hundreds of years ago and while we were in the ruins, I could image the monks and the food vendors and the musicians and the activity raging on in the area.

Muang Kamphaeng Phet is located along the east of the Ping River bank. The lay-out of the city is in a square-shape braced along the river. The moat Wall along the north direction is beautiful. As an ancient city of Sukhothai, during the 14th and 15th century, Muang Kamphaeng Phet is one of the important frontier city of Sukhothai through the Ayuthuya period. The city was was build strong to repel the Burmese enemies.

While at one of the ruins I saw some monks that were visiting as well and I thought it very beautiful that they were on the ruins and the photo I took of them I thought was excellent. We asked them to take a picture with us and they agreed.

The ruins drive was stunning and peaceful. It cost 100 baht per person to enter.

Day 8: Ride from Kamphaeng Phet to Nakhon Sawan (73 Miles/117 KM)

We ate breakfast again at 6:30. I really did enjoy this hotel. It was called the Chakungrao Riverview Hotel It was a nice size hotel. The entire hotel was WiFi and fast. The lobby was great. The room service was good. The breakfast was good. It was an enjoyable treat. I almost said I was sick and stayed here a day to catch up on Internet work and meet them in the next city but just could not bring myself to do it. LOL

The ride today was long and flat. There were no hills to climb or descend.

We met up with a group from Nakhon Sawan after about 90k and had a water break. We then went to a school with them where we were the featured attraction. The principal (director) was there as well as the English teacher and they welcomed us back to their school of 303 13-16 year olds. It was a middle school. They were very well behaved. One of our guys dressed as Santa and gave out candy. We told them about our ride and or goal of helping others see the benefits of cycling for health, environment, etc. It was fun visit.

The road today was stunning. I have never seen so many colors of green in my life. Rice field after ride field and sugar cane field after sugar cane field. It was simply beautiful. The only issue with the sugar cane is that they are carried by the large trucks with 2 large beds and the cane flies out onto the road. It made for a bit of a bumpy ride today in what otherwise would have been a smooth road.

The group of Nakhon Sawan went back to our hotel and had some beer with us for a bit before we called it quits and showered.

A small group of us wanted Pizza so we walked to Big C about a mile away and ate at the Pizza Company. They wanted to eat at Swansons afterwards and so I followed them in. They didn't need to pull my arm after this long day.

Nakhon Sawan is considered the gateway to the North of Thailand and is where the Ping, Nan, Yom, and Wang Rivers meet to form the famous Chao Phraya River that flows through Bangkok to the Gulf of Thailand. We have pretty much followed the Ping River from Chiang Mai almost every day. I have loved the flow of the river and the many different kinds of crops that get their life blood from the river.

Tomorrow we follow the Chao River for the day and it is an 80 mile day. So once again, I am going to call it quits early tonight as I am beat from today and want to rest up for tomorrow.

Day 9: Ride from Nakhon Sawan to Singburi (80 Miles/128 KM)

It was another killer day today with a bit over 80 miles. My ass was hurt from the past few days of hard riding and I had a stomach virus from the night before. I was up in the toilet most of the night. This was my least favorite hotel and without a doubt one I can easily forget. I was not dirty or sleezy but it was loud at night and combined with the sickness, I had no energy for the ride.

I really enjoyed the night in Nakhon Sawan and hope to go back there again to visit. As there is a marvelous temple on the hill, I really wanted to get there but had no energy to do it.

Day 10: Ride from Singburi to Ayutthaya (48 Miles/77 KM)

This was such a easy day with under 50 miles and I needed the break. It was nice to be able to be in front of the pack during the riding today. We have a very strong group of about 12 riders and I am ALWAYS at the end of the treks. Today, I was the lead into the first water break and into the second water break. I actually led the pack from the first water break to the second one. I was told that there was this amazing shake place in the city we were stopping out for the 2nd water break and I was so excited to get there. When I got there, it was a small shop, and only a bar with a few mixed drinks. When I say small, it was on the street and the guy who ran it also owned the barber shop inside. We sat outside drinking our banana shakes while the ladies were getting a hair cut. The shake was wonderful and 15 baht. That is about 40 cents. It was made with fresh bananas and ice. I am sure they also loaded it up with sugar as the sugar cane fields are abundant in the area. I asked for no sugar but they never seem to understand this and i just take what I can get. Plus, it tasted great.

We stopped at the park before Ayutthaya to see the King Narusuan The Great Monument. This is a tribute to a king who got into a cock fighting contest with another king. There are cocks all over the place. Unfortunately, it is not the kind of cocks I like but the rooster kind. Sad.

We then went to "Tony's Place"for lunch where there was a bird that greeted us saying Hello. Tony's is a small hotel that is more for backpackers but it looked lovely and fun and lots of younger foreigners here. The food was good and we were able to play a game of pool before heading onto the ferry to cross the river.

Day 11: Day off in Ayuthaya

[caeron]

Amazing story. I don't think my ass could handle sitting on a bike seat for that many hours a day, but I applaud you for it. please keep up the story, and we're cheering you on to the finish.

[TotallyOz]

Amazing story. I don't think my ass could handle sitting on a bike seat for that many hours a day, but I applaud you for it. please keep up the story, and we're cheering you on to the finish.

LOL My ass and my neck are the two things that hurt the most.

Thanks for your cheering. I need it.

[TotallyOz]

Local Day Ride from Ayutthaya to Bangkok (56 Miles/90 KM)

We started in Ayutthaya at the hotel the group was staying in. There were over 100 other riders with us today from the Bangkok clubs. It is a lot more fun with tons of characters on the roads with us. I met a great lady who works for the embassy and several other nice people. Perhaps the most exciting part of the day was riding with the blind riders from the Thai Blind Institute. They are one of our charities and it was great to see them. They were on tandem bikes and they took volunteers to ride in front with the blind students. The blind riders were strong and fearless and it was a real inspiration to see them on the bikes.

We first rode around the ancient city and some of the temples and wats there. We took a few photo ops and headed onto Bangkok. The road were good but in Ayutthaua were packed with traffic and it took us a bit to get on the back roads which carried us into the city. At one point in the road we made a left turn onto a sidewalk but the sidewalk was across a swamp but with no handrails or anything. Here we were with tons of riders with marsh to the right and the left. I am sure it was no test for those great riders but for me it was a bit scary.

We stopped in Bang Pa to see the Royal Summer Palace and we ate a very early lunch there and spent over an hour just chatting with the other riders. I met one blind guy that talked good English and I chatted with him a bit. The Palace was great to see but I don't think they actually use it much anymore.

Once we got into Bangkok the traffic was tight and rushed. To me, this was the hardest day. It was not so hard on my body as it was on my mind. I kept thinking about all the nutty taxi drivers I have known over the years and wondered if they were going to come up on me fast and knock me to the side. There was only one accident today and that was when 2 riders collided and one got a bit hurt. We had the ambulance service from Bangkok Hospital there and they took card of the rider. To my knowledge that was the only incident.

There are only about 6-7 of us that are riding the entire trip. I thought in the beginning there were 15 but many have dropped by the wayside for one reason or another. Most of them had planned to take only part of the trip and I think some have just had enough. I am still throughly enjoying the trip and do not plan to stop early.

One of the greatest guys I have met left today. He is blessed with the same name as me and he was a true inspiration to me the entire trip. He is a man that is in his sixties and was the lead rider most of the days. He is strong and tough and his knowledge of everything just blew me away. He is a retired physician and had hiked Everest and tons of other amazing things. He was always willing to share advice and sweet to everyone. His only grip ever was daily when we didn't leave on time. Like me, he is an early bird and much prefers to start the day early and miss as much of the sun as possible.

While i was in Bangkok the last few nights, I was able to get some good sunblock which I have not been able to find anywhere. I really needed it.

I was also able tonight to get the best massage I have ever had in Thailand. I went to B and N and told the manager I wanted a four hand massage with no sex but the guys MUST be strong and dig deep into my body. He picked 2 guys and off we went. They are not the ones I would have picked but the made a great choice. One of them is the strongest guy I have ever had give me a massage and it was truly needed. I was thrilled with the hour of massage and my body had a much needed break. Plus, the two guys were great with the happy ending which I didn't expect but was very pleasantly surprised.

Our ride today ended at JJ Market area. There is a park directly across from the sky train and we ended up there. The park is beautiful and was busy. I was told that many people run and job there daily around the 3k track. There was a lovely pond in the middle with lots of trees, birds, and flowers. If you go to JJ Market, walk across the street to the park for a picnic. It is a real beauty in the city.

My mind is flowing with so many amazing things that happened today that I know I will forget most of them. But, it was a fantasti

[caeron]

Blind Riders! Who would have thought?

How many hours a day are you spending on the bike? Sounds like you've actually got some free time every day.

[TotallyOz]

Blind Riders! Who would have thought?

How many hours a day are you spending on the bike? Sounds like you've actually got some free time every day.

The Blind riders were on 2 person bikes with volunteers in front. People switched on and off during the ride.

We average about 23 kilometers an hour. So most days about 4-7 hours of riding. We normally make our hotel by 3-4PM and have the evening to rest. I am not that fast and much prefer a slower pace but I have been pushing myself to keep up with the group. The three fastest riders are all older men in the 60's. They say the secret is just to keep going and never stop spinning. It took me a week to get use to the pace. Now I am OK with it. On really flat surfaces we are able to go a bit faster than 23K. My own ass gets very sore after about 4 hours and it is downhill from there.

[TotallyOz]

Ride from Ayutthaya to Suphan Buri (42 Miles/67 KM)

The hotel in Ayutthaya was nice but tons of Xmas decorations. I always find it interesting when Thais try to tell me about Christmas as they just say "farang holiday."

We had 3 nights at the hotel in Ayutthaya and I needed 3 nights at the Intercontinental Hotels to get my Platinum status for this year so I decided to go in and out each day. I had to get up by 5 the last 2 days so it was a very tiring few days. We had one day off followed by the ride to Bangkok. Then today we started to make our way around Bangkok so we can go south. There were several clubs that also met us today and we were off. There were many clubs that met us along the way and dropped out as they got far from their own city. I love all their shirts and bike gear. They are very serious about biking and plan weekly rides to stay fit. What I loved about the group today was that there were a lot of families. There was one kid who was about 12 years old and he kept up with us at 25 k an hour. His little legs were pumping hard to maintain that pace but he did. His mother did the same thing and her bike was at least 40 years old. It was a classic bike and she wore a very cute hat. The father also came on the ride with us.

At one point, I was really peddling hard to keep up. Someone said that they heard a noise and thought my breaks were rubbing. At the next water break, we checked it out. They were right. I had been riding with the break on all day. No wonder it was harder for me today than other days. The falangs tried to fix it to no avail but the Thai guys took out their tools and starting twicking and playing with it and in less than 2 minutes it was working again. They saved me a ride to the bike shop to get it fixed.

My favorite guy today was a man about 64 who said he was once champion and had hundreds of trophies. He also said I was bisexual as he saw one of my tattoos and I said no not bisexual. He said, it is OK, "I am too." I laughed.

The hospitality of the people here still impresses me. One of the groups had prepared for us a drink stop and we didn't expect or plan on it. They had drinks and snacks for us. It was a very sweet gesture. I would say there is about 50 or so riders today.

We stopped about 10k outside of Suphan Buri to eat at a local university. It was a beautiful college with great grounds, a few tennis courts, swimming pool, great landscaped lawns etc. The dining room was welcoming to us and we had a great variety of food to choose from. We ate with the students and it was fun to interact with them. All I spoke to were well versed in English and very friendly. They loved practicing their English with us. A group of gay boys had just finished a test and I chatted with them a bit. I thought about asking to stay at the university for the night instead of the hotel. LOL Or, perhaps I'll just apply for a job there.

As we rode today we saw a great deal of marsh and I was told that this is because of the dam system in Thailand. They said since Bangkok was the financial center and capital, they don't let it flood and keep things flooded upstream. We saw entire rice fields under water and I have been told the farmers are compensated when they are unable to harvest.

The roads today were fun and fast. We were able to keep up a nice pace of about 24 kph. The road took us through some beautiful country and into the city were are staying. The Thai bikers with us were great and very encouraging.

The one thing that stuck out in my mind today was a few of the Thai riders wanted us to try a turtle egg. I didn't have the balls for it but some of the guys did. What you do with a turtle egg is puncture it on the top and bottom and then suck out the inside. It was funny to watch but I was not interested in participating. After one guy tried it from our group about 20k down the road he said he was still unable to get the taste out of his mouth and that it reminded him of a luggie in his throat. I just laughed and was happy I was not did not try it.

It was a fast day today and I know I am getting more comfortable with my bike and with riding. While I was in Bangkok I went to Pro Bike and got a speedometer and a night light and a cushion for my seat. I also got some bike shoes that attach to my petals. I have never ridden with them and when I tested yesterday I was not able to get them to click in. It was a bit like a comedy of errors and I had a few guys watching me test this and they thought it was quite amusing. I was happy that the photographer was not there taking my picture trying to click in new shoes. I did notice that the media photographer kept taking photos of me on the ride to Bangkok. He even came up and leaned beneath me taking photos of my ass. I thought he was gay and thought my ass was hot and wanted to get inside. It kind of made me happy. But, as the day went on, he kept taking pictures of me and finally I figured it out. He was looking for the perfect poster boy for the ride. If he takes the photo of my ass and puts on a poster it could say, "If this mother fucker can ride the Tour de Thailand, any MF can!"

I really liked riding with the Odometer. It helped me know how far I had between breaks and hot fast I wanted to peddle. It is something I should have had all along. This is true learning experience for me. I have a great deal more to learn but I do see improvements every day and every week. There is nothing I can hope for more than to stay safe and keep learning.

[RA1]

I really enjoyed reading about the bike ride. Maybe I should say trek. Ride seems not nearly enough.

Best regards,

RA1

[TotallyOz]

Ride from Suphan Buri to Kanchanaburi (65 Miles/104 KM)

Today was a great day. We had several riders from Suphan Buri's bike club to meet us at the hotel and a lot more from Kanchanaburi to drive up in trucks with bikes attached to meet us and ride with us. Along the way, we met up with several other groups who were fun and pleasant to talk to.

I really was amazed at the speed of these riders. They are not casual riders like me. They are out for blood (so to speak). I feel very comfortable going 23kph. To me, that is a perfect pace and when I push a little higher I am OK but a lot higher and it is a rough day for me. Some of the clubs today were hitting over 42kph and zooming in and out of their pack. It was beautiful to watch as they passed by me at each break. One would lead for a bit and then duck back and another take the lead. It was simply beautiful to watch.

We stopped for a photo shoot at another monument and then had a bite to eat for lunch. We then went to one of the rider's homes as this was his last day. His wife had tea and biscuits for us and we had drinks on their porch. It was quite nice and a good way to say goodbye to him. He is 72 years old and he was one of the fastest riders every day. He is English and had an encylopedic knowledge of Thailand and Asia. He has lived here for about 20 years and speaks fluent Thai and is part of the bike team for this city.

The guys neighbor is the one who designed the war cementary museum. I got to meet the guy and chat with him just a bit. One the way to the hotel, we stopped at the cementary and had a look. It was such a moving experience.

For dinner, we took all the Thai riders out to eat at the Jolly Frog. I was impressed with how many showed up and I think we had around 25 at our table. It was a lot of food, laughter and funny stories. The funniest thing for me is that the guy riding with us who ended his journey today was sitting next to me when I made some outrageous comment. When I wasn't listening, he asked the other guys, "Is he a gay?" They all laughed as they didn't know he had missed the last 2 weeks of me asking every hotel where the gay bars were.

The next day we had a day off. We decided to go to the Hell Fire Pass. It is a museum that tells the story of the Japanese occupation of Thailand and the 100,000 men who died to make a railway to connect Burma and Thailand to the south. It is dedicated to the men and women who died and suffered while working on the construction of the Burma - Thailand railroad during the second World War. The museum was free and beautifully done. The trip down the mountain was filled with wooden steps and then onto gravel and the actual railroad itself. It led us to the cutting that was made by prisioners of war and Asian laborers. We had audio devices that told the story as we walked along the 400 meters of the railroad. The story was sad and made me really appreciate how lucky I have been in life.

We then took a train back into town and were able to see some of the beautiful mountain ranges to both sides of the train on the horizon. We also rode past the River Kwai several times and along the cliffs of the river. The ride was great and we ended just after the bridge as we went across into down. The ride lasted about 2 hours but was well worth it. We saw an elephant gazing at one point as well as tons of farmland, mountains and streams. Lots of little towns and villages were on the stops for the train. The 2 hour journey from the top to the city was 100 baht.

I didn't get to the waterfall as we decided it wasn't hot enough to go swimming there and opted for the railroad visit.

Tomorrow is our halfway point and our journey south. Soon we will be on the ocean and riding down toward Phuket. That will be in a few days when we get close to Hua Hin. As usual, tonight, I am off to bed early to try to prepare for the coming day.

[caeron]

The turtle egg story made me laugh. I probably would have tried it and regretted it.

My partner and I walked into a Malaysian place here in Portland OR, and noticed pig intestine on the menu. "Oh, chitlins" we thought, and decided we'd try it.

When it arrived, I scarfed a piece up and put it in my mouth. The flavor was appalling. I didn't stop to think, and spit it into my napkin. My partner hadn't noticed this, so I gamely told her, "Wow, this is interesting, you should try it."

She's way too polite for her own good, and the expression on her face was priceless. She hadn't noticed I'd spit mine out, so she managed to choke down a piece, tears coming down her face. She wasn't very happy with me later when she found out that I'd spit it out.

[BiBottomBoy]

I'm curious if the guys in your group were British.

I've noticed that people from the UK seem to have an unlimited ability to drink beer all night and then be super athletic first thing in the morning.