The Long Road From Lam Klong Ngu National Park to Bang Rai

I woke up this morning, March 13, hot and aching. After hitting the snooze for the last time I arise like a zombie and shoved all my gear scattered about the abandoned building in the Phu Toei National Park compound into my panniers. Eating a breakfast of three mini bananas I am off up the road trying to get through the park. I know that once I get over this pass I will be descending to sea level since I am now heading away from the mountains and east to the Gulf of Thailand. My plan was to get to Chai Nat, about 110km away, however, I made it 25km to the city of Ban Rai and now sit in front of a fan at full blast. Everything was wrong this morning, my clothes were dirty to the point of worry, my legs were crippling, my arms felt numb, and my mind needed a bed and my body needed a shower. I am glad that I am here. I love to complain ;)

Eating my breakfast of a big fat watermelon I was welcomed by Mr. Sun.

My trip total now is at whopping 1053km. Its a good feeling to know that you have cycled over
1000km. Getting a hotel for the day/night seems well warranted. I also have climbed 12030m, that is too much climbing. I am glad to give my knees a break for the next couple days by sticking to the flats.

Heading East towards Lopburi for now. Leaving the mountains for a while. I should encounter some in Cambodia as well.

How about a little post from yesterday's ride. It already seems so far away. That's the thing about cycle touring. Everyday that you spend on your bike is so long that looking back just a few days ago seems like you are looking back a week. I didn't write anything about this day yesterday but I can remember a lot!

I woke up on a little shops balcony where I was waved away by glowing smiles and goodbyes. I will always remember the hospitality of this nice little Thai/Chinese couple. They let me into their home, they let a stranger sleep on their balcony and fed me a delicious Thai dinner and breakfast. They also provided me with about two glasses too much of Chang beer giving me a slight hangover when I woke at 6. Saying goodbye was hard since they really wanted me to stay another day but after telling them about my visa problems and the distance I needed to cover they let me leave.

"So how far are you going?" ... "Oh, well I hope like 90km." .... "Haha, you won't get that far, you have two mountains to climb!"

So off I went with a full stomach and high hopes for the day. I had some serious climbs today. And that's what I did, I climbed, slowly, but surly. The views were exceptional and the road snaked its away around and around and eventually popped out the other side where the descent was just as long and windy. It was great morning of climbing and descending! Not to much more to report on. I rode the bike for about 8 and a half hours and got 83km under my belt. It was a long, hard, and satisfying day.

Up and up I went.

Sweat in the eye is a common cycle touring problem.

With that day all done I should also write something about the 1st day of my long absence. That day was next level. I already wrote an entry so I'll just copy and paste it on here...

 March11
Everything was soaked through when I woke up. I hit the snooze to postpone the mayhem of packing and getting ready to hit the road. The snooze finishes and the alarm is off again. I think about another ten minutes. I better not. I find the cleanest clothes that I have… not much and throw them on quickly. I hunt for my headlamp which is always a difficult task. Found it. I unzip the fly and I can’t see a thing, so much condensation in the air. No its not raining, it is so foggy! Ahh oh well just something new in Thailand. I don’t worry so much about everything getting soaked because I know that it will dry when the death heat sun comes out.

The Foggy morning. I am actually still on pavement at this time!

I’m on the road now, I decide not to go get breakfast in town. I pre bought two canned coffees the evening before and I found some hot water in the ranger station to make some instant noodles. I also have some odds and ends in my panniers somewhere I think. So I’m off, after some minor climbs the road kinda stops and it turns into a sort of trail going through some plantation of sorts. I double check google maps and it says just keep on going. So I do, and after about 50km of total shit I make it to the ferry. I really can’t describe the emotions I went through today. But I will tell you in what order they had happened in. First I was like “Sweet, I’m going through this sweet little trail. I wonder when it will turn into cement.” Then I was “Man it’s been like 20km, should be cement pretty soon.” Finally “Fuck, where the hell am I!” By then I was pushing my bike up a hill for the third time. After climbing and descending, and climbing and descending, and well, you get it. I came to this really big descent to the lake that you would think sweet, I’m going downhill. But the bumps and rocks made that descent so bad that I had to really calm myself down, for my mood was so low that my bikes well being was in danger. (Not really). I honestly didn’t see any vehicles for like 97% of that 50km to the lake. 

Pavement to this. Muddy tires and legs followed.

 Anyway, I got there eventually. 50km in like 7 hours I think. Horrible timing but I got it done. The ferry ride was relaxing, I got to dry all my tent stuff. It was about 40bht to cross the lake.

Taking a break. I might of threw the bike to the ground there.

The road to the top. 

My stinky shoes.

Drying my clothes on the ferry. I am also recovering in the shade.

Me not getting breakfast was a horrible idea. My lunch was glorious though.

 I got across and immediately swam. The water was so warm. A nice little dog saw me swimming, barked at me for like 5 minutes then decided that I was no threat and start to swim with me. We became good friends for like 7 minutes, then I left. The road from the ferry is gravel, but its in a better condition. I think after 5km I came to what was heaven…or a highway. :) Great moments of jubilation filled my heart.There was even a shop and I spent a 100bht on liquids and snacks.

After the ferry swim. There is the dog who accompanied me.

I then preceded biking north, on the highway, and it was amazing. I went about 70km today. I have no internet here so I can’t check all the stats.

I am staying at a shop. After asking..well I mean acting out to about 20 different people I was looking for a place to sleep, this guy let me set my tent up on his balcony. He is a life saver, or a saver of a shitty night somewhere else. Thats about all. I guess this will be posted at a later date.