We jumped back in the touring mode today and left our accommodations in Chiang Mai where we recharged the adventure batteries the last two months. While in CM during that time we met some amazing new friends and fellow cyclists, Dell (an expat from the UK), and Aaron (a soon to be expat from the USA) that joined us for the first 38km of our 108km day to the appropriate named town of HOT. We found a great little bungalow for 350 Bhat (10.97 USD), and took a nice cold shower, washed our stinky cycling clothes, relaxed in the air conditioning, and happy we beat the rainstorm that happened right after we checked in.
It was a nice break in CM, but we were both more than ready to get back in the saddle and make our way down to Phuket for my 50th birthday in 5.5 weeks. The Carrots in Phuket will be my sister and eight of our friends flying in for the celebration. We are both always excited when we get to see friend’s from back HOME, and this will be the first time a FAMILY member has visited us since we left San Diego 15 months ago.
It was a beautiful ride with blue skies and white fluffy clouds, landscaped in rice fields and stunning mountains. The temperature when we started was perfect but soon escalated as it does this time of year in Thailand. We’ve given ourselves 4.5 weeks to get to Phuket which is plenty of time being 1600km (1000 miles) until we reach those nine carrots we can’t wait to hug and see. Because our minds think in ALC (AIDS/LifeCycle) terms at times, that’s just under 2 ALC’s but not near the elevation all those amazing humans will endure in a couple of weeks this year June 3-9. Chiang Mai is up in the Northern part of Thailand so we should be going all/mostly downhill…..right Tim?
I’m going to try and blog more through here especially on our cyclying days and might throw in a couple more if you’re lucky or I’m feeling it. Writing for me always seems like a chore and I want it to be poetic with perfect grammer and punctuation most importantly (Thank YOU I guess to my high school & college English teachers). Since we’ve been gone, I’ve enjoyed more of the photo blogging and hashtagging 😆 on Instagram, so I won’t promise you how long or short and sweet these posts will be. With that being typed, “That’s all for now Folks”
Start Time & Temp. 8:15am 23.1C (73.6F)
Saddle Time 4:39:37
Distance 108km (67miles)
Elevation 402m (1319ft)
End Time & Temp. 2:53pm 39.8C (103.6F)
Less loaded this time without the front bags and “stuff” we could live without until we get to Phuket.
Pork Holy Basil at our lunch stop for 55 Bhat ($1.72 USD)
The Ping River
The butt of this classic Volkswagen Beetle is as young as I am born in 1968.
Our bungalow for the night in HOT 🇹🇭. Little Pink Houses by JCM (I’m an IN boy at ♥️)
Still loving hearing about your travels! Great photos and I know you must be happy to be back in the saddle again (and I, like you Steve, love proper punctuation, grammar, etc., even on social media…)! Posts from you both are awesome and inspiring! When you are back in the US, I’d love to do the AIDS ride with you! Missing you bunches!! xooxoxox
Thank YOU Lisa. ♥️ You and Miss you too. We are going to hold you to the ALC thing. That would be amazing.
Safe trip gentlemen.
Enjoyed your post today. Noticed the Baht had declined a bit since my cousin resided in Bankok. Was about 5 cents then. Enjoyed the pictures. Be safe while making lifelong memories. Earlene says Hi.
Always a pleasure to read along. Thank you. How’s the WheelsConnections coming along?
Great post. Love the photos. You are a good writer — speak from your heart and all is good! Mom
Pink houses from John Mellencamp popped in my head when I saw that pink house….yours too ? Safe travels.
Carrots??
My sister and 8 other friends are the 🥕🥕’s that will meet us in Phuket for my 50th