68 Days, 4,169 Kilometers, 19 Provinces.

1 Happy Heart, 1 Happy Stomach, A Blown Mind, and 2 Tired Legs.

My best friend started a blog in 2009 and is now a professional travel blogger.  He is patient, hard-working, and dedicated to what he is doing.  3 necessary traits in his chosen career, but there's also something else - luck!  He has a unique personality, not weird, but just special, the special kind of cool that gave him what it took (and don't forget luck!) to make it quite big on the internet these days.  I saw recently that his site is ranked #9 on the Top 100 Travel Blogs (worldwide!).  That is impressive to say the least, considering that when we were hanging out in 2008, sleeping on friend’s couches, neither of us owned a computer.  

Whenever I have the chance to spend a day with him in Bangkok, we still walk around exploring the Thai street food options… but now it is rare to go a day without someone running up to say, “hey are you Migration Mark?  What’s good to eat around here?”

I am not saying that I want to be a professional writer, I am just saying that I know first and second-hand what it takes to make it online.  He told me that he started his blog though, at first really just to keep track of his own travels - for himself!  After so many cool places, great experiences, and life-changing meals, he just didn’t want to forget about some of the things he had been able to do!  (And if you do want to start, here is a great article on how to do it for yourself! http://migrationology.com/2015/04/how-to-start-a-travel-blog/)

I watched him for years, I registered for a site as well, but only wrote the very first post on two different blogs... then stopped completely.  But I finally understand exactly what he was talking about!  This year I completed a bike trip that, to me, seems to be the kind of thing I will look back on and name high on the list of the coolest things that I have ever done.  I went on one decently long bike trip before, 13 days, and I definitely have forgotten a few of the things I saw - I planned these trips out, was so excited, and had so much fun during the trip - how can I now be forgetting so many things that I did?  The people I met?  The stuff I saw?  This trip was quite a bit longer too, so it would take awhile to detail the highlights, and a long time for sure when thinking about them to myself!  For my family and friends to enjoy reading, but definitely for myself as well, let me not waste any more time.  Here's a recap...

I rode for 68 days, covering 4,179 kilometers.  2 days in Laos, extending my visa for 2 months, and the rest in Thailand.  Some days taking short exploratory rides in and around the towns I visited with new cycling friends, other days riding 8-10 glorious hours to get from from one provincial capital to another.  All in all, I think that I have explored 19 wonderful provinces on this trip, and here is a shot of the map on my bedroom wall - I keep track of all the places I have either spent the night in, taught English in (usually an English camp but sometimes just on my own), or explored by bicycle - and I am excited to think about how many new districts I visited on this trip alone.

Hey!

If you would like to just look at the photos, very understandable and they are probably cooler anyway, time efficient as well, then just look at the second part here, and please tell me which picture was your favorite in the comments at the bottom!!

Here’s an abbreviated photo essay of how a 68-day cycling adventure went…

http://krujoelrides.blogspot.com/2016/02/photo-essay-68-days-4169-kilometers-and.html

Short version first :)

From my house in Chumpuang, Korat —> left July 4th…

South to Sa Kaew, Prajinburi, train North to Khon Kaen, rode to Mahasarakam, Roi Et, and finally Nakon Panom.

3 Day Break.

Khon Kaen, Udon, Nongkhai to Vientiene, back down to ake the train to Kon Kaen, then rode to Petchabun and Pitsanulok, bus to Lampang.

5 Day Break.

Lampang to Lampun, Chiang Mai, back to Payao, Nan, and on down to Phrae.

2 Day Break

Train down to Lopburi, rode to Nontaburi, Nakon Patom, Kanjanaburi, and finally

—> train out, then a short ride to Chumpuang, arriving on September 12th.

I started off this trip getting to hang out with my best buddy, my first day back in Thailand after a summer visiting the USA.  His mother-in-law prepared one of the best meals I have ever taken part, usually the case with meals in which she has a hand, and I had a conversation with Mark about how cool it is to still wake up every day and be hungry for Thai food after living here for 6 years.  If only for this, I consider myself lucky to still live here!

I had just come back from visiting the USA, from my sister’s wedding, and I knew that I had some serious free time in hand before my next job started.  As of October 1st, I will be teaching in Mahasarakam, things are gonna get serious for about a year, and I wanted to do something great with the free time I had left.  10 weeks is quite a sizable chunk of time, and I needed to find something to do that would get me ready for the next page of life, both in heart and mind… but also something cheap!  I haven’t had a job in months, but luckily, the cost of living here is easy on the wallet - Thailand gives me a few options :)

I could either go back to my town in Chumpuang, teach at my old school but for a reduced salary, or just send a few messages to some friends around Thailand, let them know I’m setting out to visit them each by bicycle, and see what was out there for me to learn, from both my own self, from Thai-strangers-soon-to-be-friends, and from the Creator of all this lovely nature around me. 

Several friends graciously extended open invitations, a few family members told me I was crazy (a mix of shirking responsibilities, also the safety of going alone, I think all life is like this, but I seem to have a great guardian Angel so I was ready for a test)...

I thought, “this is the last year of my 20’s… Why not start off big!?”

The experiences anyone would have while traveling alone for 10 weeks, even in one’s home country, by bike and by train… I know that people have written entire books with less.  I am lucky to have this computer on which I can record my thoughts and feelings, but I can’t hope to pay due tribute to how awesome some of the people were who helped me out along the way.  I guess that is how travelers always feel, parting with a heartfelt thank you, hoping that you understand each other enough to just enjoy the time shared together, and bless each other with good wishes for whatever will come next.  Memories are all that some people live for, but try to not make too big a deal of trying to hold on to things that will always be momentary.

I guess I get the memories thing in a way, but the present is such a precious thing… anyways.  In short, I will write down a lot, but of course there’s always so much in life that can’t ever properly be put down on a page.

(Unless you are Jack Kerouac.  Then you can get pretty darn close! :) )

I got back to my house in Chumpuang, dusted off my sitting room table, and set down my bags.  I had only been there for about 3 hours, and it had been just long enough to have coffee and lunch with one friend.  I had been gone almost 3 months, and so I really missed not just some people, but small-town life in general.  I definitely feel at home in Thailand, completely comfortable in this little country town.  I began to think of how I should prepare for the bike trip - maybe I should relax for a few days first?… Ha!  No way!  I got out the train time-table and started planning routes.  Now that I have been down all the main roads within 1 day's travel (by bicycle) of my town, I now use the train to get myself out of the area, sometimes ride back, or sometimes find a new direction altogether as things often happen when riding alone.

Two of my favorite students, now 6th graders at my (old) school, Anuban Chumpuang Wittaya.

I didn’t have long to think because at that moment, the kind of thing that seems to happen to me quite often, a friend called with some travel plans.  He was in his truck, just leaving Bangkok (about 5 hours from my house when driving your own vehicle) and heading to Esaan, needing to visit the province in which he registered his work permit.  He asked the rhetorical question, “Would I like to come along for a few days?”  Even if I had been thinking I should hang around in Chumpuang for a few days to greet all my old friends first, James was an even older friend, and one of the best traveling buddies anyone could ask for. Road trip around Esaan? Of course!

We actually ended up setting what I’m sure could be a record, not just visiting, not just driving through, but actually having appointments in and doing stuff in 7 different provinces in 24 hours!! 

Ok so, James was going to meet me at the closest large intersection (happens to be 49km from my town), and so I had to go max speed while readying my bike.  My gear totaling to 15kgs of food, clothes, and bike supplies, I was solidly prepared for a trip of unknown length.  Unfortunately for weight, but work would sometimes require it - I had to bring my laptop with me too, as well as jeans and real shoes.  I bit my tongue over this, already thinking how to shave a few hundred grams here and there, “why do I need to add jeans and trainers to this load!?”  But, during the next months, I was lucky enough to only have to carry about 5-6kgs on my bike at any given time!  For as much as 3 solid weeks, and then off and on again for 6 more, I was able to put my biggest bag in the back of James’ truck, he would drive ahead to the next camp, and I would meet him (sometimes as much as a week later).

The routes that I took for this bike trip actually went to and from places that I would be working for 2-3 days at a time, as a student trainer with the amazing English Camp team of Dragonfly, and this truck and I would be crossing paths very frequently.  I was going to ride, work (as a trainer in these camps, the same kind of camps that I did when I first came to Thailand in ’09), and then do my best to ride on again to the next location, wherever it may be.  Sometimes just a day in between, but one time a break for 9 back-to-back-to-back lovely cycling days exploring the hills of Petchabun, parks in Pitsanulok, and meeting up with many old friends in Kon Kaen.

Ha! I just remembered, actually I could mention the Southern Province of Phuket in the list above, (although I didn’t ride my own bicycle), as a Technical College hired us to fly down to Phuket, host an English camp for 36 intense hours of fun, great food, and a very late night and rowdy talent show, then fly back arriving in BKK at 2AM!  Intense.  I slept at a very kind friend's house until 7AM, hunted down some fruit from street carts in Praram 9, and jumped back on my bike, fully fueled and ready to go!

Of the 19 provinces I visited, 9 of them included at least one day of English camp.  Sa Kaew actually for 6 days of camp, Lampang for 6, and Phrae for 8 wonderful days (see the photo essay)!  These turned out to be the best 3 provinces of the trip.  Staying longer meant getting to know the kids at each school a bit better, and for the cycling too it was just great!  I was able to explore these areas much more fully, having a guaranteed bed to come back to each night allows for more hours of fun during the day - and as to the truck going along with, wow what a help in so many ways.

I would make some money along the way assisting with the camps, be able to ride in and around the provinces in which we worked, but then ride much further than I would have been otherwise able because I could use the truck as support.  The really long days from one province to the next, I almost never had to carry the full weight of my gear.  Its easy to tell the difference between riding in just a jersey and shorts compared to carrying my 3kg backpack, but another story entirely when riding with the full 15kg on the back rack, bags sticking out, the wind slowing you down… It feels like riding in mud.

Clothes, Sandals, Backpack full of Fruit, Tool Pouch, and 2 Full Bottles ~ 8kgs.
On this day I rode from Phayao all the way to Nan -160km crossing 2 Mountain Passes.
I had fun working hard today, but it was still much easier without
the full side Panniers, the touring bags add another 3kg each at least...

The few days I rode with full gear were interesting in their own right.  I actually had to forcibly change my attitude, had to think of riding differently.  Not trying to make time, not trying to get good results on Strava, not able to speed up hills, and just treating the bicycle as a vehicle and myself a passenger… otherwise the difference in speed can get demoralizing!  (I nearly turned around to head for a bus station after climbing one specifically beautiful and quite steep 890-meter hill, bike feeling heavy, just outside of Lom Sak, Petchabun.  Not having warmed my legs up, heading straight up the hill carrying all my gear, the sun dropping and nervousness building (I didn’t know where I was staying that night), it was not the best opening to the next bit of cycling.  But man things turned around!!

Later in the trip I actually came this route again, carrying only a light backpack, and it literally felt like a wind was blowing me up the hill I climbed it so fast.  Breathing evenly, not even sweating, It was actually fun! :) )

For some specific trip highlights… I don’t even know how to list them all without making 20 separate entries, but ok, I'll find ways to keep them both short and fun!

Please leave comments or questions below, and have a great day!  Thanks for reading!  Work hard, and then Relax Hard as well, and if you're riding - Ride Hard, but Ride Safe!

My Heatmap from this trip!  Possibly my favorite feature of Strava's GPS Tracking...

- Joel