Near Mae Taeng to Chiang Dao

December 6, 2023

I was pretty tired by the end of the day even though I only covered 25 miles. The first notable hill had a couple of steep sections and I had to stop and rest as my calf muscles were burning. I started to panic as I thought, “If this is what the hills are like today, I’m screwed!”

Thankfully, that was the worst one and I managed all the others with ease as they were gentle slopes for the most part. Lush jungle scenery was the theme today and remote terrain once I left Mar Taeng.

And welcome to Thailand. Where poorly placed electrical wires wreck all the scenic views and pictures

Wtf?! I didn't know I'd be where there were wild elephants! No worries, just ahead there was an elephant training center. False alarm! 🤣

That's me, 58 and going semi-strong....soon to be strong as soon as I get some miles under me

Okay, let's just get this out of the way. I'm "mad" at Bryan Adams. If you know me, you know I'm a huge fan of his music. I actually planned my European bike trip in time to return to see his Phoenix and Portland shows. I ALWAYS take a picture of milepost 69 in reference to his song "Summer of 69." Heck, I've even got other friends doing it on my behalf. So, I paid for a meet and greet with him after the show. I had a poster of my various 69 pics with my bike. Since I had front row seats, he actually saw it during the show and gave me a smile. I asked him if he would sign my poster instead of his CD we got during the show. He replied, "I'd rather sign my cd, but tell me about these pictures." Okay, I get it. He probably has some protocol to follow, but to say I was disappointed was an understatement! So now, it's a running joke whether I will take any more "69" milepost pictures. So here, I'm working my way towards 69, but lucky for me, I turned off the highway onto another road just in the nick of time. Crisis averted! 🤣

I took a little break at a dilapidated rest area despite the menacing dogs across the way barking at me!

Can't see the mountain, but the fields look nice

I met a cyclist at the first 7-11 l saw as I returned to civilization and we chatted for about an hour. I only had about 4 more miles, but much to my dismay, the hostel I planned to stay at only had dorm beds left and no a/c. Went to my next choice and they only had 1 night available. After a bit more searching on my phone, I was hot and just decided to take it. Super cute and a “swimming pool” more like a plunge pool, but I appreciated it. Hotel: Chiang Dao Reset. Cute little cottages and friendly, English speaking owners.

Note: beds in Thailand are notoriously hard. It's lucky to find softer ones. These were definitely on the firm side, but I was tired and went to bed early and slept well until the downpour woke me up in the middle of the night.

Today's ride: 25 miles (40 km)
Total: 116 miles (187 km)

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