Day 1: Chiang Rai - Wiang Pa Pao - Frankie goes to.....Indochina

December 10, 2017

Day 1: Chiang Rai - Wiang Pa Pao

Routing: #1211, 118

I woke up at 10 pm last night to torrential rainfall basically lasting all night. I was really concerned there would be another night in Chiang Rai. Don´t get me wrong, I really like the place but in the end I am here for cycling. I still have not fully recovered from that cold but almost parallel to the start of the rainfall I felt the coughing finally brought some „result“. I guess I was afterwards sound asleep for at least 5 hours and when my alarm went off at 7 am I felt good. Not great but ready to leave! Got my gear organized and after a swift good-bye to the Nicol-Family I was sitting in the saddle. Finally! Can still hardly believe it as I was really, really sick only two days ago. ENOUGH! It´s hopefully all about cycling from now on.

The bad weather had indeed moved completely through by 9 am and it was back to glorious sunshine with up to 32 Celsius in the afternoon. This is good and bad news at the same time for me. I really damaged my face skin while on Magnetic Island / Queensland some 30 years ago. Ever since just sunblock (50+) is not good enough but I do need extra
shelter. When you travel north to south in Thailand you will
obviously have the sun right in your face all day. That´s why I need a cap with a brim underneath my helmet and that reliably gets my head boiling when the temperatures rise above European standard. And it that´s exactly what happened today, more about it later.

The first 26 km out of Chiang Rai on #1211 are by no means exciting but it is flat and good to get those thighs warmed up. Then you come to a small village where the 1211 makes a 90 degree left turn. You go straight through which is obviously the logical connecting route to Hway 118 anyway. I loved this bit, that´s where the photos of the harvested rice were taken. After only a few km you will merge with Hway 118. A lot of fellow cyclists will not like the heavy traffic on
the 118 but I didn´t mind as it has a wide shoulder, sometimes even wider than the vehicle lane. Only when you approach Mae Suai (half way between Chiang Rai and Wiang Pa Pao) there are some ascent/descent sections where they sacrifice the shoulder for a third lane. But hey! We are in Thailand. People will look after you.

From Mae Suai it is pretty flat until km 70. And those next 5 kms over three nasty if not long hills did it to me. On the third one I ran completely out of steam and with my head temperature very likely in fever territory I still wonder how I made it to my hotel. Mind you I am only blaming myself! With all my experience I should never ever have had a first day with 90+ kilometers. In particular not with my recent medical history: More than 3 years basically no decent rides
due to the shoulder operations; 5 weeks before departure an
additional umbilical hernia operation and then of course the nasty flu over the last few days. Ridiculous but I will never learn this lesson! I have done it many times before and obviously adrenalin and endorphin do dominate my decisions when it comes to cycling.

Do I sound negative about my day? I am not. I am more than thrilled I was out there again and the Bighouse Hotel is just what I needed at the end of a long day. Large immaculate rooms with fridge and kingsize bed are 450 Baht. Bicycle in the room if you wish but the space in front of your room is sheltered and perfectly ok. I had alovely portion of Pad Pik Gaeng Moo on their terrace and the accompanying beer comes almost at supermarket prizes. Thumbs up if
you don´t need any town center activity.

Perfect for an early morning start! Sliced papaya and some other pieces of fruit. 20 Baht are 50 €-cents.

My regular shopping list before I do start riding:
-The mosquito racket is bulky but an absolute night-saver
-Those thongs (50 Baht) are the most comfortable ones to me and I go through at least one pair per month
-All stuff from the pharmacies is incredibly cheap (but no worse than the brand ones) and I stock up on electrolytes, lozenges, diclofenac, acyclovir and various other ointments against skin rashes and wound infections

Nine limes for 10 Baht are a great purchase but even more weight to be carried. I don´t care as I love squeezing some refreshing acidity into my soda while I am having my drink stops.

Thai people do love their group photos! No chance for me to get a clear shot of the "Singha Lion"

Those three sisters were delighted to display the produce of their lovely family garden

Harvest time! I still have to find out what happens to all those rice bales

Along Hway 118. Look at that shoulder - not bad at all. The traffic was far more dense on this Sunday afternoon than it comes across here though

I am still undecided whether or not I should have a map like this at the end of every riding day. I would like to hear your opinion: Useful or waste of time?

Today's ride: 93 km (58 miles)
Total: 123 km (76 miles)

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