Day 7: Sawankhalok - Chat Trakan - Frankie goes to.....Indochina

December 22, 2017 to December 23, 2017

Day 7: Sawankhalok - Chat Trakan

Routing: # 101, 1180, 1255, 117, 4019, 1204, 3032, 1246, 1143

Up early as the dogs were annoyingly loud again last night. One of the things I absolute dislike here in Thailand. Nobody else seems to care though. Early start usually means early finish though and I was happy to be rolling before 8 am. It was not going to be the most difficult of days topographywise but the prevailing northeasterly winds are definitely a different issue. To be expected at this time of year which makes it easier to deal with for me.

I was aiming for a guesthouse shown on google.maps in a village called Ban Dong after 84 km and I let google do the whole routing.
Their suggestion looked good enough for me and I have to say I really did enjoy that ride entirely through pastoral countryside. Nothing much to take photos about but very gentle for the eyes while riding along. You know what I mean? Hardly any sensational views but very pleasant at the same time. When you see all the different road numbers above your first thought might be: How on earth did your find your way? It is actually pretty much a successive track and only on the 4019 I had to stop a couple of times to find my bearings due to the lack of markings. While having the first of these stops the first cyclist I met on the road stopped next to me. Heinz from Cottbus in Brandenburg, my favourite state in Germany when it comes to cycling. We chatted for quite a while but then he continued south towards Phitsanulok while I proceeded east. A shame really as I could have seen myself in his company for a while.

Pancake flat all morning but once on the 1246 the road slowly started rising with several undulations, becoming even more intense for the last 16 km on the 1143. Nothing really serious though and I was still in good
shape when arriving in Ban Dong just before 3pm. I couldn´t find that little guesthouse or homestay though despite asking around. Unfortunately my mobile signal had completely disappeared and I couldn´t do any further research. What to do? With plenty of daylight in hand I decided to continue, having seen the signs for the next bigger town (Chat Trakan) saying 21 km. No idea about the further route as such though and the punishment was waiting just 4 km down the road. Only 1.5 km long but a bitch of a climb. Pushing 50+ kg up that ramp at 30 degrees C with my legs slowly starting to get tired was a real tester but I made it! Once on top I stopped at a gas station and tried to investigate what the last 15 km would look like. The nice owner did not speak a single word of English but understood my request regarding more climbing or not. "Nit noi!" -
only a little bit was his answer and he was spot on. Actually a very easy run into Chat Trakan as the wind had turned to my favour and so the first triple figures for this trip were up. Usually nothing to write home about but with my current condition in mind it gives me confidence that I am ready for the two more difficult stages coming up over the next few days.

But that wasn´t the last good news for today. As always I stopped at the
first 7eleven when approaching town to have a cold soda and consult
google.maps with it. It showed the first guesthouse just round the corner along the 1143. I liked Therapol GH from the first sighting as they painted the whole place in fresh colours and the owner was happy to show me rooms at all available price levels: 250 / 350 / 400 and 450 Baht. The most suitable for me was one at the back of the building with a little balcony and excellent wifi. It turned out to belong to the cheapest category as well: 250 Baht! I still can´t believe that quote and will have a couple of extra photos - I am sure you will agree this is a great deal. That´s one of the reasons why I am staying an extra night before I hit the demanding terrain on my way towards the Mekong north of Loei.

My typical breakfast stop for either a noodle or rice soup. Very basic but reliably good stuff!

What a mess and effort for just one meal! The guy with the battery on his back is stunning the fish by electric shocks

Finally! I hadn´t seen any buffaloes so far. They were starting to group though and I decided on a rapid exit

My first unintentional century. A good opportunity to introduce the best bicycle computer I ever possessed. The GPS based data are extremely accurate but I still have to learn how to "produce" my own maps and charts

The Therapol Guesthouse in Chat Trakan, my home for two nights

My room for 250 Baht; ensuite bathroom on my right; excellent wifi

The software generating the chart shows 7 km more than I have done and must have extended at the very end. More importantly: The inclines shown are accurate though

Today's ride: 110 km (68 miles)
Total: 679 km (422 miles)

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