What a special day and I don´t really know where to start. I guess doing it chronologically will help you best to feel what I have been through and why I am feeling that good (9 pm) right now. I had my alarm set for 7 am as always when the day ahead looks rather challenging. After getting up I do calculate with one hour until I do actually sit in the saddle to leave. Today I had a bit more time in hand as my hotel in Loei had been booked in advance. So I rolled the bike out of the room to check the tyre pressure. Oops, the front wheel wobbles. I must have forgotten to tighten the quick clamp. No, it is tight! Damned - the bearings must have gone. No noise with it but still very concerning as my front panniers are not lightweights.
While I was rearranging my luggage to shift some weight from front to back the son of the hotel owner came over to ask how much the bike would weigh. The 50 kg answer made him nod in respect but instead of lifting the bike to check out those figures he leaned his own full weight on the saddle. Before I could interfere I heard one of the kickstand screws snap. Problem no. 2! Cable binders will only do for a while.....
Where was this day gonna go? I got some immediate advise on a few bike shops in Loei from the excellent Thailand Bicycle Touring facebook group. Well, getting there was my first concern! In the end the front wheel kept rolling without causing anymore thoughtfulness but the usual suspects made the morning hard for me. The 2013 rises in several steepish terraces until it merges with the 21 after 17 km.
And that Hway 21 is even worse. Not one flat kilometer over the next two hours - just up and down. On top of that the northeasterly had gotten even stronger and much, much cooler than yesterday. Poohhh! I was really struggling along and only the plentiful colours of the dozens of nurseries gave me some distraction.
But then, after exactly 50 km, the descent into Loei commences. And what a great 33 km it is apart from one little counter-hill on the down hill section. Once down at the bottom the last 20 km or so are delightful too as it is back to dense bush and more down than flat. Difficult to anticipate what the 21 would be like with more favourable wind conditions but I absolutely disliked that first section.
Anyways, the last 33 km into Loei were an utter joy ride and when I rolled into town I decided to see a bike shop before going to the A.P. Court Hotel. Which shop first? My friend Chris from Singapore had suggested to see "The Bicycle" along the 201 towards Chiang Khan which was bit out of my way but what a winner it was! The young owner, Bot, was out for the afternoon but returned immediately when his parents gave him a call. And he got his hands on straight away. Bearings cleaned and regreased; gearshift assembly readjusted; new screw for the kickstand. It wasn´t even dark yet when I left for my hotel and must have been the happiest man in town. I will remember Christmas Day 2017 for quite a while. Bad start, great end - the best of all scenarios!
Loei itself is a really nice little town but two reasons may see me back on the road tomorrow morning: I was always hoping to be at the Mekong for christmas plus there is some really wet weather moving in on Wednesday. So I am currently intending to do the short ride up to Chiang Khan while it is still dry and then stay there until conditions do improve.
As I may have said before: Men at work is one of my very favourite motives. He is building one of the ubiquitous bamboo shelters you can see in the background
Obviously christmas presents was none of my concern this year. Which I regretted when I came past this hat stand. Therefore one word in German for my little niece: Ronja, such Dir einen aus! Für Dich schleppe ich den auch 5000 km auf dem Rad
This was an absolutely amazing scenario: The procession of pilgrims and monks was at least one kilometer in length. I have a video too which I will try to post at later stage
