First, let's start with the good stuff, then I'll get to the self disclosure...
The ride into Sukhothai was sublime, just one of the best rides I've ever done. I had a gpx track that I could have used to take me into town. It mostly followed the main road, Hiway 101 - and I had enough of main roads getting into Kampheung Phet and didn't want any more of that. So instead I tried letting Google Maps navigate the way. I had a choice between public transport (nope), car (nope to that too) and walking (ah, yes... let's try that). It set a path literally along rice paddy irrigation canals. I did the first 40 km in the rice paddies along with the farmers, quite literally. And the second 40 km was on a little travelled back road that ran right into the south entrance of the Sukhothai Historical Park. It was overcast all day and I got an early start, so it never got very hot, so I didn't overcook myself. The rice paddy canal paths don't show up on my gps maps and I doubt you could find a paper map with that detail. It was lots of fun and cycle touring as it should always be.
Most of today's track looked like this - a bit soft but a good gravel base that didn't stick to the tires.
Roadside shelter for paddy workers. A good place to stop, rest and get out of the mid day sun. Not that there was much sun today, lovely cool overcast conditions perfect for riding.
Has Sukhothai has changed much in the last 40 years... Yeah, of course it has, everything everywhere has changed. That's what time does. Whether or not you want it to, it changes things. Then, there were literally no tourists and not a single bit of infrastructure to support the historical site or the tourists that now frequent it.
But it is still a magnificent place. Once you step back from the one or two main attractions that draw 95% of the tourists, there is still plenty of quiet and solitude to immerse yourself fully in the experience.
He's in there, serenely sitting and has been since the 1300's. I can confirm he hasn't moved a bit in 40 years, go see for yourself.
Ancient, but active. The locals will place the lotus buds, burn incense and say prayers just getting on with their devotions while the tourists walk around taking their photos...
Wat Chang Lom. It stands alone separate from the main park, overlooked by almost all the tourists. Most of it's 32 elephants are crumbling to bits, with only a few fully restored. I liked it best of all.
I found out what the clickity clickity noise coming from my back wheel was. The tube has a fully threaded valve stem with a screw down washer that is suppose to be screwed down against the rim. It wasn't. There was just enough play in it so that when the tube flexed on each rotation, the screw made contact with the rim... clickity clickity. One very simple problem with one simple solution. I just screwed it down tighter, no click. If it happens again, I'll just toss it completely as the tube works just fine without it.
The really dumb thing I did I only figured out because I was riding on quiet back roads for the first time and using my low gears along the muddy canal paths. I could hear a disturbing coffee grinder noise coming from my rear derailer when I was in my low gears. One quick look and I could see that I had stupidly misthreaded the chain through the jockey wheels after taking it off and cleaning it in Bangkok. How many km had I gone with it rattling over the jockey wheel metal tab and not under it where it belonged? At least a couple of hundred. But in my defence, I was mostly on the noisy main roads and in my high gears that didn't make much noise. I quickly rethreaded the chain the correct way around as soon as I got the chance, but the damage is done and I'll need to get a new chain in Chiang Mai. For now, I've reversed the chain and gave it a good lube and that seems to have helped considerably.
Arresting. It always makes me catch my breath when I walk up to one of these standing Buddhas holding up their palm. This one, in this place, especially so.
