July 11, 2023
Day 5 Bike: Fueled by Local Reactions
Is it just our bodies? Are we both losing our minds? Is the only reason you're holding me tonight is cause we're scared to be lonely? (Dua Lipa)
As much as that truck stop was a disappointment it was a good exercise in course correction. Plus it wasn't all bad, there were literally hundreds of greetings on the road from locals through the villages. It seems the hotsprings resort might be making more business from the trucks stopping for food. Or perhaps in the right season they get visitors to the pool. Vieng couldn't help but laugh when she asked where I was going and the destination was Pattaya.
For now the plan was to head south on the road to the border and see how far I could get.
As for the over-budgeting problem, that could be solved by keeping an eye out for a mobile phone shop and replacing the one that got water damage in Vang Vieng.
Time was on my side again and so that mess of stuff in the room was properly repacked into a half-dozen components that I could name and easily keep track of.
The owner of the bungalows was friendly. He had a habit of dropping into rooms and opening doors randomly. He owned the place after all and it was your fault if you didn't lock the door or store your valuables securely. As for me I was just packing and he smiled and asked where I was off to today. It was barely 8am and his breath already reeked of whisky.
Not long into the ride I passed Nola guesthouse again and the traveler Gim was chilling in a chair outside with his backpack waiting for his minivan to Vang Vieng. We had a quick chat and wished each other well.
The riding was sublime as the road followed a river valley and there were some decent stretches to really pick up speed. It was a perfect time to crank out some tunes and I found a DJ mix for F45 workouts. The beauty of the ride plus the music inspired my first emotional meltdown of the tour and I lost it while still riding. This is the only way it has to be done, that's therapy at its finest.
Soon enough it was time for another pho stop.
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This was literally the point of no return. At the next shop the owner asked if I was going to Vang Vieng but I said no, it was for Thailand. She looked concerned. I hadn't a clue what was to come next but if knew the terrain in advance I surely would have bailed, turned the bike around, and gone tubing again.
As the ride continued it dawned on me that this was truly off the beaten path Laos touring that I was seeking for. So that combined with the fact I hadn't a clue what was ahead made for the perfect reason to keep going.
There were no trucks, no Chinese tourists, no Indians, no backpackers, just me and the locals. Judging from the reactions there is a very good chance I was the first one they saw come through here on a bicycle or at least a very rare sight. The reactions were priceless and out of this world. Food was hard to come by but it didn't matter with this kind of touring.
In the middle of nowhere was a Samsung phone shop. This was the opportunity I had been waiting for! The sales guy was super friendly and although he couldn't speak much English we managed with my basic Thai and using Google translate. He showed me a couple of phones and I got hooked up with a Tecno for $97. What an unbelievable deal and this also helped get rid of more Laos Kip.
Once I get all this SIM card stuff figured out (better to wait for Thailand) that large Huawei phone I had for two years which got water damage is going in the trash can. Minimalist philosophy means you get rid of stuff that is no longer needed. That phone was bought during the pandemic when we were stuck in China. Not only did it get water damage, it has been dropped and cracked more times than I can count. The phone has built in Chinese firmware and is very difficult to use internationally and with Google Play Services even with a VPN. So it's for the best we can finally throw that junk away.
Who would have thought a phone shop would appear here of all places but it did.
The riding was about to get next level off the chain. From this town (think it was Muang Met) to the next one (Muang Gi or Paksam) the road turned to narrow dirt with all kinds of steep sections. This was going to be a killer. It would go on for 56km
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There were countless reactions, most of them a mix of astonishment and heartfelt cheering. I kept hearing the Thai word for strong (geng mek) or the Lao dialect version of it so I knew what they were on about.
During the sections without people of which there were many I cranked out the tunes and the music got me over the steep parts.
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At one particularly difficult section to navigate I was cheered on by an audience of at least 30 farmers all watching. Besides that there were countless thumbs up and cheers from people on the back of motorbikes -- really the only other vehicles that could navigate this.
Unfortunately a thunderstorm happened and then it was any cycle tourist's worst nightmare: the dirt road turns to mud.
This slowed down progress even more as I constantly had to find makeshift tools to scrape off the mud clumps and use puddles to wash the bike frequently. Otherwise that crap would get into the derailleur and chain.
After what seemed like forever I made it.
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The touring today would rate 10 out of 10 for both difficulty level and awesomeness.
There was yet another opportunity to stop and party with the locals, and it happened about 10km before the village I stayed the night at. Sadly I had to pass it up, simply for that that I wouldn't be able to make it otherwise. When they called me in could see a steep section of road ahead. There were many more of these sections. They demand all the benefits from my fitness training including strength and agility to keep the bike upright and pick the correct lines. The road is incredible rough so you really have to be skilled on the bike.
At the store where I massively loaded up on food (all for $3 by the way) some local teenagers outside wanted selfies. I was more than happy to oblige.
The guesthouse was super basic, but that's what you get around here. I was just happy to find something after that incredible ride.
Today's ride: 111 km (69 miles)
Total: 741 km (460 miles)
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