To Wang Chin: Into the hills

November 6, 2016

There was coffee and toast at the resort this morning. I think I shocked the owner by having 2 cups of coffee and 4 pieces of toast. I had paid the same rate I would have if I were a couple, so I think it was only fair. And although I'd had a small bite to eat in my room, I really needed more.

I had a typical conversation with the owner. "Where you go today?"

Me: Wang Chin.

Him: Where you go today?

Me: Wang Chin.

Him: Where you go today?

I show him the name in Thai.

Him: Oh, Wang Chin.

It was a pretty ride today. I'd like to thank Dave and Jo Whitney for their detailed directions. https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/page/?page_id=99509

I followed their route exactly, except for the starting point. I was a little confused about their initial reference point, until I realized that they had stayed in the town north of the Si Satchanalai Historical Park, off the 101 highway. So I had a bit further to ride, and then picked up on their directions.

The route today mostly followed the Yom River. Here it is leaving the town of Si Satchanalai.

I stopped for a Buddha picture

Today's wat picture. There were a few other small wats today, but I didn't grab pictures.

and saw this creature in the road.

This scorpion is about 6 inches long. I'm glad I didn't run over it.

Unfortunately (??) it was run over by a car right after I took this picture.

One of my landmarks today was a police station at a junction. The highway police had a bicycle rest stop set up. They gave me coffee, and offered the toilet. I should have taken advantage of it, as it was the last one I would see until I arrived in Wang Chin.

Rest stop at the police station. It came with coffee!

The police at the station. The guy in the t-shirt offered me his food, but I declined.

It got hilly. Should this sign frighten me?

The first real hills of this trip were coming up.

I stopped for an iced coffee, and found the proprietor spoke a little bit of English. Her young daughter was there, and we practiced a few words of English with her, too. When I asked to pay, I was told "free, I give it to you". I tried again, and then graciously accepted it. I still had ice in my cup, and she said to take it with me, so I rode off with the cup in it's plastic bag hanging from my handlebars.

It did get really hilly, with some steep sections. I'll admit, I walked a couple of hills that taxed my combined heat and steepness quotient. I was riding through orange groves, but it was feeling a bit like a jungle.

I passed some workers, shouted some greetings, but kept going. Before too long, one of them caught up with me on his motorbike, and insisted I take some oranges he had in his basket. We were trying to figure out where I would put them, and he motioned that I should throw out the empty coffee cup, and use the bag on my handlebars. I did that, and felt bad about discarding the trash by the side of the road. That's why I still had it with me. But he gave me 12 oranges, an I rode the rest of the day with them hanging from my handlebars. Not too much later, as I was struggling up a steep hill, a small pickup passed me and stopped. The driver got out and tried to give me more oranges! He understood that I couldn't really carry anymore.

There was a small shrine at the top of the last hill.

At the top of the last really steep hill. What's that about? I have no idea what the sign says.

I struggled the last 10 miles to Wang Chin. I was overheated, and needed some food. I ended up stopping every few tenths of a mile and pouring water over my head.

Wang Chin isn't much of a city. I took a room at the hotel just coming into town, 500 baht again. I don't know the name of the hotel, as it's written only in Thai and isn't on any of the booking sites. If the Wi-Fi network provides a clue, it might be Kan Jana. It's one of the fancier places I've stayed, with a large bed and plenty of space, and a large flat screen tv that I haven't turned on. I had a meal (too late for lunch, too early for dinner) at the food stall next door. Today chicken and sticky rice. They flay open a chicken and put it on some wooden skewers and cook it over a fire. Mine was somewhat dried out, and was probably left from the lunch crowd. Then I walked around until I found a shop to purchase some snacks for breakfast, and headed back to the hotel to update this journal and call it a night.

Tomorrow I'm heading for Lampang. I understand there is a Really Big Hill.

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Today's ride: 82 km (51 miles)
Total: 619 km (384 miles)

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