The morning was born of blustery winds, and sheets of rain more numerous than sheets of white at a klan rally.  I arose stiffly and early in the morn.  Wetness, normally an aphrodisiac for me, in this instance was the functional equivalent of Donald Trump attending a young black boy's birthday party. As time moves forward, my goal moves backwards.  From my perch on the 4th floor of the Park View Hotel, I scan the horizon looking for, if not the end, a break in the weather.

At 9:37am I make my move.  The pavement is wet, and the air is fresh.  I slowly roll out savoring each pedal stroke.  Soon my bike is headed in the direction of Pattani and I feel fine.   Then I hear a voice in my head, and it’s saying my name.  Generally, the voices in my head tell me to do things, not just say my name.

I cross the railroad tracks,  and as I do, I look to see if there is a train ready to roll.  There isn’t.  A lady on a motorbike rides up to me and points behind me.  I hear the voice in my head again.  I turn around, and it’s Mr มา  from Bok Bok Bike in Bangkok. 'Hey Bob!' he says.  I’m not crazy, I feel so good.  I stop to talk with Mr. มา.

If you are a bicycle tourist and are visiting Thailand, or even live here, you are surely aware that Bok Bok Bike is probably the best shop in Thailand when it comes to bicycle touring, and if you have a Rolhoff Speed Hub, it 100% is the best shop in Thailand.  The wheels on the bike I’m riding on this tour, a Rivendell Clem Smith Jr, were built by Mr. มา. Since living in Thailand, on every bike I’ve had here, I’ve had at least one item from his shop on it.  While speaking of Bangkok bike shops, I also need to give a shout out to Bo Velo Bangkok, which is another great shop for the bicycle tourist.

Mr มา just happened to be in Yala, and just happened to be at a market next to the road I was using at the exact time I passed by.  Leaving this morning was a lot of waiting for a suitable break in the weather, and you just kind of think of the various things that had to fall in place for me to have bumped into him.  It’s kind of amazing.

Cycled to Pattani today.

Heart

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