Mountain Biking Part 3

After the long photo and chat break by the valley in Part 2, we moved on

The journey was 25km, most of it was downhill but there was a slight bit of uphill which really killed us. We ended up just walking the bike up the hill!

At one point i remember that i was getting into the mood, was able to cycle confidently, felt so good and i was really enjoying the moment when it started to rain dammit. My camera was in my pocket and not in my waterproof bag so i stopped. Lost momentum after that

Just as quickly as it started raining, it stopped and the sun came out again! Towards the end, S fell right in front of me! It was like in slow motion, it was a really bad fall and her chin was bleeding.

S was brave about it, and she was apologetic for holding us up. When she asked how bad it was, we all said it wasnt too bad to keep her calm.

Around the same place she fell, there was blood stains...

Funny that there was a rainbow in the distance, took this pic while the guides were giving her first aid. After that she was noticeably less chatty, and cycling a lot slower and wayyy more cautiously.

Mmmmm... cycling by the lake was bliss, soooo beautiful, relaxing and calm. Just too bad it meant our trip has come to an end

Lunch was included in the package, simple rice+ meat + veggie, which we ate by the lake in one of those huts. S was back to her chatty self! Hahaha, she was complaining about her country and telling us how restrictive the government is

The other group finished eating and left, but we were still chatting! Hahah, i liked observing S and her much older Brit husband, how they make fun of each other, love their chemistry.

Camwhore time! The level 1 group =)

The guides and i =) Two thumbs up for them!

Definitely will sign up again if i ever head back to Chiang Mai

I didnt know they were making faces! Hence the out of place smile on me

The songtau to take us back to the city. At the centre, the owner told S she needed stitches =( We changed out of the cycling attire and back into our own clothes. All exchanged emails and Facebook details =)

Since AK was also a solo lady traveller, i asked her if she has a Thai mobile phone number. She did and we arranged to meet for dinner by the East Gate of the mote!

I asked the friend i made at my guesthouse, JK to join us. He did and he brought along his Panasonic Lumix which was good for night shots

The girls having a laugh! Good to have a photographer around. JK took the waterfall pic in my previous post =)

 

1. Pedal scratch on my thigh and the dot on the knee is the leech bite from Part 1

2. The pedal hit the back of my ankle

3. The middle bar of the bicycle bruised my inner thigh in one of my multiple falls

Wounds healed, scars fade, memories will remain, love! =) I wanna do it again!

Click here for more on my travels

Mountain Biking Part 2

There are three different cycling routes according to difficulty. Our guides said that all three will stop at this tea house, about one fifth of the journey. So we could decide to change to a harder level or to an easier one

I was already covered in mud, bruises and cuts by the time we got here!

I had ginger tea... which came with sugar in it! Everything in Thailand has sugar in it, i wonder how the girls remain soooo thin!

I looked at my wounds and gasp! Makes my skin crawl just thinking about it as i blog!

There was leech on my right knee!!! Eeek!!! I ran to my guide Lek, who just flicked it away like it was nothing because it was tiny...

We continued on our journey... stopping every now and then. We realised S had a flat back tyre!

For us 5 cyclists, we had 2 guides. They took really good care of us. Both of them fixing S's flat tyre

When we are not cycling, just dump the bike on the floor!

It does not have the stand thing

I started to take photos of my muddy knee guard and wounded shin

AK decided to join me. She's smart to wear jeans, and she's the best cyclist, the only one who didnt fall!

 =)

S is from China and she made a joke about the bicycle tyre being of low quality and that its must have been made in China! Funny girl!
Almost done, and then we were on our way!

Some parts of the trail was smooth and some of it was a lot more bumpy

Stretches and stretches of these orangy earth, really bumpy ride. I tend to sit on the bike rather than stand... so my butt hurts

This has gotta be the worst!

Hate it! I couldn't stay on the narrow tarmac part, but the orange earth in between was no better. I felt down four times! The back wheel of my bike actually flew up a couple of times when i used the brake!

Awful awful, i was going so slowww, cautious. I was left farrr behind, while AK and S were well ahead. Neither one of them fell. Each time i fell i'd get back up and go again

The guide told me to keep my eyes on his butt and not follow too closely! Hahah, and it actually works. In terrains like that, what u are supposed to do is look far ahead and not look in the near distance.

If u look far ahead you will be able to judge and better control your bike. I know, theory seems simple but it was hard putting it to practice! Later got the hang of it =)

Like kindergarten bestfriends on this trip! We were inseperable, just clicked

Rode past a few paddy fields, it was sooo beautiful but many times i didnt stop to take photos, barely had time to take in the view as i cycled by. We did stop every few km to regroup and wait for the British couple

And to camwhore!!! =) Photos taken by our guide Lek

Chinse S, Japanese AK and Malaysian me

My bike on the floor again

While listening to S complain about China's political issues and how Facebook is banned over there

British B, S, me, British M and AK hidden by plants! Hahha.

Another part i hated is when we had to cycle uphill. Just. Not. Fit. Enough. Most of the trip is down hill though thankfully

Click here for Part 1
Chiang Mai, Thailand. Click here for a list of Thailand blog posts

Mountain Biking Part 1

Solo traveller me made small talk with other travellers: European, Canadian etc

The girl that really rocked my trip walked in the door with a burst of energy, she was smiling, she had mascara on and she looked Thai. I found it rather weird for a Thai girl to go for these sort of activity alone

A Google map view of different routes down Doi Suthep hill!! 25kilometers of downhill cycling!

I later spoke to the girl, AK and found that she is Japanese! There was another Asian chick, 30 year old S from China who is married to a Brit. The three of us were like kindergarten bestfriends on the ride! Hahaha
After the short briefing by the owner, a white guy, we were off to the mountain! In the picture above, is S and her hubby

AK on the right and me on the left of the picture above =)

The other songtao. We drove through the city and then to the mountains, windy roads!

Hold on tight!
The driver drove fast, i had to camwhore despite the speed
We went past the temple on Doi Suthep, our ride is even further uphill than the tourist attraction!

They did tell us to go to the toilet in the centre at the city. I asked if there was a toilet later on and the guide said 'everywhere' is the toilet!

I was surprised that we just stopped there by the road. Both songtaos and this is it, the location, the beginning of our ride! The guys peed by the roadside!

For some reason it got all misty and gloomy! Like a movie scene!

Took lots of pictures in between putting on our equipment. They assigned a bike to each of us

Though the Mountain Biking company is owned by a white, the actual activity is totally run by local Thais. Very professional and good Thai people =)

They lined us up and briefed us. And told us to each practice!

Ride over those branches! Wont lie to u, i was a little scared! But did it anyway! Hahaha, it was really bumpy!

The girls on route 1: M from Britain, AK from Japan, yours truly from Malaysia and S from China

AK took a picture for me =) And off we go!!!

Through the muddy puddle and beyond! Adventure of a lifetime!