We left early as we were nervous about the heat and left the hotel at 7:05 a.m. headed to Pak Chong. We thought it was 90K but turned out 98K. No matter. We decided we'd get breakfast somewhere on the way and hit the road. No problem getting out of the city and finding highway #2 to Bangkok. We decided yesterday to stop off at Pak Chong several days as we are about 4-5 days ahead of our initial schedule and there is a national park near Pak Chong which is rated one of the top national parks in the world. Many large waterfalls, hiking, etc.
The Nakthon Hyatt Regency....Western Toilets......
I took the lead again and we stopped at 10K at a 7-11 and coffee shop for breakfast and coffee. We left and we noticed that there was a stiff wind blowing from behind us, and watched Thai flags blowing at full furl and I estimated the tailwind at around 20-25 mph...we were in heaven man!!! A Tailwind!!! Are you kidding me!!! First one we had seen or felt in the whole trip...Hammer Time!!!
We clicked into the big chain ring and man did we hammer...well, if you call 30-38K an hour hammering!! But it felt like that to us what with 60lbs of gear front and rear loaded on these bikes. We felt like we were doing at least 40 mph! I hit a new PR on a nice descent, at 74K an hour...and well, Big Red rode straight and steady...no waver, no vibration, nothing in the front end. I have to say that this Surley touring bike is just about the steadiest bike I've ever ridden. I really do love this bike! Thanks Surley!!!
We stopped for cokes at 65K. They had coke in those little small bottles like we used to get ice cold when we were little kids. I bought two of them...coke out those little bottles taste so much better than plastic or cans...to me it's a totally different taste. Normally I never drink coke...but out of those little bottles...I make an exception.
Coke Stop... Orchids of Thailand
We rolled into Pak Chong in record time...and averaged 31.2K an hour getting here. Our best ride to date. We commenced to finding a place to stay and rode the length of town looking on both sides of the streets. I finally spied a hotel sign on a side street so we headed there. Now from the outside, the place looked decent, clean and not bad. We didn't even bother to do what we normally do which is for one of us to go look at the rooms before deciding. But we had had such great rooms of late (since Laos) and hadn't even seen a squat toilet since Laos, so we didn't bother looking at the rooms and booked 2 single rooms with AC. BIG BIG MISTAKE!!!
The rooms are an absolute mess. The AC is barely blowing any air at all, the overhead fan we paid for in both rooms don't work and worst of all...yep..you got it..a FRIGGN SQUAT TOILET!!! I about died when I looked in the bathroom and saw that. I mean...this is a TOURIST area!!!! So I went downstairs about it, but it was too late as we'd already paid and well..money is in their pockets. So we decided to stick it out..2 nights here too..damn! Oh well...it's all part of the grand adventure!
More tomorrow........
Len
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