Have Sneaking Suspicion...

So, remember that time I thought it would be a load of fun to point myself at THE highest peak in Thailand and start peddaling? Only to find myself singing Janis Joplin renditions of Bobby McGee to a couple of fully-orange-robed Buddhist Monks, over a camp fire in the middle of nowhere? One of them (I later discovered) breaking his vows by touching me, to read my palm and tell me I would be successful at my work, then propositioning me for a set of electric clippers to instigate what sounded like world peace throught free haircuts for his village...and the whole mountain?

Yeah, me too. That was pretty funny. I still think the best part was the fact that it took me until the third night, on the verge of tears from exhaustion, to bother looking at the map key and discovering the purpose of that obnoxious red diamond w/ the #10, posted on the one road I really wanted to take: Doi Inthanon, Thailands highest peak. Rising over 7,000 ft, and I was shamelessly crawling around in it's foothills w/ a loaded mountain bike weighing at least as much as I do, like that's what all tourists should be doing. Indicative of my life??? I think so.

On the brighter side, it took me one day to decend what it took me three (and a day of rest so I wouldn't start crying) to climb, and it was absolutely beautiful. I am here to say they had good cause to make it a National Park. Thank God, they apparently weren't waiting for my approval.

Back tracking just a bit, allow me to further humble myself by saying it took me a rockin' 20 ft outside my hotel on the first day to discover that I had my paniers on backwards...I half kicked them off on the first rotation of my peddals. That was fun to re-pack on the streets of Chiang Mai. The first night out I spent camping accross from an elephant camp, drinking waaaaaaay too much Thai moonshine w/ the 25 & 26 yr old owners of a handful of bungalows on the riverside. They gave me an extra blanket and pillow and a hollowed out piece of bamboo w/ a stick as a noise-maker, in case I got scared or encountered Dracula in the night. Apparently there is a genuine fear of vampires/Dracula here, and they can't understand why I'm not afraid too. If they only knew what their intersections do to me. Dracula is incredibly far down on the list at this point.

I did however encounter one American woman on my layover night. I told here what I was doing and she took one look and exclaimed, "Aren't you afraid of getting raped and murdered?!?" Jesus lady, the thought honestly hadn't even crossed my mind until you just said that and no, I'm not. In fact I think I am currently more afraid of running into more of that outlook and American lust for horrendous drama, than anything else.

I have received plenty of odd looks, headshakes and prayers from the locals who don't understand why I am traveling on a bike, much less alone. On the other hand, I have received huge smiles, warm cheers and enthusiastic thumbs up as they pass me on hill climbs and I pass them on decents. Even on the highway, people constantly hang their heads out the window to holler hello and wave or give thumbs up. It's fun and encouraging and sometimes a little confusing when every person I talk to has a different version of the road I am heading for.

Anyway, that's that. I am back in Chiang Mai where I HAD to buy a sleeping bag. My one night camped at the "temple" (more like a run down school yard), w/o the love of extra bedding, froze my tush. Now, I am still debating on how to fit a loop to the NW of here and a loop through Laos into the picture w/ the minor inconvenience of my Thai visa expiring on the 22nd of Feb...blah blah blah. Whatever.

I did however, discover that the whole water splash or spray thing, has little to do w/ sanitation of availablility of paper. I does EVERYTHING to do w/ the fact that I am in a country that eats only the hottest chili peppers like candy, and the sprayer is the only hope I have of ever feeling certain portions of my anatomy ever again.

On that charming note, I take leave of you. I have to let these lovely people shut their doors and get their beauty rest. Hope you are all well. Found another great bike shop here in Chiang Mai and added them as a link. These guys also buy and sell used bikes, so I have a great spot to off load at the end of my adventuring. Aaaaaand, Mom, the owner gives a great shpieel on GPS. If you have the urge to sink another few hundred dollars into your daughter, I can send you exact coordinates of my location each day! Then you can throw them up on Google Earth and litterally watch my route! Oooooh!...I have so many things to say to this...I'm going to walk away. Love to all.