RIDE DAY: Pakkadding to Nahin (AKA Khoun Kham)

1/28/09
Day: 97.62 km
Cume: 1510.0 km
Avg: 14.6 kph
Max: 72 kph (oh yah!)
Time: 6h38m
Highs: HOLY COW, HIGHWAY 8!!!!!!!!!, limestone "forests," Birdsong like I haven't heard anywhere in SE Asia yet, pedaling through a Lao National Park, Phou Pan Mane summit and viewpoint (BREATHTAKING!), UNREAL views of jagged limestone range, killer downhill into Nahin (sick views and steep descent with excellent traffic visability and road quality), met a French tour guide who hooked me up with some good info on how to homestay in a local village
Lows: 4km 10-12% uphill after 80km of pedaling, need a rest day


HIGHWAY 8

(Insert one of a million AWESOME photos here)


Highway 8 was like the King's Highway, only with excellent visability, so my feeble little camera was actually able to capture the grandeur.

What a relief to turn off onto highway 8 and into the National Park. The bird song was phenominal! The mountains were beautiful! The river was gorgeous! No traffic! That uphill was sick and tiring! Luckily, with little traffic, I was able to safely switchback when I got worn out like Jay and I had to do up the steep grades of that other King's Road in Sonoma.

No poems today, but I certainly have entered into a magic land of rock, jungle, wild beasts, rivers and Wilderness. I'm pushing on for only 40km more tomorrow morning to Kong Lor cave and then to Ban Kong Lor for a rest day. I may take two. Looking forward to it. I'm tired.


PHOTOS to come!