Australia Day

Thought we should celebrate it at BTN with some appropriate stickers and tattoos….

Congratulations to Peter Baines on his the award of an AOM in the hours list.

Home tomorrow…..

55 kms Last Day Hands Ride 2014

The last day of the ride is always a day of mixed emotions - apprehension of the big hill, joy at riding up it, elation at riding down it, sadness that the journey  is nearly over, happiness on cementing  our new friendships,  some sombre reflection on the Boxing Day  tsunami and why we are riding,  and then the  cascade of emotions that come with riding with the children of Baan Tharn Namachai into the tumultuous reception at their home.

55 kms Last Day Hands Ride 2014 by Paekak at Garmin Connect - Details

125 kms (4 kms lost satellite) Day 7 Hands Ride 2014

I mentioned day 7 in a previous post. This was a longer and harder day 7 than previous years with more hills including a detour to a scenic lookout over a reservoir which took in a decent sized hill and then a 5km set of hills we did both ways after  finding a proposed new route through the National Park was blocked by a locked gate.

This meant a late lunch, late pool party and some tired bodies at the last night "awards" ceremony. Frank Newton joined the 1600km club for ideas completing both rides in one year and was awarded his yellow jersey for the last day, as were repeat 1600ers, Dan Murray, Peter Baines and Claire Thomas.


125 kms (4 kms lost satellite) Day 7 Hands Ride 2014 by Paekak at Garmin Connect - Details

124 km Day 6 Hands Bike Ride 2014

Day 6  in the big town of Surat Thani is often the hardest of the ride, mentally at least, being the day after the day after the rest day. It is also a day of some hills and long hot straights which can be more challenging than hills. Balancing that out is that the riders have become more adept at group riding by day 6 and the straights make it easier to keep together and pull each other along.

This years day 6 seemed to fly by with cooler conditions, tailwinds, group riding and small gaps between the first and last riders coming into the water stops. the day finished with an impromptu tug of war with local school children ( we got beat by the entire school it seemed),  and then a new route that avoided the centre of town and brought us to a new hotel on the outskirts of town.

All in all a very satisfying day washed down with a few beer Chang….


124 km Day 6 Hands Bike Ride 2014 by Paekak at Garmin Connect - Details

117km to Lang Suan Hands Ride 2014 Day 5

117km to Lang Suan Hands Ride 2014 Day 5 by Paekak at Garmin Connect - Details

Last nights hat party benefitted from being moved to the rest day giving all good time to be creative. Carol and Miranda's Cabbages and Condoms ( after the Bangkok restaurant) and Ian and 

Sylvia's wearable feast were standouts.

This morning it was back to riding lead out by Game our team Captain for the day who took the chance to ride strongly.

Day started with pleasant coastal flats and built into rolling hills with some short sharp ascents into the afternoon ending again at the beach. 

Our last stop before home included a surprise visit from Mr Jeng Rocker and Kwang, our Thai riders from last year. They came bearing coconuts and some bikes for them and a few of the boys from Chumphon New Life Project to ride the last leg with us. Jeng later commented that he preferred bikes with gears!

We made good time in what was again cooler conditions to what I'm used to in Thailand. We have seen more cloud and hazy conditions than sun so far. Avge speed for the day was 26kms per hour.

Our day finished with the annual visit by bus to the New Life Project which Hands Across the Water supports. Jeng is the manager there now

 It was good to catch up there with Kru Prateeps sister, Dr Nom and Pla and Mita from the Rising Foundation NZ who had come up from Baan Tharn Namchai. Also  Cue one of the boys who came to NZ in 2012.

The boys put on a great meal for us and displays of Thai boxing and fire eating. 

Gideon the rider from Rising Foundation was given the Captains Jersey for the next days ride and responded with some words and a great haka supported by Mita. Then it was back in the bus for an hour to the hotel.