Last time I wrote I waxed on about how great my luck has been on the trip and wonderful experiences chance has brought my way. Well chance is a fickle bitch. I decided to try the Mekong Trail from Stung Treng (ST) to Kratie. 190k, was going to be attempted over a lazy 3 or 4 days. Instead I ended up going the whole way in a day...
From ST to Kratie the Mekong Trail covers 190 kilometers along the river with ferry crossings and home stays. It sounded like a lot of fun and a different cycling experience. Highway 7 from Laos to ST was dreadfully boring, flat and hot. Information about the trail was hard to come by. Big picture maps and locations where easy to find, but there was no detail information. Night one was supposed to be an island homestay, but there was no info about where to find a boat to get to the island. Most the trails seemed to be arranged around a day trip from the city with the riders doing a loop to return at night. As such there appeared to be a 60-80 dead spot between the two cities without much infrastucture. I was hoping that either there would be more (most info is 2 years old) or there would be a small town I could stop in, my hope was poorly placed.
The ride started great. The road was better than expected, tracking along the river the views were nice and there was shade over the trail. A few small wats and lots of kids shouting hello made the ride pleasant and was able to make good time. Before leaving I asked about finding a boat and was suggested the large village near the island should be able to help, no problem, just need to arrive there. Arriving at what I thought might be the main village, I was greeted by someone who spoke English and informed me 5k down the road would be something akin to a pier or ferry. 5k passed. Maybe his distance was off. 10k, another small village with a group of people building something, at this point I was almost past the end of the island, this had to be the place. Armed with a map, a tablet Khmer English dictionary and hope I started asking for a boat.
Koh Preah (the island's name) I said and pointed to the island. Yes, thats Koh Preah was the response I interpreted. I want to go to there. Boat, I displayed on my tablet. Yes, you need a boat to get there I think they said. This went on for a couple of minutes. They used the map to show me where I was, I already knew my GPS works great. Where Koh Preah was, I knew, I was looking at it. But no boat appeared. A bust.
So I kept going. And the trail started to narrow. First wide enough for two lanes, now it was one. Then a narrow one lane. Then two people could walk side by side, a nice motorbike track. The path started to deteriate (thats spelled wrong). Ruts got larger, mud and stagnant water started to appear. And finally from foot path to disappearing completely into the bush. At that point a few locals were around. Using the map I showed the track and the next Southern village, does it connect? No. That exchange was pretty clear, I was at the end of the road. Only choice, turn back. Now already 50k into my trip, it was return to ST (a 100k day that achieved nothing) or push on. Forward ho.
After back tracking and taking a small path back to highway 7 I was finally back on the main road. After checking the GPS I found that although I had already covered about 70k, I was only 35k south of ST. Kratie was another 110+k down the road. My only hope was a hotel in a small town. Pushing on. Oh I should mention that at this point I was having trouble finding food. Not a lot of restaurants in the Cambodian back country, go figure. I was able to find some stale bread. It had been fortified with a small ant colony for extra protien, was pretty good.
And so the push south continued... for almost 7 hours. I was able to get some noodles and around dusk I started asking people if there was a hotel around. No. About 7pm, its pitch black. Most homes dont have electricty, those that do appear to be running off car batteries I say being delivered, it was the only thing that distracted kids from saying hello to me the entire way.
At this point I was starting to think that I would be pushing all the way to Kratie (only another 60k remaining). After doing the math on my speed though I realized that one I would be out of water and all "shops" would be closed (I stocked up at the next one) and two I would most likely arrived after 11. Everything including hotels start to close around 10:30. I might have trouble finding a decent place to sleep. Throughout the day I had been passed by minibuses and the last hour several had gone by empty. I decided it was time to say fuck this pedaling shit, I need a bus. 20 minutes later I was delivered an empty bus and nice driver who I think kept asking me if I spoke Korean (when I said hello in Korean he was very amused, but thats all I know). He took me the rest of the way, got a nice hotel, meal right at closing time, two beers and a showers. I think this ride is the death knell of my trans-city cycling. Buses and day trips from now on. Oh and a lot more planning before leaving town.
From ST to Kratie the Mekong Trail covers 190 kilometers along the river with ferry crossings and home stays. It sounded like a lot of fun and a different cycling experience. Highway 7 from Laos to ST was dreadfully boring, flat and hot. Information about the trail was hard to come by. Big picture maps and locations where easy to find, but there was no detail information. Night one was supposed to be an island homestay, but there was no info about where to find a boat to get to the island. Most the trails seemed to be arranged around a day trip from the city with the riders doing a loop to return at night. As such there appeared to be a 60-80 dead spot between the two cities without much infrastucture. I was hoping that either there would be more (most info is 2 years old) or there would be a small town I could stop in, my hope was poorly placed.
The ride started great. The road was better than expected, tracking along the river the views were nice and there was shade over the trail. A few small wats and lots of kids shouting hello made the ride pleasant and was able to make good time. Before leaving I asked about finding a boat and was suggested the large village near the island should be able to help, no problem, just need to arrive there. Arriving at what I thought might be the main village, I was greeted by someone who spoke English and informed me 5k down the road would be something akin to a pier or ferry. 5k passed. Maybe his distance was off. 10k, another small village with a group of people building something, at this point I was almost past the end of the island, this had to be the place. Armed with a map, a tablet Khmer English dictionary and hope I started asking for a boat.
Koh Preah (the island's name) I said and pointed to the island. Yes, thats Koh Preah was the response I interpreted. I want to go to there. Boat, I displayed on my tablet. Yes, you need a boat to get there I think they said. This went on for a couple of minutes. They used the map to show me where I was, I already knew my GPS works great. Where Koh Preah was, I knew, I was looking at it. But no boat appeared. A bust.
So I kept going. And the trail started to narrow. First wide enough for two lanes, now it was one. Then a narrow one lane. Then two people could walk side by side, a nice motorbike track. The path started to deteriate (thats spelled wrong). Ruts got larger, mud and stagnant water started to appear. And finally from foot path to disappearing completely into the bush. At that point a few locals were around. Using the map I showed the track and the next Southern village, does it connect? No. That exchange was pretty clear, I was at the end of the road. Only choice, turn back. Now already 50k into my trip, it was return to ST (a 100k day that achieved nothing) or push on. Forward ho.
After back tracking and taking a small path back to highway 7 I was finally back on the main road. After checking the GPS I found that although I had already covered about 70k, I was only 35k south of ST. Kratie was another 110+k down the road. My only hope was a hotel in a small town. Pushing on. Oh I should mention that at this point I was having trouble finding food. Not a lot of restaurants in the Cambodian back country, go figure. I was able to find some stale bread. It had been fortified with a small ant colony for extra protien, was pretty good.
And so the push south continued... for almost 7 hours. I was able to get some noodles and around dusk I started asking people if there was a hotel around. No. About 7pm, its pitch black. Most homes dont have electricty, those that do appear to be running off car batteries I say being delivered, it was the only thing that distracted kids from saying hello to me the entire way.
At this point I was starting to think that I would be pushing all the way to Kratie (only another 60k remaining). After doing the math on my speed though I realized that one I would be out of water and all "shops" would be closed (I stocked up at the next one) and two I would most likely arrived after 11. Everything including hotels start to close around 10:30. I might have trouble finding a decent place to sleep. Throughout the day I had been passed by minibuses and the last hour several had gone by empty. I decided it was time to say fuck this pedaling shit, I need a bus. 20 minutes later I was delivered an empty bus and nice driver who I think kept asking me if I spoke Korean (when I said hello in Korean he was very amused, but thats all I know). He took me the rest of the way, got a nice hotel, meal right at closing time, two beers and a showers. I think this ride is the death knell of my trans-city cycling. Buses and day trips from now on. Oh and a lot more planning before leaving town.
Not a fun day for you, was it? in fact, it sounds completely awful. I can just imagine how relieved you must have been to finally find a place to stop, rest, eat, drink, shower, sleep...
ReplyDeleteYou know it wasn't as bad as other times, the uphill ride from hekou to sapa was only 40k and it was morrow brutal. I think I was more frustrated by missing out on the homestay and getting a chance to take myself through the country without a tour group.
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