Photos by MJ Klein
Today, I went on another ride with my friend Michael Turton. We rode the same circuit as we did last time, but this time I had my Nikon with me (it was in the shop last time) and I got some nice photos of the second section of the ride. I also shot some video with the Gopro Helmet Hero but I’ll have to edit that footage later and then update this article with a link.
My first photo stop was on a bridge with this view. Wow!
The people in these first 2 photos will give you an idea of the scale of this landscape. Fantastic forces were at work to create this carved rock.
We stopped at the next bridge for a photo. But what we didn’t know was that others were going to stop here and take photos too.
Only they took photos of us! Several of these women took turns posing with both Michael and I, and sitting on the trike. Apparently, riding a trike is a great way to meet people!
We rode for some distance, but my video ran out before the dog attack, so you won’t get to see me repelling it with a stroke of my fiberglass stick. It came at me, barking and snapping, so I whacked it right on the face. It actually came back but stayed out of arm’s reach. The dog completely ignored Michael but came after the trike.
We got back on the bike trail in this area. It’s a really beautiful bike trail.
MT was riding his daughter’s bike as his was still in-transit from his weekend ride.
We approached the tunnel and there were more females hanging out taking photos. It seemed like Women’s Bike Day or something.
A shot taken as we were entering the tunnel.
Last time, I didn’t get any shots inside the tunnel. I was able to get a few this time. The tunnel is mostly downhill in this direction and a lot of fun to ride. At the other end of the tunnel there was another group of females and there were so many that I had to honk my horn and tell them to move out of the way! I don’t know why people purposefully block the trails, but they often do – just parked right in the middle of the road like they own it. Amazing.
There was another group stopped outside the tunnel and on the bridge that follows the tunnel in this direction. You can see a woman standing on the right. She actually looked up, saw me, and continued standing there. Finally, when she figured out that I would probably hit her, she moved out of the way. Unbelievable.
Further down the bridge we saw something strange. What could it be?
Don’t ask!
Finally, we’re almost off the bridge and back on the land!
There is some work being done on the trail. This is a good sign that it’s being maintained. So often, things are built and then neglected. Glad to see this isn’t the case with the bike trails.
This guy was torch welding something, but I couldn’t make out what, as we passed by.
The end of the trail is quite colorful.
Sometime I’m going to have to try one of the go-karts!
Finally, we made it back to the bus parking lot from where we started. Michael treated me to a very fine lunch (food blog coming up!) and then we both headed our separate ways.
Ride Stats
- Distance: 25.7 KM
- Maximum Speed: 47.1 KPH
- Moving Average: 12.3 KPH
- Total Time: 2:37 hr.
Here is the map on Bike Maps. Please note that at Bike Maps, you can download the route file for Google Earth or your own mapping software.
Thanks for reading! Be sure to leave us your comments, questions, and ratings below!
I have to ask MJ. What was that guy wearing and why? I want the answer haha.
Looked like a great way to spend a few hours. I just wish there were bike trails like that here in Ubon and not the dangerous roads. I have stopped riding after a few too many close calls.
I am going to find something well out of the way of the idiots that frequent Thai roads.
I get the same here with people standing in your way just looking at you with a really stupid and idiotic look on their face. But this is when I go shopping.
You go down an aisle and there is a bunch of people blocking the whole aisle, and just talking or looking at products. Plenty of times I have politely said, ‘excuse me and so forth’ to just get blank looks.
Many times I have wanted to scream, are you f###en stupid, get out of the way you idiots. But I am too polite for this…..
How much did you charge the ladies per picture? Hope you weren’t too cheap.
.-= Brunty´s last blog ..Spago Authentic Italian Pizza and Pasta, Ubon Ratchathani Thailand. =-.
Brunty, that was some kind of costume, but i am not sure what it represents. it’s some kind of god but it has breasts so i guess it’s a female god.
i don’t blame you for not wanting to ride on the roads in Ubon!
people standing in the way is never going to go away in Asia. the only thing you can do is gently run into them and hope that they’ll learn a lesson (probably not). i normally say “zho kai” which is like “get out of the way” and that works pretty well. that’s what i said yesterday with the sound of the horn. actually it was pretty funny because when i sounded the air horn i was still too far inside the tunnel for them to see what kind of vehicle made that huge honk. then my trike came rolling out and i gave them the “Asian sign of picture taking” and said “yeah!” they loved that, lol.
i should have told the ladies it would be NT$500 per photo!
That costume is hilarious! That would have made my day.
Cahleen, as i was taking that photo, i realized that it was one of those “you have to see it to believe it” type shots! i still have no idea what it’s supposed to be!
Maybe you and MT came start a side business as bike models for the viewing pleasure of Taiwanese females. 🙂
.-= Craig Ferguson (@cfimages)´s last blog ..Twitter For Photographers =-.
Craig, wouldn’t that be life in a perfect world? lol
It seems apparently, riding a trike is a great way to meet people … and dogs. 🙂
Fantastic pictures as usual – I really have to try this tunnel next year.
Stefan, let us know and we can all ride it together! and yes, the trike is a great way to meet people. dogs can’t seem to leave me alone either!
Thanks for the invite! Sounds like a good plan. 🙂