Day 1041 27th May 2019
60 miles.(Sambor to steung treng border) Average speed 10 mph
What a tough day. The first 32 miles were off road, some of which was very tricky, wet, dry and very narrow. It was also difficult to navigate when in the forest but I was rewarded by the most wonderful light show in campsite with lightning and fireflies.
I was awake at 5. I showered and went in search of coffee which I found at the place I’d had lunch yesterday. Then I said goodbye to the owner and son and hit the sandy track. I said good morning to people along the route, but couldn’t find breakfast. I was sure there must be shops or families having breakfast themselves. So I stupidly carried on with only limited water until I was out in the wilderness. At the top of a climb, I came to a tiny village with one shop run by a brother and sister aged 5 and 7. Of course there was no ice, but I had a bag of crisps and a litre of warm fizzy orange, healthy breakfast done!
The path became very narrow and if I had been driving a car and following maps.me I would definitely not have been very happy! Maps.me showed me a right turn which I took but found myself in thick mud and no route out so I returned to the path and continued until I finally made it to the dirt track marked as a road on the map.
After lots more hellos and some very strange looks, I made it to my next right turn, which was soon to become a muddy farmers track which took me to a river I had to ford. Apart from getting wet feet I managed ok.
Lots more thick mud clogged up my wheels and brakes, but eventually I made it to a good path. At the end was a big factory and some shops/bars on the side of the road with people waving. I really should have stopped for lunch but as the next road was marked on the map I assumed that there may be some civilisation – how wrong I was. With little water, some warm fizzy orange and a bag of chocolate wafers I pushed on up the many ensuing hills. Three WWF workers on motos stopped to enquire what I was doing, but were not very forthcoming with the water bottles they were carrying. So I had to push on up some very steep and muddy or rocky terrain.
Eventually after 32 miles of off road I was so happy to see tarmac again and a shop with cold water.
2 miles further on I found a garage to wash the bike off, but the gears sound awful. Next door I had a delicious lunch of beef with onions, tomatoes and veg and the owner offered me a bed and cleaned the room, for five dollars but with cobwebs everywhere and being close to the road I chose to do another 40 miles to find somewhere half decent! I must be mad!!!
Russel kandal Eco tourist centre 1 dollar.
Hammock under restaurant pagoda.