Day Six - Mukdahan to Khemarat

Only 93kms today - a walk in the park!

I put my hand up this morning and asked to know more about how to ride in groups as I realised a few of us yesterday were riding long stretches by ourselves, which makes it all so much harder.

As a result we rode in a couple of great groups in the morning and I felt that today I finally started to understand how to ride and even about rotating and echelons!  

The most experienced rider, Henry Ruiz, is very supportive and answers all our stupid questions about cycling.  Henry Ruiz using these rides to train for the gruelling Alpine Classic when he gets back to Victoria.  He not only is kind and generous with his advice and support, but has extraordinary legs! Henry covered a lot more kms than most as he often doubled back to pick up the slower riders.  We knew that a water stop was soon approaching when we saw the welcome sight of Henry riding towards us in the opposite direction and we heard the toot toot of his little pink horn!

His help also extends to other areas as well.  When Borat was to auction off his own legs later in the week to collect for Ban Home Hug, Henry kindly buzzed them for him.  By all accounts the resulting pile of ginger fur was enough to knit a jumper with.  A committee has been formed and misdeamenors and misbehaviour is reported to the members on a daily basis.  We are then fined and the money is collected for the orphans.  Fines this week have been issued for losing getting locked in a loo and having to break out ( Renee), Chris and his 3 punctures, me and my water bottle that I keep losing, to mention a few.  All very silly but a great way to end the day.

Although the roads were better today and and we got to the hotel by about 2.30pm, we still all experienced the worst and toughest leg that any of us had endured thusfar.  It was possibly the headwind, the temperature about 31C on a bumpy road or just the late lunch.  Not sure.  But we all suffered and some rode in in tears.  

However, the villages are always lovely and we continue to throw out hundreds of sticky hands to excited children.  They are simple colourful toys that stretch and can stick just about anywhere, as John was to demonstrate at one school. 

Other than that, we relaxed at a lovely hotel on the Mekong, played scrabble and cards and relaxed before the impending 137km that we are facing tomorrow.

Internet connection is very sporadic and frustrating however and the blogposts were to be delayed a few days.