Going for a Bike Ride

The day after my sister left I was invited to go for a bike ride with a friend. She had asked me before to join her and a small group of friends. Last time they had left a 7am and didn't get home till 4pm...with my friend being pulled via bungee cord by another biker. She is an avid biker but the guy leading the bike trip does bike races all over Cambodia and is a local Khmer. Knowing all of this I agreed, after my friend assured me we would be back by noon and there was another lady going who doesn't do much biking. I ride my bike all over the city but the longest I have ridden would be around an hour.

On the way to meet the biking friends

We arrived and the Khmer guy who does this all the time let me borrow one of his mountain bikes instead of using my city bike. Once we were ready Lucky (Khmer guy) lead the way out of the city. It was beautiful riding on the back roads through small towns. The fields were dazzling green and the sky was a bright blue as we stopped 10 Km outside of town (this is about 6.5 miles).

Riding on the roads

Local farmer with his cows, plowing the field

It was a nice easy pace we were going and took time to stop and get some pictures. Parts of the road were almost impassable for cars which meant big mud holes. With my mountain bike I didn't have any problems and I had to laugh as the red mud splattered me on my legs and shoes.

A Saturday can't get much better then this!

Planting Rice

The picture below was at one of our stops were we decided to part ways. My friend and her boyfriend and I went up to a little hill top to check out a rock (my friend is a rock climber) while the rest of them journeyed on farther. There were 2 Khmer guys, the three of us, and a couple from Switzerland who were going to bike to Siem Reap, they had two weeks and were planning on going slow and enjoying the country side.

View of Phnom Penh from the hill

At our stop we asked Lucky how far we had traveled...his answer was 29 Km(this is about 19 miles)...but we had to get back to the city which was about 29 Km from were we were. Did I mention that my bike had a really tiny seat? And you should be asking...Kara, have you been training for long bike rides? The answer to that question is no. This means my hiny was getting quite sore. So I did some shifting in my seat I headed back to the city with my friend and her BF. We road through move villages and had to stop as a herd of cows met us head on in the streets (the cows won the right of way). Not the cows in the next picture but a whole herd walking right down the middle of the street.

cows on the road home

House by the road

We stopped a few more times as we road home...sometimes for water and sometimes because my bum just needed a break. We finally reached the main highway that would bring us back into the city. We found a place to eat and enjoyed some of the local food before setting off again. As we were coming into the last part of the road before getting into the city I had to stop. I could see the sign over road and wanted to make it but my body said no. My knee was also hurting by this point and I knew I had reached my limit. So meeting up with my friends (I was walking my bike) we turned around and there was a Tuk Tuk driver. I have never been so happy to see one of these guys in my life. So this guy drove me home after getting my bike inside.

Do you see the dirt on my legs?

I also got to take pictures while I road...I was trying to keep myself awake. I could have fallen asleep but didn't think that was a good idea.

Starbucks copycat :)

So covered in mud and sweat I arrived back home to find some of my housemates who all asked what happened to me. I laughed and told them I just finished biking 50 Km (30 miles). It was while I was cleaning up I realized I had gotten mud on me and then got sunburned. So on my knees I have some nice white marks from where the mud was. I was so glad I went and loved every minute of it, even while my body was hurting. It felt so good to get out of the city and see the real Cambodia tucked away from the busy city life. Also you kind of feel like a movie star as you go through towns because all the kids run out and are yelling hello to you in English. It is very cute.