cycling bangkok to phuket

[dogchow108]

Speaking of Olympic sports, I think they should can the Wushu idea and replace it with Muff Diving.


The ratings they would get...

[onesp1ng]

thanks doc. of course i can't really be too sure how long i'll have in phuket (as i'm probably keeping this to around two weeks), but i very much appreciate the offer. you can bet i'll look you up when i get there, and i'll let you know as things come along.

currently, i'll have you know, i ride, and am the proud owner of, a 1982 puch (yes, that's right; a "puch"). i brought it back to life...by overhauling all the major parts on it. it's classic: an italian brand of bike manufactured out of japan. they sure don't make 'em like they used to.

anyhow, here's some japanese guy biking around taiwan on the most ridiculous bike ever. it's hilarious. i couldn't believe he was on that thing. he speaks practically no chinese, very very little english, and i don't know any japanese. we're both thinking we're going to make it to these far away places that day, deliriously, yet we're both wrong.

it probably looks like nothing in the pic, but that area alone will make you practically melt through a whole pair of brake pads. we're on a very long road in the high eastern mountains of taiwan, in a nerve-wracking section, very steep, with cliff face overlooking the pacific ocean to my left, going the opposite directions.

and he's was on that bike. i felt both concerned and sad thinking he actually had to go where i had just come from on that thing, with 4 or 5 hours ahead of him to the nearest city...as evening approached.

what a poor bastard..



you can make out my bike's tire (the bontragers!) in this picture, and it has a newly installed seat that i think should be fine for this trip.

[onesp1ng]

btw, his finger is not pointing to our location, but rather to my hopeful destination (taidong), which was eventually reached a few days later.

[onesp1ng]

booked my ticket yesterday...from august 11th to the 26th. hope to see you there, doc...

[doc]

Was thinking of heading back to the US Aug 14.

Cycle fast.

[doc]

Shame you couldn't be here in Phuket by Aug 8. I would have had an interesting wedding for you to go to.

[onesp1ng]

don't tell us you're getting married, doc? of all things, that would be especially difficult to digest....

[doc]

Get married? OOPS.

Did I say that?

Sorry about the picture, but let's keep her sunglasses on. It's bad enough that I get "noticed" on very rare occasions; I don't want her to have to deal with infamy and notoriety.

[doc]

Disaster at the docPalace

It doesn't look like I'll be in Phuket when you get here Onesping.

I have to return back to Las Vegas, kind of suddenly.

The attached pictures tell the story better than I can...

[onesp1ng]

what happened?

actually there's a typhoon coming through taiwan today (garage currently has about 4 feet of water in it), but we haven't seen that much damage. i did have to pull the "puch" out this morning, however, as well as two big sized motocycles. (roomates are not happy...:-))

what's that from?

[doc]

My house in America got "destroyed" by a water leak. The little pipe the feeds the toilets apparently cracked and leaked for while (less than two or three days). My house is routinely checked on a daily basis when I'm gone. The water tracked everywhere, destroying five thousand square feet of genuine hardwood floors, a few ceilings, many walls, and a circular staircase made of oak.

Initial estimates put the loss at over 150,000 USD.

I have to head back.

Come to Phuket this winter. Weather is nicer. Miserable weather day today, now I know why. We feel the typhoons and stuff from up in your region.

[onesp1ng]

that's really too bad. sounds like an amazing amount of damage caused by such a small problem. there will be things that can't be replaced, but how much will insurance cover? any?

unfortunately, as for thailand, my ticket is booked. i'm getting the puch ready and will be in bangkok on the 11th. i probably won't make it to phuket until august 23rd or 24th though. i need a vacation; it's time.

if you're not around, then maybe another time... i go through LV occassionally as well. just let me know if there's anything interesting i should check out while i'm there. i've heared phuket is "touristy" but very nice nonetheless.

[dogchow108]

Damn Doc, sorry to hear about your house : (


Is Mickey alright?

[doc]

Mickey is living in Utah now.

With Fred.

wish I had a picture of Fred.... (I think Steve does)

[Maestro]

damnit doc ur house is off the hizzle if u need a house sitter u can always call me lolo

and your girlfriend...awwwwwww yea she looks good, i didnt really expect third world country girls to have such nice teeth that surprises me.

keep up the good work lolo