A New Look Lucy Lou

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Geo: 6.32, 99.85

Meet the new look Lucy Lou...

OK so I've not posted much about my bike or cycling recently despite collecting her from Bukit Lawang in Sumatra and cycling back to Phuket in Thailand in February and once more down to Langkawi again.

I've estimated I've cycled 20,000km on her and I must admit, I never ever though I would say that. Cycle touring is such a fantastic way to travel and have real local experiences, the slower the better really. I named her Lucy Lou because she was a big white bike and not ideal for a bit of stealth camping, and more than that it was about sharing the love... (not)...'I Love Lucy' 'I Love Lucy', 'I Love Lucy' was often the cry scaling mountains in China where she was nearly thrown over the edge a few times. And so it started, our Love/Hate thing!

So from Xi'an in China where I started, Chengdhu, Kunming and into Vietnam; Sapa, Hanoi, Hoi An, Nah Trang, Ho Chi Minh, Can Tho, Phu Quoc Island; Cambodia, Kep, Kampot, Sihanoukville, Phnom Penh, Siem Reip, Stung Treng; Laos, Pakse then disaster struck and I had a fairly serious motorbike accident which put me out of action initially for 3 months, but full recovery was almost 2 years!

From Pakse, i cycled to Bangkok in Thailand, Sisaket, Nahkon Pathon, Kanchanaburi, Surat Thani, Krabi, Satun; Malaysia, Langkawi... ha ha and there the trouble of leaving began, and is exactly where I'm back ha ha. Ipoh, Kuala Lumpur, Melacca, Tioman Islands, Mersing, Pengerang: Singapore; in by ferry near the airport and cycled out by bridge into Malaysia once more. Johor Barhu, Pointian, Bhatu Phat and Melacca again. Ferry to Sumatra: Dumai, Lake Toba, Bukit Lawang where she was abandoned for a year while I headed off sailing.

Phew it's tiring this! So February I returned and brought her back to Dumai, Indonesia and ferry to Melacca, Malaysia cycled back via Langkawi into Thailand, Satun to Phuket then Phuket back to Satun and again Langkawi, Malaysia again.

So the point of this blog is... while in Satun staying on Thea with Jamie and Julie, we stripped her and redesigned her using full marine technology. I mean we stripped every single part of her off and succeeded (phew) in putting her back together. Jamie and I spent a morning taking photographs of everything we were doing and properly labeling pieces so I could remember what to do. It was all an education for me and I loved doing it.

Meanwhile in Satun, I would go cycling 15-20km every morning before doing a few odd jobs around the boat and I loved the routine I got into. So here's to a new look Lucy Lou, all equipped once more for 'stelth' camping, she'll serve me well. I wonder what lies ahead for her.

I Love Lucy, I Love Lucy, I Love Lucy!!!

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Comments

[Phillip]

Hi Clare more pedal pushing I'm back to lumut on nov 4 take carex

[new_lands]

That's great... miss you being here especially Scarboro'Fridays :) Maybe see you soon then.

[pamela g]

Hey Clare, miss you loads but glad to hear you're doing well.

[new_lands]

Great to hear from you Pamela, hope you're well and happy - ever think about getting to see those Orangutans?? That would be an adventure for you x Take care my friend.

[pamela g]

I did check it out but apart from one place you didn't really get to work with the animals, they were all just animal husbandry. A few were a bit of a con. The costs were a wee bit out of my reach too. I can't believe I've only just realiz
ed I can use this facility to contact you! I'm such a novice with technology. I keep asking Mags to send you wee hellos from me. x