Ride #8: Ranong to Bang Ben Beach

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hmmm, I should probably write these the day I do the ride and not two weeks after. What happened on this ride, bit unsure. I had a rest day in ranong which means sitting in a pub for the day, to tired to do anything else. I started the day wondering through the town but an hour in the heat takes it out of you and thoughts of a nice cold pint fill your mind. I met an irish guy in phuket who expressed the same opinion. Its not irish to be walking about in the heat, sure what would you want to be doing that for when you could be sitting in a pub having a beer. So I went to a pub for some food. Sitting in the open air (no walls) pub thinking there was a lovely breeze coming through, ya, I later turned my head to realise I was sitting under a fan, idiot. Anyway, to make a long story short, many beers where had etc, etc.....
Woke up feeling a little hungover but at least I was in my room this time. Pondered staying one more day but that would mean more drinking so I got up and packed and got on my bike. Stopped off at a service station for breakfast, some cakes of some sort and water, just what the body needs. The rest of the day is uneventful. A slightly undulating road for 45kms but nothing to big and then flat for the last 20 kms. The first signs of my back complaining came at the 55km mark. I thought for a moment it was about to do so I stopped and stretched for a bit. Only 10 kms to go so I took it slowly for the rest of the ride.
Not much to Bang ben beach, a few house and one or two small shops. I followed a sign for a resort that took me down to the beach about 2 kms from the village, however I couldn't see any resort so I headed back to the village. When I headed down the road I had thought I heard somebody shouting at me but I ignored it. When I got back to the town and headed out again towards the national park again there was some lady shouting at me, I waved but ignored her. The national park didn't have any accommodation so it was back to the village and again the lady shouting at me. It seems she has the only hotel in the town, at least that I could find. I booked in and got myself a little bungalow. It was quite a nice little place. Only about 10 bungalows but it had a very chilled back feel to it, mostly cause there was nothing else here to make any noise. It was my first time staying in such a peaceful environment so I decide to stay for an extra day and have an unplanned rest day. My rest day didn't quite turn out to be a rest day, instead I went walk about and ended up hiking for 13 kms over a mountain pass and then along the coast line. I got to a point on the coast line where the owner of the hotel told me I would have to turn back and take the road back to the hotel. I had ridden down that road the day before and didn't feel like walking a long a flat open stretch off road. Screw him, what does he know, he has only lived her for 15 years, I reckon I can continue on along the coast. The beach disappeared for rocks, lots and lots of rocks. About 2 kms of climbing over rocks with a couple of spots where I thought I would have to turn back but I am man, I invented fire, no rocks can stop me, arrrggghhh.
After that I spent the rest of the day sitting in the hotel writing the first 5 rides on this website. So you know that bit.
Ride #8 done.

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