Bangkok-Suphanburi (Day 4)

Bangkok – Suphanburi (Day 4)

The long ride.

It was onward to Ayutthaya today. I wasn’t sure if I would send the night there or take the train back to Bangkok. It all would depend on my mood and when I would actually get there. To keep all option open I left rather early, before 7am.

The first challenge was getting across Highway 340. There’s one underpass about 4km South of the city, that’s the best and safest option. Next best would be the bridge leading to Highway 33. It’s a four lane bridge, but next to no shoulder, so no thanks. Hence I decided to cross at a U-turn. This was blocked off however, as was the next one further up the road. No way to safely cross here. Luckily it was early morning with little traffic, so I didn’t have to wait too long for a safe moment to cross. I do not recommend this however. If there’s regular traffic this is not a good idea, cars are speeding at 100km/h through Suphanburi here. Use the underpass, or the bridge!

One of the reasons to cross here was it being the most direct way to an interesting looking coffee shop, Huus of Coco, hidden away in a small alley off Highway 33. Except that it wasn’t open yet. Out of town without Americano it was. Riding out of town was beautiful however, on a small road, hidden away at the back of a huge school and sports compound.

Soon it was another packed earth road along an irrigation canal. Somewhere here I got a puncture and had to stop for repairs. I didn’t have any new inner tubes with me, just two I had patched up at the end of my last trip. Obviously I hadn’t checked them properly as after a few kilometers the tire was getting soft. Air was slowly seeping out. I pumped and continued. And pumped and continued. How about the other patched up tire? Did I do a proper job on that one, or…? Didn’t feel like trying and started looking for a repair shop.

I even went on Highway 33, checking out all shops nearby major intersection. No luck, so I decided to head South, away from my planned route, to a village. Didn’t find anything there either, but asked an old man passing by slowly on his motorcycle. He signaled me to follow and finally there it was: a proper mechanic shop, tucked away at the edge of the village.

While they didn’t have tires or patches they had that press they use here to fix tires. Combined with my patches I was ready to go an hour later, with a fully pumped up tire, and two properly done spare inner tubes in my frame bag.

I picked one of the Southern options I had plotted when planning the trip. I followed roads on dams here, mostly paved single lane. The vast areas in between were all flooded. No houses and no trees were to be seen here between villages, a sign that those areas are regularly used as catchment basins during the rainy season. Occasionally I had to chase off a flock of storks which blocked the road, plus it was time for lunch in a food stall at Lat Nga, one of the island-like villages.

After lunch it got interesting once more. The farm road I had planned to use disappeared in one of the catchment basins, with the other side far in the distance. Another day, another detour. Cycling South for a few kilometers I got to a larger road crossing the basin. It was on top of a dike, still flooded at parts, but never more than knee deep, and easy to follow thanks to a power line along it.

From there on, about 10km outside of Ayutthaya proper, floods weren’t an issue anymore. Still, the route I had plotted was quiet and peaceful, next to no traffic. The houses were well kept, nice ones too, with lush gardens. I wouldn’t be surprised if many are owned by Bangkok people as weekend getaways.

I got into town at a reasonable time, late afternoon. I cycled straight to the station and inquired about train options with cargo carriages taking bikes. There was one around 19.00 or 20.00, the wait just long enough for a nice meal somewhere. I decided not to spend the night and had boat noodles (Guai Tiao Ruea, ก๋วยเตี๋ยวเรือ) and Laab Thod (crispy meatballs, ลาบทอด) at Baan Grandma Yot Thai, a popular restaurant not far from the station and right by the river.

This being a long weekend the train back to Bangkok was almost full and I was lucky to get a seat in the last passenger car, just before the cargo carriage. We arrived in Bang Sue past 21:00 and I was home before 22:00. A quick shower, change of clothes, and out again, for the well deserved, cold Leo!

Even if it was a short tour it was a great experience riding during the time when the Chao Phraya floods the river basin. Extra time for unplanned detours is needed unless one sticks to the main roads, which is not my thing, obviously. I got dirty, I got wet, but still, one of the best rides I’ve done near Bangkok so far. Happy days indeed!