Mekong Odyssey 09: Ride for Life

The weather vane in my garden swivelled 180 degrees to the northeast, last Thursday, and I knew it was time to pack my cycle bags for our Mekong Odyssey 09, a 1,600 km ride I have been planning for the last six months with friend and long-time Thailand resident, Peter Brierley.
With the prevailing wind at our backs and morning temperatures dipping in North Thailand to below 18 degree centigrade, this is the best time to follow the trail of the Mekong River through Thailand’s border country.

Our three-week trip starts from Chiang Rai, 8 November, following the Mekong River as close as is practical, all the way to Ubon Ratchathani and across the border to Pakse in southern Laos.

Our starting point, in a rural district east of Chiang Rai, is not exactly on the Mekong River, but it is close enough to Chiang Khong and Wiang Kaen, the last towns before the river sweeps inland through mountain gorges to Luang Prabang in Laos. It eventually flows south to touch Thailand once more at Chiang Khan, 63 km north of Loei.

We intend to skirt around the elbow of mountains near Nan on remote rural roads close to the border with Laos to Na Haeo, Dansai and to Chiang Khan, to rejoin the Mekong River. From there the rural road hugs the river bank all the way to Nong Khai and south to Nakhon Phanom, Mukdahan, Song Salueng and Ubon Ratchathani, where we will head for Pakse, in southern Laos; a town that is fast becoming a chill-out spot for young travellers. Hello, why are we going there??

This is a cycle tour with minimum fuss – no back-up vehicles, support or fixed itinerary. Just the basic outline that we need to close the day where there is a guest house, or national park with accommodation; even if it is rent-a-tent. Everything we need will be stuffed into bike panniers slung over the front and rear racks and two sturdy bikes to take the load.

With 21 days to cover the distance we fancy experiencing Northeast Thailand at a snail’s pace trailing a tiny carbon footprint. That was it. No agendas, nothing but enjoying a holiday was on our minds.

Then I happened to watch the “Que Sera Sera” commercial on Thai TV, while Xandra my five-year old granddaughter sang the lyrics at the top of her voice. The commercial, which got close to 300,000 hits on You Tube, in less than a week, zoomed in on the musicians and singers who were all handicapped children.

Of course it’s a clever commercial that prompts a tear or two, but it did the trick. No we didn’t buy insurance, but we pledged to support a charity for children and adults who are handicapped and don’t have limbs to cycle the by-ways of Thailand.

We invite you to join us in our adventure to support The Prostheses Foundation of HRH the Princess Mother. The website link is www.prosthesesfoundation.or.th/original/eng/indexEn.htm

You can sponsor in a way that best suits you. One method is to pledge  cents or baht per km. The final distance covered will be verified by our Garmin GPS with details posted on the website. But you can reckon on 1600 km, from end-to-end.

In just days of stating our intentions,  the pledges reached Bt79,000.

This how it works

Anyone interested in pledging support should email us at mekongodyssey09@ttreport.com  stating name and pledge details. 

After the ride and km count please email us again with details of your donation so we can identify when it is transferred to the bank account.

Please wait for our confirmation of kms ridden before any payments are made.

We will publish details of  your pledge and donations on www.ttrweekly.com.  We understand the charity will provide individual receipts to those who make a donation.

Once the ride ends, donations should be paid to the following account opened specifically for this project.

(Due to complicated rules and tax conditions it has to be a personal account, but after 40 years in Thailand I am not about to flee the scene).

All funds in the account will be paid without any deductions to The Prostheses Foundation of HRH the Princess Mother and a second foundation if the donations go through over Bt100,000.

Account details: Don Pepper Ross, savings account no 217-204 144-7, Siam Commercial Bank,  Bon Marche Market Branch, Chatuchak District, Bangkok, Thailand.

Well, I’ve got that off my chest. All I have to do now is get myself to Chiang Rai on a TG flight, this Friday, and start cycling south on Sunday to a remote little village called Pong. It might not sound so auspicious in the English language, but tiny Pong has a resort and it is a convenient 100 km from the start, hence our interest.

Oh, I forgot, anyone is welcome to join us at any of the towns we visit. Just turn up with your bike, with a back pack, or a pannier bag slung over a back wheel rack (No support cars or camp followers).

We will update the ride daily with some travel stuff and insights on http://www.ttrweekly.comand also we will twitter away to anyone who wants to stay in touch on www.twitter.com/donross44 and www.twitter.com/peterB48.

Foundation Details

The Prostheses Foundation of HRH The Princess Mother was established in 1992. When it was learned that Dr.Therdchai Jivacate was able to make prosthetic legs which were lighter, more comfortable and 10 times less expensive than imported ones, as they were made from recycled plastic, the Princess Mother set up The Prosthesis Foundation to provide free prostheses for poor amputees, regardless of nationality or religion.

The Prosthesis Foundation was registered Aug. 17, 1992 with the Princess Mother as Honorary chairman and H.R.H. Princess Galayani Vadhana Kromluang Naradhiwas Rajanagarindra as president. Both donated a sum of money which made it possible for The Foundation to begin providing prostheses since 1992.

(While we have informed the foundation of our intentions, please note that our efforts are not an official sanctioned fund raiser of the stated foundation.)

Website: www.prosthesesfoundation.or.th/original/eng/indexEn.htm