Fairy tale land. Really. Green karst mountains to climb, blue lagoon pools to swim in and so much more.

I was back on two wheels, but human powered for me today. Yesterday I drove through a 6k road washout and wrecked. Hard. I bruised or cracked a rib and did a number on my pointer finger. The bike is also a bit messed up. I lost my left foot post. I’m still game to keep going. The bike rental folks were amazing, and so chill.

I’m sure the error was rider……the trucks on the route were being hauled up the section of road by a huge front loader-tractor. Yikes. I was WAY out of my league. Full moon…….is my explanation for that!

Back to the beauty and joy of this place. I rode a zero speed bike 20k on gravel and loved every minute. It’s just so beautiful here. I hiked, swam and caved my way along the route. It was fab!!

It feels so good to be in warm, sunny weather in a beautiful area. I feel very lucky to be living this life. I screw up, I get up, and I just keep going. What the hell else am I going to do?

My guest house is comfy, warm, and quiet. The village is quaint, and today I rode bikes and hung out with elephants!! What’s not to love!!

My guide Phao picked me up at 8:30 sharp. We drove to the start of our ride where the bikes were waiting. After a few miles, our boat awaited us to cross the river.

Phao’s story is amazing. He was born in a Hmong village and was lucky enough to go to school. It meant leaving his family for 16 years. He made it through University. His knowledge of the culture helped me piece together all I have seen in the past week. It was so informative and fascinating.

We rode through villages, farms and rubber tree groves. After some fun, flowy single track, we were back to the river and another boat ride.

Soon, the elephants showed up. The organization I rode with is sponsoring an elephant rescue and preservation program. It’s currently small, but is allowing the elephants space to live, graze and be safe. The elephants deserve the best life possible.

I did get to bathe, brush, and swim with the gentle giants. After the bath, we went to a corral where the elephants devoured bamboo tree trunks, leaves and I got to feed them bananas, which they loved! Their trucks are so dextrous! It’s like they have thumbs.

I’ve never been so intimate with an elephant. Touching it, feeding it, brushing it, talking to it. I was in awe.

Mountain biking + washing an elephant + learning from Phao made for a very special day for me in Laos.

My ride today was lovely. I twisted and turned through rustic, old-world, villages. There was no commerce in any of them. Each had a sign that must explain the government programs protecting their culture.

I so wanted to stop and take a photo of a woman with a basket full of reeds on her back wearing a very traditional hat and skirt. I decided it would be intrusive, so I didn’t stop.

Trees were in full bloom all along my route today.

Here’s a little video where you can join me on my bike.

The view out of my Guesthouse window and door are stunning and quaint (less the smoke).

And my last favorite thing today: Sam sent me the photo below of a route he put up, (and which I was lucky to help with a belay). Sam decided to name the route “Murphy’s”, for Scott. I 💕 this so much.

The cave was super cool. You get in a boat with a driver and a headlamp. The driver zooms you through the cave for 7km. Amazing. In places, it’s at least 5 stories high. In other places, it’s pitch dark and so shallow the boat scrapes bottom.

There are a few points where the boatman lets you off to explore on foot. A few photos follow.

Today, I headed north. My favorite moment of was meeting this adorable woman at a roadside food stand. She wanted me to buy one of everything! I asked if I could get a photo with her and she was so excited! She fixed her hair and straightened her skirt. She made my day!!

Tomorrow will be a very long, beautiful, ride, ending in the town with the The Plain of jars. My longest yet on the bike…250km. I admit, I love riding!!