91 km

We had a flat, speedy start to the day today. The weather is definitely starting to cool as we enter the rainy season, and it makes a huge difference in how we enjoy the cycling and the stops we make along the way. Instead of sweating before we even got going in the morning, we actually started the first few kilometers feeling refreshed, with high clouds filtering the sun’s rays. At 4, 6, and 24 kilometers into the ride today we saw additional guest houses that might interest other riders on this route.

The last 20 km or so were hilly as we approached green-coated limestone cliffs jutting up out of the Nam Song river valley ahead of us. We found a beautiful room at the Mountain Riverview Guest House right on the river, sold by the view from the second-storey balcony. The air is hazy from the smoke of so much slash-and-burning the local farmers have been doing, but the mountains still look amazing.

We went straight out to eat, finding we had three Indian food options, as well as many others appealing to Westerners (falang is the local term for foreigners used by locals). We feel OK with eating like typical backpackers when in touristy towns because in between all we eat is local food.