My Favorite Day - Sukhothai

My most memorable day was riding into and around Sukhothai. I rolled out of Phitsanulok early in the morning and straight to Sukhothai. A full moon accompanied me for the first hour. As it said it's good-byes and the sun began to rise, a deep mist settled over the surrounding rice fields. Around 6am, local life began to stir as monks began their morning pilgrimage for food, farmers tiptoed out into the fields and small buses cruised by, bloated with day workers. At 7:30am I passed school children walking to school while overburdened mopeds passed me often carrying 2-3 kids and an adult.

I pulled into Sukhothai around 9am into the beautiful Ruean Thai House. The hotel receptionist offered flawless service, offering me a place to shower and cup of coffee while I waited for my room. After unloading my panniers, I jumped back on my bike to ride to the historical park of Sukhothai about 10 miles out of town. Having a bike gave me a huge amount of freedom as I rolled down gravel roads, discovering breathtaking Wats hidden deep in the jungle scenery. I passed several tourists on foot, please with my chosen mode of transportation.
The park is huge and took me several hours to visit on bike.

Exhausted after all of the riding, I grabbed a late lunch for $4 and then hired a truck to take me and my bike back into town.