Did I mention that we stop to eat along the way? Constantly and continually there are rest stops almost always where there is food available, and where there isn’t someone produces a few bags of things purchased earlier: like chicken on a stick or bananas or specialty pork-wrapped rices wrapped in banana leaves. I almost missed this photo op and the treats along with it when I started down the opposite side. Only
after hearing shouting from the summit did I realize they were gathering once again for food and fotos. Over their shoulders is the reservoir shown below where only a few minutes later did we stop once again for chicken and rice drawn from a saddle bag. At this point in the ride I couldn’t tell if this was lunch, or
if lunch was still ahead. No, Lunch was still ahead and it was a much longer break at a road-side cafe in a village of about five houses and a Wat. And when we finally got to lunch, I couldn’t eat any more.
Wats are Temples, and they can appear or pop-up anywhere. Since we were in the mountains this Wat had a sacred cave associated with it.
And the loveliest of orchids gracing the cement block walls wrapping the entrance. Of course I had no clue what was behind the walls, but quickly knew that I needed to take off my helmet and shoes before stepping too much further inside. Even an atheist can sense the feeling 
of reverence in this locale. The usually boisterous cyclists became hushed and solemn, several taking solace and prayer in front of the many Buddhas.
I hadn’t taken a glance at the odometer up until this point and was surprised we’d managed 56 miles already and still hadn’t turned homeward. No worries, we still had most the day left and probably a couple more food stops. Suffice it to say we did another 30 miles most of which was on totally empty two-lane asphalt roads thru rolling hills, coming in the shorter “back way” into Trang.
And yes the last photo is of the mobile ice cream cart we ran down that provided the Wonderbread ice cream sandwiches shown the the last blog.
