This “hand cyclist,” shown posing with the countless crew that shadow and surround him, has completed riding thru 65 of the 74 Thai provinces (states) in an effort to honor the late King for his work on environmental awareness. Local cycle clubs have been “ushering” him thru their regions – when they can keep up. Trang’s cycling community met him 65 km north of town where the Sikao town club accompanied him down from Krabi. A rescue crew with their lights and sirens often times leads the cyclists thru towns and along the highways.

The following day we escorted him a further 60 km south, where another club provided rest stops, food and escort duties. At this temple (Wat) the chief monk insisted we pose with him in front of their newest meditation building.

Wats are everywhere in Thailand and are regular resting spots, if not places of interest, as this one was with it’s jeweled boat (once a parade float) ensconced in a fish pond surrounding the entire boat.

No one asked about this fellow’s legs, but it seems like it was polio that rendered them useless.  He designed and engineered his tricycle such that he was totally self-contained with his wheel chair wheels serving as the rear tricycle wheels and the wheelchair’s “chair” stowed tightly behind his tricycle seat. If you imagine a bicycle rear triangle turned upside
down and articulating hand grips where the
pedals mount, you could see how he “pedals.”  It’s a 21-speed bike with one brake on left crank, and 7 speed mountain bike shifter on right crank.  He manually changes the triple gear chain wheels with a gloved finger.  On the flats he could easily out-pace the lead escort riders and even the rescue truck, at about 30 mph. In two days we rode with him for 125 km or 250 km for the Trang Cycling Club.