![day09_01 day09_01](https://travels.wohu.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/day09_01_thumb.jpg)
We start our day in the hotel courtyard where Spice Roads staff have our bikes ready to go. Tom gives us an overview of the day.
![day09_02 day09_02](https://travels.wohu.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/day09_02_thumb.jpg)
We are proudly wearing our new jerseys from a great Polish meat market in Minneapolis. Rick’s family has gone to Kramarczuk’s for years at the holidays to buy “two sticks of Polish!” They have a great restaurant too so don’t miss it if you visit the Twin Cities!
![day09_03 day09_03](https://travels.wohu.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/day09_03_thumb.jpg)
Spice Roads staff have fresh cold water available, as they will all day on the ride. They keep our bottles topped off!
![day09_04 day09_04](https://travels.wohu.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/day09_04_thumb.jpg)
As we leave the hotel, Woodie gives a quick lesson in how to communicate with hand signals. This is important for car drivers to know what we are doing, as well as for communicating with each other–because we can’t hear much above the din of the traffic.
![day09_05 day09_05](https://travels.wohu.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/day09_05_thumb.jpg)
We head out through the morning traffic of Chiang Mai. Stay to the left!
![day09_06 day09_06](https://travels.wohu.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/day09_06_thumb.jpg)
We pedal past the old city walls.
![day09_07 day09_07](https://travels.wohu.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/day09_07_thumb.jpg)
We see all kinds of things — including this mom and baby, papoose-style!
![day09_08 day09_08](https://travels.wohu.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/day09_08_thumb.jpg)
Recreational opportunities abound.
![day09_09 day09_09](https://travels.wohu.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/day09_09_thumb.jpg)
This happy pup joined us and joyfully ran alongside us for over a mile.
![day09_10 day09_10](https://travels.wohu.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/day09_10_thumb.gif)
See happy dog run, up on the sidewalk then back into the street here!
![day09_11 day09_11](https://travels.wohu.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/day09_11_thumb.jpg)
Statue at entrance to small temple.
![day09_12 day09_12](https://travels.wohu.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/day09_12_thumb.jpg)
We frequently see sites honoring the King and Queen.
![day09_13 day09_13](https://travels.wohu.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/day09_13_thumb.jpg)
Bamboo scaffolding looks lightweight but must be strong as it is used frequently.
![day09_14 day09_14](https://travels.wohu.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/day09_14_thumb.jpg)
Chicken man?
![day09_15 day09_15](https://travels.wohu.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/day09_15_thumb.jpg)
Our route sometimes had a dedicated lane like this;
![day09_16 day09_16](https://travels.wohu.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/day09_16_thumb.jpg)
was sometimes just along a highway like this;
![day09_17 day09_17](https://travels.wohu.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/day09_17_thumb.jpg)
and sometimes we enjoyed a lane through a quiet area like this!
![day09_18 day09_18](https://travels.wohu.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/day09_18_thumb.jpg)
Good deal in the men’s room!
![day09_19 day09_19](https://travels.wohu.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/day09_19_thumb.jpg)
We stopped to rest and take a little break by a government office building. First we enjoyed the shade of this awning…
![day09_20 day09_20](https://travels.wohu.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/day09_20_thumb.jpg)
… then workers showed up to move it away!
![day09_21 day09_21](https://travels.wohu.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/day09_21_thumb.gif)
Enjoy the awning procession here!
![day09_22 day09_22](https://travels.wohu.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/day09_22_thumb.jpg)
We rode up and down (but mostly up) into the hills outside of Chiang Mai. Some trees on the hillsides were autumn-colored, gold and orange.
![day09_23 day09_23](https://travels.wohu.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/day09_23_thumb.jpg)
In the distance we could see a temple on a summit.
![day09_24 day09_24](https://travels.wohu.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/day09_24_thumb.jpg)
Here is what we hate to see — a steep incline!
![day09_25 day09_25](https://travels.wohu.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/day09_25_thumb.jpg)
Yikes! We are at the dot on the left. Lots of climbing ahead!
![day09_26 day09_26](https://travels.wohu.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/day09_26_thumb.jpg)
The temple is getting closer as we climb up and up.
![day09_27 day09_27](https://travels.wohu.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/day09_27_thumb.jpg)
Our end point today was this garden. We enjoyed snacks and beverages and explored the grounds. Butterflies and a few birds!
![day09_28 day09_28](https://travels.wohu.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/day09_28_thumb.jpg)
Part of our group enjoys the ducks swimming about.
![day09_29 day09_29](https://travels.wohu.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/day09_29_thumb.jpg)
Coffee and smoothies in a nice cool porch!
![day09_30 day09_30](https://travels.wohu.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/day09_30_thumb.jpg)
Leaf imprints in the trails through the gardens.
![day09_31 day09_31](https://travels.wohu.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/day09_31_thumb.jpg)
Buildings were scattered around the property.
![day09_32 day09_32](https://travels.wohu.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/day09_32_thumb.jpg)
Charming lodging with a paddle wheel too!
![day09_33 day09_33](https://travels.wohu.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/day09_33_thumb.jpg)
Lots of color…makes MJ think about gardening this spring!
![day09_34 day09_34](https://travels.wohu.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/day09_34_thumb.jpg)
This pup seemed intent on the ducks and ducklings. For a snack?!
![day09_35 day09_35](https://travels.wohu.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/day09_35_thumb.jpg)
This would be a nice place to hang out!
![day09_36 day09_36](https://travels.wohu.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/day09_36_thumb.gif)
Check it out here!
![day09_37 day09_37](https://travels.wohu.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/day09_37_thumb.jpg)
On our way back to the city, we cycled past a safari-themed park. What is with the giant turtle?!
![day09_38 day09_38](https://travels.wohu.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/day09_38_thumb.jpg)
Wonder if this exhibit of plastic flamingos was inspired by the University of Wisconsin-Bascom Hill flamingos?
![day09_39 day09_39](https://travels.wohu.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/day09_39_thumb.jpg)
As we waited for a light to change, this British woman chatted with us. Very friendly! She lives here and loves it except for the pollution. Before the light changed, a German chap joined us on his motor bike and joined the conversation.
![day09_40 day09_40](https://travels.wohu.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/day09_40_thumb.jpg)
Another friendly Ronald.
![day09_41 day09_41](https://travels.wohu.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/day09_41_thumb.jpg)
Rick makes a note of the location of the hospital. Just in case.
![day09_42 day09_42](https://travels.wohu.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/day09_42_thumb.jpg)
We ride back into the city in the early afternoon.
![day09_43 day09_43](https://travels.wohu.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/day09_43_thumb.jpg)
And we all make it safely back to our hotel. A great first ride!
![day09_44 day09_44](https://travels.wohu.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/day09_44_thumb.jpg)
Right across the street is a bike shop, unloading new steeds!
![day09_45 day09_45](https://travels.wohu.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/day09_45_thumb.jpg)
Here are our steeds, all tied up for the night.
![day09_46 day09_46](https://travels.wohu.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/day09_46_thumb.jpg)
Rick and MJ duck into the 7-Eleven, also just across the street, for lunch snacks. Here is a crab sandwich stamped with a crab design!
![](https://travels.wohu.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/day09_47.jpg)
Six of us decided to head down to the night market for some MORE shopping and dinner. The hotel provides a free tuk-tuk ride to the market and we walked back afterwards. Only a 15 minute walk but quite the show along the way, including bars that specialized in ‘dwarfes’!!!
![](https://travels.wohu.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/day09_48.jpg)
. . . lots of street vendors . . .
![](https://travels.wohu.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/day09_49.jpg)
. . . and a HUGE covered area. Not as big as the market in Bangkok, but being at night this market was much more comfortable.
![](https://travels.wohu.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/day09_50.jpg)
. . . rows and rows of elephants.
![](https://travels.wohu.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/day09_51.jpg)
After all that shopping one works up and appetite so on to the food pavilion . . .
![](https://travels.wohu.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/day09_52.jpg)
We all had interesting meals including the ‘hot pot’ that Leslie and Gregory shared. Getting the alcohol stove to turn off was quite the chore!!!
![](https://travels.wohu.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/day09_53.jpg)
emJay and our chef shared a few words about the excellent feed. (very few actually. He didn’t speak English and she didn’t speak Thai!!)
![](https://travels.wohu.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/day09_54.jpg)
emJay had a pedicure before we left MSN and if her nails had still not been in such pristine condition, she might have gone for the little ‘piranha’ treatment where you stick your feet in a large aquarium and hundreds of little fish come by and eat all the dead skin off your feet. FUN!!!
![](https://travels.wohu.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/day09_55.jpg)
On the walk back, TommyH and I almost went for this custom made suit. Only about $95USD but we could get them to bargain and just couldn’t pay full price. Evidently this is one of their most popular versions!!!
![](https://travels.wohu.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/day09_56.jpg)
Back at our little nest, TommyH was still high on night time market shopping and would probably have a hard time falling to sleep, thinking about the opportunity lost not buying the cannabis print suit. There is always tomorrow night . . .the market is held every night!