Day 15

Present location: Singapore
Running Distance Covered: 2,117.4kms

12:30pm     Flat tire.... Both tires at the some time!!!

5:00pm... Back tire leaking.....need to pump air every half an hour ...

6:45pm Thai time....... I am in Singapore!!! As usual, got lost again. Jyotiriishvar picked me up at Braddell road.... Ahhhh, it's so surreal, and a big relief as my back tire is leaking air more faster.

To The Supporters of this event....

Thank you so much for helping raise funds for the university school tuition fees of the children. As i have mentioned before; empowering children through education is lasting and best gift you can offer them... Thank you so much...

For sending donation or needing more information about Baan Dada Children' Home and Community Services please visit the web site:

                  www.baandada.org

To My Dearest Children...
All the pains, all the hardship and troubles that went into this solo cycling for education is nothing because you are all worth it... and i love you all so much!

Richard (dada)

Day 14

Location: Alor Gajah
Running distance covered: 1,806.8kms
Took highway E2... .this goes directly to Johor Bahru. Luckily no police  waved me down.
5:00pm  front wheel punctured.... Fixed and went.
past 6:00pm.. got another tire problem.... Back wheel leaking air. Can't fix it as it is as it raining. Luckily the air is leaking slowly so i just pump air every few minutes.
This is one  situation you don't want to be in.  Had to pump air every 2 to 3 kms of cycling..
it is dark and raining as well.... The nearest town is still more than 20kms. I need to find a place to stay.
When i reached Alor Gajah i asked some people whom i saw along the way if they now any guest house nearby... Yes, one replied, about 20kms from here. My heart sank as it is past 7pm and really dark. Aside from that i had to pump air every 3 to 4 minutes.
Cycled  to the direction they  pointed... Now the rain more heavily, ohhh my Lord, please!!!..i saw an eatery shop and ask a person for direction. A Muslim man asked me to have a sit first as it is raining, and he asked me if i would like to drink something hot... I asked for some hot chocolate. We talk... told him what i am doing and he offered to take me to a guest house. Thanked him as i really need that as i am really exhausted and feeling cold from the rain. We went to find a guest house as soon as the rain stopped.
The man who helped me is Mr. Bahrain Tahir. He we went out of his way to help me although he said that he is already free. We had a photo afterwards.
Later, in a half conscious half sleeping way, i checked all my wheels and removed 3 wires from shredded truck wheels. Patched up the inner tubes and found out that i only have 2 patches remaining. I hope i won't have another punctured tire tomorrow.
Please visit the web site below if you would like to donate...
    www.baandada.org
Missing the children so much.....

 

day 12

 Got up at 4:30
Did meditation.... bath..... packed up....
Cycling clothes still wet so i used the extra shirt which is dry. When i got out it is raining.... I should have used my wet shirt.
Today is a record breaking event:  SIX FLAT TIRES!!!
Walking on the street with my bike asking for some  bicycle shop... Most of the people i asked don't know.... Motorcycle shops don't want to fix inner tubes ... rented a vehicle to find a shop... Ended up as a good decision as the driver knows where.
Replaced my thin tires which they call slick tires into thick Mountain bike tires.
Most of my flat TIRES since the beginning of this cycling are from broken tire with wires exposed
I think i won't be able to reach Singapore in two days!!!

 

Day 12

Got up at 4:30
Did meditation.... bath..... packed up....
Cycling clothes still wet so i used the extra shirt which is dry. When i got out it is raining.... I should have used my wet shirt.

Today is a record breaking event:  SIX FLAT TIRES!!!

Walking on the street with my bike asking for some  bicycle shop... Most of the people i asked don't know.... Motorcycle shops don't want to fix inner tubes ... rented a vehicle to find a shop... Ended up as a good decision as the driver knows where.

Replaced my thin tires which they call slick tires into thick Mountain bike tires.

Most of my flat TIRES since the beginning of this cycling are from broken tire with wires exposed

I think i won't be able to reach Singapore in two days!!!

Day 11



Location: Tanjong Malim (70kms from KL)
Running distance covered:  1559.2kms.
Started the day on the road getting lost. Took almost an hour to locate the right path.
Earlier today two men gave me a sunglasses after telling him i lost mine. He also gave me a medicine to relieve muscle pain.
Could not cycle fast as part of the roads are narrow and when a truck passes by it is so near me that i javelin to go to the dirt part pf raw road... Dangerous.
Decided to stop early at 5:00pm to patch up punctured tubes.  Too tired to think.....
My dearest children, i miss you all so much...

Day 10

Location:  Ipoh
Running Distance Covered:  1423.7 kms.

4:45 am....wake up, bath, meditation

6:45am:  started cycling. Stopped at 7/11 store and got a packet oreo biscuit..

A man told me yesterday that it is prohibited to cycle on the highway... I replied that  "i have not seen any sign that says that and no officer has waved me so i'll go through the highway still."

As i was cycling on highway E1 my sunglasses fell off without me knowing it. Looked for it but it is gone. Someone got an early Christmas present. used my spare clear goggles... Too much  sun glare!

Finally i saw the sign that bicycles are not allowed in this highway. Went cycling again and i noticed that my front wheel is slipping........front tire punctured!

Fixed it and came off the highway. Now going through route 1..... Almost got lost earlier trying to find it. A kind Indian man guided me all the way till we reach route 1.

Hit something hard on the road... Back wheel busted......That fixed... All reserve tubes used up.... need to patch up the tubes later. Not a good start; 2 consecutive flat tires those morning. Next time when i go for a long cycling i will use a thick mountain bike tires.

9:30.... stopped for some oreo and water...

Past 11:00 stopped for some oreo again.

Past 2:00 pm.... oreo meal again.

Proceeded to route 60..

Almost 5:00pm...  oreo meal is almost finished. Bought one ringit of banana chips. Asked the vendor if there are any cheap hostel around. He said not around here.... only in Ipoh.    Great!.... It is 67 kms from where i am and it is getting dark... and drizzling. Not a good idea to go fast on my thin tires..

Can't see clearly as eye goggles dirty... Cleaned it to no effect. Took it off.... Ahhhh, better.     Now the water and dirt is going to my eyes.... Stopped to turn on all my LED flashers.

It is not a good idea cycling at night time especially if there are no side road.. Vehicles just whizzing by a foot or two on my side.

8:20 pm.  Found a hostel. Bath... Meditation.... 10:00pm  had my first real meal for today. Not doing this on purpose. My atm card has some problem so i am trying to budget my expenses. For as long as i have water to drink and every just a snack is enough to keep me going.

All the while i was cycling in the dark i keep thinking of all the children who will benefit from this fundraising event. That matters more than my convenience or comfort.....

Day 9

Location:  Butterworth
Running distance covered from yesterday: 1233kms

Went to the bank early morning... The staff told me to wait at the atm machine where it got stuck. Their agent Will come to service the machine.

Ahhh... Hungry. A group of people passing by was telling each other "oh.. That cyclist is strong... one of them smiled at me and i smiled back and nodded"... I think the right thing for them to say is "oh, that cyclist is hungry."

I guess the unseen force would like me to take rest, slow down, do a little fasting.... no problem.

Some police and home security officers approached me.... I explained why am i waiting outside the store and they were amused, and sympathetic to my situation. They tried to contact the bank... I asked them if can stay at the police station temporarily.

They said yes.... A patrol car came and escorted me to the police station.
Used their computer to send emails... Found out that their are Western Union branches in the area.

Went out to find the bank again and luckily i saw the main branch.
Ahhhh..... Got it back. I'll use it only on weekdays during bank hours. Can't afford to let it happen again.

A day wasted... A rest well earned!

Day 8

Wake up alarms at 4:30

I hardly slept at all last night..... just a little bit  more sleep ... Just a little more...
check my watch again it was almost 7:00!!   ....That was fast!!!
Cycling clothes still wet...... anyway, it Will either get dry in the sun as i wear it or get wet from my perspiration..... so it does not matter.
Bath.... Meditation.... Pack up.
As i got out i was greeted by The Sun.... in all it's bright and shining glory!
It's going to be one hard ride today again.
Entered Malaysia at 10:15am.
Cycled on the highway as the inner roast are complicated. So far no police waved me..
reached Butterworth at past 5:00pm.
Took me more than an hour to find a place to stay... It is all alien to me.
Went to an atm machine to draw money to pay the hotel and.... Surprise... Surprise!
........The card got stuck in the machine and i could not draw any money... Whatever i have here won't go much far. All my money for food and for room rent is in that card!!!
Will go to the bank office tomorrow morning to sort this out or i am stuck!
Had dinner... My first real meal for today... So tired and so hungry... And now a new drama is unfolding......

Day 7

Present location: Sadao, Songkhla (35kms to Malaysia)
Running distance covered:  1020.6 kms.

The weather:  bright... and hot
I've decided to reach Singapore in 4 to 5 days. This would lessen my expenses for this event for the longer i stay on the road the more expensive it would be.
My deep gratitude to my brother for sponsoring my travel expenses.
4:30am   - time seems to be running fast. I just closed my eyes awhile ago now it's 4:30am! How come when i cycle time seems to slow down. I look at my odometer and time and saw  that i have covered only a few kms to what seems to me long hours of pedalling??!
past 1:00pm.  Feeling hungry... Those is easy to solve.... but being a vegetarian complicates things up. Most shops have pre cooked items that are not vegetarian.
Past 2:00pm
Ahhh... Finally a food shop that you can order what you want.
Cycled immediately after meal... I noticed that i can cycle faster!!! Food ostensibly fuel...
Past 3:00pm I am on Songkhla now.... Wow
Around 8:00pm... Reached the outskirts  of Sadao
I am now around 35kms to the border of Malaysia.

Day 6

Location: Thung Song, Nakhon Si  Thamarat
                200kms to the border of Malaysia.

HOT!... TOO HOT!.... TOO COLD!!???....
Today's weather: too hot already even this morning! I wonder what happened to the storm?!
11:00am. Got lost.... good thing Somchai gave me a smart phone that has GPS. Took out my reading glasses... oh wow, it's broken, i thought i got a good bargain for it... 45.-baht from China town.
As i cycle i try to remember the teaching of the "wise teacher". He is not only wise but a very saintly person.
"From the first expression of morality, to the establishment in cosmic humanity, there is a gap. The concerted effort to negotiate this gap is termed as social progress, and the collective body of those who are engaged in this concerted effort I shall call the "society"
      "Where Love is paramount, the question of personal loss or gain does not arise. They basic ingredient for building a healthty society is simply Genuine Love....."
by the way the name of the wise saintly teacher is P.R. Sarkar.

11:00 ohh wow... it is so hot!!!
2:00 pm, my head seems floating and i am feeling cold inside even though it is scorching hot out here. Stopped immediately to take water and snacks.
Last October 2010 i also felt the same  chilling cold inside when i did a long fund raising Walk for Education from Sangklaburi to Phuket. Conferred with Mr. VJ who was my virtual companion and texed me a message that i need to take food and drink water. It is a sign that the body needs sugar and also getting dehydrated.
Will not forget that Mr. VJ.
3:00 pm. Have reached Nakhon Si Thamarat. Decided to stop cycling only when there is not much sunlight. Broke my sunglasses.... another good bargain from China town.
7:00pm... Still cycling and looking for place to spend the night.  Now the storm has come., it is pouring like anything and now i am feeling cold.....TOO COLD!!!

Day 5

Location: Surathani

Running distance covered: 628.6 kms.

Started late today...  Still tired from yesterday's ride.

Bananas for breakfasts....

Cycled fast to make up for the late start.

Remembered a saintly man's teaching....

As i cycle i remember part a teaching of a wise man. He said that mankind has not yet realized the true meaning of "society". According to him the real essence of society is to march together in unison, that no one should be left lagging behind.

Baan Dada Children's Home strikes to practice those teaching by providing opportunities to study in a university or technical school not only for the children in our home but to deserving children in surrounding communities. What better way to help those who are unfortunate by empowering them through knowledge,  through education.

I am deeply grateful to those who supported this cycling for education. Your support Will make a big difference in those children's lives.

3:00 pm:   decided to stop cycling only when it is getting dark.

Getting tired... and talking to myself:

You better stay well on the very side of the road Richard...

yeah, sure i will, dada.

Better to be safe than sorry Rick, many fast moving vehicles just 2 meters from you.....

Okay, okay, i will be careful dada..

7:00 pm.... Rest... laundry work.... Phoned the children.... Happy to hear their voices. Thank you Mayuree, May, and Tiphawan for your concern.... and to let you and all the children know that  "NOT A DAY GOES BY THAT I NEVER THINK OF YOU!"

Day 4

Location: Chumphon 

Total running distance: 445.1kms

Started the day with a flat tire... again. Fixed it and started cycling hard and fast.

I have covered a good distance yesterday but it  left me totally exhausted. 
Still about 1500kms to go to reach Singapore. that is about a maximum of 15 days  of cycling.

A motorcyclist rode beside me and asked where am i headed?  ...i told him to Singapore. They were wide eyed upon hearing that and gave me a thumbs up and good wishes and sped up. Some cars honk even though i am at the very side of the road. I think they are acknowledging what i am doing and it is inspiring especially when you are alone out here.

My water in the bottle taste like plastic that made me feel like vomiting. I need to find some electrolyte powder to mix with it but most shops don't have it.

Past 4:00pm already, delayed my lunch as much as i can as it is cloudy.... a good time to cycle as it is not as exhausting as doing it under the sun. Really hungry....  feeling cold and dizzy...

Thanks to Mr. VJ for his advises and warnings while cycling in the rain.

Day 3

Location: baan Sam Rong

Running distance covered: 289.4kms

I thought:

That having a fan is enough to drive the mosquitoes away....  Wrong!

That having thinner wheels I could go faster.... Wrong! Got two flat tires already. When it rains it is more slippery than the thick ones I had before. In the end better use the thick off road wheels.

As i left the temple i saw the beach and it reminded me 5 years ago when I brought all the children to this beach... Really miss them now.

I always look at their picture which I attached on my handlebars. David... Pls tell the children that I miss them.

Started late cycling today due to stomach problems. By the time I got on the road my wheel got punctured again. This won't easily happen if I used my thick off road tires.

Rained hard in the afternoon but I kept on going on a slow pace as i noticed that my wheels are slipping. Again, my thick off road tires can handle this better. Riding in the rain is still better preferred than being roasted under the sun.

Someone informed me when I asked for directions that a storm is coming... let's see if it is really coming.

My love to everyone,
Dada rama

Day 2

Location: Cha Am temple near the beach

.
Running Distance covered: 198.5 kms

Had a good run today but cycled late (7:00am) to do my meditation.
Two problems came up: a flat tire and the other is stomach upset. The first one is easy to deal with, but the other problem..... If they know the story about the "fastest thing on earth" the will know what I mean.

Stopped cycling at 3pm. running out of energy, anyway I have covered a good distance already.  Huahin is just 29kms from here.

Although the beach is just in front of the temple, the body is simply not willing and prefers to sleep. I am sure I can have a good rest as today there is a fan to drive away the mosquitoes.

I made a photo of my constant companion

Day 1

My Dearest Children,

I shall be away for almost a month which most of you know already… Even before starting the ride today I feel my legs heavy… not from tiredness but from the thought of being away from you for almost a month. My eyes are misty as well not due to dust or tiredness but because I miss you all so much already.

 Where ever I will be All of You will always be in my heart, You are the very meaning of my life. I will carry you with me always in my thoughts and tell you the beautiful things I have seen in this journey; the sceneries, the food, the nice and kind people that I will meet… And whenever I feel my legs giving up I will just look at Your pictures on the handlebars of my bike and it will be enough to keep me going…. as You are my strength…The very purpose of my life.

When I come back I will cook spaghetti just like the day I came back from the long walk three years ago… but not only spaghetti but I will bring lots of sweet as well….  Yes, sweets, the word I use when I need all of you to come down quickly when there is work to do..J, aisde from the other word called Pai Theo!

I shall be writing to You always to tell You where I am already and what adventures that I have encountered, better yet, I will tell David to read to you my Cycling Diary.

                                                                                                                                                                MY LOVE TO EVERYONE

                                                                                                                                                                                DADA RAMAKRISHNA