After we bid our goodbyes i was travelling north, Steve was heading home, i was hoping to pass or get to Lima 85 on a route i had not taken before.
You can see the elevations change pretty dramatically.
Little & Large.
Once underway a quick stop to see the hot springs on the edge of town.
Shortly after i was looking for a suitable school to deposit the colouring pencils and sweets i was carrying, the teacher got all the kid's in line handing them out one by one.
Teacher receiving the pencil set's, notice the guy to the left of the shot with the AK47 casually thrown over his shoulder.
Further up the road i noticed this girl pounding corn, she was a little shy at first.
Kid's riding or walking to school some way off.
The road is having some serious upgrading done so far no hold up's.
Quaint school.
Even the most primitive house had a satellite dish.
Hmong costumes for sale by the road side in readiness for the Hmong new year.
More serious grading works as i climb higher above the clouds.
One of the many weaving sheds along the way.
Reaching the turn (new gas station just before it) i headed to an abandoned Wat with a new bridge to who know's where next to it.
Crossing the river was fun it was way deeper than i had thought, anyway reached the Wat for a few snap's.
Beautiful new Wat on the other side of the river.
Heading east what looks like either mining or simply part of the grading work.
Looks like i have past the construction guys and the trail narrows.
Great views.
Trouble on the horizon.
Back into the graded stuff.
The first long delay.
Quickly followed by another.
Everywhere construction was going on.
After losing over an hour i was on my way.
Finally my first glimpse of Phou Pa Thi.
It dominates the skyline and changes from each angle, it's highest point some 1,700 metres.
Hard to imagine how an aircraft could land up there.
Funny as you ride along you become almost hypnotized by the place and cant stopping looking, i was free wheeling down a hill looking for a nice shot and ran over what i thought was a big black stick.
The stick turned out to be a bloody big Cobra suitably pissed it quickly stood up to waist height and the familiar head came into view, heart racing i put the bike into gear and slipped by.
The village just before the turn to the site.
I stopped my bike at a graded area at the turn to the mountain and snapped this picture, an old soldier came up and just looked at me, his AK47 was older than him by the look of it.
I pointed to my gps and pointed towards the trail heading to Lima 85, he pointed the other way. This game continued for what felt an eternity, i realised i was getting nowhere and reluctantly put on my helmet and moved off.
To be honest looking at the mountain from there it would have been one hell of a climb even if i did make it and to be honest after the Cobra incident still fresh in my mind i was off.
I pointed to my gps and pointed towards the trail heading to Lima 85, he pointed the other way. This game continued for what felt an eternity, i realised i was getting nowhere and reluctantly put on my helmet and moved off.
To be honest looking at the mountain from there it would have been one hell of a climb even if i did make it and to be honest after the Cobra incident still fresh in my mind i was off.
A few more shots as i descend into the valley.
Climbing down to the next village a detour had my feet wet.
Now the climb back out.
One last look.
Grading work heading west.
The last 10 - 15 km is paved, i arrive in Sam Neua as darkness was falling, a quick spin around town and grab some snaps before checking into the Sam Neua Hotel.
The Sam Neua Hotel, right next to the river, the only place i could find with secure parking.
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