Thailand Cyclists Find Temples, Snacks

S R I   L A N N A   N A T I O N A L  P A R K, Thailand, Nov. 4 -- For too many tourists, a visit to Thailand means tiki bars on the beach blasting Bob Marley, or falling prey to the Bangkok "touts" who dupe visitorsinto buying fake gems or overpriced tailored clothes.

But there's another way to see Thailand that is far moreauthentic while at the same time extremely unlike the typical Thaiexperience: A trip where you bicycle — and snack — your way pastrice paddies and Buddhist temples, through jungles and farmingvillages, up steep mountains and around verdant lakes.

"I feel like someone who has been tricked into doing somethingvery exhausting," joked Dhana Kucivilize, a 33-year-old Thaibusinessman, after the first leg of a three-day 125-mile bicycletrip organized by the Thai Cycling Club.

But with plenty of rest stops and hourly munching thrown in,Dhana — who prefers motorcycles — admitted he would be willing todo it again.

From Snacks to Temple Tours

The club's monthly trips may be one of the best and mostaffordable ways for foreigners to glimpse the Thai way of life — from the locals' incessant snacking habits and laid-back attitudesto peaceful temples and the lush countryside.

"With the TCC, there's always food. We always eat," said BobUsher, a fit 74-year-old Briton who has lived in Thailand off andon since the 1950s and frequently joins the trips.

I joined Usher and about 40 Thai men and women ranging in agefrom 22 to 74 on the trip in Chiang Rai province in northernThailand. Some were avid bikers and regulars on the trips likeUsher, but all had a common goal — to escape to off-the-beaten-pathThailand.

We paid a grand total of $53 for the trip. The price included anovernight 435-mile bus ride from the capital Bangkok to Chiang Rai;a double-decker truck for our bikes; basic accommodations atnational park facilities or campsites for those of us who preferredour tents, and Thai food for dinner every night. For the othermeals, we snacked as we biked, an average of 30 miles a day onpaved roads and dirt paths.