While Dirk suggested a Four day mountain biking visit to Cambodias Cardamom Mountains I couldnt refuse. Being in a constant state of mountain deprival in flat Cambodia it turned out finally a chance to go do some proper hills. In the end five of us agreed to join- Belgian person Dirk Geoff from UK Andreas via East Germany Panya your guide from Cambodia and me harkening from Eire.
One of the many river crossings from the Cardamom Mountains. This lad charged us 5 for the journey

Day 1
We left Phnom Penh late upon Thursday evening to operate a vehicle three hours to the town of Pursat. Friday a . m . was then up for the crack of dawn to drive an additional three hours to the starting point Phumi Pramoay. We cast off the car grabbed your bikes and your final bowl involving beef noodle soup in addition to started cycling to the south in the hot morning sun. Within half an hour the heavens opened and also the monsoon began. The broad dirt road grew to be a watery dirty mess that our cycles hated but the regional buffalos love.
Mountain Biking in the Cardamom Mountains -. Garicnia cambodia extract gums bleed – The day started out very flat yet within an hour or two this climb began. What with having packs of 8-10 kilos on each of our backs many of the climbs were reduced with a walk. The ascends werent that sharp or long. At this time there just happened to be loads of them. What failed to help was that the dust road in locations was churned up because of the logging trucks which are carting out many of the Cardamoms trees and shrubs. One place looks like Armageddon with burnt out tree stumps and jauganot trucks parked up waiting for the following days destruction.
Among the logging trucks caught in the mud.
To another hour we attained a great big making with Chinese emblems emblazoned on it is gates. Our road directions said there was a single road was used to continue south an old smugglers route. There were today most definitely two roads right in front people. When we asked the neighborhood factory workmen in the event the southern road ended up being right they informed us most definitely no. That road experimented with cross a water. And that river ended up being now too large to be able to bridge.
We thought we would ignore them. But at the next steady stream crossing another regional told us to show back. -Theres no ship. The monsoon has started. You simply cant cross-. Undeterred we decided to keep working and see for ourselves. What with the lack of traffic on the highway the smugglers route experienced now deteriorated with a uneven single track. Bamboo grew above the path and many ravines was cut through using steep descents on both sides. Our pace slowed up. And soon it bought dark.
Overgrown Bamboo on parts of the observe.
We had hoped to achieve the river prior to setting up camp. But by 7.30pm we were tired and eager. We found a place beside a steady stream to drop our motorbikes and bags accumulated some wood from the surrounding jungle along with boiled water for our not properly hydrated noodle soups. By 9pm there we were still too fatigued to go on after 62 kilometres of operating and 1More than 200 metres of rise. So we hung each of our hammocks up from the bamboo forest in addition to slept there using the mosquitoes leeches and any different wild animals that cared to sign up us for the nighttime.
Day 2
Soon after sleeping a remarkably deep sleep all of us packed up get away the next morning as well as headed towards the stream. It took you an hour to travel a final 4 kilometres this roads many dips in addition to dives and divots slowing down our pace. After we got there yes the particular river was quick flowing and searched wide and serious. But there was a zip line rigged suitable across it which will bring bikes along with bags and people effectively across.
Andreas emerging from our hammock camp within the jungle.
It took us over sixty minutes to get us all across. Then it was a swift swim before getting back on our motorbikes for more jungle good and bad.
Zip-lining our bikes along the uncrossable river.
The piste became smoother in addition to smoother the further we got from the river. But our bikes were not appreciating the item. One by one they all developed problems. Gears started off grinding and moving. One wheel received over five punctures in the space involving half a day. My sequence got a kink. And then Andreass forks decided to go -kaput. Our cycles were not designed for the grimy climate and types of conditions that Cambodias monsoon and Cardamom Mountain tops dish up.
Our own aim was to obtain us and your bikes down in direction of Tatai bridge and remainder our heads for a lodge there. Yet again easier said than done. We carried on on the road checking down our GPS harmonizes as we went. Hitting another new highway not marked with our map all of us asked a few local people which way to go. Many people pointed one way. Our own GPS said one more. We trusted this locals and finished up doing an extra trap and an hour for the bikes.
Dirk – the particular campfire master
While Day 2 started to be dark we chosen to call ahead towards the lodge to tell those to keep the rooms. There we were too late. They were already given away. With nowhere fast to sleep we chanced after a roadside signal that pointed to a different lodge 2 kms down the road. They had 2 bungalows available therefore at least a place to help crash. A Khmer sweetheart dished up German snitzel and chips which many of us devoured without inquiring her too many questions on where she had realized her culinary power.
Day 3
Most of us woke to hear in which Geoff had had an excessive amount of fun already and also was happy to call it a day. Sad to not have his corporation on the trail the actual silver lining meant that this freed way up his bike intended for Andreas whose forks had also bowed out from the ride.
Immediately after two hours of bike vehicle repairs including a new cable connection for me a new tyre for Dirk and a new bike for Andreas we lay out for a two hour or so tarmac ride. Once more more ups and downs together with a final up of 3 hundred metres after a weighty rain causing the very hot tarmac to create a sweat effect on the drive. I was about to pass away.
We finally attack flat wide dust road that on course straight back into the do. Our destination for the morning was Tma Bang the Forest Rangers hut 60 kilometers from our starting point. I was definitely feeling the stress of three days of bike riding. Things were hurting and eradicate where they didnt normally but I was satisfied enough to carry on. While Dirk suggested stopping at a waterfall just before each of our final stopping level I thought a quick swim would help neat me off.
Among the many washed away highways in the Cardamom Mountains.
After a couple of hundred metres of single track we hit the fountain top. Dirk Andreas and Panya produced beeline for the waterfall even though I took my time to first don my Keen shoes and boots. Before I knew it Dirk was lying down on the rocks moving his head. His or her foot had gone into a huge hole disguised . by the water along hit something razor-sharp at the bottom. I searched and saw a massive gash on his ft .. I didnt look as near as Andreas who declared he had seen bone.
Fortunately Dirk the doctor and also Andreas who works for your Red Cross believed exactly what to do. Iodine swabs in addition to plasters were plucked by bags and Dirk ended up being cleaned and wrapped up right there about the rocks. But he she needed stitches in 24 hours. So this individual needed to get back to Phnom Penh quickly.

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