Showing 1 - 10 of 13
It's all downhill from here!
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 13/11/2020
» For most gravity mountain bikers -- especially those who are not serious racers and did not take part in the national championship series which ended in August -- it was as if all they could do was watch 2020 glide by. However, just the other day, there was great news from Prachin Buri.
Skipping ahead
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 23/04/2020
» Earlier this month when I launched this bi-weekly Travel Diary series, I had a gut feeling that this coronavirus pandemic could drag on a lot longer than many people had thought. Maybe it could even take a whole year. However, feedback revealed that readers were more optimistic and believe it won’t be that long. Some even suggested that it would benefit them more if — instead of featuring destinations suitable for the season that matches the current time of year, but may not be useful if the travel ban is still in place — I should just skip a couple of months ahead.
Thailand's abundance
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 09/04/2020
» April is usually the height of the hot season. The sea, both in the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman, is at its best. The forest, meanwhile, may seem lifeless, yet actually there are a lot of interesting things going on in the ecosystem. Most waterfalls, for example, may not be boasting powerful cascades, but the calm, clear water reveals a fascinating array of fish and other aquatic lifeforms that thrive. And guess what: even during this dry period of the year, there are falls in some protected forests where the water continues to flow down rigorously, regardless of what month is shown on the calendar. Too bad I don't have their photographs in digital form and no time to dig through the piles of slides.
Bikers' playground
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 04/03/2020
» With several long, gnarly downhill trails and friendly local riders, Chiang Mai has long been one of the most popular destinations for gravity mountain bikers. Now it is offering even more.
Temple fair
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 24/10/2019
» The annual temple fair at Wat Sa Ket where the famous Golden Mount is located is set to take place once again from Nov 4-13.
Get on your bike for Hero Thailand 2020
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 09/10/2019
» The Hero World Series, an international epic mountain biking competition, is coming to Thailand next year. Hero Thailand is set to take place from Oct 8-11 2020, with hundreds of mountain bikers from around the world expected to take part.
Calling all mountain bikers
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 14/08/2019
» One of the most-awaited mountain bike competitions, the International Chiang Mai Enduro (ICE) 2019 is set to take place from Nov 30 until Dec 1. Registration is now open.
Outing extraordinaire
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 25/04/2019
» Less than 40km from the capital and packed with an assortment of attractions, Nakhon Pathom's districts of Nakhon Chai Si and Phutthamonthon (the latter neighbouring Bangkok's Thawi Watthana district) are a great destination for a day trip.
Fast & precarious
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 06/09/2018
» My heart was filled with excitement as the door of the gondola lift closed and the cable car was slowly leaving the station, taking me, my friend Kent and our downhill bikes up the slope to the trailheads 1,780m above sea level. We had planned this trip for more than half-a-year, and it's happening. A few minutes from now, we would be riding the famous trails of Fujimi, in one of Japan's largest bike parks.
Long time no see, ICU
Life, Pongpet Mekloy, Published on 28/06/2018
» Years ago, every time at the start of a downhill run, I secretly prayed to make it to the end of the trail with no bone broken. But mountain biking is no different from other activities that require skill. The more you do it, the more experienced and confident you become.