#3: [31-Dec-13]

#1: [02-Jun-02]

21-Feb-2013 -- This confluence visit is the eleventh out of a series of 15 visits in Malaysia and Thailand. The previous confluence is 14°N 100°E. It is in turn part of a 4-months bicycle trip starting in Tasmania at 43°S 146°E.

On five days in a row, I reached one confluence point each morning between 7:00 AM and 8:45 AM. The distance of 111 km was just right to cycle from one point to the next one further north. Such achievement was possible because the central area of Thailand is flat making smooth cycling.

In the morning of confluence day, I woke up at 4:30 AM in the little town Doem Bang Nang Buat (เดิมบางนางบวช), located 20 km south of the confluence point. Unfortunately, I left the town in the wrong direction, heading due east instead of north. Since the sun wasn't out yet I didn't have any feeling for geographic direction. It took me 8 km to find out that I wasn't heading to my goal at all. Through some minor roads I was able to correct my mistake. Later, I came through the town Hanka (2 km from CP) and went on the main road a bit further up to a distance of 900 m. There, a farming track with concrete slabs helped me to get within 100 m to the confluence point.

The confluence is located in one of many rectangular rice paddies. On trails between the paddies I could get within 12 m. Any step further would have meant to harm the crops and to wet my shoes. Near the concrete slab road, I took a self-timed picture of myself and a farmer with a mobile pump in the background.

Later, I had a second breakfast with very tasty barbecued sticky rice in bamboo sticks, which seems to be a local specialty because it is sold almost everywhere. In the evening, I reached the town Banphot Phisai (บรรพตพิสัย) and stayed the night there.

CP Visit Details:

• Distance to an asphalt road: 900 m
• Distance to a track: 100 m
• Distance of bicycle parking: 100 m
• Time to reach CP from bicycle parking: 5 minutes
• Time at CP: 8:00 AM
• Measured height: 11 m
• Minimal distance according to GPS: 12 m
• Position accuracy: 3 m
• Topography: flat
• Vegetation: Rice. Only Rice. A single tree in 130 m distance
• Weather: fine, 24° C (felt temperature)
• Given Name: The Mobile Pump Confluence

More pictures of the trip can found at mautz.net.

The story continues is at 16°N 100°E.