Date	06/Jan/24
4 Riders	Ash, husq mike, JNR, Pounce
Rider of the day	Not awarded
Stack of the day	Not awarded

Laos ride 2024: husq mike JNR Ash and Pounce.
The epic started on the 6th Jan and ended on 30 Jan.
Picked up the bikes from Fuark and then headed North.First few days up near a reservoir on a gnarly dusty track I remember from before.From then on, it was full on till we arrived at the 7km tunnel.it was a challenge just to ride the bikes to the staging point, then a bigger challenge actually getting the bikes into the canoe. Pretty hairy motoring as the hand guards were catching the water and throwing it into the canoe. A bit of bailing needed. From then on it became a myriad of dirt tracks, greasy then dusty and more greasy and more dusty. One bit comes to mind where we rode 55ks to a river with a causeway across to a village.JNR bravely tried to ride across and drowned his bike.Next option was to put the bikes on a skinny canoe.We all thought very carefully about this and unanimously agreed NO WAY.Next option was to ride each the bike across supported by the other 3 guys.When we saw the tuk tuk tractor going across with its flywheel hitting water well over our seat height,it was decided to ride back 55ks which was a smart move.
We managed to get to the Vietnamese and Burmese borders then started to wind back southerly. Some very good footage on us all having a ball in the slippery stuff. All of us either fell or had close calls.Ash managed to do one of my tricks from years ago and lost it over the edge of a chasm with nothing but creepers to hold him up. A bit of teamwork and on we went. JNR and myself were a bit poorly earlier on but not bad enough to have a lay day.
Near our Northerly point we split up, with Pounce heading across to Thailand and the 3 of us made our way South to Luang Prabang.A bit of fun, some very late nights and chill time. Then still heading South got to Vang Vien.More party time .Tubing, volleyball and zip lining. Met some great tourists - French Swiss and German. Last stage was a run into Vientiane .Spoilt cos the Chinese would not let our bikes onto the new motorway. Spent last few days doing not much except drinking. JNR and I saw the sun come up one morning at a night club. As I mentioned all became a bit of a blurr. The photos/videos on facebook is the best way to get the idea.it was a long haul of 3440ks.