what up thailand

Well it has been in interesting few days here in Chiangmai. The first day I arrived, the pollution levels were around 350. 300 is supposedly the cancel-school-dont-leave-the-house-without-the-oxygen-mask type of pollution. I think I took off a few years of my life running outside that day. I was thinking about leaving if it continued, but it has since gotten considerably better.

Training here has been tough, but fun. Chiangmai is located in a valley surrounded by mountains, so there are many hills. It is also like running and biking in a Sauna. Running has been fun with some trials found here and there. The 10 mile route I have been running has this hill that is probably 25% for about 150m. I dont know if you could make it up on a bike or not. The swimming pool is definately a tribute to Asian ineffeciency (if you dont know what I am referring to, just google the new Bangkok airport mess). The pool is huge: but its dimensions are 52m long (with a step-thingy so you cant do flipturns) by 37.5meters wide a one point and then 25m wide at another point. Throw in some random circle type configurations and there you have it. I will post some pictures of the pool in the next day or so. I have been swimming 37.5m a lot, which means all my sets are 75's, 150's, or 300's. Oh well, it is a nice pool and always empty so I can do whatever I want. Its great.

It has been quite fun hanging with my sister. We have been doing stuff the whole time (between training, eating, and doing all the "touristy" things I have been falling asleep around 8:00 or 8:30 each night. I am shooting tonight for 10:00 (I know, thats really late). I had my first Thai massage last night. 200 baht for 1 hour (about $6 bucks). You really cant beat it. Yesterday, I had a nice flat on my bike. Since I have my race wheels and they are tubulars, it was about an $80 ride. A piece of something went right through the tire. The crappy thing is that I had one brand new tubular and one old one, and the new one was of course the casualty. On top of that after I changed the tire and put on the spare, my little mini-pump couldnt pump up the tire because of the valve extender. So I rode the 6k home on a new tubular, which was not inflated, on a new set of carbon wheels. Not exactly the best day for Barrett's equipment. So today we headed into town to find a new tubular so I could have a spare. My sis speaks Thai, but as she is still learning, it took some time at the bike shop explaining that I wanted a new tubular tire and not an inner tube. Some things are just lost in translation....

Here are some pics of the Thailand:

Me and the sis...

We are taking care of this dog (Bailey) for a friend.....Cute, but she peed on my t-shirt

I know, I know...in my next life I will be a photographer

That is exactly what it looks like

And for dessert?