Day 2 of the cycling starts today, the plan is to ride 70km from Bagan to Popa. A mix of paved roads and sandy roads/dirt tracks. Hopefully, it will be a little less sandy than MYANMAR CYCLE TOUR – DAY 3: YANGON – BAGAN was. Although, I do love riding in the sand but it’s just slow going.

Breakfast today was really good, a choice of danish, cereal or cooked breakfast (bacon, eggs etc). It feels a shame to leave this hotel as it is so nice and the pool overlooking the river is amazing. The incentive today, however, is a stunning mountain top resort built into the jungle with an infinity pool looking out over the valley below. It looks amazing!!

With riding a little further today and to avoid some of the hotter temperatures we set off early. We did drop on with the weather today, firstly because it was cloudy, the full sun yesterday was so hot, the only downside to the cloud was, it was incredibly humid, you just can’t win. Mind you, I could be back in England in the pouring cold rain. Sorry…. maybe not.

The first few miles of the ride were on paved roads heading out of Bagan. There was a little traffic but nothing major.

Once we hit the dirt track roads, we passed the last few temples in Bagan. By this point I was kinda templed out, they do look amazing but with riding past so many yesterday I just wanted to get on with the ride, but we did stop for some photos of this one last temple.

Then the fun started, riding along these dirt roads today reminded me of the BMX tracks I used to go down to as a kid. Jumps, dips, banked turns and water pits (puddles). I loved it, I was jumping off things, flying through the puddles and taking the rockest route possible. Great fun!! just like I remembered it 30 years ago.

We hit the first rest stop at around 25km and just sat chilling on some benches next to a few local markets.

It was a great atmosphere. The van had the tunes pumping, everyone was in good spirits. The group are starting to get to know each other better today it seems. Yesterday, we were all still tired from the long day of travelling and jet lag, but now people have had a night of better sleep and got yesterday’s leg loosener out of the way, we are all chatting and getting on so well. I think we have a good bunch on this ride and it’s going to be a good laugh.

I had a wander around the market and discovered that there is a hidden (from me) garden at the back with loads of cool things. A little playground for the kids, animal statues and the garden part looked lovely.

When I got back, Sam, our challenge leader, was talking Mark & Luke into trying some shots of the local spirit, not sure what it was but it didn’t taste that great and was lacking in that kick you expect from a shot.

From then we pushed on for another 25km along the dirt road, which was more of the same really. Just jumping around and throwing the big into holes and puddles. Needless to say, my gear was covered in mud and the bike was in a proper state… just how a mountain bike should look. The local guide looked at my bike when we stopped and just shook his head laughing, I felt quite proud of the mud I had gathered up.

We had more locals stopping for selfies with us, still feels very strange but something we are getting used to now.

From the last rest stop, it was 15km to lunch. All on paved roads from here on in. Up to that point, the weather had been great, dry and cloud but humid as I mentioned earlier. Like I said though, the weather got the timings spot on today.

Literally, just as we got off the dirt road the heavens opened, it was pouring down, at least it would wash the mud off my bike. Being so hot and sweaty all morning, this rain felt so refreshing, even if I couldn’t see through my glasses.

Sadly the rain only last 5 minutes but it did bring the humidity down for the rest of the ride to lunch.

Sam had set a mini inter-team king of the mountain challenge for us. Given hill climbing is one of my strongest areas, there was no chance I was letting that challenge slide by without giving it some beans.

My plan was to ride out to the bottom of the hill, which was the final 2km to lunch, with the front group and then drop the hammer halfway up and see if I can catch those in front.

By the time I got to the bottom of the climb I was already alongside the front of the group, the pace was too low to just sit there and wait for halfway so I pulled to the front, dropped a couple of gears and then the chain came off! perfect timing. I had to pull over to sort that whilst the other three were on their way up the hill.

Once back up and running, it was time to chase down Sean, Ali & Sarah. Thankfully they hadn’t got too far ahead. Once back in the lead I just carried on up the climb. In the end, it wasn’t much of a climb, just over 400ft of gain across 2km. Given I spent the summer training on the 20%+ inclines in the Yorkshire Dales, this hill was a doddle.

There were junctions on the way up and at all three of them, I got there before the guides were ready to direct which way to go so I had to stop and wait and even turned back at the third one as I thought I must have gone past the restaurant.

More perfect timing from the weather here too, just 5 minutes after I had reached the restaurant the rain came down monsoon style! it was like a river running down the road, lightning flashing over the top of the nearby volcano. It was something to watch, maybe not so good for those still out riding in it.

Lunch was once again delicious. The food is getting better each day, it’s only DAY 2 IN YANGON where the food hasn’t been so good. A lot of the group were sat in soaking wet clothes and shivering away, the guides managed to get some towels to warm them up. I did feel so sorry for them all being out in that and whilst slogging it out up the hill climb too.

I find things like that inspiring, seeing people pushing through tough conditions and things that are challenging to them. Showing that never die attitude and the determination to get the job done no matter what gets in their way. I think it is awesome. Not everyone is at the front smashing it, but they are smashing it in their own way and hitting their own personal goals and PB’s along the way.

After lunch, it was just a short 5km ride to the hotel. Our guide Sam dodged off on the bus to “get things ready” at the hotel. We soon found out why. That last bit of the ride was also uphill and actually more climbing than the previous climb before lunch.

This is the first time Global Adventure Challenges have used this Popa Mountain Resort so I will let him off.

Especially as the hotel is out of this world!! I know we were all looking forward to it after most of us had been taking a look on Trip Advisor before coming out, but the real thing was unbelievable.

The view from our room is hands down the best view I have had at any hotel.

We sat there for ages just looking out across the jungle and down to the valley below. It is hard to put it into words other than stunning, amazing, beautiful and so on.

The view from the infinity pool was equally just as stunning, looking out to Popa Monastery.

Dinner was at the hotel and again fantastic. A nice steak and strawberry moose.

One of the highlights of the day was watching Sean chasing a gecko around the room trying to get him out. There was no way that Gecko was going outside.

Thats it for day 4… day 3 on the bike.