A Fist Full of Cambodia: Two Hammocks, Jungle Madness and Danger

[swamp]

The Prologue.....










































































































Back in March 2011

I started planning this trip along with another trip.

Ive got this giant world map down in my garage that i look at every day.
I noticed that Costa Rica and Cambodia shared basically the same latitude.

So, I went to Costa Rica to check out the climate:

A Fist Full of Costa Rica

Cambodia's climate should be slightly hotter with less wind as
Costa Rica has the Pacific on the West and the Caribbean to the East.

Ive chosen January because it is the peak of the Dry Season.
Better for camping and better for riding. .. and better for avoiding malaria.

I began accumulating GPS data, physical maps, satellite images and travel guides for the Cambodia ride. then, meticulously pouring over all of the data and info while constructing the route.

as always, i tried to make the route as difficult as possible. choosing very remote sections of country and the faintest trails or roads that i can find.
this trip, like all my others before, will be based around camping and living off of the bike as much as possible. for this trip my plan is to sleep in as many temples or "Wats" as possible.



Here is a general overview of the route through the Kingdom of Cambodia:






































Im Happy to say:

On this trip my good friend and partner in crime
(and fellow Dirty Dozen Dual Sport Gang member)
will be joining in for a tag-team of mayhem, jungle madness and general lunacy. cambo-destructo:




The Mulley:
















The Swamp

















Mulley and I worked together on information and data collection for this ride. trips to the library and multiple beer hazed map-highlighting sessions at various bars around town.



this is a typical ADV planning session at my house.
table covered with all the maps and guide books available for Cambodia.


























Cambodia prep 101

i needed to update my shots and get vaccinated for a few other things.


me getting jabbed-up at my local doctors office


















Typhoid oral Vaccine



























also had the doctor hook me up with some anti-diarrheal medicine.
.. which im almost positive will get used.


ive had dysentery so bad once in china that i sat in the shower all night shitting down the drain as there was no TP, then had to be hospitalized for a day.

so, im being extra careful .







Passport prep:

the one on the left was full so i had to get a new one:













For this trip we will be using gasoline burning stoves instead of the compressed gas canister variety of stove.

why?

well , we cant take the compressed gas canisters on the airplane.












Giant Loop has sponsored me on this ride.
Which is awesome because they make the best hardcore gear out there.
ive tested their stuff and i couldnt kill it. its absolutely Swamp Proof.
the luggage they make is directed towards the minimalist rider and i love it.

one of my favorite things about their gear is that its 100% made in the USA
Thanks so much for the bitchin gear guys ! btw cambodia is going to be covered in GL stickers when i get done with the place










Sonic Drive In has sponsored my air tickets for this ride:









we will be bringing all of our tools , tubes , spare parts, camping equipment, riding gear with us on the airplane.

we will be renting two Honda XR250s in Phnom Penh.
we have purchased different sprockets for the bikes which will gear them down to the basement. . something im sure will be useful.








THE RIDE STARTS JANUARY 2nd 2012 ENDS JANUARY 19th 2012





Stay tuned for the ride report ..............

































.

[GB]

Looks like you're well prepared

[swamp]

Originally Posted by GB

Looks like you're well prepared

dont worry something will fuck up

[CBAT]

[nakedwaterskier]

but not by moto.

1)Lariam or a more better anti-malarial drug and mosquito netting and a tent without holes. Don't take Lariam on an empty stomach. DEET--don't risk your life on alternatives that don't work.

2)I didn't have any typhoid vaccine. Nor did I need one. Actually, the force with with me and I never got bit by mosquitoes. In hotel rooms, I would managed to kill them all before going to sleep. Though you don't want to be exposed at sunrise or dusk. Dengue fever is a real possibility.

3)Everywhere I went, I was offered underage women. I didn't partake. But, every concierge, taxi driver, waiter offered them to me.

4)I did have Happy Pizza. Medical Marijuana Pizza...though there wasn't anything medical about it.

5)Beer, bottled water, soft drings from sealed containers only.

6)FLOODING if it does rain(and it can in the dry season) much you will have to alter/delay your route and/or pay people to canoe your bikes and you across flooded areas.

7)Angkor Wat--take plenty of time to hike/walk all through it. It is a real treasure.

8)The Killing Fields--walking on bones and teeth of dead people. They will never get all the murdered
people's remains up.

9)Nobody stepped on a mine when I was there but if you are going to go on single track...stay on the
single track...camp only in areas that have been obviously trampled on before.

10)Parts of the country are still very wild and lawless. Don't think everybody is going to be welcoming
in remote areas...be careful.

Good luck and have fun,
Jeffrey

[nakedwaterskier]

Didn't get the shits but I don't eat any meats or dairy when traveling in third world countries. Pepto Bismal comes in pill form and is easy and cheap to carry.

Bactrim or Cipro are broad spectrum antibiotics you should be carrying. Bactrim has sulfa in it so I prefer Cipro.

Jeffrey

[nakedwaterskier]

Hep A and Hep B vaccines I had before going...

[nakedwaterskier]

It might be too hot and humid to sleep in tents. You should consider bringing pocket hammocks to sleep in...along with mosquito netting.

[swamp]

thanks for the info !

this is going to be gnarly.

[Dent14]

WOW!! Cambodia look AWESOME....I love those old temples and stuff....Nice work scoring the Sonic sponsorship, they should airdrop you some foot long Conies if you get hungry out in the cut

Good Luck!!

[RozzyCat]

Anxiously awaiting after reading "The Quest". A preventative measure....start eating 2-4 Pepto Bismol tablets two days prior to leaving. Then two per day while traveling. This gives your stomach a coating that can help ward off the nasties.

GOOD LUCK!!!

[Wheat State]

Your adventure looks great.
What are all the little black dots on the second map? Mine fields? or villages? Either way have a great trip!

[sandalscout]

Hell yeah man! Cambodia is on my short list, wife actually tried to get me a ticket there before Peru. This is going to be awesome!

What GL gear are you running this trip? Looks like a diablo, and I assume coyotes? GREAT combo if so, that's what I run.

[redpillar]

Man, another Swamp story AND the junior world cup hockey tourney for the holidays. I wish you the greatest of luck and I am fucking jealous.

Dengue fever I have had and it can be a killer if you are in a remote area and can't get hydrated. Are you planning on taking any electrolyte crystals? I am sure you have it covered...

Ain't Wachs a peach?

[sion]

looks like another awesome adventure, swamp. as the owner of an XR250R, I can tell you that you may not need to gear them down...mine is stock and its a tractor that will climb up anything that the tires can get traction on

good luck...we're all waiting to see the pics