Sunday, August 14th 2011 Another CM Hiking Experience

Exhausted and red-faced from climb

The CM Hiking group met today at the Galae Restaurant for a 6.5 km circular walk.  The uphill part of the first third of the hike, 350m of altitude gain, “requires a certain fitness level” advised the notice for this hike.  We had debated about whether we were fit enough but decided we should try it. We had a nice view from the view point across Chiang Mai but Leslie was so hot and tired  from the uphill part she just sat and looked at Janet’s photos of CM in Stitches member’s quilt development.  

Part of the group resting

Offerings under the rock ledges by water

We then walked down for about 1.5 km on the Doi Suthep road before entering a small trail to Wat Palath, where we had a break for snacks and drinks.  This was a lovely Wat in the middle of the forest with a water fall/river running beside it.  Very picturesque and I wish we could find more information on it other than it is on the pilgrim route up to Doi Suthep’s Wat PhraThat.  Wat Phra That Doi Suthep is a major pilgrimage destination, especially during the Buddhist holidays of Makha Bucha and Visakha Bucha (February 13 and May 11, respectively).

After the break, we hiked down a short part of the Wat Palath nature trail before we turned off to a very small and hardly visible nature trail leading us back to Galae restaurant. The trail and become even more over grown in the 3 weeks since the leader last tested the hike so we were using our sticks to tramp down the underbrush and remove spider webs.  Saw two of these lovely creatures that we need to find a name for!

The CM Hiking Club has been rained out the last 2 Sundays so everyone was very happy to be out on this hike. We had lunch with a friend, Janet, at the Galae Restaurant which is right on a small lake and has lovely gardening. 

Now it is back to studying Thai!