When I went to Myanmar in 2000 to look at designing a biking itinerary, I had done a lot of research and knew that Mandalay should be a stop based on it’s historical importance. I was designing a Myanmar luxury itinerary that encompass the whole country.

I had been doing some research on the outskirts of Mandalay in Myanmar, looking for a great morning bike ride. This was a long time ago, in 2001, I think, when I was researching to see if we could actually do a good biking trip around this magical country despite the economic and political embargo it was subjected. We left at sunrise from the hotel parking lot with our driver, myself and my local guide and after discussing where to go and looking at a city map…