Still playing catch up on the road reports, this one is from November 2010.
Most of my trips seem to involve taking visitors to places I know, so there is a lot of repetition in them, still I enjoy every one of them!
Here is a photo of the Google Earth map, when I try to embed the map itself The routes and points don't seem to show for some reason.
the link to the Google map is;
http://maps.google.co.th/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=212646794397075373373.000498eec56dc7ada937d&ll=19.326695,99.434509&spn=2.156269,4.22699&t=h&z=9
Paul, my friend from the UK was riding an ER6n hired from Mr Mechanic at 1200b/day inc full insurance, the bike was as near as damn it new and had ABS fitted, some thing that he didn't have on his bike back home. I was, as usual, on the Softail.
The trip was 2 days and 1 night, from home to the UN Irish for breakfast, a sort of tradition on the rides which also means that we tend not to start too early... Anyway the UN Irish do one of the best breakfasts in the city in my opinion. If you know of other great venues please let me know.
Out of the city and on to the 1001 to Phrao. I really like the 1001, it is a good ride for a fat old bloke on a fat bike. Enjoying the scenery and the ride was the order of the day(s) so we were not in any hurry and planning was minimal. In fact when we set off we did not know the final route or duration of the trip.
We saw a sign for the Maengad dam so we turned off to the road and went for a look, it is well worth it.
We were not alone for long
We had only just got back onto the 1001 when we saw a sign for the Bua tong waterfall so we went there to look as well, the place was deserted with just 1 Thai family sitting and chatting. As we got off the bikes though a warden came over and said we couldn't park here, oh well so few people around and nothing else parked it was easy to go to the wrong place.
Backtracking we returned onto the 1001 and rode north to Phrao then took a right to go east on the 1150.
The view along the 1150
We decided to wait for each other at the junction of the 1150 and the 118 so that we could take the 1150 at our own individual pace and stop whenever we fancied a photo etc, for those that have not done it, the 1150 is a wonderful curvy mountain road with some fantastic views.
Meeting up on the 118 off we went north again first calling for some fuel, the fuel further north seems to be a little more expensive per litre or do I just pick the wrong places to stop?
From the 118 we turned onto the 1 and rode to ChiangRai. My normal overnighter here is the La Laluna resort on Sanambin road which even in high season you can usually pick up for about 1300b a night on line. The young desk clerk however wanted 1800b, no less. Clearly he was not interested in our business (or possibly he wasn't paid to get business). I wasn't going to pay that amount so we went to a place we had seen 50yards down the road, the Sabai Inn.
They had covered parking a security guard and the rooms were OK. 350b/night inc breakfast.
Installed into the rooms and showered we met in the cafe/bar where we enjoyed some reasonable thai food and quite a few bottles of Leo all at very good prices.
The cafe/bar however closed pretty early, going up to 10 I think. Wondering what to do next we heard music so off we headed.
We found this place a short stagger away, the interior had certain things going for it.
Although I have seen better (and worse) "facilities"
Here are some of the singers on stage.
/5pCV-djcBiE?fs=1&hl=en_US[/media]
The Leo and SangSom the night before has dulled my appetite for breakfast but it wasn't great anyway, well not for my tastes but it did provide the required morning calories and fluid.
Checking out we headed off to meet up with the 1 again but this time going south, destination, on of my lunchtime eating haunts by the lake at Phayao. They do a mean prawn
.
En-route we called in to Wat Rong Khun, this amazing (if commercial) wat seems to forever change. We took the chance to get some decent caffeine into us as there are a host of great places to get good coffee here.
Severed heads
The 1 between ChiangRai and Phayao is basically just a highway, the most frequent stops are for the checkpoints I find so if you can let me know of places to go to in the area that would be great.
We did stop at this wat though.
The prawns at Phayao didn't disappoint, there have been times where I have just decided to get a hotel in Phayao and enjoy the food and drink, but not this time.
Off we went to ChiangMai taking the usual route, 1 to the wonderful 120 which again is just one of those roads I love to be on with some great views.
Spot the dinosaur
Meet with the 118 and back down to ChiangMai calling into the ChiangMai hot springs for coffee, which again is something of a habit with me. Good to see no U-turn needed on leaving now as well.
2 days of enjoyable riding.
Most of my trips seem to involve taking visitors to places I know, so there is a lot of repetition in them, still I enjoy every one of them!
Here is a photo of the Google Earth map, when I try to embed the map itself The routes and points don't seem to show for some reason.
the link to the Google map is;
http://maps.google.co.th/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=212646794397075373373.000498eec56dc7ada937d&ll=19.326695,99.434509&spn=2.156269,4.22699&t=h&z=9
Paul, my friend from the UK was riding an ER6n hired from Mr Mechanic at 1200b/day inc full insurance, the bike was as near as damn it new and had ABS fitted, some thing that he didn't have on his bike back home. I was, as usual, on the Softail.
The trip was 2 days and 1 night, from home to the UN Irish for breakfast, a sort of tradition on the rides which also means that we tend not to start too early... Anyway the UN Irish do one of the best breakfasts in the city in my opinion. If you know of other great venues please let me know.
Out of the city and on to the 1001 to Phrao. I really like the 1001, it is a good ride for a fat old bloke on a fat bike. Enjoying the scenery and the ride was the order of the day(s) so we were not in any hurry and planning was minimal. In fact when we set off we did not know the final route or duration of the trip.
We saw a sign for the Maengad dam so we turned off to the road and went for a look, it is well worth it.
We were not alone for long
We had only just got back onto the 1001 when we saw a sign for the Bua tong waterfall so we went there to look as well, the place was deserted with just 1 Thai family sitting and chatting. As we got off the bikes though a warden came over and said we couldn't park here, oh well so few people around and nothing else parked it was easy to go to the wrong place.
Backtracking we returned onto the 1001 and rode north to Phrao then took a right to go east on the 1150.
The view along the 1150
We decided to wait for each other at the junction of the 1150 and the 118 so that we could take the 1150 at our own individual pace and stop whenever we fancied a photo etc, for those that have not done it, the 1150 is a wonderful curvy mountain road with some fantastic views.
Meeting up on the 118 off we went north again first calling for some fuel, the fuel further north seems to be a little more expensive per litre or do I just pick the wrong places to stop?
From the 118 we turned onto the 1 and rode to ChiangRai. My normal overnighter here is the La Laluna resort on Sanambin road which even in high season you can usually pick up for about 1300b a night on line. The young desk clerk however wanted 1800b, no less. Clearly he was not interested in our business (or possibly he wasn't paid to get business). I wasn't going to pay that amount so we went to a place we had seen 50yards down the road, the Sabai Inn.
They had covered parking a security guard and the rooms were OK. 350b/night inc breakfast.
Installed into the rooms and showered we met in the cafe/bar where we enjoyed some reasonable thai food and quite a few bottles of Leo all at very good prices.
The cafe/bar however closed pretty early, going up to 10 I think. Wondering what to do next we heard music so off we headed.
We found this place a short stagger away, the interior had certain things going for it.
Although I have seen better (and worse) "facilities"
Here are some of the singers on stage.
/5pCV-djcBiE?fs=1&hl=en_US[/media]
The Leo and SangSom the night before has dulled my appetite for breakfast but it wasn't great anyway, well not for my tastes but it did provide the required morning calories and fluid.
Checking out we headed off to meet up with the 1 again but this time going south, destination, on of my lunchtime eating haunts by the lake at Phayao. They do a mean prawn
.En-route we called in to Wat Rong Khun, this amazing (if commercial) wat seems to forever change. We took the chance to get some decent caffeine into us as there are a host of great places to get good coffee here.
Severed heads
The 1 between ChiangRai and Phayao is basically just a highway, the most frequent stops are for the checkpoints I find so if you can let me know of places to go to in the area that would be great.
We did stop at this wat though.
The prawns at Phayao didn't disappoint, there have been times where I have just decided to get a hotel in Phayao and enjoy the food and drink, but not this time.
Off we went to ChiangMai taking the usual route, 1 to the wonderful 120 which again is just one of those roads I love to be on with some great views.
Spot the dinosaur
Meet with the 118 and back down to ChiangMai calling into the ChiangMai hot springs for coffee, which again is something of a habit with me. Good to see no U-turn needed on leaving now as well.
2 days of enjoyable riding.
