Nothern Thailand- Fang, Mae Sai, Phayao
The mountains are high and the (Bangkok) protests are far away
I fired up the trusty CBR250 and headed north on Route 107 from my home base in Chiang Mai. I really didn't have a route in mind; just needed to get out of Dodge for awhile.
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First stop was for a steaming bowl of pork noodles (burmi moo.) A real bargain at 30 baht or about $0.95 US.
Rt. 107 is a good ride through the mountains, some nice curves and not much traffic. I stop near a school to check my location and hear "Hello, hello!" I student, about five years old is jabbering away, shakes my hand and then I'm mobbed by his buddies, all wanting to shake hands and impress each other with a few words of English. When one little guy starts revving the bike, I decide the visit has reached its climax, slowly let out the clutch and creep away. My 15 seconds of a "Hello Ambush" are over
I spend the night at Chai Prakan; day one was about 230 kilometers.
Day two and I'm on the road at about 0930; its a bit foggy and cool, around 15 C. Yeah, that's cool here in Thailand
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I decide to make a side trip to Doi Ang Khang, a mountain on the Thai- Burmese border. Rt 1349 is a fun ride, some good switch backs (tight S curves) and the CBR is loving it.
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I went all the way until the road was blocked. I also went to the Thai Army outpost, where we were free to roam around the riffle pits and look across to the Burmese entrenchments on the other side.
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I head back down the mountain and spend the night at Fang. I don't think I've traveled more than 100 kms.
Next day I'm on the road around 10ish. Still a bit cool and foggy but I enjoy the lack of traffic. Such a change from the congested roads in Chiang Mai city!
I'm now on Route 1089 and its a great mountain ride. I turn off to Rt 1234 to take me to Mae Salong or Santikhiri as its now known. There is a bit of history here: When it became apparent that the communist would prevail during the Chinese Civil War, the 93rd Division of the Kuomintang Army, General Chiang Kai-Shek's boys fought their way out of Yunnan Province, first settling in Burma, then finally in Thailand. Renown fighters, the Thais allowed them to remain in country in exchange for the Chinese soldiers promise to assist in guarding the border and fighting the insurgents of the Thai Communist Party.
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Fantastic scenery on Rt 1234. I could have stopped every 100 meters to take some pics
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Memorial to the Old Soldiers of the 93rd Division
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Tea growing on the mountains.
The village of Mae Salong really has a Chinese flavor and I will return, maybe during warmer weather, hehe
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Some road side chain maintenance; how about that paddock stand
I take some side roads with the goal of linking back up with Rt 1 and spending the night in Mae Sai. I get lost around Mae Fa Luang. Nice scenery anyway
Find my way back to the main road- Rts 1338 and 1149. Wow, the switch backs on 1338 are a blast, I didn't count them but I would say maybe six consecutive, tight switch back curves!
F
inally get to a 350 baht bungalow type motel near Mae Sai
The motel has free coffee in the morning and I meet a friendly German guy riding a Honda Phantom. He is from Pattaya but he has ridden all over Thailand. His current bike has 70,000 kilometers and still using the original chain! What type of lube I ask? "SAE 90 gear oil, suggested in the Owners manual, of course..."
I ask him how long he has been on this ride. German "One month." I ask him how much longer. He thinks for a send then says, "About six months I think..." Talk about enjoying the road!
I head out on Rt 1, then due east, first on Rt1290, then a provincial road 4007 that winds along the Mekong. Destination- The Golden Triangle
I continue eastbound, following the river on Rt4007 to Chiang Khong
The mountains are high and the (Bangkok) protests are far away
I fired up the trusty CBR250 and headed north on Route 107 from my home base in Chiang Mai. I really didn't have a route in mind; just needed to get out of Dodge for awhile.
[/IMG]
First stop was for a steaming bowl of pork noodles (burmi moo.) A real bargain at 30 baht or about $0.95 US.
Rt. 107 is a good ride through the mountains, some nice curves and not much traffic. I stop near a school to check my location and hear "Hello, hello!" I student, about five years old is jabbering away, shakes my hand and then I'm mobbed by his buddies, all wanting to shake hands and impress each other with a few words of English. When one little guy starts revving the bike, I decide the visit has reached its climax, slowly let out the clutch and creep away. My 15 seconds of a "Hello Ambush" are over
I spend the night at Chai Prakan; day one was about 230 kilometers.
Day two and I'm on the road at about 0930; its a bit foggy and cool, around 15 C. Yeah, that's cool here in Thailand
[/IMG]
I decide to make a side trip to Doi Ang Khang, a mountain on the Thai- Burmese border. Rt 1349 is a fun ride, some good switch backs (tight S curves) and the CBR is loving it.
[/IMG]
I went all the way until the road was blocked. I also went to the Thai Army outpost, where we were free to roam around the riffle pits and look across to the Burmese entrenchments on the other side.
[/IMG]
[/IMG]
I head back down the mountain and spend the night at Fang. I don't think I've traveled more than 100 kms.
Next day I'm on the road around 10ish. Still a bit cool and foggy but I enjoy the lack of traffic. Such a change from the congested roads in Chiang Mai city!
I'm now on Route 1089 and its a great mountain ride. I turn off to Rt 1234 to take me to Mae Salong or Santikhiri as its now known. There is a bit of history here: When it became apparent that the communist would prevail during the Chinese Civil War, the 93rd Division of the Kuomintang Army, General Chiang Kai-Shek's boys fought their way out of Yunnan Province, first settling in Burma, then finally in Thailand. Renown fighters, the Thais allowed them to remain in country in exchange for the Chinese soldiers promise to assist in guarding the border and fighting the insurgents of the Thai Communist Party.
[/IMG]
Fantastic scenery on Rt 1234. I could have stopped every 100 meters to take some pics
[/IMG]
Memorial to the Old Soldiers of the 93rd Division
[/IMG]
Tea growing on the mountains.
The village of Mae Salong really has a Chinese flavor and I will return, maybe during warmer weather, hehe
[/IMG]
Some road side chain maintenance; how about that paddock stand
| This image has been resized. Click this bar to view the full image. |
I take some side roads with the goal of linking back up with Rt 1 and spending the night in Mae Sai. I get lost around Mae Fa Luang. Nice scenery anyway
|
| This image has been resized. Click this bar to view the full image. |
Find my way back to the main road- Rts 1338 and 1149. Wow, the switch backs on 1338 are a blast, I didn't count them but I would say maybe six consecutive, tight switch back curves!
|
| This image has been resized. Click this bar to view the full image. |
inally get to a 350 baht bungalow type motel near Mae Sai
The motel has free coffee in the morning and I meet a friendly German guy riding a Honda Phantom. He is from Pattaya but he has ridden all over Thailand. His current bike has 70,000 kilometers and still using the original chain! What type of lube I ask? "SAE 90 gear oil, suggested in the Owners manual, of course..."
|
| This image has been resized. Click this bar to view the full image. |
I head out on Rt 1, then due east, first on Rt1290, then a provincial road 4007 that winds along the Mekong. Destination- The Golden Triangle
I continue eastbound, following the river on Rt4007 to Chiang Khong