Wet Weekends in Wonderland

Kiwi Cruiser

Ben Kemp
Staff member
May 26, 2007
260
83
28
Thailand
The Team: me, myself and I

Whats all this "Wet Season" stuff and nonsense, I ask you? Personally, Thailand's a dream to ride around on a rainy day - in fact, its not even that wet most of the time! Not compared to "home" on the West Coast of the Sth Island New Zealand, at least. The northern end gets 150 inches / 4 metres of rain a year, whilst the southern end gets 400+ inches / 10 metres a year. Now that IS wet! And often miserable on a bike - with sleet, hail, snow, ice and fog... At home, if there is one thing you can be sure of; It will either rain, or get dark before morning!

1-1155.jpg

In Thailand it mostly rains hard for a few minutes or a few kilometres, whichever comes first. But its invariably WARM!

2-1155.jpg

And then, the sun either comes out, or goes down... Sometimes, almost at the same time...

3-1155.jpg

But the mountain roads go on forever! Route 1155...

4-1155.jpg

New road from 1155 across to the 1020 - the 18x zoom on the Panasonic FZ28 pulls things in close!

1-temple.jpg

Temples come in a veritable riot of colours...

2-temple.jpg

3-temple.jpg

4-temple.jpg

And some really stand out from the crowd...
5-temple.jpg

6-temple.jpg

7-temple.jpg

Wherever you go, there's always a piece of eye-candy!

6-mekong.jpg

The Mekong is always a scenic feast... Sunday morning coming down...
7-mekong.jpg

Fishing... relaxed, laid back in the morning sun...
8-mekong.jpg

Or something more athletic, like swinging a net in the muddy shallows...

house-1.jpg

Something a little out of the ordinary is always present...
house-2.jpg


All in all, the so-called Wet Season is perhaps more of a conspiracy designed to thin out the hordes of camera-toting tourists... I've also heard and much prefer the term "Green Season" as thats really far more accurate.

In 2 consecutive weekends of riding in the Phayao / Chun / Chiang Kham / Pu Chi Fa / Chiang Khong / Chiang Saen region, I've clocked up close to 1100 kms and had to put on a raincoat for less than 50 kms!
 

Deano747

0
Subscribed
Aug 24, 2008
207
35
28
Great great photos, can't wait till I'm there myself in mid Nov.

The new bit of road between the 1155 and the 1020, where exactly is it. Is it a newly sealed bit joining the 2 roads just to the North of Huai Hom on the 1020, or a new road entirely?

Thanks.
 

DavidFL

0
Staff member
Subscribed
Jan 16, 2003
14,455
5,287
113
70
Chiang Khong
www.thegtrider.com
Kiwi Cruiser wrote: The Team: me, myself and I
!

KC
I love your team & photos. Its about time you got you away from the computer & out riding again.
Sorry I could not make this trip.

This part of R1155 certainly does not look quite the same as we found it in the dark earlier this week.
Kiwi Cruiser wrote:
3-1155.jpg

!

Damn this one is absolutely amazing.
Kiwi Cruiser wrote:
4-1155.jpg

!
& I'm cursing for tipping you off about it before I'd done it & you're getting the glory. :think:

:lol-sign: Great little ride & trip report with photos!
 

DavidFL

0
Staff member
Subscribed
Jan 16, 2003
14,455
5,287
113
70
Chiang Khong
www.thegtrider.com
Deano747 wrote: Great great photos, can't wait till I'm there myself in mid Nov.

The new bit of road between the 1155 and the 1020, where exactly is it. Is it a newly sealed bit joining the 2 roads just to the North of Huai Hom on the 1020, or a new road entirely?

Thanks.
On the GT Rider Golden Triangle guide map it is the road as you described. The Phaya Piyak road we can call it. Worth riding you might say too. :thumbup:
 

Deano747

0
Subscribed
Aug 24, 2008
207
35
28
David, thank you for that. Now just got to incorporate it into my 'Nan to Chiang Khong' day. Was going to run up the 1093 to Pang Hat to get in a couple of lookouts (Phu Chi Fa and Pha Tang), then the 1155 basically all the way to Chiang Khong. Guess if we are running early, we could just go for a ride along it and back again. 25 odd Kilometre fun bit. The Doi Phaya Phitak Viewpoint looks like a worthwhile sidetrip anyway.
 

Kiwi Cruiser

Ben Kemp
Staff member
May 26, 2007
260
83
28
Thailand
2wheels, its fair to say that 1155 is a delightful stretch of road, with something for everyone. Doing the last half of it in the dark was thirsty work though... I was very gratified with the way that photo of the Phaya Piyak road came out - one of my best-ever long-range images! :)

Am hoping for a bright shiny day this week and will take The Goddess up there for a ride and get some close-up photos.

Cheers
 

CeiDuc

0
Dec 15, 2009
28
0
0
Davidfl wrote:

Damn this one is absolutely amazing.
[quote quote=Kiwi Cruiser]
4-1155.jpg

!
& I'm cursing for tipping you off about it before I'd done it & you're getting the glory. :think:

:lol-sign: Great little ride & trip report with photos!

That looks like a fun road 8)