The Golden Triangle Rider

[Captain_Slash]

I go my usual way the 201,203,2013 and the 1143 as far as Chat Trakan then I turn right onto the 1237 as I havent ridden this road before. It starts off pretty boring as it is being widened and is pretty dusty but after the roadworks it starts to get a bit more interesting and gets hillier the further you go, getting towards the further end it is slow going in places as its very windy and eventually I meet the 1268 where I turn left and follow it for about 20km then its a left turn onto the 1239 heading for Nam Pat. This is a very slow winding road which I rode last year on the wave and it isnt any faster on the Bm, I get to Nam Pat the take the 1047 towards Uttaradit for about 10km then its a right onto the 1146 then the 1045 to Uttaradit. I spend quite a while looking for somewhere to stay and eventually find a place to my liking as its only 140 Baht and is located near a KFC,7-11 and Tesco Lotus. I decide to spend two nights here as I like the roads around Nam Pat and want to explore some new ones, in the morning its cloudy and looks like rain, I have two choices, stay in Uttaradit and die of boredom or go out riding and possibly get soaked, no choice really. I head out and get to highway 11 heading south then I turn left onto the 1241 and head for Thong Saen Khan, I stay on the 1241 until it meets the 1047 it is a great piece of road that I havent ridden before. I take the 1047 into Nam Pat and go inside the town and out of it northwards on the 1176 looking for the 1139 which goes up to the fishermans village that can be reached by crossing the water, it starts off tarmac then is unmade and I cant be bothered with it today ( I will explore it from Nan next time I am there as the roads meet) I go back to Nam Pat and take the twisty 1239, it has been rain on and off all morning only really being a nuisance as its made the roads wet and I am riding slower than I really want to. Halfway along the 1239 there is a turning on the right, the 1212 which is really narrow and quite hilly and only goes for about 25km then is a dead end, as I ride down here it stops raining and is looking a lot brighter and by the time I get back to the 1239 the roads are completely dry. I turn right onto the 1239 and follow to the end where it meets the 1268, I turn left here heading north for about 5 km when I spot a new wide road to my right which I turn onto, this only goes to the Laos border about 4km away but apparently it is open on a sunday for the border market. I return to the 1268 and continue north until just after Ban Khok when I take the left which is the 1047, what a splendid piece of road this is, its up there with the best that Thailand has to offer, its just a shame that it is 4.30 in the afternoon and I have about 150km to ride with the sun in my eyes. The 1047 is just magic, perfect condition, next to no traffic and everything you could want for an exciting ride, I finally get back to Uttaradit after six and its straight to KFC.

In the morning its the 1104 heading south then I get sort of lost before finally getting on the 1180 and arriving in Sawankhalok, then its the 1048 to Thoen, another fantastic road with nothing to complain about. At Thoen I take the 106 as far as Li then turn right onto the 1274 for about 20km then its a left onto the 1184 which takes me nearly into Lamphun and this is another road to be recommended, Its only a short journey on the highway back to Chiang Mai from here.

If Typhoo Put The T In Britain Who Put The Cu-nt In Scun-thorpe