The Golden Triangle Rider

Dougal · Posted: 18.12.2007, 11:26 Post subject: Chiang Mai Trip

First of all: many apologies for the late post. It took me 2 weeks to switch over to the new forum. Secondly, this is my first trip report so please bear with me.

Rider : Pete Dougal
Bike : Yamaha Fazer FZ1

Trip route: Pattaya, Petchaboon, Na haeo, Nan, Chiang Mai, Mae Hong Son, Mae Sot and home.

Started out on the King's birthday at the crack of dawn. Slipped out the back of Pattaya to the Bira Circuit, a quick U turn on the R36 and left onto R331. Felt like a thief slipping away and making a run for the border. If my memory serves correctly I think I was giggling with excitement.
The 331 is not a spectacular road but it's a good surface and the fastest route North. Have to say it runs through some nice rural countryside and what makes it great for me is that it's taking me up North towards some of the greatest roads and scenery in Thailand. The first check point was to peel off onto R304 to Phanom Sarakam and find R319 to Prachin Buri. By the way there's a very nice PTT station in Phanom Sarakam with all amenities.
R319 is a very nice country road with some lovely sights and before I knew it I was turning onto R33 to Nakhon Nayok for a short burst to R1 (yeuch!), 15k and the Saraburi by-pass took me on towards Lopburi.
It was almost a relief to turn onto R21 to Petchaboon and it was only after several km that I was relaxing into a nice fast ride with new rural settings and scenery for me to devour.
This was the first day of the trip and I did not even stop to take any photos. The priority was to get as far North as possible. I stayed at the Burrapa Hotel in Petchaboon (B300 for a clean room with AC & hot water.
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