The route 348, 3198, 3485, 3462, 3485, 3198, 348
Total distance 194 km
Todays trip was to ride to the Pang Sida National Park and through it on the 3462 that looks a brilliant winding road on my map. Last year at the park entrance I was told the road was washed out a few km in so I rode to Khon Buri to try riding from the opposite direction but they wouldnt let me through the gate saying that it was dangerous, so an embarrassing failure for me
I took the 348 out of town towards Ta Phraya for about ten km then took a left onto the 3198
After about fifteen km I take a right onto the 3485 and not far along here an elephant comes lumbering along
I certainly didnt expect to see one along here
Now its time to really enjoy this fantastic road with lots of good bends and virtually no traffic at all
Possibly the mountain range that the National Park covers
I turn right onto the road to the NP entrance, my map gives it as the 3462. At the entrance I am told 200 Baht but once the Thai driving licence is produced its instantly 40 Baht, plus 20 for the bike
I am really looking forward to finally riding the 3462 if this is what its going to be
Two km later and reality sets in, its unsurfaced
Its relatively easy going and thankfully I appear to be the only person around so no dust being thrown up by other vehicles
I see a few of these signs but no problems at all
Its surprisingly green up here
After twenty six km I reach the scenic view point and stop for a rest, food and photos
I am certainly high up now as its been an uphill climb for a long time
Looking back the way that I have just come from
The road finishes here and I am wondering how much further I can go through the forest track
A couple of birds fly overhead
I set off hoping to ride across the mountain to Khon Buri along this track but its very slow going
The tracks getting worse
Just over one km and its definitely the end of the road for me as I dont have a chainsaw with me, I must remember one next time
Its time to ride back, I am thinking that next time when I have the proper bike for this type of ride then I must try it again and see if its possible to ride to Khon Buri
Its a mainly downhill ride back now
Five km back and I look in at the camping ground
I walk around the visitor centre and no sign of life plus theres rooms here for rent with beds in
Finally I find signs of life
I guess through the week that its pretty quiet up here and those hammocks get used a lot. There is electricity here but its generated
I stop at a sign for the Guar Grassland Area, there is a park guy here who tells me its dangerous to go there alone and he has to go with me. I ask him what the danger is and he replies elephants and snakes, wild elephants I can understand but I dont consider snakes a problem. We both ride just over one km on our bikes then walk a bit further
The only sign of an elephant that I see here, the one that I saw on the road earlier is the only one that I saw today
Its very pleasant out here
As I rode past this sign on the way in I noticed lots of butterflies
Theres hundreds of them around here
I stop at the Pang Sida Waterfall just inside the park entrance
The park attendant at the top told me there wasnt much water now and he wasnt joking
I ride out of the NP and after checking my map decide that returning the way that I came is definitely the best route otherwise I will have to ride along the 348 between Sa Kaeo and Aranyaprathet
A pleasant days trip and just surprising that the 3462 isnt asphalt as its shown on my map as a main road
I eat at Mobile Steak tonight just around the corner from my hotel, its in Bamrungrad road and its a restaurant where I havent eaten for a couple of years
Its one of those that you find in lots of towns with the standard menu
Spaghetti with pork, onions, mushrooms and garlic for only 50 Baht
An ice cream shop
49 Baht for this lovely dessert
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