Some of the Bikes that Called in today on their way around the Samoeng Loop!
The BMW S1000RR is Alan's New Ride having just brought if from John Gooding!
Quite a few Thai Riders out and about on a variety of Bikes!
This is Richie on His Street Glide and a Friend on His Dyna.
A bit Gloomy earlier but turned into a Beautiful afternoon!
Cheers Ian
www.chiangmai-xcentre.com
Seeing Ian's post above featuring my ex-ride, the S1000RR, here are some pics I took a couple of weeks back while enjoying the loop on our smallest addition to our personal transport fleet, the excellent Honda PCX. Not the conventional photo points, maybe some things that one does not have so much time to see when negotiating the curves and the sometimes inconsiderate traffic.
I like to get the town traffic out of the way first and start from the Canal road, 1269 junction. Travelling clockwise also has the advantage of finishing at the X-Centre, where there is usually someone to compare notes with.
So here the nice stuff starts, 36km to Samoeng village.
Fondcome Village Resort, I have never stopped here. Is it worth it, for food, or anything else?
Some of the many featured attractions along the loop, again, I am afraid I usually ride merrily along, totally ignoring these.
Now why has someone parked this in their garden, Maybe awaiting the next flood, but then at around 400M?
The locals prove that you do not need the latest most powerful machines to enjoy these roads, nice cornering technique
Quarrying or natural erosion?
A nice entrance to the estate
Peaceful Valley living
After some relatively gentle climbing with fun curves, one descends to a few of these rather severe dropping S Bends, best to get the braking done before the bend!
Approaching the junction, where the 1269 continues 4 or so km to the village of Samoeng or the loop continues as the 1096 branches off right toward Mae Rim.
The junction ahead, with its sleepy Police box and inhabitants. Maybe not too much to disturb a quiet life here.
The view from the shelter at the Police Box, looking down toward Samoeng. I do not go down today, but its a good road down, with great views of the valley ahead, and some pleasant refreshment stops. One can get to Pai from Samoeng, small, sometimes rough, sometimes unsurfaced, roads wind through mountains and villages to Wat Chan and then to Pai, a much longer alternative to the busy 1095, but better suited to lighter, dual purpose, trailie type bikes.
Attachment 3991Attachment 3988
So to continue the Samoeng loop, turn right on the 1096 and the road climbs up, around good curves, with great views to the left. Now only 27km to Mae Rim, 44 to Chiang Mai.
If you have no transport, you see a lot of these yellow buses on the loop, so take one of them. Not sure where they start from.
Just 1km further on, something being cultivated on the hillsides, I wonder what it is?
A view of the well known view point, just a few bends away. I did not stop there as it has been pictured many times.
Attachment 3994
More cultivated and machined hillsides, roads being made up the hill and earth being removed for building fill in, as we drop down toward the more inhabited areas
This very impressive and unneccessarily large junction, is likely to owe its presence to somebody needing the work rather than the traffic demands.
For those of you who were not sure that Thailand was Paradise on Earth, here it is.
Attachment 3992
Dropping down now past a number of attractions, such as the Queen Sirikit Botanical Garden. Many others not photographed, where you can see, elephants, monkeys, insects, bees, etc etc......
But for me it was a regular stop for refreshment and company at the X -Centre, courtesy of its lovely owners, Ian and Long, (well Long is lovely anyway)
Last edited by johngooding; 25th June 2011 at 10:05 AM. Reason: pictures now in but some untidy attachment references that I cannot clear
A lovely write up with your ususal good photos there John, a lot of people just dont realise how much fun it is to sometimes ride a small bike slowly around these loops and enjoying the scenery, you see so much more this way
Originally Posted by Captain_Slash
Totally agree.. when i started riding my vespa comparing to my ST. I realise i see more of the surrounding area and enjoy the ride better with my wife..
Had a wonderful couple of days riding round Samoeng
picking my own Papayas ... yum..yum
Joe rented me this specially lowered D-Tracker which was great
Then off to see our friends at the X-Centre
Following a relaxing day at the spa I got to go on Ian's Harley
wonderful company, great friends and the clouds were elsewhere
Tuesday 26th July 2011
a wonderful afternoon ride of the Samoeng Loop.
Davidfl
Keep The Power On
I was there on wed.. Will be posting my share of pics.
Did the Samoeng loop on Wed 27th July. Thanks to the ppl in this forum... we have a lovely time..!!!
Sunday 14th August 2011
Davidfl
Keep The Power On
Samoeng loop 20.7.2011
And a few hours later I meet David in motorbike shop. Amazing David, who recognized me even though have never been seen before in Thailand.
Lasse's Paradise
9831 images from North Thailand, motorbikes, Isaan, Bangkok, Pattaya, etc.
www.saunalahti.fi/lassek1/
59 YouTube videos from the loops
http://www.youtube.com/user/thailasse
Leif was here on the 15/11 -11
My wife looking after more power
Some pictures from last week on a C&P ER6N
En route to the Samoeng Strawberry Festival. 11th Feb 2012.
Davidfl
Keep The Power On
Did the Samoeng loop on 5th Feb.2012 with a passenger and a friend on another CB400. I never get tired of the view from the pagota.
Jim
Never tire of the views here.
A truly happy rider is one who can enjoy the scenery along a detour.
a visit to Chiangmai and did Samoeng loop before flying home , it seems more hazy then Chiangrai again already , just a few days after the big storm hit the north here
bike a rental from Mr Mechanic , was ok , coldstart not perfect , but 64.000k already
Spring 2010
The Large Print Giveth, and the Small Print Taketh Away
Saturday 7th April 2012
Davidfl
Keep The Power On
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