A Loop In Beautiful Rainy Season

[ianyonok]

Love rainy season. Best time of year. Clean clear air, super green scenery and minimal traffic.

Breakfast, highway 1, Chiang Rai. 45 Baht, fried and boiled chicken on rice.
Super...

Pulled into Lanna Onsen, Mae Suai on 118, for a morning hot spring "onsen" session and meet up with Nigel.

Next, to coffee and cakes at Charin Garden

We then took the nice winding traffic free 109 across to Chai Prakarn.

After hitting the 107, headed south through town to take in 1346, always a joy, down to Phrao.
Green green rice fields..

After the 1001 and negotiating the traffic around Mae Rim, we got on to the Samoeng loop.
The Samoeng Forest view.

We rode through some rain on the loop and escaped out west into Samoeng.
Happy to see a significant riding distance turn over on the old bike, miles ridden in Thailand since restoring the machine.

Next morning we hit the recently paved road out to Watchan.

Quite a long ride, around 90klms I think, in some misty rain.

Some landslides..

Watchan seems as undeveloped as ever. I used to stay there at Pete & Pele's place, but it has been closed up for a long time now.
So, on the road to Pai.

We turned off, 4klms down a small road..
View attachment 137718
Mueang Paeng Hot Spring for a morning soak in an open air hot tub.

We bypassed Pai and rode on round the loop.

Doi Kiewlom Viewpoint, Pai to Pang MaPha.

Near the top of the loop is a lovely flat valley; green fields in the sunshine.

Tree-lined boulevards..

We had planned to head up to Pang Ung lake here, but it was getting late, so we continued to Mae Hong Son.

Next morning first light in MHS.

After leaving town heading south, the PaBong viewpoint..

Oh, we were enjoying the thousands of twisties...
"chicken strips" almost non existent.

To be continued....

 

[Ian Bungy]

That's a Great Ride Ian, and yes really lovely riding at the moment! And 50.000 on the Old Girl is quite an Achievement! Congratulations.

 

[ianyonok]

Thanks, Ian. 50k miles is certainly satisfying.

 

[ianyonok]

We continued our ride south through KhunYuam, Mae La Noi and reached the Mae Um Long Hot Spring Resort, just outside Mae Sariang.

You park on the south side of the river and walk across the bridge to the resort.
We parked the bikes in shelter under the wooden house there.

The Karen owner, told us he is 73 years old and he has 2 wives there. He took at least 5 minutes to walk the bridge with his dinner.

His 2nd wife cooked our dinner...
Fried rice and fried eggs. The simple life...

Unpainted teak wood bungalow for 500 Baht. Wonderful aroma of teak oil.

With hot spring bathroom.

Nigel had the net in his room but there were few mozzies.

Local wildlife..

Open air hot tub next to the river at daybreak next day.

Fortunately, the ride out was not slippery.

We continued east along the road towards Hot.

Met up with a young couple in a coffee shop, each riding a Triumph Bobber, doing a loop from Lampang and down around the Khun Pawor NP on the super road from Mae Ramat to Bahn Tak.

Before Ob Luang is a large Pine Tree conservation place.

After fighting our way through the traffic south of Chiang Mai we rode out to Chaeson.

Stayed just outside the National Park at the RayaWassanaChaeson Haunted House hotel.

This hotel has real character. The restaurant has closed but it's still a great place to stay.

Years ago, they had the Mandalay Rally classic car tour stay here.

Chaeson Hot Spings early next morning was fantastic.

Special to have the hot pools right next to the river.

A beautiful natural setting in the jungle. You can take 5 minutes or so in the hot water pool, then lie in the river with cold water flowing over you. Repeat at will....

Wonderful place.

We then took the lovely little road right through Chaeson National Park.

This little 4025 road winds around and up over 1400m, before crossing from Lampang to Chiang Mai. Then it' super steep down. A bit scary in the damp conditions with lots of leaves on the road.

It must be the old road through, with narrow tarmac or concrete. Through the big green jungle with about 4 water crossings.

You pop out in Mae Kampong and the touristy area.

After coffee, it was north through the roadworks on the 118.... gosh... lots more to do...
another 5 years....??

Another super ride, 1400 klms, just a little rain here and there.
Thanks Nigel.

 

[Heineken]

Great report and photos Ian, no issues with the bikes ?

 

[DavidFL]

Ian, awesome Khun Namphu Lorn - you've become the official GTR Hot Springs guru, as you've probably hit more than any rider in the North now?

You certainly pick some brilliant circuitous routes, and it just goes to show how much there it out there & how many varied routes there are. Unlimited?

I'm curious where did you stay the first night - out of / in Samoeng?

A hearty congratulations clocking up 50,000 miles on the Triumph.
That is quite something & should impress any rider here.

BTW you've reminded me I need to check out the renovated hot springs near Phan to put on the list.
Hot Springs North Thailand

 

[ianyonok]

Thanks Guys.

No problems with the bikes.

I put a litre of engine oil in the Thunderbird oil tank, after about 1000 klms. That is about normal at the moment. One cylinder is burning a little oil. Think I'm looking at a rebore sometime.
On longer trips I carry a small bottle of ATF and a dipstick, for checking the primary chaincase. The primary case oil should be changed every one thousand miles. I checked the level after 1000 klms, it was fine.
I also have the crankcase breather hose running back to the swing arm so that acts as an automatic chain oiler. A bit messy but good for rainy season.

The hot springs are great for us oldies. All aches and pains disappear and you "float" afterwards...

In Samoeng, we stayed at Sometime.

Sometime @Samoeng
Samoeng Tai, Samoeng District, Chiang Mai 50250
091 859 3622

Google Maps

Nice place. Great view from the fairly new bungalow across the rice fields to the mountains.
1,000 Baht a night now. It is a covered farm area as well. But a big place struggling to stay afloat. Only one woman working there now.