Koh Chang to Chiang Rai
Route: 3148, 3, 317, 33, 304, 205, 21, 2285, 2196, 12, 11, 103, 1
1300kms, 3 Days of riding.
The Team:
- The Goddess - Honda Phantom 200
- Kiwi Cruiser - Kawasaki Custom 900
Day 1: We returned via (almost) the same route as the ride down.
About to ride onto the ferry to return to the mainland...
The main difference going home was the weather... 20 kms up Highway 3, as it gradually curved to the left, it intersected the path of an ominously black thunderstorm and heavy showers of rain blowing in from the seaward side. The Goddess was ever so disappointed that I chose not to take shelter but kept on riding to the edge of the rain band, then donned the raincoat... This proved to be the very 1st many times that her motorcycle boots filled up with water...
:lol-sign:
Frankly, she was as unimpressed as I was unsympathetic - after all, I'd explained multiple times prior to leaving home that she really needed to find and pack the rain-proof over-trousers... :roll: It was politely but firmly explained that NO complaints to the management would be entertained. If it rains, we get wet and after that we get dry... And thus it was, about 4 times before Nakhon Ratchisima!
Taking shelter at a gas station during a deluge enabled yet another coffee...
This guy's got the biggest collection of Landrovers in South East Asia!!!
Note: The Goddess has her socks out to dry on the luggage box at this coffee break! :lol:
Here it was dry... 300 metres up the highway, it was bucketing down!!!
Day 2: 470 kms from Nakhon Ratchisima to Phitsanulok - with a delightful detour through Route 2285 / 2196...
They are two nice back roads that eliminate Lom Sak from the Highway 21 / 12 route. There are some gorgeous little restaurants and resorts along 2196, worthy of a more leisurely inspection, if not a destination weekend to Petchabun! 2196 meets Highway 12 about 4 - 5 kms from the Route 12 Coffee Shop...
A coffee break at Route 12 coffee shop, and ahead of us more black clouds were rolling in. A few kms north, it was time to get a coat on again...
Looking back the way we'd come was far more attractive!
Eventually, we arrived in Phitsanulok, damp around the edges, weary but well. Riding directly into the evening sun presented a serious problem, compounded by the after school / after work traffic. The plan was to go through to Sukhothai but the increased risk levels after a 470 km day of riding called for an executive decision! I decided we'd best stay in Phitsanulok again. During dinner we decided to just do a day trip to Sukhothai next day, and return by evening for a stroll in the Night Bazaar. Not having to pack / unpack for a day seemed like a good plan...
Day 3: Sukhothai
As neither of us had been there before, it promised to be an interesting excursion, and thus it was... Being able to ride the motorbikes throughout the park was great - renting bicycles would scarcely enhance my image! Here's a series of photos from around Sukhothai Historical Park;
The park is spread over many hectares and walking is not really an option...
Day 4: Phitsanulok to Chiang Rai
Heading up Highway 11- all dead straight and boring except for a huge army convoy we overtook just south of Uttaradit - no photos! We actually got all the way home without putting our raincoats on, sneaking between showers all the way until we encountered THIS little beauty!
We made 3 brief "under the over-bridge" stops until it eventually drifted off Highway 1.
Home - total distance covered approx 3150 kms - no mechanical issues, aside from the need to throw a bit of oil on the Phantom's chain. At the end of the journey, The Goddess' perception of reality has been greatly expanded, as has her competence, confidence and general sense of self-esteem.
Route: 3148, 3, 317, 33, 304, 205, 21, 2285, 2196, 12, 11, 103, 1
1300kms, 3 Days of riding.
The Team:
- The Goddess - Honda Phantom 200
- Kiwi Cruiser - Kawasaki Custom 900
Day 1: We returned via (almost) the same route as the ride down.
About to ride onto the ferry to return to the mainland...
The main difference going home was the weather... 20 kms up Highway 3, as it gradually curved to the left, it intersected the path of an ominously black thunderstorm and heavy showers of rain blowing in from the seaward side. The Goddess was ever so disappointed that I chose not to take shelter but kept on riding to the edge of the rain band, then donned the raincoat... This proved to be the very 1st many times that her motorcycle boots filled up with water...
:lol-sign:
Frankly, she was as unimpressed as I was unsympathetic - after all, I'd explained multiple times prior to leaving home that she really needed to find and pack the rain-proof over-trousers... :roll: It was politely but firmly explained that NO complaints to the management would be entertained. If it rains, we get wet and after that we get dry... And thus it was, about 4 times before Nakhon Ratchisima!
Taking shelter at a gas station during a deluge enabled yet another coffee...
This guy's got the biggest collection of Landrovers in South East Asia!!!
Note: The Goddess has her socks out to dry on the luggage box at this coffee break! :lol:
Here it was dry... 300 metres up the highway, it was bucketing down!!!
Day 2: 470 kms from Nakhon Ratchisima to Phitsanulok - with a delightful detour through Route 2285 / 2196...
They are two nice back roads that eliminate Lom Sak from the Highway 21 / 12 route. There are some gorgeous little restaurants and resorts along 2196, worthy of a more leisurely inspection, if not a destination weekend to Petchabun! 2196 meets Highway 12 about 4 - 5 kms from the Route 12 Coffee Shop...
A coffee break at Route 12 coffee shop, and ahead of us more black clouds were rolling in. A few kms north, it was time to get a coat on again...
Looking back the way we'd come was far more attractive!
Eventually, we arrived in Phitsanulok, damp around the edges, weary but well. Riding directly into the evening sun presented a serious problem, compounded by the after school / after work traffic. The plan was to go through to Sukhothai but the increased risk levels after a 470 km day of riding called for an executive decision! I decided we'd best stay in Phitsanulok again. During dinner we decided to just do a day trip to Sukhothai next day, and return by evening for a stroll in the Night Bazaar. Not having to pack / unpack for a day seemed like a good plan...
Day 3: Sukhothai
As neither of us had been there before, it promised to be an interesting excursion, and thus it was... Being able to ride the motorbikes throughout the park was great - renting bicycles would scarcely enhance my image! Here's a series of photos from around Sukhothai Historical Park;
The park is spread over many hectares and walking is not really an option...
Day 4: Phitsanulok to Chiang Rai
Heading up Highway 11- all dead straight and boring except for a huge army convoy we overtook just south of Uttaradit - no photos! We actually got all the way home without putting our raincoats on, sneaking between showers all the way until we encountered THIS little beauty!
We made 3 brief "under the over-bridge" stops until it eventually drifted off Highway 1.
Home - total distance covered approx 3150 kms - no mechanical issues, aside from the need to throw a bit of oil on the Phantom's chain. At the end of the journey, The Goddess' perception of reality has been greatly expanded, as has her competence, confidence and general sense of self-esteem.
