Doi Phukha - Nan

[DavidFL]

Found another old one for you guys.

The end of the road R1256, on Doi Phukha on the Pua side.
Not a great snap, & probably from 90-91-92?

This spot is before the famous Chomphu Phukha tree, & as you see can the road had not reached that tree yet.

 

[DavidFL]

R1081 & Huay Kon, right at the "top end". Way before the road was asphalt.

Above: With David "Dawn" Drechsler, so nicknamed because of his night time "retirement" hours. David Dawn was a great rider & showed me a few tricks on 1081, a road that he'd never been on before..

 

[DavidFL]

Nan is top dog for sport bike riding in North Thailand.
And the Doi Poi Phukha loop with Routes 1256 & 1081 are the greatest ride 'n loops in the North I reckon.

The start of R1256 from Pua

On the way up into the clouds

The road used to end before the famous Chomphu Phukha Tree & Lookout.

Then they cut the rest of the road through to Bo Klua where the old salt wells are.

Huge culverts were built under the road to help drain the rain water in the wet season. Under the road you almost cannot see these or aware they are there, but you can just pick them out heading down /upon the Bo Klua side, once you've crossed the ridgeline by the Chomphu Phukha tree. Check em out, because without these the road would never survive.

Once you'd done the Doi Phukha Loop, the other highlight of Nan used to be riding across the suspension bridge

Photos from the late 80s / early 90s.

 

[Dougal]

Astonishing and superb as usual David.

Just a logistic thing: You show a lot of these roads at birth and infancy if you like; the bikes you guys were on were small; where the hell did you get fuel? :?:

 

[DavidFL]

Dougal wrote: Astonishing and superb as usual David.

Just a logistic thing: You show a lot of these roads at birth and infancy if you like; the bikes you guys were on were small; where the hell did you get fuel? :?:

Dougal
Fuel was never a problem. Fuel range was 200-250 kms on a tank with a Wing 125 & I think with an MTX 150-180 kms.

 

[TonyBKK]

Davidfl wrote:

Then they cut the rest of the road through to Bo Klua where the old salt wells are.

Photos from the late 80s / early 90s.

Wow, the road's almost done but I could swear they're still using the same tractor! :mrgreen:

 

[Franz]

David I love them old foto's of yours and the Wing 125 !! Totally reliable bike but then I also was younger and got me the MTX stinker. Funny if you think back 20+ more years how much has changed on the roads in LOS, for me Pai-Mae Hong Son is just another example....... :lol: , by that time we didn't have such a hurry in getting from A to B as the overall speed of all vehicles was much slower than today........ :? , cheers, Franz

 

[DavidFL]

The Doi Tiew road R1082 in Nan.

 

[s.sathiya]

TonyBKK;249887 wrote: Wow, the road's almost done but I could swear they're still using the same tractor! :mrgreen:

Beautifully shot...superb adventure!! Thanks for sharing

 

[DavidFL]

R1256. Doi Phukha once upon a time.

 

[DavidFL]

R1083 The bridge across the Nan River east of Na Noi

 

[DavidFL]

Bo Klua - I think this was Wat Bo Luang = I need to go back and check

 

[DavidFL]

Late 1980s: R1081 & hot season, the fires have already been through. Confirmation that it has been around decades & is not a new phenomena.

The guy above would be Bob "Short Wave" Tomlinson.

 

[DavidFL]

Nan City - Wat Suan Tan: Early - mid 1990s

 

[DavidFL]

On the border with Laos at Huay Kon / Mueng Ngern. February 1995.

With Danny from Siam Sun Travel. Chiang Mai.

 

[DavidFL]

Chiang Klang early 1990s with Scotty 007

The War Memorial at Chiang Klang