GT Rider Up Country Dinner # 36 Piang Luang

DavidFL

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Confirmed, we have an all clear for a GTR Dinner in Piang Luang.

The date: Wednesday 26th January 2022.

The Venue:
Krua Piang Luang

The recommended Accommodation: Huen Kingkhala Resort

Other suggested Accommodation in Piang Luang


Our previous very successful & popular GTR Dinner in Piang Luang

See you all there for a magic night in the Shan hills of Thailand.

Make your own way to Piang Luang at your own pace, by whatever route you fancy. Easy peasy, please yourself.
Book your hotel room.

Some Piang Luang Info & Trip Reports
Some interesting info in Thai: เว็บไซต์อำเภอเวียงแหง | เวียงแหง.com


One of the best festivals I have ever seen.






 
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DavidFL

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Who is going?

1. David Unk.
2. Steve Merchant.
3. Ian Bungy.
4. Kiwi John.
5. Kawasaki Mike.
6. Horst.
7. Dodraugen.
8. Scotty.
9. Oddvar.
10. Guzzibs.
 
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Dodraugen

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Im in!

If only the fork seals would arrive so I could get the leaking forks of my Mianoi tight again. Bike fired straight up after almost 2 years of Covid storage (with a new battery) but unfortunately the fork is leaking oil. That 2 years storage wasnt any good for the fork seals….

But I am aiming at coming there…
 
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DavidFL

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Piang Luang is all clear for Wednesday night, but it will be cold up there. Make sure you have warm clothes.

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Cheers.
Ms Kik the Etihad "hostess with the mostest daughter" will be at the resort to welcome us & take care of GTR.
See you all the there, on your best behaviour!
 

Ughetto

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See you after tomorrow

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I understand where is hotel because
Is the same where i alwayes sleep there.
Restaurant I still don’t know but I will found...
 
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DavidFL

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Another magic night in gorgeous Piang Luang. One of those quaint fascinating towns way out at the end of the road, on the edge of the planet it seems. A town full of ethnic diversity, Shan, Thai, Chinese & Lisu; plus the crazy road R1322, which honestly gets my vote for he craziest road in North Thailand.

15 guys made it to Piang Luang.
Riders came from Lampang, Chiang Khong, Tha Ton, Phayao, Chiang Rai & Chiang Mai to make up a fabulous mix of guys & nationalities. Aussies, Kiwi, Canada, Swiss, French, Austria, Italian, English, Norwegian, German. Only the USA was missing this time round.
Thanks to everyone who came. It was a truly relaxing, magic evening. Dodraugen well done for arriving in the dark mate, you rock!

Happy Hour at the resort
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Thanks Ughetto for the pics.

The restaurant was just an easy stroll up a gentle incline 200 meters away. Even lung walked it!
Ms Tang & her gorgeous family turned out another excellent meal with super cheerful hospitality.
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A reason the old GTR fellah loves Piang Luang so much.
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The morning after
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Another super GTR time in the hills.
Piang Luang is situated at the headwaters of the Mae Taeng river & the Wiang Haeng - Piang Luang valley is a little agricultural heaven.
Unfortunately both our Piang Luang dinners to date, have been in the dry season & GTR would love to see this stunning valley lush & green after the wet season, so let's have a GTR Weekend Warriors Rendezvous on Saturday 8th October 2022 @ Piang Luang, at the end of the wet!

 
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DavidFL

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My ride from Chiang Khong

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It should have been a leisurely ride down.
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But on the way I popped into Wat Phrathat Pha Ngao to check on the new Mekong Skywalk being built.

And as luck would have it, I met the female "owner" building the skywalk, so a lengthy 1.5 hrs chat saw the old GTR fellah sidetracked.
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The plan is for a soft opening in April, with an official Grand Opening in October.

Next stop then was a quick brunch in Fang to hook up with Sandy, who I met on the way to the GTR dinner as well.
Sandy was on a CRF & going via Arunothai & 1340.
After Fang it was a coffee 'n brownie stop @ Tiger Hill Coffee with the Lisu gals.
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The coffee is mediocre, but the brownies are always superb, from Wiang Haeng.


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But is always great to chat with the Lisu gals about their life & business. How are the kids going? Are they behaving? Are Mum & Dad well? Just friendly chit chat, like you'd ask friends & relatives. They appreciate it & it shows you care a bit. Give it a go sometime & don't look at them as just another ethnic tourist attraction.
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More to come...
 
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DavidFL

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The return loop was time to check up on a road I have not been on for a few decades & the report for it was in 2003



R3048 is the number & it is a super lovely rural back road that winds through the karst country west of R107, north of Chiang Dao & south of Chai Prakarn.
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There are multiple Lahu & Lisu villages along the way to make it rewarding little meander.
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Some images from my little cruise.

The turn off from R1178 is an obscure little soi, marked by a restaurant on one side & a bright "green" turquoise building on the other.
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The soi turns into the rural countryside
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It winds its way through the forest & hills
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Mango season will soon be here with the trees in flower.
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Taking some banana tree food home
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A lot of the arable land is devoted to corn, sadly.
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I had an entertaining time hanging out with the "Lisu corn shuckers" for a bit.
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One of the "shuckers" was a star

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Into Karst territory
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Zero complaints from me about an approaching burning season = make hay while the sunshines.
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The rocky geology of this area is fascinating.
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Some of the rocks are there for a reason - flash flood protetcion
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Enjoy the ride through sometime.
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It has a bit of everything.
 
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DavidFL

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Some pics of the road in November 2003,
'
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On this 2003 trip the Japanese rider & photographer went over the edge of a mountain on R1089, going to Doi Mae Salong, broke his back & it was an a major effort to find him, trapped in the bamboo, & get him out. Some Akha hill tribes guys with machetes, I fetched from Doi Mae Salong, came to the rescue, found him & got him out.
 
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