GT Riders trip up North

Dougal

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Dec 18, 2007
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This was to be a 13 dat trip, meeting in Petchabun as a common point for the riders and heading West to Mae Sot; North to Mae Sariang & Mae Hong Son and down to Chiang mai.
The second half of the trip was North to Golden Triangle and East and South to Chiang Khong, Nan and Loei.

Riders (first half):
Dougal Yamaha Fazer FZ1
Marco BMW 1200LT
John Gooding BMW 1200 GS
Thawee HD Electra Glide
Ed Moto Guzzi 1100S

Myself , Thawee and Ed started from Sri Racha and headed North around BKK to the Saraburi by-pass where we met up with John and had a lovely leasurely ride up to Petchabun where we met Marco in the Burappa Hotal.

So the group was together and next morning headed West along R12 which in parts is a lovely road winding up into the hills.

Viewpoint/coffee stop
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The view
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Lunch stop somewhere near or after Sukhothai
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Finally we reached Tak and the fun really started with that lovely R105.
We stopped at a viewpoint and the mountains and cold air inspired Marco to start discussing the "Bigfoot" and "Yeti" issue.
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Here's the view:
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Reached Mae Sot and checked into DK Hotel in the middle of town.
Woke up very early for an urgent visit to the loo and took this snap of the dawn just to remind Dave Unk what one looks like: :lol:
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Next morning filled up at the PTT station:
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Up R105 where John and Marco got some shots of the refugee camps and stopped at the half way point for coffee:
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Her's a view along the road:
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Reached Mae Sariang and stayed at the Mit Aree GH Resort.
Next day Thawee and Ed headed to Mae Hong Son and John, Marco and I headed for Doi Inthanon.
Coffee stop along R108 to Hot:
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Looks like I might have a passenger:
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Finally after 2 years of trying I reach the great mountain:
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And a view:
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I'm not putting many photos in here as the other guys took so many and i'm sure they'll post them.

That night in Mae Sariang we met up with Stefan (Africa Twin) and Anton (1150GS) who'd completed 40,000km of a trip staring in Europe coming across the Eastern Block, Russia, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia and now Thailand. Great guys and fascinating stories and they rode with us the next day to Mae Hong Son.
Obligatory coffee stop on R105:
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In the PTT station before MHS we met a big BMW group from BKK who were fascinated by Stefan and Anton. Just to show you that this not a totally male dominated passtime here she is with the stunning new BM F800GS:
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The classic viewpoint 20km before MHS:
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It was at this point that John's adrenalin overcame him and it was'nt until Pai that he found the brakes again on the new 1200GS.
We reached MHS and checked into the Palm House.

Here's some shots at and from the temple on the hill:
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Met up with Ray23 and his good lady and had dinner with them. Lovely couple and great company. Great to meet you Ray.

Next day it was off to Chaing Mai and here are a couple of viewpoint stops on the road to Pai:
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Don't know why but I/we always stop at the little Thai restaurant just before Pai opposite the "biggest Mango tree in Thailand":
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Finally reached Chiang Mai and met up with John again at Rux Thai GH. The hottest water and greatest water pressure of the trip.

To be continued.........................[/img]
 

Franz

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Jun 28, 2007
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Peter, great fotos and a great report !! I am sure you had much fun and hope that on the next trip of our group I can join you !! Does that mean you, Thawee and Ed especially having drained many watering holes and there's nothing left for me next week ???? :oops: Hahaha David, slowly everybody seems to know what an early riser you are....... :lol: Keep the pictures coming please !!!!! Cheers, Franz
 

Dougal

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Dec 18, 2007
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Now where were we? ...Oh yes Chiang Mai.

Well this is where Thawee and Ed left us to head back to BKK. However during the 2 days we stayed there we met up again with TonyBKK and his buddy Trent and the lovely couple Dave and Mai who would join us for the second half of the trip.

We also went to the X Center and met up with a lot of the GT Riders and the man himself Dave Unk.
Many, many thanks to Dave and Ian Bungy for setting up this meet. It was really great to meet so many of you and put some faces to the names.
If anyone has some photos please post them.

We also went to the Bike Week where we met Ray again and a couple of his buddies. Should have gone to the Triumph party.

So the new group for the second half of the trip:
Myself, Marco, John and new riders:
Dave and Mai BM 1150GS
Trent Yamaha XJR1300
TonyBKK Kawa Ninja 250

Now I don't know if you read TonyBKK post but I said you had to ride with these 2 guys. They are just great fun and Trent is just pure entertainment value.
So here they are:
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I know, I know it does'nt really resemble the Interpol shots but you'll see more of them in a minute.
So without further ado I'd like to introduce you to the only GT Rider who has the distinction of being caught with his trousers down in the Kafe:

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Hope he has'nt lowered the tone of the place. Apparently it was something to do with the fact that he required some sort of reinforced 'support':
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Hey! Give the man his due; at least he has the decent courtesy to choose an appropriate name for the forum: "Naked Air".

So with the new group assembled, except for John who was very sick, we met at the Top North Hotel and headed North:
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Stopped in Thaton for a snack at Kwangs GH. Here is Trent, David, Mai and Trent:
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The bridge in Thaton:
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View from the bridge:
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By this time John had called and we had arranged to meet on R1 which we duly screwed up royally leaving John twiddling his thumbs before we realised we were already almost in Mae Sai. Arranged to try again at the Golden Triangle:
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On to Chiang Saen:
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Excuse my ignorance but is this the old city gate? Or just a temple entrance?

Anyway with the group back together we rolled into Chiang Khong where Marco, John and I checked into the Rim Num GH and Tony + family and Trent went to stay with David and Mai.

The Mekong from the GH:
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We were invited and spent the evening at David and Mai's absolutely stunning residence. More like a landscaped drive in resort with an abundance of trees, bushes waterways etc...
They had a special bonfire pit where we sat and drank and b*lls*tt#d. And oh boy did we need that bonfire; it was COLD.

David and Mai agreed to come with us to Nan the next day. Great news!

To be continued...............................[/img]
 
Dec 27, 2007
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Outstanding report and great pics Peter!

I'm in freezing foggy Rotterdam right now and am missing the LOS big time!

You mentioned the possibility of a trip to Laos in Feb- it that still in the works? I'd LOVE to join!

Happy Holidays!

Tony, Nong and Little Mir
 

Marco

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Oct 15, 2006
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Khuang Nai
1st of all thank you Peter to organize and planning this fantastic trip.

Like said i took about 500 pictures and i will spare you for not inserting all of them here,

Lets put this nice little vdo clip on the beginning and guys put all your volumes close to full as this demonstrated how awesome 1200GS sound
http://s165.photobucket.com/albums/u67/UbonM/Chiang%20Mai%20tour/?action=view&current=MVI_1480.flv
I was hiding in the bush and waiting john to come and i could hear him from far distance as it was totally quiet there.

Then for pictures
So i left home around 0830 and arrived to Phetchabum 1530 and then was wondering where are the guys as Burabba hotel is divided to two different section and it was not decided in where the guys gonna stay so i pick the new part and got me LT under the roof
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in the wall it said NO PARKING,,but hotel lad told me to park there,, so never mind then
Notice that i wanna try something new, in some pictures i have inserted GPS coordinated as my Alzheimer’s start to kick in already, so with coordinates in the picture i know what to expect for.
Then next morning we took off around 9am and i found out that me and peter have similar interest to coffee, or was it that i have huge interest for coffee,,,so we stop often for coffee
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and old man for smoke
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in this pace what is how ever abt 2hrs from previous stop in the national park already
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Eddie and missus
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my head is still shaking of that HD sound
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Earlier in some other post some on said that this group can eat,, and hell yeah these guys ate and ate,,, i have no object of that,,,as i'm food lover,,also :)
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It's not only humans who are freezing,, this little fellow was taking cover as well
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I tried to find new methods to take pictures,,, it's getting bit dangerous but as LT has cruise control i can use both hands to taking pictures,,,or was that too dangerous driving with out hands?? :roll:
Guess what brake..
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Coffee for Peter or was it smoke.
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Here is something what you cant see so often, Thawee was playing Isaan music from HD and John Dance and ate ice cream same time.
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Thawee ate again,,,,
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then off we went again,, Peter said earlier that with his new sheep seat cover is Soooo good that his Buttox will not get sore any more,,,So what is this move called again??

Now this getting long,, to be continue....abt 400 more pitures to go LOL :wink:

Continue tomorrow again.
 
Sep 4, 2007
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Peter, thanks for the report and great pics as always,
I have posted a follow up separately as I think it is just going to take to long to load with the combined no of pics, Cheers, John
 
Sep 4, 2007
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Marco,
Thanks for some very artistic pics and your report, must have added it while I was posting mine, as not there when I started. Cheers John
 

Marco

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Oct 15, 2006
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John

I was doing that oer 2hrs as i scewdup while adding pictures and had to start all over also my comp desided to turn it self off middle of 2nd try...

well one of those days..
 

Dougal

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Dec 18, 2007
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Marco,

Love the pictures!
It was quite something to see when you were taking the shots on 'cruise control'.

Great riding with you and we'll have to do it again soon.
 

Franz

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Jun 28, 2007
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As always when this group is riding the Formula to be used is: driven kms = 5x kcal intake and as no one can manage to do this at only one stop, they had to stop several times........... :oops: :? , Peter: "Coffee or was it cigarettes" ????? Maybe it was the ususal Singha and Cigarettes.... :lol:
Guys, seeing these pictures I'm getting really pissed off not having been able to join you, marvellous fotos !!! Keep 'em comin', cheers, Franz
 
Nov 26, 2008
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Great trip report and photos, well done guys!

with regards to the half naked photos of me at the Kafe, it was justified.

someone always seems to have a camera around at the wrong (or should i say right) moments when im doing something stupid ...um no follow up comments please!!
 

Marco

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Oct 15, 2006
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Trent

What you mean no comment,,, of couse we need to comment on that on,,,,,I have 1 or 2 more photos and they WILL come out soon.. :D :D :D