Mae Hong Son - Mae Chaem - Chiang Mai

DavidFL

0
Staff member
Subscribed
Jan 16, 2003
14,455
5,287
113
70
Chiang Khong
www.thegtrider.com
21-22 October 2012

Still catching up......& a few happy snaps from my return to Chiang Mai via Mae Chaem, after the Dan White ride.

My getaway time from MHS was early afternoon & just right for some nice light most of the way. Once you are passed Khun Yuam you are heading east towards Mae Na Chon / Mae Chaem with the sun behind.

R1263 Khun Yuam - Mae Na Chon

284149=13324-img_3001.jpg

Taking photos, standing in the middle of the deserted road & forest this cyclist scared the hell out of me as he silentyly whizzed past.

284149=13325-img_3003.jpg


To the south a storm was approaching

284149=13326-img_3009.jpg


it didn't look that good to the North either, after a few minutes snapping away.

284149=13327-img_3018.jpg


I quickly packed up & took off like a frenzied cyclist, albeit with a real motor between my legs.
I got splattered with some heavy rain drops from the threatening squall, but after crossing one ridgeline the weather changed radically - & for the better. Phew - no rain gear. Ha Ha.

A bit of a change eh...

284149=13328-img_3025.jpg

cabbage central approaching Pang Ung.

284149=13329-img_3026.jpg


The light started to turn golden at that magic time of the day.

284149=13330-img_3031.jpg


284149=13331-img_3044.jpg


Talk about a feel good road & view.......

284149=13332-img_3049.jpg


Closer to Mae Na Chon the "corn dump works.'

284149=13333-img_3057.jpg


According my info from Mae Chaem, most of this is contract farming with most of the corn going to CP.
The corn biz has gotten so big that there are sometimes queues of 18 wheels trucks in Mae Chaem waiting to transport the corn out.

284149=13334-img_3059.jpg


The Inthanon view & run down the hill into Mae Na Chon

284149=13335-img_3064.jpg


Doi Inthanon about ready for a snooze, Mae Na Chon - Mae Chaem.

284149=13336-img_3067.jpg
 

DavidFL

0
Staff member
Subscribed
Jan 16, 2003
14,455
5,287
113
70
Chiang Khong
www.thegtrider.com
For the night in Mae Chaem...time to check out something new

284151=13337-img_3123.jpg


Simple back to nature earthern huts

284151=13338-img_3075.jpg


No TV NO Wifi. Brilliant if you want an escape from the big smoke rat race.

284151=13339-img_3105.jpg

300-350 baht a night. Contact Miss Aom at Lung Dang Coffee in Mae Chaem.
 

DavidFL

0
Staff member
Subscribed
Jan 16, 2003
14,455
5,287
113
70
Chiang Khong
www.thegtrider.com
Pottering around Mae Chaem I ticked off another temple that needed to go on the GTR website.
Wat Jiang

284152=13340-img_3089.jpg


Rennowed for it's unusual 6 sided chedi

284152=13341-img_3090.jpg


284152=13342-img_3094.jpg


Mae Chaem is famous for it temples & is gaining a reputation as a traditional cultural centre in North Thailand.
It is claimed it's temples rival those in Nan, so that makes Mae Chaem worth a night & a leisurely temple cruise through the villages.
Check it out sometime.
 

DavidFL

0
Staff member
Subscribed
Jan 16, 2003
14,455
5,287
113
70
Chiang Khong
www.thegtrider.com
22 October. Home via R1008 Mae Chaem south.

284153=13343-img_3130.jpg


Now something that I noted & that the locals in MC were complaining about was the poor state of the roads in & around town.

284153=13344-img_3141.jpg

The big trucks for the corn & from coal mine were responsible? Yep that would be right I thought.

284153=13345-img_3154.jpg

And for as long as I can remember people have always complained about the Mae Chaem roads & that for me is 20 years plus! It always detracted from a ride to / from Mae Chaem & most peopole commented on it.

But then I noted the further you went from Mae Chaem the better the roads were, but still the same trucks.
Arh it finally dawned on me - the cheating corrupt contractor building the roads in & immediately around Mae Chaem - a local contract & not a provincial one?
So just look at the thickness of the ashalt on the roads in the pic above - wafer thin almost. It will never last & I can't recall a road in / around Mae Chaem ever lasting 3 wet seasons.
All just something to think about.

Back on the road.....R1088 heading south.

284153=13346-img_3133.jpg


an Inthanon view

284153=13347-img_3142.jpg


284153=13348-img_3147.jpg

284153=13349-img_3165.jpg


284153=13350-img_3158.jpg


And that's it.
R108 Chomthong - Hot is under construction going from 2 - 4 lane, but there is little dirt & just a bit of "lane changing" from side to side where are widening the road.
 

Rhodie

0
Mar 5, 2006
842
5
18
Davidfl;284149 wrote:

284149=13336-img_3067.jpg
Nice pic - lovely composition.
Interesting info regarding temples which I will definitely look into next time I'm up.
What's the road like between Khun Yuam and Mae Chaem - still apple crumble surface?
Cheers
Rhodie
 

DavidFL

0
Staff member
Subscribed
Jan 16, 2003
14,455
5,287
113
70
Chiang Khong
www.thegtrider.com
Rhodie;284154 wrote: Nice pic - lovely composition.
Interesting info regarding temples which I will definitely look into next time I'm up.
What's the road like between Khun Yuam and Mae Chaem - still apple crumble surface?
Cheers
Rhodie
Rhodie
R1263 Mae Chaem- Mae Na Chon is bumpy crap asphalt. Mae Na Chon - Khun Yuam is generally all good asphalt.
 
Jul 11, 2007
129
3
18
Thanks for your nice report and infos.
I might try the earth bungalows in Mae Chaem soon.
I've already stayed in similar in Phon Phisai,Nongkhai,they are quite nice.
It looks a bit funny to look at your report not seing the AT on the pics anymore!
Cheers Lung.