By special request (David), an up to date view of the waterfall at the end of the fabulous road.
Started out from Hang Dong and despite the sun in the sky it felt like just a degree above brrrr factor 2 until at least after 11:00.
Rode down the 108 to Chom Thong and immediately before the Amphur offices, turned right onto the 3099. At the next T (with a wooden bus shelter) you can take either direction, they both end up at the next cross road. At that crossroad, follow the main tarmac and just keep going!
After a short distance you will notice the irrigation viaduct and shortly after that enter into a stepped farm land.
In the distance is some construction of a chedi / buddha etc and when you reach that you will find a resort / retreat set amongst a garden of buddha images and the foreman told me that all would be complete within 1 month.
This is just before Mae Tae Reservoir.
Passing the water on the left, the road winds on up into the mountains through a manned control post. No money changes hands, no inspection or questions, just a wave on through with a smile.
If you hadn't realised by now, you are entering Ob Luang National Park and the sign is obviously representative of the size of the park !
And yes, just like the Slash monster, my bike gets it's first plated & green booked outing ! It's registered and seems to ride even better than before
After another couple of kms, there is a massive sign at a junction and adjacent to a rest stop & park offices. To the right side of this junction is a road marker within the turning to the right. And on the corner tree there are 7 signs, 6 of them pointing right. Surely there must be something interesting up there ! ?
Well it was early in the day and I was feeling adventurous. Good job really, after about 3kms of this, feeling light headed from reduced oxygen at such a height ! actually I think it was hunger.
I chatted with one of the cabbage transporters who fell about laughing when I said I was on my own, looking for a bite to eat and really interested in visiting the waterfall.
He said there was possibly food after another 8 - 10 kms so I decided to retrace my steps back down to the 7 signs on the tree. - There had been something interesting up there, a rodeo experience, a lot of dust and a repeat of the rear brake fade / failure after using it so much on long down hill descents!
So staying with the tarmac and following the 7th sign on the tree I followed this wonderful road though the mountains, crossing bridges over dry river beds, until I finally arrived at the end of the road.
The waterfall is evident across the valley from the sound of the cascading water. But as you walk down the valley and into the forest, the noise disappears and you wonder where the hell it went! After winding your way through a farmers fields, the noise returns and and you catch first sight of the waterfall in the distance.
It's a 5 minute walk and very well worth it.
I didn't meet anyone else on my journey apart from the cabbage man and the odd hill tribe honda wave taxi. It's a great road to travel with beautiful views and an exhilarating prize of Nam Tdok Mae Thea.
Today I think I got the hang of the stop start photo-biking technique! Thanks Colin, you are the inspiration.
Ally
Started out from Hang Dong and despite the sun in the sky it felt like just a degree above brrrr factor 2 until at least after 11:00.
Rode down the 108 to Chom Thong and immediately before the Amphur offices, turned right onto the 3099. At the next T (with a wooden bus shelter) you can take either direction, they both end up at the next cross road. At that crossroad, follow the main tarmac and just keep going!
After a short distance you will notice the irrigation viaduct and shortly after that enter into a stepped farm land.
In the distance is some construction of a chedi / buddha etc and when you reach that you will find a resort / retreat set amongst a garden of buddha images and the foreman told me that all would be complete within 1 month.
This is just before Mae Tae Reservoir.
Passing the water on the left, the road winds on up into the mountains through a manned control post. No money changes hands, no inspection or questions, just a wave on through with a smile.
If you hadn't realised by now, you are entering Ob Luang National Park and the sign is obviously representative of the size of the park !
And yes, just like the Slash monster, my bike gets it's first plated & green booked outing ! It's registered and seems to ride even better than before
After another couple of kms, there is a massive sign at a junction and adjacent to a rest stop & park offices. To the right side of this junction is a road marker within the turning to the right. And on the corner tree there are 7 signs, 6 of them pointing right. Surely there must be something interesting up there ! ?
Well it was early in the day and I was feeling adventurous. Good job really, after about 3kms of this, feeling light headed from reduced oxygen at such a height ! actually I think it was hunger.
I chatted with one of the cabbage transporters who fell about laughing when I said I was on my own, looking for a bite to eat and really interested in visiting the waterfall.
He said there was possibly food after another 8 - 10 kms so I decided to retrace my steps back down to the 7 signs on the tree. - There had been something interesting up there, a rodeo experience, a lot of dust and a repeat of the rear brake fade / failure after using it so much on long down hill descents!
So staying with the tarmac and following the 7th sign on the tree I followed this wonderful road though the mountains, crossing bridges over dry river beds, until I finally arrived at the end of the road.
The waterfall is evident across the valley from the sound of the cascading water. But as you walk down the valley and into the forest, the noise disappears and you wonder where the hell it went! After winding your way through a farmers fields, the noise returns and and you catch first sight of the waterfall in the distance.
It's a 5 minute walk and very well worth it.
I didn't meet anyone else on my journey apart from the cabbage man and the odd hill tribe honda wave taxi. It's a great road to travel with beautiful views and an exhilarating prize of Nam Tdok Mae Thea.
Today I think I got the hang of the stop start photo-biking technique! Thanks Colin, you are the inspiration.
Ally
