MHS Loop
16/17 June 2012
Decided just before the Nan trip it is time to park the Ninja in Chiang Mai for a while and get some use out of her up North.
Khao Yai is a bit boring after the 5th time and getting out of Bangkok and back is not really much fun.
Keep the Bangkok weekends for playing in the dirt at Chonburi and Baan Ricky on that world class KLX.
On Thursday Rob and I had an email exchange..
I asked if he was in CNX this weekend and if so did he fancy a ride together.. The answer was Yes..
Always more fun to ride with a mate.. and in this case.. it really worked well..
Flat tyre and stuck riding the last 1.5 hrs in the dark and rain to MHS.. Much more relaxed when you have someone to go through things like this with.
Saturday 16th
Wake up at the ungodly hour of 4:30 AM and head to the airport. Air Asia 6:40am flight to CNX
Arrive on time 8am.. ring K.Nat and head direct to Piston Shop and pick up my bike.
The bike was all washed and his staff had checked the tyres. 36 in the back and 32 in the front as requested before I arrived.
Quick check of the speedo and the bike had only done 2km.. so the bikes must be stored some where nearby or he is transporting them to the warehouse..
What more could you ask for.. Great service..
Arranged to meet Rob at the Euro Diner..Finally met Shackster and John Gooding.. Hearty Euro Breakfast was had and we hit the road.
First stop is Doi Inthanon.
It was a nice ride up and very cloudy at the top.. The girl serving us coffee said it was 12c.
This gave me a chuckle.. He must have been really busting, legs are crossed.
We missed the cut through turn off and ended up going all the way back down and via Hot.
Fair bit of road works along this part.. Big upgrade of the road to two lanes each side.
Stopped for a nice lunch in the national park after passing Mae Sariang.. Around 2pm we had a lot of rain.. Nothing too heavy.. but enough to soak you and be extra careful on the twisties.
Rob had a puncture. Having had a flat on the Ninja before I was prepared for the rejection we received from all the tyre repair shops.. gulp... big bike.. cannot.. brain fried with worry they will break something and have to pay.
We tried really hard before relenting to having a bash at the Stop and Go ourselves. We really didn't want to have to do this.. what a right pair.. LOL.
First time for both of us to do this.. Only advantage was that I had a practice run 18 months ago in the shop on a spare tyre they had.. and we had the instructions. Anyway.. As the instructions stated.. We gave it a good reaming !! (Push harder!!) .. May be not so funny now.. but we were in stitches as we worked our way through with all 20 petrol station staff watching us and our laughter..
As George Bush famously said " Mission Accomplished'. but in our case.. it really was..
On we go through the rain.. yet again nothing heavy.. but enough to make you cautious and it does slow you down.. It would have been a lovely ride if dry.
We ended up making MHS at around 8pm at night.. Not nice riding that in the dark.. By this time rain is on the in side of the visor and not very nice when a car with lights on come towards you.. But we made it..
As we arrive in MHS and pass the city gate.. The streets are bone dry.. Oh well..
Check in at the hotel.. This is the state of my hand after 6 hrs of riding in the rain and wet gloves
Quick walk around and a night picture by the lake
Then on to Cross Roads for drinks and dinner..
I don't usually drink JD neat.. But on this occasion.. knackered, cold and over it.. The first two JD's were neat, before moving on to JD and Soda.
Quick morning shot by the lake
Then we head off to Pai. Some great scenary along here.. had some fun going through the pictures when back home.
Just before Pai
Then back towards Chiang Mai to meet David and Gang at the X-Centre
Bike dropped back at Piston Shop and we met K. Nat's dad.. very nice man. He gave us a lift to Euro Diner where we met David and watch the Moto GP at the UN - Irish bar.
All up a great and action packed weekend. Monday was a blur.......
The Route:-
We took 108 out to Doi Inthanon turn off 1009 then back down and on to1192 and then 1088 and across to Mae Sariang on 108 - roadworks along this section. Then north on 108 to MHS via Khun Yuam. The next day we did MHS to Pia via 1095 then 107 back in to CNX. Total KM 742.
Saturday I was up for 20 hrs before getting to bed!
16/17 June 2012
Decided just before the Nan trip it is time to park the Ninja in Chiang Mai for a while and get some use out of her up North.
Khao Yai is a bit boring after the 5th time and getting out of Bangkok and back is not really much fun.
Keep the Bangkok weekends for playing in the dirt at Chonburi and Baan Ricky on that world class KLX.
On Thursday Rob and I had an email exchange..
I asked if he was in CNX this weekend and if so did he fancy a ride together.. The answer was Yes..
Always more fun to ride with a mate.. and in this case.. it really worked well..
Flat tyre and stuck riding the last 1.5 hrs in the dark and rain to MHS.. Much more relaxed when you have someone to go through things like this with.
Saturday 16th
Wake up at the ungodly hour of 4:30 AM and head to the airport. Air Asia 6:40am flight to CNX
Arrive on time 8am.. ring K.Nat and head direct to Piston Shop and pick up my bike.
The bike was all washed and his staff had checked the tyres. 36 in the back and 32 in the front as requested before I arrived.
Quick check of the speedo and the bike had only done 2km.. so the bikes must be stored some where nearby or he is transporting them to the warehouse..
What more could you ask for.. Great service..
Arranged to meet Rob at the Euro Diner..Finally met Shackster and John Gooding.. Hearty Euro Breakfast was had and we hit the road.
First stop is Doi Inthanon.
It was a nice ride up and very cloudy at the top.. The girl serving us coffee said it was 12c.
This gave me a chuckle.. He must have been really busting, legs are crossed.
We missed the cut through turn off and ended up going all the way back down and via Hot.
Fair bit of road works along this part.. Big upgrade of the road to two lanes each side.
Stopped for a nice lunch in the national park after passing Mae Sariang.. Around 2pm we had a lot of rain.. Nothing too heavy.. but enough to soak you and be extra careful on the twisties.
Rob had a puncture. Having had a flat on the Ninja before I was prepared for the rejection we received from all the tyre repair shops.. gulp... big bike.. cannot.. brain fried with worry they will break something and have to pay.
We tried really hard before relenting to having a bash at the Stop and Go ourselves. We really didn't want to have to do this.. what a right pair.. LOL.
First time for both of us to do this.. Only advantage was that I had a practice run 18 months ago in the shop on a spare tyre they had.. and we had the instructions. Anyway.. As the instructions stated.. We gave it a good reaming !! (Push harder!!) .. May be not so funny now.. but we were in stitches as we worked our way through with all 20 petrol station staff watching us and our laughter..
As George Bush famously said " Mission Accomplished'. but in our case.. it really was..
On we go through the rain.. yet again nothing heavy.. but enough to make you cautious and it does slow you down.. It would have been a lovely ride if dry.
We ended up making MHS at around 8pm at night.. Not nice riding that in the dark.. By this time rain is on the in side of the visor and not very nice when a car with lights on come towards you.. But we made it..
As we arrive in MHS and pass the city gate.. The streets are bone dry.. Oh well..
Check in at the hotel.. This is the state of my hand after 6 hrs of riding in the rain and wet gloves
Quick walk around and a night picture by the lake
Then on to Cross Roads for drinks and dinner..
I don't usually drink JD neat.. But on this occasion.. knackered, cold and over it.. The first two JD's were neat, before moving on to JD and Soda.
Quick morning shot by the lake
Then we head off to Pai. Some great scenary along here.. had some fun going through the pictures when back home.
Just before Pai
Then back towards Chiang Mai to meet David and Gang at the X-Centre
Bike dropped back at Piston Shop and we met K. Nat's dad.. very nice man. He gave us a lift to Euro Diner where we met David and watch the Moto GP at the UN - Irish bar.
All up a great and action packed weekend. Monday was a blur.......
The Route:-
We took 108 out to Doi Inthanon turn off 1009 then back down and on to1192 and then 1088 and across to Mae Sariang on 108 - roadworks along this section. Then north on 108 to MHS via Khun Yuam. The next day we did MHS to Pia via 1095 then 107 back in to CNX. Total KM 742.
Saturday I was up for 20 hrs before getting to bed!
