Nan To Chiangmai, As The Crow Flies.

Oddvar

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Nan to Chiangmai, as the crow flies.

Last year I had to leave a bike in CNX for service and flew back to Nan with KAN air. A small airplane that flew just above the tree tops.

A friendly Oz pilot asked about my tank bag and helmet as my only luggage. Long story short, he flew above some areas I were interested in.

There is a missing part of about 800m south of Ban Luang that will remain ‘missing’ as it is very dense jungle and very steep.
I could se from the airplane partly a track east of Luang Nuea not on OSM.

I kept the GPX file and have looked at it at times. Wonder what I could do with it. Then it dawned on me. Why not try to ride the track from the flight as close as possible!.

After about 90k km the CRF was due for a complete suspension work at Chiangmai Motor Sport. Highly recommended.

As the rainy season is soon upon us, this was the last chance this season. So I set of at 8am in hope to make it to Beer O’clock..
It took 8 hours.


Nan to Chiangmai, as the crow flies. Last year I had to leave a bike in CNX for service and flew back to Nan with KAN air. A small airplane that flew just above the tree tops. A friendly Oz pilot asked about my tank bag and helmet as my only luggage. Long story short, he flew above some areas I were interested in. There is a missing part of about 800m south of Ban Luang that will remain ‘missing’ as it is very dense jungle and very steep. I could se from the airplane partly a track east of Luang Nuea not on OSM. I kept the GPX file and have looked at it at times. Wonder what I could do with it. Then it dawned on me. Why not try to ride the track from the flight as close as possible!. After about 90k km the CRF was due for a complete suspension work at Chiangmai Motor Sport. Highly recommended. As the rainy season is soon upon us, this was the last chance this season. So I set of at 8am in hope to make it to Beer O’clock.. It took 8 hours. The red line is the GPX track from the flight. The blue line is from what I rode. I have removed all WP and planned routes to make it a clean picture. All parts not previously uploaded to OSM has been uploaded. Rain the previous night made the air a bit cleaner and mud is always more fun than dust. Of 1251 is was mainly dry farmland and a national park to the south. Dirt is dirt and way better than sealed roads. But sealed roads are creeping closer and closer. No point in denying it. It's a gem. I guess I was on the wrong bike. But luckily it only lasted for a few km's. Soon back to the bone dry jungle. I was not sure how much of highway 1 I had to use. The plan was as little as possible. And lo and behold. A bridge ahead? Bridges like this is built for being used. Crossed right across highway 1, and on my way to the next mountain. I got to se this a lot on this ride. Crossed the flight path several times. No one around. A track is heading north from here. Next time. This was a nice part to ride trough. A couple of villages as well. Most had fuel and food. Smaller is better. The bike felt like new after the suspension work was carried out the day after. This is from a waterfall. Not much water at this time of the year. But nice and cool and only about 500m MSL. Chae Son National park to the east of Chiangmai. Chae Son National park. Crossing 121 and the 'mission' was over. First 7-11 since Nan. (There is one in Chiang Muan but I passed it as fast as I could.) Riding back to Nan the next day I got hammered by rain along 118. Would be slippery and fun doing the dirt, but leaving CNX at 2pm did not give me any alternative than push for Nan. A nice meal at Nan Steak House and watching Chelsea lose to CP just topped it all. Happy riding and,
2017-3%20As%20the%20crow%20fly%201-L.jpg

The red line is the GPX track from the flight. The blue line is from what I rode. I have removed all WP and planned routes to make it a clean picture. All parts not previously uploaded to OSM has been uploaded.

2017-3%20As%20the%20crow%20fly%202-L.jpg

Rain the previous night made the air a bit cleaner and mud is always more fun than dust.

2017-3%20As%20the%20crow%20fly%203-L.jpg

Of 1251 is was mainly dry farmland and a national park to the south.


2017-3%20As%20the%20crow%20fly%204-L.jpg

But sealed roads are creeping closer and closer.

2017-3%20As%20the%20crow%20fly%205-L.jpg

No point in denying it. It's a gem.


2017-3%20As%20the%20crow%20fly%207-L.jpg

I guess I was on the wrong bike. But luckily it only lasted for a few km's. Soon back to the bone dry jungle.


2017-3%20As%20the%20crow%20fly%208-L.jpg

I was not sure how much of highway 1 I had to use. The plan was as little as possible. And lo and behold. A bridge ahead?


2017-3%20As%20the%20crow%20fly%209-L.jpg

Bridges like this is built for a reason. Crossed right across highway 1, and on my way to the next mountain.


2017-3%20As%20the%20crow%20fly%2010-L.jpg

I got to se this a lot on this ride. Crossed the flight path several times.


2017-3%20As%20the%20crow%20fly%2011-L.jpg

No one around. A track is heading north from here. Next time.


2017-3%20As%20the%20crow%20fly%2012-L.jpg

This was a nice part to ride trough.


2017-3%20As%20the%20crow%20fly%2013-L.jpg

A couple of villages as well. Most had fuel and food.


2017-3%20As%20the%20crow%20fly%2014-L.jpg

Smaller is better. The bike felt like new after the suspension work was carried out the day after.
This is from a waterfall. Not much water at this time of the year. But nice and cool and only about 500m MSL.


2017-3%20As%20the%20crow%20fly%2015-L.jpg

Chae Son National park to the east of Chiangmai.


2017-3%20As%20the%20crow%20fly%2016-L.jpg

Chae Son National park.

2017-3%20As%20the%20crow%20fly%2017-L.jpg

Crossing 121 and the 'mission' was over. First 7-11 since Nan. (There is one in Chiang Muan but I passed it as fast as I could.)

Riding back to Nan the next day I got hammered by rain along 118. Would be slippery and fun doing the dirt, but leaving CNX at 2pm did not give me any alternative than push for Nan.

A nice meal at Nan Steak House and watching Chelsea lose to CP just topped it all.

Happy riding and,
Full%20trottle-M.jpg
 

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Mar 30, 2010
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Can't see anything either.. easy test after you make changed. Open another browser and view the forum as guest.. in case you login and other sittings are displaying the images
 

Oddvar

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I put the pictures outside the public folder. Will edit shortly
 

Moto-Rex

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Photobucket has improved recently, and is a lot easier to use.
It also works a lot better if you open it in Chrome. (in fact, I cant get it to work at all using Microsort explorer)
 
Mar 30, 2010
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Nice report..

Funny how certain things trigger our curiosity which then create a fun adventure.

Cheers
Brian
 
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Aug 7, 2003
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Was thinking a different caption for the last picture, like ........" You wheelie past me again at 160 and you will never get a bike for Xmas again !" "
 
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