has been a while since I wrote my last trip report here, so forgive me, if I am doing things wrong. Normally I post in my Video section. This time it's a little different. I had to ride my good old HONDA XR250 to Phayao all alone, because none of my buddies had time and the rest of the gang was already off-roading around Chiang Rai. Normally I don't do much of road trips since I sold my last street bike the Honda CB500X. Anyway I was pretty scared of the long ride and I didn't want to go through any check points either, as my bike was lacking a few items. I use my machine only for enduro rides and so it was a challenge to ride the old lady over the mountain roads. I started 10 am from San Sai and worked my way towards Phrao. It was a pleasant ride with not much traffic and I was actually enjoying the scenery a lot. In Phrao I filled up my tank and continued over the mountains towards Viang Papao. So nice and the temperature was just perfect. The time flew and in no time I had the first 100 km plus on my clock. From Viang Papao I took the road to Phayao and it was another joyful section. I was surprised that on my way the famous lime stone waterfall was closed. There I would normally stop for some drinks and get a bite, but not this time.
In no time I reached the Dinosaur View Point overlooking Phayao but I wasn't able to see anything due to the haze. So I continued until I reached the lake town. Just I wanted to stop and check my phone for the location of the hotel, I saw the 2 bikes of my buddies parked in front of the hotel. What a coincidence...haha, it was not the hotel we had planned to stay. But as both of them wanted to stay at the lake front, I check in there as-well. So Hotel was ok but nothing special to be honest, nothing fancy there, just an old building, that has never seen any renovations the last 20 years. Anyway I am not putting up the name here. There's enough reviews on all those platforms. Phayao seemed to be more humid and a little hotter than Chiang Mai, so it was a bonus to have an air con in the room. My buddies had a few beers and we went for some food at the local food market.
Day One:
The next day we would meet with our local guide from Phayao, Mr. Burin. One of my good old friends, when he was still living in Chiang Mai. Now he is for sure one of the best Enduro riders around here in Northern Thailand. Very good technique and very good skills. The next morning we were joined by two more friends who just got in from Chiang Rai. 10 am we met at one of the local PTT stations and after filling up our tanks we hit out into the jungle. After a kilometers into the jungle, two of our guys decided to turn around, as it was getting to gnarly for them. That was actually not too bad, as we now could just continue and go wherever we wanted. Burin didn't disappoint and he quickly showed as the Anaconda Trail2 and later we continued to Anaconda trail 1. Than we threw in few sections of waterfall trails. It was so different from all I ever rode around here in Chiang Mai, really exceptional good Enduro to be had here. Now we were ready for the end of our ride as the clock stroke 4pm. To our surprise we had some more really extremely steep up-hills to conquer. Everyone was doing great. I had a little bit of a problem with the XR getting up that steep section. But after the second attempt and sliding down the mountain I finally was able to clear it with my friends help. But it just wouldn't end, there was more to come, but not as gnarly as those before but enough to demand all your concentration all the time.
In the distance I could here cars driving by, so we weren't far away now from the main road and I wasn't too unhappy about it, because my body battery was running on maybe 3% now. A few more obstacle to clear and we were back on a normal road and the Dinosaur View point was just in front of us. We had some coffee and hit back to lake town for some more drinks, before calling it a day.
Day Two:
10 am again and our group was reduced to just the three of us, but later we got joined by a Thai with a modified KLX 150 with a Honda Sonic engine inside. Today we would ride very fast single trails leading us to a waterfall in the jungle that local refer to as the waterfall of tripple good luck "Namtok Sam Choke". That waterfall was indeed something very special to me, so beautiful and the Fauna plush. I couldn't resist taking a small dive into the pool just in front of the pool. The water was cool, very cool...so the rest of the trip...I had no issues sweating...haha. After cooling down there for 20 minutes and recharging our batteries it was time to hit over to "Mon Hed Top" a famous mushroom picker mountain that has prayer flags all up the mountain and a few Buddha statues. That trail was something else. A very sandy compact surface with lots of roots and obstacle every other meter. Hard Enduro Heaven for those who like it. It was so fun riding this and throwing the bike into the corners of this mountain and using all techniques and skills we had to conquer this giant. Everyone did so well and in no time we arrive at the Buddha site where we took a rest for another 20 minutes. After that we were ready for the rest but it was all not that easy, more obstacles, even steeper sections etc etc. My XR was once again on the very limit and it had to give it all to get me up there, but without a little pushing, falling over it would not have been possible. With a lot of elbow grease and some outbursts of frustration I was finally getting up there. Damn, we had done it. Unbelievable. That mountain was the coolest Hard Enduro Track I have ever ridden on. Bravo Burin, Bravo Phayao. The rest was more or less steep down hills and at the very end we were riding through some pretty cool rock gardens.
For me an unforgettable day, we had a few drinks with our friends before we had to say good bye and ride back to the hotel.
In no time I reached the Dinosaur View Point overlooking Phayao but I wasn't able to see anything due to the haze. So I continued until I reached the lake town. Just I wanted to stop and check my phone for the location of the hotel, I saw the 2 bikes of my buddies parked in front of the hotel. What a coincidence...haha, it was not the hotel we had planned to stay. But as both of them wanted to stay at the lake front, I check in there as-well. So Hotel was ok but nothing special to be honest, nothing fancy there, just an old building, that has never seen any renovations the last 20 years. Anyway I am not putting up the name here. There's enough reviews on all those platforms. Phayao seemed to be more humid and a little hotter than Chiang Mai, so it was a bonus to have an air con in the room. My buddies had a few beers and we went for some food at the local food market.
Day One:
The next day we would meet with our local guide from Phayao, Mr. Burin. One of my good old friends, when he was still living in Chiang Mai. Now he is for sure one of the best Enduro riders around here in Northern Thailand. Very good technique and very good skills. The next morning we were joined by two more friends who just got in from Chiang Rai. 10 am we met at one of the local PTT stations and after filling up our tanks we hit out into the jungle. After a kilometers into the jungle, two of our guys decided to turn around, as it was getting to gnarly for them. That was actually not too bad, as we now could just continue and go wherever we wanted. Burin didn't disappoint and he quickly showed as the Anaconda Trail2 and later we continued to Anaconda trail 1. Than we threw in few sections of waterfall trails. It was so different from all I ever rode around here in Chiang Mai, really exceptional good Enduro to be had here. Now we were ready for the end of our ride as the clock stroke 4pm. To our surprise we had some more really extremely steep up-hills to conquer. Everyone was doing great. I had a little bit of a problem with the XR getting up that steep section. But after the second attempt and sliding down the mountain I finally was able to clear it with my friends help. But it just wouldn't end, there was more to come, but not as gnarly as those before but enough to demand all your concentration all the time.
In the distance I could here cars driving by, so we weren't far away now from the main road and I wasn't too unhappy about it, because my body battery was running on maybe 3% now. A few more obstacle to clear and we were back on a normal road and the Dinosaur View point was just in front of us. We had some coffee and hit back to lake town for some more drinks, before calling it a day.
Day Two:
10 am again and our group was reduced to just the three of us, but later we got joined by a Thai with a modified KLX 150 with a Honda Sonic engine inside. Today we would ride very fast single trails leading us to a waterfall in the jungle that local refer to as the waterfall of tripple good luck "Namtok Sam Choke". That waterfall was indeed something very special to me, so beautiful and the Fauna plush. I couldn't resist taking a small dive into the pool just in front of the pool. The water was cool, very cool...so the rest of the trip...I had no issues sweating...haha. After cooling down there for 20 minutes and recharging our batteries it was time to hit over to "Mon Hed Top" a famous mushroom picker mountain that has prayer flags all up the mountain and a few Buddha statues. That trail was something else. A very sandy compact surface with lots of roots and obstacle every other meter. Hard Enduro Heaven for those who like it. It was so fun riding this and throwing the bike into the corners of this mountain and using all techniques and skills we had to conquer this giant. Everyone did so well and in no time we arrive at the Buddha site where we took a rest for another 20 minutes. After that we were ready for the rest but it was all not that easy, more obstacles, even steeper sections etc etc. My XR was once again on the very limit and it had to give it all to get me up there, but without a little pushing, falling over it would not have been possible. With a lot of elbow grease and some outbursts of frustration I was finally getting up there. Damn, we had done it. Unbelievable. That mountain was the coolest Hard Enduro Track I have ever ridden on. Bravo Burin, Bravo Phayao. The rest was more or less steep down hills and at the very end we were riding through some pretty cool rock gardens.
For me an unforgettable day, we had a few drinks with our friends before we had to say good bye and ride back to the hotel.
