Road Reports: Laos Border Run
« on: Sep 15th, 2002, 10:49am » Quote Modify Remove
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8 - 12 SEPTEMBER 2002
R118 CHIANG MAI - CHIANG RAI Road condition is still "normal." They've actually fixed some of the crap road in the first 30 kms from Doi Saket, but the unfixed bits are worse than before due to the rain. I actually saw a truck in a ditch off the road in an odd place & can only think that the driver swerved & lost control due to the bloody holes in the road!
After the Mae Kachan hot springs the road is fine.
ROUTE 1173 is in lovely condition. Fast smooth & flowing between Wiang Chai & Mae Bong.
ROUTE 1098 is in bad condition with the asphalt breaking up.
ROUTE 1174 is not great and is a little bumpy in places with the asphalt starting to break up.
ROUTE 1020 from Chiang Khong to Tha Charoen is ok.
ROUTE 1155 from Tha Chareon to Pang Hat is not bad.
ROUTE 1093 from Pang Hat to Pha Tang is a mess.
Going up to Pha Tang, don't attempt the short cut (right fork) just a few hundred metres below Pha Tang - its too dangerous right now in the wet - very steep and very badly rutted.
Take the longer safer less steep, (but still a bumpy mess) left fork on the way up. (If you've never been up here, this fork is 9 kms up from Pang Hat.)
From Pha Tang to Phu Chee Fah there is only 5 kms of dirt, in 2 short sections.
From Phu Chee Fah the asphalt runs all the way into Chiang Kham.
The 2 kms road up to Phu Chee Fah from the Nat Park office is in perfect nick, despite the wet.
When all of R1093 is asphalt this will arguably be one of the best rides in the North! Lots of 3rd gear corners for just rolling on and off the throttle.
ROUTE 1148 From Chiang Kham to Tha Wang Pha is still magic - smooth fast & flowing, and is still my fave road right now.
ROUTE 1097 from Song Khwae to Chiang Klang is in good nick & all asphalt.
ROUTE 1080 from Chiang Klang - Pua - Nan is ok and in good condition.
ROUTE 1081 from Bo Luang to Nam Yao is in surprisingly good condition.
ROUTE 1256 The Doi Phukha road in reasonable nick. There are a few landslides on both sides of the mountain. On the east Lao border side, between the Chomphu tree and Bo Luang, they are working on the road - taking new chunks out of the mountain, but the road is still passable. If anything the road condition is worse on the west Pua side.
ROUTE 1091 from Nan to Chiang Muan is in good condition.
ROUTE 1251 from Chiang Muan to Dok Kham Thai is in good condition.
ROUTE 120 from "Phayao" to Mae Kachan is ok. Heading West towards Mae Kachan from Wang Nua, there's still a little danger spot with that nasty spring under the road in the middle of the left lane, on a left hand bend right on the crest of the 2nd? hill coming out of Wang Nua. Watch it, the road's always wet there & there is a vicious little combination bump and hole just to snap you to attention real fast if you've got the bike cranked over.
« Last Edit: Nov 18th, 2002, 11:51pm by Davidfl » 203.146.88.144
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Davidfl
« on: Sep 15th, 2002, 10:49am » Quote Modify Remove
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
8 - 12 SEPTEMBER 2002
R118 CHIANG MAI - CHIANG RAI Road condition is still "normal." They've actually fixed some of the crap road in the first 30 kms from Doi Saket, but the unfixed bits are worse than before due to the rain. I actually saw a truck in a ditch off the road in an odd place & can only think that the driver swerved & lost control due to the bloody holes in the road!
After the Mae Kachan hot springs the road is fine.
ROUTE 1173 is in lovely condition. Fast smooth & flowing between Wiang Chai & Mae Bong.
ROUTE 1098 is in bad condition with the asphalt breaking up.
ROUTE 1174 is not great and is a little bumpy in places with the asphalt starting to break up.
ROUTE 1020 from Chiang Khong to Tha Charoen is ok.
ROUTE 1155 from Tha Chareon to Pang Hat is not bad.
ROUTE 1093 from Pang Hat to Pha Tang is a mess.
Going up to Pha Tang, don't attempt the short cut (right fork) just a few hundred metres below Pha Tang - its too dangerous right now in the wet - very steep and very badly rutted.
Take the longer safer less steep, (but still a bumpy mess) left fork on the way up. (If you've never been up here, this fork is 9 kms up from Pang Hat.)
From Pha Tang to Phu Chee Fah there is only 5 kms of dirt, in 2 short sections.
From Phu Chee Fah the asphalt runs all the way into Chiang Kham.
The 2 kms road up to Phu Chee Fah from the Nat Park office is in perfect nick, despite the wet.
When all of R1093 is asphalt this will arguably be one of the best rides in the North! Lots of 3rd gear corners for just rolling on and off the throttle.
ROUTE 1148 From Chiang Kham to Tha Wang Pha is still magic - smooth fast & flowing, and is still my fave road right now.
ROUTE 1097 from Song Khwae to Chiang Klang is in good nick & all asphalt.
ROUTE 1080 from Chiang Klang - Pua - Nan is ok and in good condition.
ROUTE 1081 from Bo Luang to Nam Yao is in surprisingly good condition.
ROUTE 1256 The Doi Phukha road in reasonable nick. There are a few landslides on both sides of the mountain. On the east Lao border side, between the Chomphu tree and Bo Luang, they are working on the road - taking new chunks out of the mountain, but the road is still passable. If anything the road condition is worse on the west Pua side.
ROUTE 1091 from Nan to Chiang Muan is in good condition.
ROUTE 1251 from Chiang Muan to Dok Kham Thai is in good condition.
ROUTE 120 from "Phayao" to Mae Kachan is ok. Heading West towards Mae Kachan from Wang Nua, there's still a little danger spot with that nasty spring under the road in the middle of the left lane, on a left hand bend right on the crest of the 2nd? hill coming out of Wang Nua. Watch it, the road's always wet there & there is a vicious little combination bump and hole just to snap you to attention real fast if you've got the bike cranked over.
« Last Edit: Nov 18th, 2002, 11:51pm by Davidfl » 203.146.88.144
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Davidfl
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