With the radar weather chart showing no big storms and an urge to get out the garden I decided the clear morning was a good reason to have a short day on the bike.
The 1089 out past Tha Makhaeng on the flat is all green and lush at this time of year with rice and corn on the irrigated lands and fruit trees on the slopes. After maybe 8 kms the road rises up, passing through some Chin Haw villages and then climbs onto the ridge at an Akha village called Yapa. Right on the crest here some wealthy operator appears to be building either a resort or maybe a restaurant (so far only concrete pillars and beams) capitalizing on the view which on a good day is pretty nice.
The highway then rolls down and around past a few more Chinese and Akha villages heading to Mae Chan but the route I took today turns off on the left and climbs steeply up to Doi Mae Salong. I dont think this road has been blessed with a number, its very steep in places and can be covered with mud, sand or leaf litter which can make it bit slippery. Look out for the locals coming down in their pick-ups, they are the real danger.
The one benefit of choosing this minor road is the bright shiny new stupa at Wat Prathat Santitam that's been tucked off the main Mae Salong roads so is often missed.
You finally come out on the Mae Salong to Mae Chan road, 1130, very near to the 101 tea plantation. It certainly looks like tea is a profitable crop, lots of new terraces being planted and one quite stunning one on a steep slope a few kms along towards Akha Sam Yaek.
Left on the 4052 sends you on the rollercoaster road down to Thoerd Thai which is a pretty decent piece of highway apart from one downhill left hand bend where the tarmac has been thrown up in a 6 inch high mound which is best missed by staying out near the centerline.
The right turn off onto the 1334 is poorly marked and I have twice missed it. Coming out of Thoerd Thai there is a clear big sign for the Doi Tung Agricultural Development which is the one you need if you pass it on the way down. This country road is under improvement, some parts still old and the usual broken, rain eroded surface but not too far into it you hit the newly graded, wider but still unfinished surface that so far has only had a coat of tar, then its concrete sections for a good way.
It was pretty easy going getting to the T junction where I turned left onto the 1378 which only 4 years ago was all loose stones and potholes. The last few kms is narrow, rutted and broken road and then you come out at another T, turning right on the 1334, another newly finished highway, heading to the quite well known village of Pha Bur. Having had some recent heavy storms there were several places where soil, tree trunks and bamboo root clumps had temporarily blocked the way but a single lane passage had already been cleared and it was open.
Bikers who have been around the north of Thailand for a few years know this place not for its village or views but for its switchback which is as tight and steep as any other in the country. There is also a lot of that big heavy bamboo which during the storms get blown over and makes a covered canopy which is fine as long as you aren't a tall load.
By now the clouds were gathering and the sunny start to the day had disappeared. I took the main highway down to Mae Fah luang, grabbed a cup of coffee at an Akha stall and then hit highway 1 back south. I turned right at the 1130 heading back towards Mae Salong to have lunch at a place I had seen previously but never tried. Ing Chan farm has a good looking restaurant sat on the edge of a big pond right off the side of this road and it just looks like a nice spot.
I picked from a menu that did have English so wasn't just pictures and had a pleasant lunch with an ice tea for 200b and I will say the presentation and taste were both good.
Only a few Kms up the highway from here is another of those roads that cost a lot of money to go nowhere. But, its a good route back to the 1089 if you can spot the entrance. The going up has been newly renovated, a wide good service with bright yellow lines. The going down is the old state, with weeds and growth covering at least half of whats still a decent small lane as a short cut.
I was our at 8am and home by 2.30pm but for anyone on a first trip you could add a little more time for photo stops and sightseeing. A lovely day, a nice break from the heavy gardening and orchard work I've been doing recently. Power on......
The 1089 out past Tha Makhaeng on the flat is all green and lush at this time of year with rice and corn on the irrigated lands and fruit trees on the slopes. After maybe 8 kms the road rises up, passing through some Chin Haw villages and then climbs onto the ridge at an Akha village called Yapa. Right on the crest here some wealthy operator appears to be building either a resort or maybe a restaurant (so far only concrete pillars and beams) capitalizing on the view which on a good day is pretty nice.
The highway then rolls down and around past a few more Chinese and Akha villages heading to Mae Chan but the route I took today turns off on the left and climbs steeply up to Doi Mae Salong. I dont think this road has been blessed with a number, its very steep in places and can be covered with mud, sand or leaf litter which can make it bit slippery. Look out for the locals coming down in their pick-ups, they are the real danger.
The one benefit of choosing this minor road is the bright shiny new stupa at Wat Prathat Santitam that's been tucked off the main Mae Salong roads so is often missed.
You finally come out on the Mae Salong to Mae Chan road, 1130, very near to the 101 tea plantation. It certainly looks like tea is a profitable crop, lots of new terraces being planted and one quite stunning one on a steep slope a few kms along towards Akha Sam Yaek.
Left on the 4052 sends you on the rollercoaster road down to Thoerd Thai which is a pretty decent piece of highway apart from one downhill left hand bend where the tarmac has been thrown up in a 6 inch high mound which is best missed by staying out near the centerline.
The right turn off onto the 1334 is poorly marked and I have twice missed it. Coming out of Thoerd Thai there is a clear big sign for the Doi Tung Agricultural Development which is the one you need if you pass it on the way down. This country road is under improvement, some parts still old and the usual broken, rain eroded surface but not too far into it you hit the newly graded, wider but still unfinished surface that so far has only had a coat of tar, then its concrete sections for a good way.
It was pretty easy going getting to the T junction where I turned left onto the 1378 which only 4 years ago was all loose stones and potholes. The last few kms is narrow, rutted and broken road and then you come out at another T, turning right on the 1334, another newly finished highway, heading to the quite well known village of Pha Bur. Having had some recent heavy storms there were several places where soil, tree trunks and bamboo root clumps had temporarily blocked the way but a single lane passage had already been cleared and it was open.
Bikers who have been around the north of Thailand for a few years know this place not for its village or views but for its switchback which is as tight and steep as any other in the country. There is also a lot of that big heavy bamboo which during the storms get blown over and makes a covered canopy which is fine as long as you aren't a tall load.
By now the clouds were gathering and the sunny start to the day had disappeared. I took the main highway down to Mae Fah luang, grabbed a cup of coffee at an Akha stall and then hit highway 1 back south. I turned right at the 1130 heading back towards Mae Salong to have lunch at a place I had seen previously but never tried. Ing Chan farm has a good looking restaurant sat on the edge of a big pond right off the side of this road and it just looks like a nice spot.
I picked from a menu that did have English so wasn't just pictures and had a pleasant lunch with an ice tea for 200b and I will say the presentation and taste were both good.
Only a few Kms up the highway from here is another of those roads that cost a lot of money to go nowhere. But, its a good route back to the 1089 if you can spot the entrance. The going up has been newly renovated, a wide good service with bright yellow lines. The going down is the old state, with weeds and growth covering at least half of whats still a decent small lane as a short cut.
I was our at 8am and home by 2.30pm but for anyone on a first trip you could add a little more time for photo stops and sightseeing. A lovely day, a nice break from the heavy gardening and orchard work I've been doing recently. Power on......
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