Picked up a Baja from PVO , I chose number 75 because that as fast as the light weight can go!I spent the morning putting around the back roads from Vientiane to Vang Vieng. About 3 or 4 clicks before town I took a left and found some nice little roads through some nice villages At a split in the road access is denied as they were really blasting away at the backside of those good looking hills you see from town. In town I stayed at the Vang Vieng resort, (5 buck cabin) because it is right across from Tham Chang, and is far enough out of town to be quiet, although not far enough to escape the Israeli trance beats.
The next morning it was raining so I gave myself a pat on the back for bringing rain gear, then off towards Phonsavan. I had been up towards LP before and had a missed seeing the area towards Phou Khoun because of crap weather and this day was no different .At a guess about 50 clicks south of the turn off it was all fog and rain, no more than 25 – 50 meters visibility and lots of truck traffic, so I was averaging 45 – 50 kph tops! What a drag that was.
Luckily the weather broke somewhere after Phou Vieng and I began to enjoy the lovely corners of highway 7. It my first time on this road and I have to say this was the best condition road that I saw in Laos. A real hoot.
In Phonsavan I can’t remember the name of the hotel but it was a stones throw down from the MAG office and actually that’s where some of those folks stayed, Great place for 10 bucks modern, great hot shower and thick, thick blankets. Man it was cold there at night! Anyway if you see this lovely lady your in the right place.
The next day was for exploring the Plain of Jars. Site number 1 was easy enough to find and was a fairly interesting place with guides and decent information. Site number 2 is slightly more challenging, keep heading down the paved road and turn right just before Ban Lathouang , There is a sign for the village so if you see it you went to far. There is no sign for the turn off to indicate site 2. It’s a ways down past some bigger looking farms there is a turn to the left which has a sign in English. Keep on truckin and at yet another Y it is straight ahead just up a small hill. To reach site 3 exit number 2, hang a right and continue through some villages until you reach a 4 way. If you go straight there is a sign in English for a waterfall, do yourself a favor check it out its pretty cool. For site 3 turn right at the 4 way and rip down the road and it is well marked. I hope that made sense.
I know there is lots of uxo around and that the salvage it for scrap metal , but at 2 of the sights people were digging down in the center of old bomb craters through 2 meters of clay! I can’t figure out why, anybody know? And forget about the mines around the Jar sites, for a REAl thrill go to the local metal scrap yard!
The last few days of riding wasn’t in the hottest of days and the nights were freezing, so the next day I headed toward Luang Prabang in the rain for a little relaxing massage and a warm bottle of scotch.
To be cont….
"A mound is a terrible thing to waste"
The next morning it was raining so I gave myself a pat on the back for bringing rain gear, then off towards Phonsavan. I had been up towards LP before and had a missed seeing the area towards Phou Khoun because of crap weather and this day was no different .At a guess about 50 clicks south of the turn off it was all fog and rain, no more than 25 – 50 meters visibility and lots of truck traffic, so I was averaging 45 – 50 kph tops! What a drag that was.
Luckily the weather broke somewhere after Phou Vieng and I began to enjoy the lovely corners of highway 7. It my first time on this road and I have to say this was the best condition road that I saw in Laos. A real hoot.
In Phonsavan I can’t remember the name of the hotel but it was a stones throw down from the MAG office and actually that’s where some of those folks stayed, Great place for 10 bucks modern, great hot shower and thick, thick blankets. Man it was cold there at night! Anyway if you see this lovely lady your in the right place.
The next day was for exploring the Plain of Jars. Site number 1 was easy enough to find and was a fairly interesting place with guides and decent information. Site number 2 is slightly more challenging, keep heading down the paved road and turn right just before Ban Lathouang , There is a sign for the village so if you see it you went to far. There is no sign for the turn off to indicate site 2. It’s a ways down past some bigger looking farms there is a turn to the left which has a sign in English. Keep on truckin and at yet another Y it is straight ahead just up a small hill. To reach site 3 exit number 2, hang a right and continue through some villages until you reach a 4 way. If you go straight there is a sign in English for a waterfall, do yourself a favor check it out its pretty cool. For site 3 turn right at the 4 way and rip down the road and it is well marked. I hope that made sense.
I know there is lots of uxo around and that the salvage it for scrap metal , but at 2 of the sights people were digging down in the center of old bomb craters through 2 meters of clay! I can’t figure out why, anybody know? And forget about the mines around the Jar sites, for a REAl thrill go to the local metal scrap yard!
The last few days of riding wasn’t in the hottest of days and the nights were freezing, so the next day I headed toward Luang Prabang in the rain for a little relaxing massage and a warm bottle of scotch.
To be cont….
"A mound is a terrible thing to waste"
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