Video Shan State

Feb 13, 2010
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I went off for about 10 days, though this video covered the first 3 days...

Day 1: At about 2 in the afternoon I felt the sudden urge to hit the road so bag was packed and I was off for Samoeng onto Wat Jan. Was hoping to hit Wat Jan by night fall and catch a hotel room. Then somehow as the rain started coming down I ended up going over the back side of Doi Intanon... Night fell and with the headlamp I was cruising down dirt road. Felt alert and ok and was ready to ride for another two hours when I stopped for gas. Asking the gal how far to Wat Jan I simply got, 'OOOOhhh,,, Glai mak". Which told me several hours away; especially in the dark. She then offered me a spot on her floor in her house which I gladly took.

Day 2: I realized I was very south and working my way up North to Mae Chaem and then to Wat Jan. Finally arriving in Wat Jan about 4 hours later I hit the road which would bring me to Pie. I could feel my chain getting loose when in some rough road sections the chain fell off. Certain I was going to tighten it up when I hit pie. Though as I passed a trail I wanted to map on the GPS I took the turn and yet after trying to find a cut through one of the fields the chain broke about 3 Km from the road in the bush. So I grabbed the chain with the half broken link and my pack and trucked it to the road. Shortly after I hitch hiked to Pie which was only about 10 Km away and met up with Tip, from Tip Offroad. He helped me out by cutting the half link off and driving me back to the bike where he put the chain back on and tightened up the back tire. So on the road once again I headed to Cave lodge for a good shower and nights rest.

Day 3: Headed North from Cave lodge I took a back way on to 1226 which runs north up to Ban Mai Lan. Along the way there I found some dirt tracks which had those bamboo gates that where more of little ramps I could jump so I had a bit of fun with them. Shortly there after I sank the front tire into a mud hole which with no avail I couldn't get it out. Sure enough there was a Hilltribe women husking rice and was kind enough to give me some brute strength in her Sarong and help me get my bike un-stuck. So on forth I went. From Mai Lan up to the Thai military camp on the boarder the road was wide, dirt, and very muddy. Nearly couldn't make one part but a 4x4 or dirt bike could do it... As for a 4x4 I would say the driver would need some good tires and skill.

So through the Thai gate and up to the Shan military post where the soldier simply lifted the gate and let me in. After meeting a few soldiers and politely asking about the area they offered tea and soon enough directed me down the road to a house. There I sat drinking coffee, tea, and smiling with two other soldiers who were dressed casually. None of them could speak English, and I couldn't speak Shan so we sat and smiled. I was about to leave from a bit of boredom though the rain kept coming down. Finally a Tiger truck pulled in and out got a man dressed in full camouflage fatigues. I gave him a wai and he greeted me with a hello and a hand shake and told me he was the foreign relations officer and welcomed me to stay for lunch. He calmly talked about the history of the Shan state there and their fight for freedom. We ate a great meal of rice, chicken, fried egg, and soup. He put me in his truck and drove me to the orphanage where Shan children stay. Showed me the medics who will go to the front lines to fight, showed me them studying in class, and also the monument of the Shan leaders who united the southern people to fight for independence. Before I left he gave me a few books and DVD's of Shan info along with his email and phone number. Telling me that next time to email him ahead of time and to send a copy of my passport so he can clear me with the Thai soldiers there so I could leave and return to Thailand.

Before I left I asked, "Can I bring anything for the orphans or students?" He replied, "Yes please do." I asked, "what do you need?" He said, "We need everything! Books, pens, clothes, food, and guns... please bring guns!!!" I laughed and wondered if he thought I was CIA or something....

Here is his info... Western name is Phillip...

Philip

Shan Name: Yawd muang

The Shan Website
တႆးလွတ်းလႅဝ်း

[email [email protected]][email protected][/email]
[email [email protected]][email protected][/email] (due to the hand writing the fact that the paper got a bit soggy on the ride back I couldn't tell if it was an s or j, though surely can send both).

His Phone number
0863093839

 
Feb 13, 2010
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I just tried both emails... bounced back. Bugger.... I really should bring a waterproof document holder, or just something small... Next time.

Will give a call or try some other avenues to get that information...
 
Sep 16, 2009
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JD, you are a madman! 10 days solo? In that mud? You are a wellspring of tenacity... Looking forward to a ride later this year...

Mike
 
Mar 15, 2003
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www.daveearly.com
Some very good info. Thanks for that. Definitely put this one on my "to do" list. If you could recover that email it would be great.

Edit: I just viewed your video. Excellent! :thumbup: I will say it is one of the best I have viewed. It tells a story with no narration necessary. Your positioning of the camera to capture your shots along with your editing is very professional.

I assume the mud where you were stuck is the road to the camp? I guess I will have to wait until after rainy season. I don't particularly like wallowing in the mud anymore if I can avoid it. :( Great job!
 

Moto-Rex

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Great report ChiangMaiDiver, and what a brilliant video, without a doubt the best motorbike touring clip Ive seen.

Excellent stuff mate. :clap:

Moto-Rex
 
Feb 13, 2010
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Thanks guys...

I really enjoyed this one and took a few days rest here and there and spent a bit of time on the road. Wasn't really 10 days mud riding and there were only a few instances as hairy as that one.

Sadly I have come to find that it seems anything East and North of Mae Taeng is hard packed red clay which is nearly impossible to ride up or down, or even walk. Where as mostly everything I encountered West of Mae Taeng may be muddy but is usually ridable....

SilverHawk I spend the next couple days trying to get that email.
 

DavidFL

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Chiang Khong
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ChiangMaiDiver
Brilliant VDO & trip.
Amazing that is seems to be so "easy" getting over there nowadays.

A few years back there was a big plan from the TAT & the Shan to make the border there a big tourist destination for Mae Hong Son (they need new ideas to promote the province,) but nothing ever came of it & I just thought it was a fantasy.
But going on Silverhawk's post
shan-state-millitary-post-t8306.html#p49340
perhaps it is really going to happen after all?

Now I wonder if Philipp is going to get flooded with phone calls & emails, from every man & his dog; looking for that new adventure & so go one up on everyone else.
Should be interesting to see if it all works out ok & no one stuffs up out there.

ChiangMaiDiver
You might to check out this one
https://www.gt-rider.com/wp-content/gall ... op_012.jpg
I saw in Tachilek a few days ago
dainese-alpine-star-riding-gear-in-tachilek-t3673.html#p49373
it might help keeping your docs warm & dry.

Thanks for the contribution.
 
Feb 13, 2010
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I have to say there are two ways to get up there... one being by 80% road, and another being by 4x4 road (which is very scenic). As well on the boarder, on the Thai side, is very scenic and there is a nice Wat. Just so that if someone didn't actually cross into the Shan state the adventure up to that Wat and post is worth a trip as well.

Thanks Dave for the bag... I will defo look into that...
 
Oct 12, 2005
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Brilliant ride JD and the video really captured the essence of riding over here. Its not just about the tracks but the interaction with the rural Thai's (and Burmese in your case) that add such a different dimension to the rides over here and you captured that beautifully.

I just landed back in Chiang Mai and if you're bored lets hook up for a bite to eat. I'd be happy to ferry a load of stuff to the orphanage if you're game. Justin 0879727673.

Once again brilliant video!!

An FYI; Khun Yuam may be of interest to you as its supposed to have a more sandy texture of soil which is more desireable than the teflon slick hard pack clay we have here this time of year.

Best of luck.
 
Apr 20, 2009
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Ditto, great post and great video. I know it takes a lot of work to put together a good video like that, so thank you for sharing it. :clap:
 
Feb 15, 2009
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Fantastic video...better you than me in all that mud!! I'm thinking that's got to be a place to visit if I get back to LOS this Xmas!! At least it shouldn't be to muddy then.
 

Johpa

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Aug 22, 2005
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Another great video. Really liked the mud hole segment. Glad to see a younger generation taking the lead here.
 
Aug 29, 2008
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good video jd
if youre planning some donation for the orphanage I'd like to contribute
would like to see the place myself, if you get their email please let me know

Any chance of a copy of the dvd or .gpx track?

Alex
 

ron

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Jun 16, 2007
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thanks for amazing story & video , considering location and circumstances , i enjoyed it , respect for a lot of quality work in local harmony

i don ' t know that area yet , maybe for next visit , in the meanwhile working a bit in farangland , but feel a sudden urge too , ... :cry:
 
Feb 13, 2010
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Airikki,

send mr an email and I'll send u the gpx... "[email protected]"

I have never tried to make a DVD but I'll give it a shot.

Still working on the email... Hope to get some info soon.

Thanks for the comments guys, much appreciated.
 

Rod Page

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Jan 7, 2010
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Was out that way Mon 14/3 after the Soppong gathering (see Ron Webb's report).
Left the Soppong River Inn on my D-Tracker (with Scorpion Trails) accompanied by David Rice & girlfriend on a 650 Ninja! Took the 1095 then right into 1226.
The sealed road was somewhat pot-holed then rutted in the clay sections but basically a great D-Tracker run. (Far slower/more difficult for the Ninja). We did see surveyors at work along the route so maybe bitumen is on the way.
The army post at Mai Lun exercises far greater control these days & it was not possible to pass through the initial control even down to the Thai & Burma flags raised to mark the border.
On our way down to Pang Kham a local lass offered to take us over to the Shan State 'via a back route' if we were interested.
Fabulous ride - with the dry season upon us there's little growth on the roadsides & the views over paddocks of varying shades of brown, leafless tree & dried grasslands across to majestic mountain tops is most rewarding.
We took the route back as posted on the GTR map through Mae Lana, Ya Pa Nae, Ban Tham & on to Pang Mapha encountering an absolutely gob-smacking Lahu New Years ceremony just before Vana Luang. Actually met some Germans on XRs coming in the opposite direction who said David wouldn't make it on the Ninja, but he did & in fact it was easier than the route to Pang Kham.
Now looking forward greatly to the dirt loop shown on the GT R map passing through Huai Hang & Muang Noi before reaching Pai - Ian Bungy reckons its an absolute ripper!
(If only I could post photos!)
 

Auke

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Nov 10, 2003
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Hm, if you went to Pang Kham, you should just have continued from there along an unpaved road up to the border. There is a military checkpoint though just before the temple on the hill with a view over Shan State and a small shop where you can get drinks.

266290=1916-Shan%20State.jpg


Adding photo's is easy - just click on the "Insert Image" Icon above your message, and you will get a screen to "Select Image". Once selected, click on the "Upload Image" button and the image will appear in your message. That's all. In case you want to move the image, just click on it with the Mouse pointer and you can move the picture around.
 
Jul 25, 2010
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Auke;266288 wrote:
Posting pictures is easy (best is to go to the Advanced Options (button bottom right): Click on the "Insert Image" icon above the place where you put the text, the screen darkens and you get a screen to select the image and once selected, click on the "Upload Image" button and that is it. Before posting it you can click on the "Preview Post" button (bottom right) to see how it will look like in your post.
I have come to the conclusion that with mac, which I use and also Rod, things happen differently. On clicking the "Insert Image" button, the screen does not darken and what appears is a message which says "Please enter the URL of your image" and there is a box below to do so. There is no option to upload an image.
web.jpg
Admin?
 

Auke

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Nov 10, 2003
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ronwebb;266291 wrote: I have come to the conclusion that with mac, which I use and also Rod, things happen differently. On clicking the "Insert Image" button, the screen does not darken and what appears is a message which says "Please enter the URL of your image" and there is a box below to do so. There is no option to upload an image.
web.jpg
Admin?
Ah shucks, yes, I know about that dreaded pop up "Insert the URL". Ron (2Wheels) and me have seen that many times and complained about it as well sometime late December/early January. Unfortunately we have never gotten a real reply. So, if any one can solve this problem, it is Ben who is the Webmaster for this site. Best is to contact him directly as he mentioned to me that he is not reading every message on the board. If you need his personal email address please PM me.

There is another option (loading the photo to an external site like Flickr, Photobucket, etc.) but that is a kind of workaround. It takes more time and effort showing pictures in a message, something the "new style forum" was supposed to solve.
 
Jul 25, 2010
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Auke;266290 wrote:
Adding photo's is easy - just click on the "Insert Image" Icon above your message, and you will get a screen to "Select Image". Once selected, click on the "Upload Image" button and the image will appear in your message. That's all. In case you want to move the image, just click on it with the Mouse pointer and you can move the picture around.
This is really in the wrong thread for this topic but I have discovered that to post uploaded pictures from a mac, rather than entering a URL, it works fine using Firefox as a browser and NOT Safari. The net result is the same as using a PC as described by Auke. Firefox is a free download available at:
http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/
Hope that this helps a few folk.:happy4: