A PLEASANT NORTHERN LOOP

[2wheels]

Thursday 10th January 2019.

New year, excellent weather, eager Honda Rebel 500 and time for a ride.
It was about time to visit my friends David L and Khun Fon in Ban Mai, north of Chiang Rai city.

There was a very heavy fog when I was ready to depart Doi Saket.

Up and along #107 and the usual stop to enjoy Chiang Dao.

Then a pleasant and humble little coffee break beside the highway and a fuel top-up.

OK, off towards Fang (I had actually never ridden 107 this far before!)

This new shrine was worth a look around, beside the highway.

Pha Jaew Phrom Maharaj at

19.59311
99.11441

And a concrete Spirit House.

View from the shrine.

I stopped at the Khum Yew Hotel in Fang.

And found a very unusual site (for Thailand) in their carpark; a mobile home! Bangkok plates.

Friendly and helpful staff. Security guard. Only stairs. Free breakfast. 600 baht.
Bed is a concrete slab with sheets covering it.

There were many strawberry outlets along the way to Fang.

Couthed up and, as I hadn't had a look around Fang before, went for a walk.

A fellow tourer had parked he well set-up 500X alongside my bike.

This Hotel has bicycles which can be borrowed and would be a good way to see the city.

Time for dinner, and I discovered a little restaurant off the busy main road.
This local cowboy was ensconced when I arrived.
Friendly guy too and he was actually listening to Country and Western music.

Nice enough place, so I'll have a look around in the morning.

Just a thought first.
Now with modern iPhones and their integral cameras, I am finding they are much more convenient to use
than a dedicated camera when touring. Images can be linked via Google maps to exact locations and
their ability to read poor light is impressive. Therefore probably the majority of the images in this report
will be via my little Huawei.

(continuing)

 

[2wheels]

Friday 11th January 2019

It was another foggy morning by the time I was ready to depart Fang after an adequate free breakfast.

Yesterday I had spotted this sign in the main street of Fang ...

... so, having never been to an actual Tabernacle before, I decided to have a look.
Locked and seemingly not in use.

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I had read about the Burmese style Temple of Chong Paeng, so eventually found it in the hills north of Fang.
It has been completely rebuilt after a fire destroyed it in 2005.

So such things actually exist here?

Towards Thaton (which I had not visited before) and the skies were blue and the scenery wonderful along #1089.

The magnificent Royal Temple (or is it? Must check) in Thaton, beside the Kok River.

Ah, so apparently it is part of the large Wat Tha Ton (Phra Aram Luang) complex.

Thaton looked so nice and I didn't even scratch the surface, so this area will be a focal point for another visit.

About Thaton | The Maekok River Village Resort

A wonderful ride through here via Mai Ai to Highway 1 then up to Ban Mai to chat with David over some refreshments.

Then, in the background, could be heard the beating of drums.
Oh, it was Children's Day in Thailand and the local students were hard at it.

Then into their excellent school they marched.

And I resumed discussions with David opposite the local store.

And then we all went to a local restaurant that evening to devour this meal.
It can be tough out touring.

A perfect day 'on the road'.

(continuing)

 

[2wheels]

Saturday 12th January 2019

Another delicious breakfast served up by Khun Fon.

Just checking.

David hadn't ridden his 500X for 8 months during his leg repairs, so today would be a big ride for him.
We rode a 197 km loop and his leg endured quite well.

We headed to the magnificent and massive Chern Thawan Meditation Centre, taking the small back roads.

19.76253
99.87666

I went off to scout around the lake area while David sat in a coffee shop.

They seem to be enjoying their meditation.

Lots of philosophy around the complex.

Lots of fish in this large lake.

And a magnificent home on the other side.

This Husky (?) had been cooling off in the lake.

Then he became fixated on a little girl who was licking an ice-cream, but he wasn't in luck.
NB the eye colours.

This is a very active site and visitors come from around the world.
(copied from a book on display in coffee shop)

Time to head home.
We encountered this huge convoy heading to the local Temple. (Thambun)

At this exact time I noticed the Rebel's odometre showing an auspicious reading.

Back to Ban Mai and time to freshen up at the sala opposite the store.

Our little Burmese 'waitress' was having her first riding lesson.

She was yet to discover the brakes and the fuel gauge!

David has better eyesight than I and spotted this little insect in distress.
It was saved and relocated amongst the foliage.

A very enjoyable and safe day.

(continuing)

 

[2wheels]

Sunday 13th January 2019

Some of Khun Fon and David's pets 'chilling'.
91 year old 'Joey'.

'Leo'

Secluded dining.

We went to the delightful nearby Pa Bong Cafe and met up with Phil ('Feel the Noise') and friends.

(continuing)

 

[2wheels]

Monday 14th January 2019

Time to head home.

Found this black panther relaxing on my bike.

As reported within the 'Honda' forum, we called in to check the new Big Wing in Chiang Rai.

Chiang Rai Honda Big Wing

At
19.90204
99.83283

A sample of what they have on show.

Right at The 'White Temple', through the masses of vans, taxis and people and along the backroads onto #118 just before Charin Resort.

This tree was busy with all sorts of feathery action.

And the usual 'hello' to their peacock and hen.

To Mae Kachan where I encountered a couple of 'Farang' who had suffered a minor tumble off their Suzuki.
Both wore helmets that didn't fall off and were carrying a medicine kit.

Further back, before the #120 junction, a truck had tail-ended a ute and squashed the back of the ute.
Lucky it was a ute and with no people being carried in the back of it.
But, overall, the driving and riding on the #118 speedway was good today.

It's sad to see this planned resort going to ruin, especially if you can imagine what it may have been.
Tens of millions of baht down the drain.
About 68 kms out from Chiang Mai.

So, that was my pleasant northern loop.
Nice friends, nice roads, nice bike, lovely weather.

Total of 699 trouble-free kms.

 

[Captain_Slash]

Lovely photos as usual Ron, you had great sunny skies too.

Is that planned resort going to ruin near the hot springs by any chance?

 

[2wheels]

That's it Colin.

19.11581
99.46375

From a few years ago.

 

[2wheels]

#118 Road Construction

I rode the stretch under repair on Monday.
The dirt surface was well compacted, pot-holed and freshly watered.
Everyone took care and the 10 or so kms of temporary 'road' was ok for the Rebel.
But some are not happy with slow progress!

Chiang Mai-Chiang Rai Highway Construction Project Faces a 100 Mil Fine

(CityLife)

 

[bsacbob]

Great set of pictures Ron, always something new to see in Northern Thailand and you captured it well.