bsacbob
Administrator (Retired)
- Joined
- Jul 1, 2012
- Location
- Chiang Rai
- Bikes
- Honda CRM-AR 250, Honda CRF 250-L, Suzuki V Strom XT 650 Honda XR250 Baja BMW F650GS
Day 3 from Ban Long To Oudomxai
251 Km 10 Hrs. 20 minutes
GpxViewer
I awoke refreshed after a good nights sleep at the Siseng GH, it's pretty basic with squat toilets but good hot shower (apart from room 3 ). Bid my goodbyes to the owner and new granddaughter and place a little sticker.
Untitled by bsacbob, on Flickr
]
[/url]Untitled by bsacbob, on Flickr
Last year i rode this trial the other way and if you recall had a brush with one of the mining Landrovers, this time no traffic at all, the bull dust i had encountered last year was good likely due to the big storms, but sadly had exposed the rocks that could rival any section of the old rock road to Pongsali (no pictures of that too busy trying to keep my bike together).
Untitled by bsacbob, on Flickr
Untitled by bsacbob, on Flickr
Wasn't long before the old machete was in action again to clear away fallen tree's and scrub.
Untitled by bsacbob, on Flickr
Hitting the first village with a small water crossing things had developed since i was last there and a number of what i guess logging trails had opened. I pointed myself down one of them but ended up going in the wrong direction, so saved for another day.
Untitled by bsacbob, on Flickr
Untitled by bsacbob, on Flickr
Untitled by bsacbob, on Flickr
Some burning in evidence but not as much as last year, but again i guess the storms dampened them down.
Untitled by bsacbob, on Flickr
Untitled by bsacbob, on Flickr
Untitled by bsacbob, on Flickr
Untitled by bsacbob, on Flickr
Untitled by bsacbob, on Flickr
More tree chopping then this larger tree that was beyond my tiny machete, lucky for me i could lay the bike down and with of effort project the bike through in first gear and flick the clutch.
Untitled by bsacbob, on Flickr
Untitled by bsacbob, on Flickr
Untitled by bsacbob, on Flickr
Small logging camp
Untitled by bsacbob, on Flickr
Sky starting to clear
Untitled by bsacbob, on Flickr
Untitled by bsacbob, on Flickr
Lots of small villages along the way.
Untitled by bsacbob, on Flickr
Lovely cool water crossing
Untitled by bsacbob, on Flickr
Even the smoke appeared to eased today so i could enjoy the views.
Untitled by bsacbob, on Flickr
Untitled by bsacbob, on Flickr
Untitled by bsacbob, on Flickr
Loved this little house, they called me down for a drink but i couldn't figure a way down.
Untitled by bsacbob, on Flickr
Untitled by bsacbob, on Flickr
Power poles ready for erection, thats a bad sign
Untitled by bsacbob, on Flickr
More great views
Untitled by bsacbob, on Flickr
Untitled by bsacbob, on Flickr
Untitled by bsacbob, on Flickr
But not this
Untitled by bsacbob, on Flickr
Untitled by bsacbob, on Flickr
This is one of my most remembered trails in Laos and still remains untouched and reached Nalae in record time, i checked around the guesthouses and all were deserted, all large Songran party was underway and all the village was there !
Untitled by bsacbob, on Flickr
Untitled by bsacbob, on Flickr
Gassed up in town to access my options, figured i could get to Oudomxai before nightfall and the guy in the gas station confirmed the road was graded (turned out he was wrong or at least the way i went) since i had never down this section of i went.
Untitled by bsacbob, on Flickr
Untitled by bsacbob, on Flickr
Untitled by bsacbob, on Flickr
Untitled by bsacbob, on Flickr
Came to the only real village along the way, my GPS was pointing me through the village and off the graded road to a series of water crossings, trusting the GPS would guide me through, this was the first one leading from the village.
Untitled by bsacbob, on Flickr
Then quickly another
Untitled by bsacbob, on Flickr
Some sort of Dam in progress
Untitled by bsacbob, on Flickr
Now this bit was interesting and hardly any signs of motorcycles coming this way so i was a little apprehensive and the trail turned to single track and numerous water crossing some of which in hind site i was foolish to be doing alone.
Untitled by bsacbob, on Flickr
Untitled by bsacbob, on Flickr
Untitled by bsacbob, on Flickr
Untitled by bsacbob, on Flickr
Untitled by bsacbob, on Flickr
Pretty much the trail was the river, hard to imagine in the rainy season
Untitled by bsacbob, on Flickr
Untitled by bsacbob, on Flickr
Notice the green slim
Untitled by bsacbob, on Flickr
A couple of them had nice bamboo bridges but the last i gave a miss.
Untitled by bsacbob, on Flickr
Untitled by bsacbob, on Flickr
Untitled by bsacbob, on Flickr
Interesting gate
Untitled by bsacbob, on Flickr
Untitled by bsacbob, on Flickr
This was the worse for me and my short legs
Untitled by bsacbob, on Flickr
Finally i was back on more frequently used sections of the trail and i could pick up the pace, but i could see no link back to Nalae of this graded section
Untitled by bsacbob, on Flickr
Untitled by bsacbob, on Flickr
Final stream crossing
Untitled by bsacbob, on Flickr
Back in open countryside
Untitled by bsacbob, on Flickr
Untitled by bsacbob, on Flickr
Untitled by bsacbob, on Flickr
Untitled by bsacbob, on Flickr
Untitled by bsacbob, on Flickr
Untitled by bsacbob, on Flickr
Nam HIn reservoir was a beautiful place and wish i had spent some time there, but the light was fading fast.
Untitled by bsacbob, on Flickr
Untitled by bsacbob, on Flickr
Arrived in Oudomxai, the Nam Mao river was very low and looked like some sort of mining works in progress to extract minerals.
Untitled by bsacbob, on Flickr
Untitled by bsacbob, on Flickr
Untitled by bsacbob, on Flickr
Not sure how she got the wheel barrow down there
Untitled by bsacbob, on Flickr
Decided to go posh, i was going to stay in the Vilavong GH and wish i had, but had a brain fart and decided to go to the very large Friendship Hotel. Chinese owned had a big restaurant area and what i guess was a big Karaoke in the front, staff extremely unhelpful and i asked for a double room with Wifi at the back of the hotel hoping it would be quiet.
Untitled by bsacbob, on Flickr
Given a single room out of reach of the Wifi, complained and got nowhere, the said i could use the lobby Wifi, great customer service !
Restaurant did not serve food WTF, so went to a place across from the main entrance, the food was almost uneatable but since i hadn't eaten all it would have to do. Turned in for the night and thought i would check out the massage building in the rear, too late it was closed and late at night turns into a local disco / beer station full of drunk teenagers until 1AM.
Not much sleep that night, why didn't i just play safe and go to the Vilavong :-(
251 Km 10 Hrs. 20 minutes
GpxViewer
I awoke refreshed after a good nights sleep at the Siseng GH, it's pretty basic with squat toilets but good hot shower (apart from room 3 ). Bid my goodbyes to the owner and new granddaughter and place a little sticker.
Untitled by bsacbob, on Flickr]
Last year i rode this trial the other way and if you recall had a brush with one of the mining Landrovers, this time no traffic at all, the bull dust i had encountered last year was good likely due to the big storms, but sadly had exposed the rocks that could rival any section of the old rock road to Pongsali (no pictures of that too busy trying to keep my bike together).
Untitled by bsacbob, on FlickrUntitled by bsacbob, on FlickrWasn't long before the old machete was in action again to clear away fallen tree's and scrub.
Untitled by bsacbob, on FlickrHitting the first village with a small water crossing things had developed since i was last there and a number of what i guess logging trails had opened. I pointed myself down one of them but ended up going in the wrong direction, so saved for another day.
Untitled by bsacbob, on FlickrUntitled by bsacbob, on FlickrUntitled by bsacbob, on FlickrSome burning in evidence but not as much as last year, but again i guess the storms dampened them down.
Untitled by bsacbob, on FlickrUntitled by bsacbob, on FlickrUntitled by bsacbob, on FlickrUntitled by bsacbob, on FlickrUntitled by bsacbob, on FlickrMore tree chopping then this larger tree that was beyond my tiny machete, lucky for me i could lay the bike down and with of effort project the bike through in first gear and flick the clutch.
Untitled by bsacbob, on FlickrUntitled by bsacbob, on FlickrUntitled by bsacbob, on FlickrSmall logging camp
Untitled by bsacbob, on FlickrSky starting to clear
Untitled by bsacbob, on FlickrUntitled by bsacbob, on FlickrLots of small villages along the way.
Untitled by bsacbob, on FlickrLovely cool water crossing
Untitled by bsacbob, on FlickrEven the smoke appeared to eased today so i could enjoy the views.
Untitled by bsacbob, on FlickrUntitled by bsacbob, on FlickrUntitled by bsacbob, on FlickrLoved this little house, they called me down for a drink but i couldn't figure a way down.
Untitled by bsacbob, on FlickrUntitled by bsacbob, on FlickrPower poles ready for erection, thats a bad sign
Untitled by bsacbob, on FlickrMore great views
Untitled by bsacbob, on FlickrUntitled by bsacbob, on FlickrUntitled by bsacbob, on FlickrBut not this
Untitled by bsacbob, on FlickrUntitled by bsacbob, on FlickrThis is one of my most remembered trails in Laos and still remains untouched and reached Nalae in record time, i checked around the guesthouses and all were deserted, all large Songran party was underway and all the village was there !
Untitled by bsacbob, on FlickrUntitled by bsacbob, on FlickrGassed up in town to access my options, figured i could get to Oudomxai before nightfall and the guy in the gas station confirmed the road was graded (turned out he was wrong or at least the way i went) since i had never down this section of i went.
Untitled by bsacbob, on FlickrUntitled by bsacbob, on FlickrUntitled by bsacbob, on FlickrUntitled by bsacbob, on FlickrCame to the only real village along the way, my GPS was pointing me through the village and off the graded road to a series of water crossings, trusting the GPS would guide me through, this was the first one leading from the village.
Untitled by bsacbob, on FlickrThen quickly another
Untitled by bsacbob, on FlickrSome sort of Dam in progress
Untitled by bsacbob, on FlickrNow this bit was interesting and hardly any signs of motorcycles coming this way so i was a little apprehensive and the trail turned to single track and numerous water crossing some of which in hind site i was foolish to be doing alone.
Untitled by bsacbob, on FlickrUntitled by bsacbob, on FlickrUntitled by bsacbob, on FlickrUntitled by bsacbob, on FlickrUntitled by bsacbob, on FlickrPretty much the trail was the river, hard to imagine in the rainy season
Untitled by bsacbob, on FlickrUntitled by bsacbob, on FlickrNotice the green slim
Untitled by bsacbob, on FlickrA couple of them had nice bamboo bridges but the last i gave a miss.
Untitled by bsacbob, on FlickrUntitled by bsacbob, on FlickrUntitled by bsacbob, on FlickrInteresting gate
Untitled by bsacbob, on FlickrUntitled by bsacbob, on FlickrThis was the worse for me and my short legs
Untitled by bsacbob, on FlickrFinally i was back on more frequently used sections of the trail and i could pick up the pace, but i could see no link back to Nalae of this graded section
Untitled by bsacbob, on FlickrUntitled by bsacbob, on FlickrFinal stream crossing
Untitled by bsacbob, on FlickrBack in open countryside
Untitled by bsacbob, on FlickrUntitled by bsacbob, on FlickrUntitled by bsacbob, on FlickrUntitled by bsacbob, on FlickrUntitled by bsacbob, on FlickrUntitled by bsacbob, on FlickrNam HIn reservoir was a beautiful place and wish i had spent some time there, but the light was fading fast.
Untitled by bsacbob, on FlickrUntitled by bsacbob, on FlickrArrived in Oudomxai, the Nam Mao river was very low and looked like some sort of mining works in progress to extract minerals.
Untitled by bsacbob, on FlickrUntitled by bsacbob, on FlickrUntitled by bsacbob, on FlickrNot sure how she got the wheel barrow down there
Untitled by bsacbob, on FlickrDecided to go posh, i was going to stay in the Vilavong GH and wish i had, but had a brain fart and decided to go to the very large Friendship Hotel. Chinese owned had a big restaurant area and what i guess was a big Karaoke in the front, staff extremely unhelpful and i asked for a double room with Wifi at the back of the hotel hoping it would be quiet.
Untitled by bsacbob, on FlickrGiven a single room out of reach of the Wifi, complained and got nowhere, the said i could use the lobby Wifi, great customer service !
Restaurant did not serve food WTF, so went to a place across from the main entrance, the food was almost uneatable but since i hadn't eaten all it would have to do. Turned in for the night and thought i would check out the massage building in the rear, too late it was closed and late at night turns into a local disco / beer station full of drunk teenagers until 1AM.
Not much sleep that night, why didn't i just play safe and go to the Vilavong :-(
3 but you can view the gpx on Google Earth in each post, the next two days should be of more interest to you, they are on tarmac (well sometimes) and great for the Strom.
