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
We had a stop over day at Villabouri and decided to ride out to Ban Laboy and explore the area.
Total distance 175km.
Screenshot 2017-01-23 16.05.32 by Bob Kelly, on Flickr
The route out covers a lot of the old HCM trail and lots of very well preserved cobblestones are in still in place.
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f4ab by Bob Kelly, on Flickr
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f4ac by Bob Kelly, on Flickr
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f4ae by Bob Kelly, on Flickr
This was a very busy logging area back in the day and many isolated villages still have logging equipment stashed away to rot.
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f517 by Bob Kelly, on Flickr
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f4e5 by Bob Kelly, on Flickr
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f4e6 by Bob Kelly, on Flickr
Old table saw.
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f514 by Bob Kelly, on Flickr
In once such village we saw this guy peddling his goods from Vietnam, we would be seeing him a little later in the day.
rnf5aY5USB2tSWFXc%yXhA_thumb_f4bc by Bob Kelly, on Flickr
We stopped in the village and everywhere we looked was war scrap pilled up.
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f4d3 by Bob Kelly, on Flickr
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f4d5 by Bob Kelly, on Flickr
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f4d7 by Bob Kelly, on Flickr
Ladders made from the tubes of slow speed dispensers, indicated the huge amount of ordinance that must have been dropped here.
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f4d2 by Bob Kelly, on Flickr
One of the dispensers.
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f4db by Bob Kelly, on Flickr
Almost every house had scrap underneath.
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f4e3 by Bob Kelly, on Flickr
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f4e4 by Bob Kelly, on Flickr.
Heading out of the village to laboy its pretty rocky and not much fun.
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f4ce by Bob Kelly, on Flickr
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f4cf by Bob Kelly, on Flickr
Reaching the laboy ford the water was too high to ride, we pondered for a while as a Vietnamese girl got on a small canoe run by some kid’s. We had had a bad experience on a canoe a few days previously and what with the kids not knowing what they were doing we decided to back track and look for some looping trails.
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f4c2 by Bob Kelly, on Flickr
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f4c6 by Bob Kelly, on Flickr
Tickets please, not likely…
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f4ca by Bob Kelly, on Flickr
As we made our way back the Vietnamese guy had grounded is bike on some concrete on one of the hill sections.
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f4cb by Bob Kelly, on Flickr
A bit of a push and he was clear, he asked if it was ok to cross the ford, i told him we turned back but he was happy to ride on, hate to imagine the crossing on that thing.
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f4cc by Bob Kelly, on Flickr
Back to the village.
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f4d0 by Bob Kelly, on Flickr
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f4d1 by Bob Kelly, on Flickr
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f4d4 by Bob Kelly, on Flickr
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f4e0 by Bob Kelly, on Flickr
ktR7IKNnTlqTjyg5tqw%fQ_thumb_f4b3 by Bob Kelly, on Flickr
We poked around and found some great trails.
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f4ed by Bob Kelly, on Flickr
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f4f0 by Bob Kelly, on Flickr
Lots of water to cross even though it was dry everywhere.
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f4f3 by Bob Kelly, on Flickr
Pounding corn.
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f4f4 by Bob Kelly, on Flickr
Soon it got more interesting.
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f4fa by Bob Kelly, on Flickr
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f4f7 by Bob Kelly, on Flickr
Villages dry as a bone despite some earlier rain.
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f4fb by Bob Kelly, on Flickr
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f4fe by Bob Kelly, on Flickr
Great bridges.
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f4ff by Bob Kelly, on Flickr
Nice crossing here.
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f4f8 by Bob Kelly, on Flickr
Rice farmers lucky to get a crop this year.
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f4fc by Bob Kelly, on Flickr
One of many obstacles.
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f50a by Bob Kelly, on Flickr
More water.
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f50c by Bob Kelly, on Flickr
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f50e by Bob Kelly, on Flickr
Great forest sections too.
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f50f by Bob Kelly, on Flickr
This bridge had seen better days.
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f51b by Bob Kelly, on Flickr
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f51d by Bob Kelly, on Flickr
Not bike friendly this one.
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f51f by Bob Kelly, on Flickr
Surprise waterfall.
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f502 by Bob Kelly, on Flickr
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f504 by Bob Kelly, on Flickr
Yet more water in the forest.
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f501 by Bob Kelly, on Flickr
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f506 by Bob Kelly, on Flickr
Some nice rutted bits.
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f507 by Bob Kelly, on Flickr
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f508 by Bob Kelly, on Flickr
Stopped for a drink and another pile of bombs.
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f511 by Bob Kelly, on Flickr
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f515 by Bob Kelly, on Flickr
CBU casings.
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f513 by Bob Kelly, on Flickr
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f518 by Bob Kelly, on Flickr
Back on the trail, more fun.
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f521 by Bob Kelly, on Flickr
r2qVKW8lT7erQfOWJx1dVw_thumb_f4af by Bob Kelly, on Flickr
Beautiful jungle water crossings.
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f523 by Bob Kelly, on Flickr
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f522 by Bob Kelly, on Flickr
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f526 by Bob Kelly, on Flickr
Little tight in places.
JepNFLShRtmqBhlauevVOA_thumb_f525 by Bob Kelly, on Flickr
Yet more water.
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f529 by Bob Kelly, on Flickr
And tree’s.
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f520 by Bob Kelly, on Flickr
Back onto the graded trail.
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f528 by Bob Kelly, on Flickr
Another Vietnamese seller coming to view.
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f52a by Bob Kelly, on Flickr
ZUgXtHmqQcy18FModQHZyg_thumb_f52b by Bob Kelly, on Flickr
Back into Villabouri noticed this new Gh, across from the Bounhome GH and Restaurant N16.97353° E105.94964°.
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f52e by Bob Kelly, on Flickr
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f52c by Bob Kelly, on Flickr
Both agreed it had been a great days riding, maybe one of the best in Laos so far.
Total distance 175km.
Screenshot 2017-01-23 16.05.32 by Bob Kelly, on FlickrThe route out covers a lot of the old HCM trail and lots of very well preserved cobblestones are in still in place.
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f4ab by Bob Kelly, on FlickrUNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f4ac by Bob Kelly, on FlickrUNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f4ae by Bob Kelly, on FlickrThis was a very busy logging area back in the day and many isolated villages still have logging equipment stashed away to rot.
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f517 by Bob Kelly, on FlickrUNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f4e5 by Bob Kelly, on FlickrUNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f4e6 by Bob Kelly, on FlickrOld table saw.
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f514 by Bob Kelly, on FlickrIn once such village we saw this guy peddling his goods from Vietnam, we would be seeing him a little later in the day.
rnf5aY5USB2tSWFXc%yXhA_thumb_f4bc by Bob Kelly, on FlickrWe stopped in the village and everywhere we looked was war scrap pilled up.
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f4d3 by Bob Kelly, on FlickrUNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f4d5 by Bob Kelly, on FlickrUNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f4d7 by Bob Kelly, on FlickrLadders made from the tubes of slow speed dispensers, indicated the huge amount of ordinance that must have been dropped here.
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f4d2 by Bob Kelly, on FlickrOne of the dispensers.
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f4db by Bob Kelly, on FlickrAlmost every house had scrap underneath.
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f4e3 by Bob Kelly, on FlickrUNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f4e4 by Bob Kelly, on Flickr.Heading out of the village to laboy its pretty rocky and not much fun.
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f4ce by Bob Kelly, on FlickrUNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f4cf by Bob Kelly, on FlickrReaching the laboy ford the water was too high to ride, we pondered for a while as a Vietnamese girl got on a small canoe run by some kid’s. We had had a bad experience on a canoe a few days previously and what with the kids not knowing what they were doing we decided to back track and look for some looping trails.
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f4c2 by Bob Kelly, on FlickrUNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f4c6 by Bob Kelly, on FlickrTickets please, not likely…
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f4ca by Bob Kelly, on FlickrAs we made our way back the Vietnamese guy had grounded is bike on some concrete on one of the hill sections.
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f4cb by Bob Kelly, on FlickrA bit of a push and he was clear, he asked if it was ok to cross the ford, i told him we turned back but he was happy to ride on, hate to imagine the crossing on that thing.
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f4cc by Bob Kelly, on FlickrBack to the village.
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f4d0 by Bob Kelly, on FlickrUNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f4d1 by Bob Kelly, on FlickrUNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f4d4 by Bob Kelly, on FlickrUNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f4e0 by Bob Kelly, on FlickrktR7IKNnTlqTjyg5tqw%fQ_thumb_f4b3 by Bob Kelly, on FlickrWe poked around and found some great trails.
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f4ed by Bob Kelly, on FlickrUNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f4f0 by Bob Kelly, on FlickrLots of water to cross even though it was dry everywhere.
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f4f3 by Bob Kelly, on FlickrPounding corn.
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f4f4 by Bob Kelly, on FlickrSoon it got more interesting.
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f4fa by Bob Kelly, on FlickrUNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f4f7 by Bob Kelly, on FlickrVillages dry as a bone despite some earlier rain.
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f4fb by Bob Kelly, on FlickrUNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f4fe by Bob Kelly, on FlickrGreat bridges.
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f4ff by Bob Kelly, on FlickrNice crossing here.
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f4f8 by Bob Kelly, on FlickrRice farmers lucky to get a crop this year.
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f4fc by Bob Kelly, on FlickrOne of many obstacles.
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f50a by Bob Kelly, on FlickrMore water.
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f50c by Bob Kelly, on FlickrUNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f50e by Bob Kelly, on FlickrGreat forest sections too.
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f50f by Bob Kelly, on FlickrThis bridge had seen better days.
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f51b by Bob Kelly, on FlickrUNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f51d by Bob Kelly, on FlickrNot bike friendly this one.
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f51f by Bob Kelly, on FlickrSurprise waterfall.
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f502 by Bob Kelly, on FlickrUNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f504 by Bob Kelly, on FlickrYet more water in the forest.
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f501 by Bob Kelly, on FlickrUNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f506 by Bob Kelly, on FlickrSome nice rutted bits.
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f507 by Bob Kelly, on FlickrUNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f508 by Bob Kelly, on FlickrStopped for a drink and another pile of bombs.
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f511 by Bob Kelly, on FlickrUNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f515 by Bob Kelly, on FlickrCBU casings.
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f513 by Bob Kelly, on FlickrUNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f518 by Bob Kelly, on FlickrBack on the trail, more fun.
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f521 by Bob Kelly, on Flickrr2qVKW8lT7erQfOWJx1dVw_thumb_f4af by Bob Kelly, on FlickrBeautiful jungle water crossings.
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f523 by Bob Kelly, on FlickrUNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f522 by Bob Kelly, on FlickrUNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f526 by Bob Kelly, on FlickrLittle tight in places.
JepNFLShRtmqBhlauevVOA_thumb_f525 by Bob Kelly, on FlickrYet more water.
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f529 by Bob Kelly, on FlickrAnd tree’s.
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f520 by Bob Kelly, on FlickrBack onto the graded trail.
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f528 by Bob Kelly, on FlickrAnother Vietnamese seller coming to view.
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f52a by Bob Kelly, on FlickrZUgXtHmqQcy18FModQHZyg_thumb_f52b by Bob Kelly, on FlickrBack into Villabouri noticed this new Gh, across from the Bounhome GH and Restaurant N16.97353° E105.94964°.
UNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f52e by Bob Kelly, on FlickrUNADJUSTEDNONRAW_thumb_f52c by Bob Kelly, on FlickrBoth agreed it had been a great days riding, maybe one of the best in Laos so far.
