I knew I would be attempting this connection after Kevin and I aborted the mission southward on the 3058:
http://rideasia.net/forum/thailand-ride-reports/exploring-the-3058-in-chiang-rai-province-t1707.html
I researched on Google Earth and came up with this Route from Mae On > Chae Son> 4009 over to the 4047> 4047 North to end of road > Trail over the mountain, crossing over from Lampang Province into Chiang Rai Province. There is a valley that runs North/South between the 1252 and 1035, so I decided to take the main road 4047 until the end and see what appeared:
This was one of the most intense riding days I have ever had. Making the connection definitely gave me a feeling of accomplishment as a rider. Sorry there are not so many photos while heading up the single track on the mountain, but I was committed!
I started off this morning with a lovely cup of green tea at Tharnthong Lodge. Note: Green tea, motorbikes and me are not a good mix. I had to stop 3 times before I was over the mountain. :eek1
I had decided not to stop for photos until I came out near Chae Son, then these lovelies appeared in my path. A good omen?:
I have been over this road before, the Chiang Mai 4047, but I had never made the correct turnoff to cut through the Chae Son National Park.
I made the correct turn here:
But it is here where I had been going right instead of left. I make the left. What a wonderful drive through the park:
Green tea break:
Exiting the park at the 1252
I turn left at the 1252 and go 1km
This is the turn onto the connection road to the 4009. I missed it the first time as I was expecting tarmac:
The first few hundred meters of road are in a sorry state but it soon becomes tarmac
I come to the left onto the 4009 itself which I will follow until I meet up with the 4074
The air pollution ruins these shots!
And the left turn onto the Lampang 4074 now heading north
I follow along for 20-25 km's. It is a nice stretch
Near the top of the road I decide to follow to the left and it quickly turns into a dirt road
It got fairly steep in spots
He was loading the gun when I rounded the curve. It gave my chilling thoughts being out here in the middle of nowhere. He turned out to be a nice man!
More dirt. I am guessing there will be a village up there shortly. It was breathtaking coming over the rise and seeing that valley below.
I have to return in rainy season and see this water running!
I arrive at the end of the dirt road and it is someone's drive way
I turn around, and not very far I see a turnoff I had missed. The compass shows it might head in the right direction.
It ends at another little village and some of the locals come out to see what noisy contraption was outside. This young man was a good shot!
I am informed that this is the start of the single track over to Chiang Rai. It does not look like much to me but the path starts at the two little planks you see on the left side and then bears down to the right
Some of the nicer stretches look like this
Then it starts getting exciting
I guess it was 3 or 4 km's of hard mountains climbs until I reached this point. Once I saw the farmland I knew I was close to the destination. Behind me was Lampang Province and jungle, ahead was Chiang Rai Province and farmland.
The hut in the distance is where Kevin and I stopped last Saturday. This present track takes me slightly away from that point.
I reach the 3058 and here is the look right
And left
I head down the road to look back and take a shot of where I exited. Kevin and I had passed this spot and entered the farmland a few hundred meters up the road
The ride back up to the ridge. I want to take another trail to the bottom of this valley.
Here is the junction where I came out of the jungle side of the mountain. I will go left here and head down the valley.
And another exit onto the 3058!
Here are two shots of the valley and the ridgeline in the distance. The border runs along the top.
No blood, that is good!
Only a bent shifter. Really bent shifter! I had to stop and ask for some tools from more friendly Thai gents.
I decided to head back home on the familiar 118 rather than do that route again with a (still) bent shifter.
That's all folks! Definitely knobbies only on this route! I want to do it again from the other direction. I am sure that will be fun sliding DOWN the mountain. :RO
-------------------
Screen shot of the route on the Lampang side including the 4074 and the two legs over the mountain.
And screen shots of that final stretch over the mountain
http://rideasia.net/forum/thailand-ride-reports/exploring-the-3058-in-chiang-rai-province-t1707.html
I researched on Google Earth and came up with this Route from Mae On > Chae Son> 4009 over to the 4047> 4047 North to end of road > Trail over the mountain, crossing over from Lampang Province into Chiang Rai Province. There is a valley that runs North/South between the 1252 and 1035, so I decided to take the main road 4047 until the end and see what appeared:
This was one of the most intense riding days I have ever had. Making the connection definitely gave me a feeling of accomplishment as a rider. Sorry there are not so many photos while heading up the single track on the mountain, but I was committed!
I started off this morning with a lovely cup of green tea at Tharnthong Lodge. Note: Green tea, motorbikes and me are not a good mix. I had to stop 3 times before I was over the mountain. :eek1
I had decided not to stop for photos until I came out near Chae Son, then these lovelies appeared in my path. A good omen?:
I have been over this road before, the Chiang Mai 4047, but I had never made the correct turnoff to cut through the Chae Son National Park.
I made the correct turn here:
But it is here where I had been going right instead of left. I make the left. What a wonderful drive through the park:
Green tea break:
Exiting the park at the 1252
I turn left at the 1252 and go 1km
This is the turn onto the connection road to the 4009. I missed it the first time as I was expecting tarmac:
The first few hundred meters of road are in a sorry state but it soon becomes tarmac
I come to the left onto the 4009 itself which I will follow until I meet up with the 4074
The air pollution ruins these shots!
And the left turn onto the Lampang 4074 now heading north
I follow along for 20-25 km's. It is a nice stretch
Near the top of the road I decide to follow to the left and it quickly turns into a dirt road
It got fairly steep in spots
He was loading the gun when I rounded the curve. It gave my chilling thoughts being out here in the middle of nowhere. He turned out to be a nice man!
More dirt. I am guessing there will be a village up there shortly. It was breathtaking coming over the rise and seeing that valley below.
I have to return in rainy season and see this water running!
I arrive at the end of the dirt road and it is someone's drive way
I turn around, and not very far I see a turnoff I had missed. The compass shows it might head in the right direction.
It ends at another little village and some of the locals come out to see what noisy contraption was outside. This young man was a good shot!
I am informed that this is the start of the single track over to Chiang Rai. It does not look like much to me but the path starts at the two little planks you see on the left side and then bears down to the right
Some of the nicer stretches look like this
Then it starts getting exciting
I guess it was 3 or 4 km's of hard mountains climbs until I reached this point. Once I saw the farmland I knew I was close to the destination. Behind me was Lampang Province and jungle, ahead was Chiang Rai Province and farmland.
The hut in the distance is where Kevin and I stopped last Saturday. This present track takes me slightly away from that point.
I reach the 3058 and here is the look right
And left
I head down the road to look back and take a shot of where I exited. Kevin and I had passed this spot and entered the farmland a few hundred meters up the road
The ride back up to the ridge. I want to take another trail to the bottom of this valley.
Here is the junction where I came out of the jungle side of the mountain. I will go left here and head down the valley.
And another exit onto the 3058!
Here are two shots of the valley and the ridgeline in the distance. The border runs along the top.
No blood, that is good!
Only a bent shifter. Really bent shifter! I had to stop and ask for some tools from more friendly Thai gents.
I decided to head back home on the familiar 118 rather than do that route again with a (still) bent shifter.
That's all folks! Definitely knobbies only on this route! I want to do it again from the other direction. I am sure that will be fun sliding DOWN the mountain. :RO
-------------------
Screen shot of the route on the Lampang side including the 4074 and the two legs over the mountain.
And screen shots of that final stretch over the mountain
