Mapping the unmapped Omkoi beauty

[KTMphil]

Incredibly successful mapping trip, achieving all our goals in a very unknown area. None of the maps have these fantastic trails and villages which makes it so much fun doing this.


Below is a map showing the trail data we collected

Map copyright RideAsia.net - All rights reserved




Below gives you an idea of the excellent mapping data we were able to record - Villages (we have most of the village names), pump up fuel, shops, schools, government offices, mechanics etc......

Map copyright RideAsia.net - All rights reserved

 

[KTMphil]

So David, Bob & I had been planning this for a while, we prayed that the rain would hold off, kind of a risky time of year to be messin when you're guessin, out in the back of nowhere. Darryl was keen to come too, so that made 4.


Darryls converted D-Tracker. Pirelli MT-60 on the rear, KLX 21" front wheel with a D-Tracker brake rotor, all works very well apart from the suspension being a little stiff.

 

[KTMphil]

Mr. Baileys CRF 250 L in the right, Bob's lowered KLX in the middle

Coffee stop on R 108 west of Hot (I've never stopped there before, I don't drink coffee) - My CRF 250 L

 

[2wheels]

Excellent adventure in good looking area.
Thanks for the maps and pics and 'well done' to all.

 

[KTMphil]

Depending on your coffee and wee stops, it takes around 3 hours to get to Omkoi (R 1099), roughly 175km from Chiang Mai. It's the district capital, a small bustling town that's still relatively undiscovered

Map copyright RideAsia.net - All rights reserved

 

[KTMphil]

Did you cross the Ping?

No - we crossed the Huai Mae Hong & Nam Mae Lop rivers

 

[KTMphil]

We gave the "fancy" Omkoi Resort a shot. 800 Bht, nice setting, a bit pricey for most of us, we're more 400-500 bht type of guys as we're doing this all the time. Being the provincial center, the resort was full of government workers that pass through.

Apologies for the room photo quality

Found a better pic of the room at last

 

[KTMphil]

Great BBQ meal shown on the first page at the resort, a good nights sleep, then 0700am off mapping. With not much real trail data in the area, this makes it kinda fun trying to find your way onto the trails that arnt mapped!




We had a hand drawn piece of local knowledge to work from

We were looking for this and eventually found it, this was our way into the hills

 

[KTMphil]

The trails started off pretty tame, as they got harder we thought we were doing well in the harder stuff.

Then a Honda Wave came by with 3 people on it with no effort at all.

 

[KTMphil]

A small 40km afternoon loop after reaching Omkoi, everything going well

Bob had a slip in a big puddle

No big drama apart from it was a deep hole over the top of your (my) boots

 

[KTMphil]

Shingle preparation for rainy season

As we progressed westwards the great views started

This new bridge was especially interesting as the nails were still sticking half out of the wood!

Darryl doing a bit of surveying for us before we attempt it

 

[KTMphil]

The villagers that maybe have never seen a westerner before are fascinating.

This region is filled with Karen tribe people that have migrated eastwards from Myanmar to the west.


We lucked out coming across this couple.

They were kind enough to take a photo with Bob

 

[KTMphil]

Villages average about 10km apart, most have a shop, if there is one there will be fuel available

Locals - very curious

 

[KTMphil]

As you can see the GPS is blank now, just some local knowledge will help us map the region

 

[KTMphil]

Heading westwards

A typical village along the trail, as you get away from the big villages, no electricity

The first day the trails were reasonably easy

Bob

 

[KTMphil]

Most of the time because of the area being so mountainous, you could see the trail coming up on the next mountain

 

[KTMphil]

Mr. Bailey had looked at the satellite images, it looked like we might be in for rain, so far so good

 

[KTMphil]

This looked in a bit of a state

Luckily this had been built to replace it

We didn't cross this one in the end, the trail went left

 

[KTMphil]

Looked like this lady was hunting for some king of sea grass

The day just got better and better as it normally does when you go more remote



David

Darryl

Bob

cisterns for water storage

A VERY remote school, the teacher was from Nan!!

Spring onion farm at the school

Inside'

This lovely young girl brought us some rain water

 

[KTMphil]

Deep in the middle of nowhere, what we didnt need was several trail options kinda in the same direction!!

'





As usual when you get real deep in mountainous areas its get nasty

 

[KTMphil]

Another village along the way

He was very proud of this

His family watching over him

Out of the other side of the village, this one would be a chuckle with some rain

Closing the 45km afternoon loop back to Omkoi -- we were lucky to see some more locals in traditional attire.

 

[KTMphil]

Day 2 armed with more local info, we'd planned a 100 ish km dirt loop for the day


A school at morning assembly

This looks like a fun place when it rains

 

[2wheels]

Especially like those village pics!

 

[KTMphil]

Crossing this bridge, what do we have here?

A small hydro-electric facility

 

[KTMphil]

....more to come

 

[KTMphil]

Interesting rice terraces that you see more of in China

 

[KTMphil]

Drink break at a suitable viewpoint

 

[KTMphil]

Into the next village

School children pretty excited to see 4 farrangs

& then the trail ahead

How great does this one look that's coming up next?

 

[KTMphil]

Further along, the biggest government office out west of Omkoi

The lunch eating huts at the school

Another one of our "which way" moments!

Up in the hills again

Lots of the steep gradients have concrete double track (one of my favorite shots of the trip)

& some don't!

 

[KTMphil]

Lots of stone terraces around in the farms, you don't often see this

All the dry firewood for cooking stored ready for rainy season

 

[KTMphil]

Big smiles as we approached

The trail surface was excellent in most places, lots of sand in the composition meaning that it could be used all year round (within reason)

This was pretty narley

 

[KTMphil]

More curious locals

Then back onto some decent trails at last

Through the wheel shot

 

[KTMphil]

Cooling off high up (I think this is where Bob started to not enjoy himself)

Might be the best shot of the trip

Bob

Mr. B

 

[bsacbob]

Some pictures taken with my Montana when i was upright.

think this was the area Phil picked up the leeches

Phil and Dave coming together

 

[2wheels]

Nice pics Bob, and well done for enduring the ride.
That heavy, sweaty riding gear must have made things uncomfortable (but safe, I guess)
Must try some Montana shots; keep forgetting it has a camera!

 

[KTMphil]

Another nasty one, Bob didn't like the look of this

It got better again for a while

We still need to figure out where that road to the left goes

Another small village

 

[KTMphil]

I like this one Bob, hadn't seen it up until now. Good that the Montana has geo cached them all

 

[KTMphil]

Sky was starting to get angry, lets hope it holds off

Water buffalo's wallowing in the mud, didn't seem too concerned about us

How tough is this poor lady's life

3/4's of the loop back to Omkoi finished, time to collect some more local knowledge. The lady that owned this shop was a real entrepreneur, wholsaled fish, veggies and canned goods, very switched on.

 

[KTMphil]

Probably about 10km out of Omkoi here, nearly back. You can see the surface is pretty sandy making this track usable to the villages all year around

Fuel was available in most villages from pump up barrels

A tranquil dinner spot on the river 5km west of Omkoi

We wanted to see whats else was available for sleeping in Omkoi and this was a great place - The Sawanya GH

Absolutely perfect for the motorcycle traveler. 400 Bht fan room with 100 channels of TV (didnt try it), clean and central - perfect

Co-ords:

N17.79979

E98.36095

 

[KTMphil]

Dinner at "Omkoi Small Town", owned by the guy that owns the Shell petrol station in town, food was good and nice atmosphere

Day 3



There is a 7-11 in Omkoi, making breakfast easy and quick. Toasted sandwiches are a good start in the morning in the middle of nowhere

Fueling up at the Shell station

That same puddle from the other day

Bob through no problems this time

Everywhere still dry and looking good

We never did discover why this twig monument was in the middle of the road

This was pretty steep

We gave Bob some help on this one, walking up he left his gloves at the bottom, a nice Karen lady scurried up the hill and gave them to him