Merlin joins us for a trip up north (and crashes)

[KTMphil]

Merlin mark justin mae sai.jpg[/attachment:1gfx2atg]

Justin has been burning lots of oil on his KTM 525 EXC since its recent engine rebuild, here in the squat position checking the sight glass before we leave.

Here's 20 year old Merlin the German joking around as usual

Quick top up with fuel and we're off

Made Tha Ton up R 107 still early in the morning so stopped at the Tha Ton Chalet (hotel) right be the bridge that crosses the Kok river for lunch

You can sit by the river and eat, really nice spot

The manager told us rooms were 1,200 bht low season & 1,600 bht high season

Beautiful view of the wat's on the opposite river bank from the hotel

Justin brushing up on his pick up techniques with help from a local Akha lady selling her wears

She gave his charm the thumbs up

Below is a map of the location of the Tha Ton Chalet Hotel (error- "Thaa" should be "Tha" on map notation)
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[KTMphil]

North from Tha Ton we had planned to do the route below which has some great mountain twisties
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As we approached R 1234 south of Doi Mae Salong the skies opened and it didn't seem a good idea, take a look at Merlins shirt!

He was all ready for a wet tshirt nipple competition

Hanging out in the rain waiting for Merlin to show up

Lunchtime, managed to get to Mae Sai & lunch at the Lab Lung Air on the road to Chiang Saen. Justin took an off-road short cut and had a slip (evidence on the left bark buster)

Nam (from Nakhon Rachasima) who owns and cooks at the Lab Lung Air in Mae Sai is an amazing cook, highly recommend his pork fillets

Skid marks before eating --check out Justin's new man bra? Go-Pro chest mount

The Lab Lung Air Restaurant Mae Sai

Location of the Lab Lung Air restaurant, Mae Sai - heading north 2km before the border, turn right at the traffic light sign posted to Chiang Saen.
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Great food was had by all, we all had the pork fillets! Justin drying off.

While the visa run was being done, Justin caught up on some maintenace, look at the 18 x 175 rear, looks magic!

For this custom SM wheel set up, he had to fabricate some custom brackets to line up the brake calipers

Custom bracket

Swingarm clearance on the 175 rear is about 1mm!

 

[KTMphil]

Visa runs done, off south to Chiang Rai for an evening of drunkeness. We stayed at the Rose Rose Inn, theme hotel, a very fun place to stay in Chiang Rai. It started out as a short time knocking shop with theme rooms, such as boxing ring rooms, star trek rooms etc.....

Entrance to my "boxing room" room, note the pink board on the RHS wall to cover the number plate on your vehicle as some of the guests are shagging someone they shouldn't be and want to be discrete!

Awesome room for 500 baht, beds are super comfy

Got up in the middle of the night to take a whizz after 19 Hienikens and couldn't find my way out of the ring

"Interesting" stool in the bathroom for cleaning personal areas!

& a foam bed in the bathroom too!!

Amusing toilet roll holder in the room with his fingers over his nose

Nasty hangovers the next morning and the bright colors of the Red Rose Inn not helping, off south back on the roads

Location of the Red Rose Inn in Chiang Rai
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[KTMphil]

Along R 109 Merlin was riding between Justin & me, ahead Justin had stopped and there was no Merlin. It became clear that he'd crashed somewhere so we back tracked and found him.

He'd slammed the front brake on at a corner, felt like he's overcooked, it and decided to go straight into the ditch

Mr. Rossi wrestling the Er6 back up right in the ditch

Getting it out

Even a kind local stepped in to help

Mark trying to drive it out of the ditch , too steep and road tires, couldn't be done

Pulling it out

The gorge Merlin cut through the brush in the ditch!

He was pretty lucky no real damage - a cracked front fender thats all

Foliage removed from the bike

Some moody cloud pictures on the way south on R107

A fun 2 days out. Mark pointed out a dirt trail that hasn't been mapped yet that links two roads in the north, we're going to try that in the coming weeks.

 

[Marco]

Nice trips and report, thank you guys,,just maybe i can join some day,, who knows,,, too busy for working

 

[Lone Rider]

A fun 2 days out. Mark pointed out a dirt trail that hasn't been mapped yet that links two roads in the north, we're going to try that in the coming weeks.

Hope it is not the road between the 107 at Tum Klab (the turnoff to the north to the Green School) which links with the 1178 at Lin Luang (at the junction of the 1178 and the 1340 to Doi Angkhan) as this road is now for some 80-90 % asphalt (new rural road 3037)

 

[KTMphil]

A fun 2 days out. Mark pointed out a dirt trail that hasn't been mapped yet that links two roads in the north, we're going to try that in the coming weeks.

Hope it is not the road between the 107 at Tum Klab (the turnoff to the north to the Green School) which links with the 1178 at Lin Luang (at the junction of the 1178 and the 1340 to Doi Angkhan) as this road is now for some 80-90 % asphalt (new rural road 3037)

Mark thinks the one he refers to is still dirt all the way through with some interesting settlements, so must be a different one, we'll get all the tracks for you.

 

[KTMphil]

We had trouble finding a tuk tuk late at night in Chiang Rai, Justin his usual innovative self adapting to any mode of transport available (sorry about photo quality from telephone camera in the dark)

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[Er-6nGerman]

Ahahahaha!

That guy.. He was actually collecting trash like empty glass bottles and stuff like that. I guess I've been the biggest piece of crap he could find on the roads in his life

Anyway, it was great fun, especially sitting in that carrier and whating the wheels about to fall off

Thanks for the great Ride guys!

 

[Midnitemapper]

That was a great fun report to read while watching the rain pelt down outside....
Warning: Heavy rain, flash floods
Published: 25/06/2011 at 11:39 AM
Online news:
The Meteorological Department on Saturday morning issued a warning for people in the North and Northeast to prepare for widespread scattered rain with heavy falls in some areas and the danger of floods during June 25 to 26.

The department said the Haima depression is now moving westward across Laos, about 180 km from Udon Thani, and this will cause widespread scattered rain on the upper and northeastern parts of Thailand.

People living near hillsides and waterways in Chiang Rai, Phayao, Phrae, Nan, Uttharadit, Phitsanulok, Petchabun, Loei, Nong Bua Lamphu, Udon Thani, Nong Khai, Bueng Karn, Sakon Nakhon and Nakhon Phanom should prepare for heavy rain and flash flooding, it warned.

Due to the prevailing southwest monsoon over the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, there will also be strong wind-generated 2 to 3-metre-high waves in the Andaman Sea.

All shipping should proceed with caution and small boats should keep ashore today and the next few days, the department said.

 

[KTMphil]

They weren't wrong, it started raining mid-day on 25th june & has now rained constantly for 20 hours, might be a good day to go look at some waterfalls.

 

[Pounce]

They weren't wrong, it started raining mid-day on 25th june & has now rained constantly for 20 hours, might be a good day to go look at some waterfalls.

...on the bike, up close - hopefully.
We need more of your adventures Phil.

We had 55mm of rain here Friday night in 1/2 an hour, which is very rare for Perth & I can't go out & enjoy the trails
C'mon September when I'm allowed back on the bike.

 

[Mark Rossi]

thanks for the ride guys, it was the most fun trip I have had in a long time.
Auke: No it is not that road I beleive that was already gps-ed a few years ago. This is a trail between the 109 and 1150.

 

[KTMphil]

They weren't wrong, it started raining mid-day on 25th june & has now rained constantly for 20 hours, might be a good day to go look at some waterfalls.

...on the bike, up close - hopefully.
We need more of your adventures Phil.

We had 55mm of rain here Friday night in 1/2 an hour, which is very rare for Perth & I can't go out & enjoy the trails
C'mon September when I'm allowed back on the bike.

I just got one of my DRZ400's back an hour ago with a 440 bore kit installed and a delta exhaust. Itching to go out and play on it but it's still pissing with rain!

 

[KTMphil]

While out on the town in Chiang Rai, a tuk tuk driver took us to an amazing new Coyote bar in Chiang Rai.

It's walking distance from the Red Rose Inn or Sport Inn (both great places to stay in Chiang Rai) & is just around the corner from Sperm Club. I think it's called Sugar Beat, can't be sure as we were so drunk on arrival i could be wrong.

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