Purple Bananas, Peacocks and Wet Feet

2wheels

Community Manager
Joined
Apr 2, 2012
Location
Chiang Mai
Bikes
ROYAL ENFIELD CLASSIC
I needed to 'hit the road' today, so headed out from Doi Saket on 118 and, for the first time, called in to have a closer look at the site where nearly everyone (myself included) sounds the car/bike horn when passing. Anything for a safer journey on the 118 speedway!

N 18.53414
E 99.09848

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I'd driven and ridden past this many times and didn't realise it was a coffee stop/restaurant.
Must try it on my next ride that way. (Ban Gan Han)

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It was a late breakfast stop here, about 42kms from Chiang Mai; one of my favouritest places.
Pang Faen Resort is a really nice stop, with good food and pleasant service.
Many people rush past but it's worth a stop.

N 19.01078
E 99.17378

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Go down to the stream at the back of the place, which was raging today after the rains.

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I rode only a bit further and turned off 118 and onto 1252 at

N 19.01078
E 99.17967

I hadn't ridden this road before and was soon extremely glad that I chose it today.
Bumpy, slippery, twisty, hair-pins, steep climbs and steep descents.
Nice views in the gentle drizzle.

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I stopped at an attractive little Temple in a quiet village. (Wat Giew Dam)

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These old road markers are nice.

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Still on 1252 and loving it.
I stopped at this stream, removed the helmet and walked around a while.
Birds singing, water roaring, no traffic.

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Ancestor to the Aussie dingo.
We Aussies are always amused, some surprised, to see this canine which is so familiar to us.
Handsome dog prowling in the rain.

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Another stop to soak up the solitude, still on the wonderful 1252.

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'Ban Unforgettable' on 1252. (For the Nat 'King' Cole fans).

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Then I diverted off 1252 at

N 18.54338
E 99.17341

to investigate what appeared to be an interesting location.

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Just a short ride along a slippery, steep, leaf-strewn track to a water crossing, which I did ...
(That's where 'wet feet' comes into the story).

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... rather than the walk the bike over this.

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However the 'Knowledge Center' was merely an empty shelter in which, I guess, lessons are given about the local area. Nothing to see here ... or is there?

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So a cautious short ride back to the splendid 1252 and on to the T junction at the Mae Takhrai National Park.

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Turn left to Sankampaeng ...

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... or right to Ban Pong Ding.
Easy choice!

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Along the way I rode past 'Coffee Corner' then did a U-turn and called in.

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It's a delightful little place and I took the chance to discard most of my wet gear, sip a nice hot Americana and cold water ...

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... and chat with the delightful Khun Goong.
She has very good English and is a real gem of a lady.
We seemed to 'click' and chatted about everything from the wretched 'Tiered Pricing' policy in Thailand, to pensions, to Laos, to gardens and fruit trees, to Australian Aborigines; we pretty well covered it all during the hour I stayed.

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Khun Goong asked if I had ever seen purple bananas.
'No, what do they taste like?'
'Come on, I'll give you a little purple banana tree for your garden.
So I carried it very carefully back home in my pack-pack.

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So it was 'pop gan mai' to dear Khun Goong and back onto 118, which I soon diverted from by turning left into the Huai Hong Khrai Royal Development Project.

I'm always pleased to see these ribbons.

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And this is where 'peacocks' comes in.
I've never seen such a sign in Thailand before.

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I just wended my way along at whim, checking the Montana occasionally.
Ahhh, I'd been here a couple of weeks earlier. (Huai Hong Khrai Reservoir) so I had to stop to smell the Eucalypts.

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Then Montana took me to 3024, heading back to Doi Saket.
I like things to be symbiotic.

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Does this qualify Mr Midnight Mapper?

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In to Nam Nong Bua ...

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... and another Somtam and cold water (20 baht).

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And home to view the sunset from an Eastern perspective.

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Absolutely stunning report Ron.

On your doorstep, beautiful photos, a catalogue of the diversity found around here.

Thank you so much for sharing.

Ally
 
During this week's "RideAsia saticky bun / GPS tutorial session", Ron asked if I could explain a few things using the track from his recent ride.

After a delicious bun, a couple of scones and as many coffee's we looked at Ron's ride in some detail and shared some experiences we have in common along this route as well as revealing a bit more of exactly what that Montana is doing for you.

Here is the map you asked me to post for you Ron, I set the zoom level to 11 so the entire track was visible. As the system creates the map based on the start point, that gets plonked in the middle of the browser by default & if the zoom were to be set to 12 or 13 to see more detail by default, you would not see the entire track without manually navigating on the embedded map.

GpxViewer
 

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Delicious tutorial Ally, thank you.
I'm enjoying these lessons!
Hows about explaining how I/we can show the actual direction ridden during a ride?
In this case, my ride was clockwise.
 
Well well well, it's funny where a line of inquiry takes you eh ! ? ;)

I looked at your embedded gpx above and dragged the 'street view' icon to Coffee Corner and saw the welcome party.

:)


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Ally
 

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The 'Red Banana' species (Kluai Nak) is still a bit of a mystery to me; not much info on the Internet.
However, they are valuable. eBay has bulbs going for $39.95!
So not only is Khun Goong a friendly host, she is also a generous one.
The Kluai Nak is now planted alongside the Spirit House of my home, hoping both will prosper.
 
Thanks Marcus.
Most people could make a good photo out there; it's so picturesque.
 
Thanks for nice report ! I used to drop by Ban Hung Gun. There is very beautiful house like Netherlands. :lost

I was noticed when i enjoyed on the left curve then breaked my bike and return to taked photo there.

I wish i will be there with Enduro bike. :hmm
 
Hello Pin2Ride,

I'll call into this place next time I'm riding that road (#118).

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