Hi All
My first report, so be gentle.
Khao Yai, Tak, Mae Sariang, Pai, Chiang Mai, Lom Sak, KhaoYai.
Day 1, ready for set off. Nothing special about day 1, just kind of getting there riding. Overnight in the Riverview hotel in Tak. Nice enough, good view over the river…
Tak does not seem to have much to offer. Maybe if you had more time a bit more life could be found.
Day 2. Tak to Mae Sot along the 105. Turn right at Mae Sot and head up past the refugee camp. Spectacular to look at but I guess not the nicest place to live in. We then hit what we all thought was the best road wehad ridden in Thailand. Dead smooth tarmac, no traffic, sweeping bends etc. Stopped at a nice spot high up and were all saying it cant get any better. Well, we were right, a few kms later, it went to narrow lane, potholes, overgrown sides etc. Not so bad for the Versys and Multistradas but the Vulcan was struggling. The 105 is a mix of very very nice roads, absolute broken, deep potholes and normal average Thai road. It meant you were never quite sure what was round the next corner. Not a huge amount of traffic. A great days riding though.
We hit Mae Sariang and stayed at the Riverhouse hotel. Nice place, all wooden construction. Again, quiet town. We were all feeling tired as the day had been a long one.
Beer, dinner, bed....
Day 3. Mae Sariang to Pai. We knew this was going to be a good one so it was up, breakfast and off. Quick stop for gas and away. Great ride that day. Tons of hairpins, nice bends etc. Road was in pretty good shape.Few moments with the minivans coming round the corners on the wrong sides. A quick stop in Mae Hong Song for fuel and then on to Pai.
I don't think any of us were quite prepared for Pai. Its like a hippy commune with people wearing stupid clothes, bits of metal stuck through them and dirty matted hair. The best thing about it was the burger place we had seen on the internet and even better was the girlie cooking the burgers. Scrumptious, the burgers I mean. Stayed at Family house @ Pai. Nice joint, just by the river. Some very considerate person decided it would be beneficial to all to let fireworks off til midnight. I would like to have stuck one where the sun dont shine but there we go.
Pai, say no more.
I'll have mine anyway you make it.
Sunrise over Pai, very scenic for those up in time to see it.
Day 4. Pai to Chiang Mai via the 1096/1269 Samnoen loop. Another great day. Just seems to be one bend after another for ever. The road is not in good condition, guess the buses and trucks are pushing the tarmac down the hill on the bends so each corner was quite rough.We waved goodbye to the 1095 and joined the 107 to the start of the Samnoen loop. Stopped at the X center for food. Good nosh there. The buggies look like fun too. Went round the loop, fantastic bit of road. Headed into Chiang Mai. Stayed at De Naga, very nice place. Feeling fairly tired by then so good to have a big comfy bed to relax in.
We kept meeting up with a couple of Malaysian guys. Riding from Malaysia, through Thailand, Laos into China and back. Very tempted to join them.
Hit Riders corner in the morning for breakfast and Tshirts. Got put in our place a bit when an older Aussie gent turns up on a Postie bike. Where have you come from I ask, Timor, He says. Damn that's proper riding. He was heading up to Laos, Cambodia, back into Thailand before heading back to Australia. Hope its going well buddy.
3 of us did a loop on the 1001, 1150 and 118.Very nice ride. Much more open roads than on the Mae Hong Song loop and a lot faster. Headed back to the hotel. Dinner at the Irish bar close to the night market. Guess that wasn't a good plan cos I got the squits the next morning
Day 5. Chiang Mai to Lom Sak. Not a good start to the day. Bad guts and a long ride, never a good combination. Headed down Route 11,some very nice sections along there when you go through the mountains on the dual carriageway. Joined Route 12 and head towards Lom Sak. Stopped at Route 12 Diner. Have been there before a few years back and it has grown. They are also making Route 12 a dual carriageway so lots of roadworks. Finish off the last secton to Lom Sak and head to a hotel we have stayed before. The only place we had not pre booked. Yep, it was full, next one was full also. Now I am feeling like crap so its follow the gps to another one. We find a 10 room short time hotel, curtains across the parking area etc. One of the lads carries on towards Khon Kaen to meet his missus so we get 4 rooms. 200 Baht an hour or 400 a night. Beds like concrete but you did get free soap and condoms. Not the nicest night but it did the job.
Met this group on Route 11. All Ducati's if I remember right.
The newest addition to the Route 12 Diner.
Its a wonderful establishment, honest.
Look, I just don't care where, just get me another beer.
Day 6. No breakfast so its an early start. 4 of us head off for the first bit together, breakfast is noodle soup at a road side stall.The Vulcan leaves us as we get toward Pak Chong so the 3 of us contine to KhaoYai and the last onto Bangkok.
Breakfast. That is not breakfast. I want me Cornflakes.....
For me, a total of 2668kms. The others varied according to routes home etc. A damn good trip. Got both Ducatis run in properly.
Time to start planning the next one.
My first report, so be gentle.
Khao Yai, Tak, Mae Sariang, Pai, Chiang Mai, Lom Sak, KhaoYai.
Day 1, ready for set off. Nothing special about day 1, just kind of getting there riding. Overnight in the Riverview hotel in Tak. Nice enough, good view over the river…
Tak does not seem to have much to offer. Maybe if you had more time a bit more life could be found.
Day 2. Tak to Mae Sot along the 105. Turn right at Mae Sot and head up past the refugee camp. Spectacular to look at but I guess not the nicest place to live in. We then hit what we all thought was the best road wehad ridden in Thailand. Dead smooth tarmac, no traffic, sweeping bends etc. Stopped at a nice spot high up and were all saying it cant get any better. Well, we were right, a few kms later, it went to narrow lane, potholes, overgrown sides etc. Not so bad for the Versys and Multistradas but the Vulcan was struggling. The 105 is a mix of very very nice roads, absolute broken, deep potholes and normal average Thai road. It meant you were never quite sure what was round the next corner. Not a huge amount of traffic. A great days riding though.
We hit Mae Sariang and stayed at the Riverhouse hotel. Nice place, all wooden construction. Again, quiet town. We were all feeling tired as the day had been a long one.
Beer, dinner, bed....
Day 3. Mae Sariang to Pai. We knew this was going to be a good one so it was up, breakfast and off. Quick stop for gas and away. Great ride that day. Tons of hairpins, nice bends etc. Road was in pretty good shape.Few moments with the minivans coming round the corners on the wrong sides. A quick stop in Mae Hong Song for fuel and then on to Pai.
I don't think any of us were quite prepared for Pai. Its like a hippy commune with people wearing stupid clothes, bits of metal stuck through them and dirty matted hair. The best thing about it was the burger place we had seen on the internet and even better was the girlie cooking the burgers. Scrumptious, the burgers I mean. Stayed at Family house @ Pai. Nice joint, just by the river. Some very considerate person decided it would be beneficial to all to let fireworks off til midnight. I would like to have stuck one where the sun dont shine but there we go.
Pai, say no more.I'll have mine anyway you make it.Sunrise over Pai, very scenic for those up in time to see it.
Day 4. Pai to Chiang Mai via the 1096/1269 Samnoen loop. Another great day. Just seems to be one bend after another for ever. The road is not in good condition, guess the buses and trucks are pushing the tarmac down the hill on the bends so each corner was quite rough.We waved goodbye to the 1095 and joined the 107 to the start of the Samnoen loop. Stopped at the X center for food. Good nosh there. The buggies look like fun too. Went round the loop, fantastic bit of road. Headed into Chiang Mai. Stayed at De Naga, very nice place. Feeling fairly tired by then so good to have a big comfy bed to relax in.
We kept meeting up with a couple of Malaysian guys. Riding from Malaysia, through Thailand, Laos into China and back. Very tempted to join them.
Hit Riders corner in the morning for breakfast and Tshirts. Got put in our place a bit when an older Aussie gent turns up on a Postie bike. Where have you come from I ask, Timor, He says. Damn that's proper riding. He was heading up to Laos, Cambodia, back into Thailand before heading back to Australia. Hope its going well buddy.
3 of us did a loop on the 1001, 1150 and 118.Very nice ride. Much more open roads than on the Mae Hong Song loop and a lot faster. Headed back to the hotel. Dinner at the Irish bar close to the night market. Guess that wasn't a good plan cos I got the squits the next morning
Day 5. Chiang Mai to Lom Sak. Not a good start to the day. Bad guts and a long ride, never a good combination. Headed down Route 11,some very nice sections along there when you go through the mountains on the dual carriageway. Joined Route 12 and head towards Lom Sak. Stopped at Route 12 Diner. Have been there before a few years back and it has grown. They are also making Route 12 a dual carriageway so lots of roadworks. Finish off the last secton to Lom Sak and head to a hotel we have stayed before. The only place we had not pre booked. Yep, it was full, next one was full also. Now I am feeling like crap so its follow the gps to another one. We find a 10 room short time hotel, curtains across the parking area etc. One of the lads carries on towards Khon Kaen to meet his missus so we get 4 rooms. 200 Baht an hour or 400 a night. Beds like concrete but you did get free soap and condoms. Not the nicest night but it did the job.
Met this group on Route 11. All Ducati's if I remember right.
The newest addition to the Route 12 Diner.
Its a wonderful establishment, honest.
Look, I just don't care where, just get me another beer.
Day 6. No breakfast so its an early start. 4 of us head off for the first bit together, breakfast is noodle soup at a road side stall.The Vulcan leaves us as we get toward Pak Chong so the 3 of us contine to KhaoYai and the last onto Bangkok.
Breakfast. That is not breakfast. I want me Cornflakes.....
For me, a total of 2668kms. The others varied according to routes home etc. A damn good trip. Got both Ducatis run in properly.
Time to start planning the next one.
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