woraphat

hello bike people. My husband write the words below. Please join if you can. Good fun.

Hello all. My husband write this for all bike forum in Thailand. Please share.

The wife and I often get calls from people we don't know who need help in recovering a broken, wrecked or otherwise incapacitated motorcycle in northern Thailand. For many people, because of Woraphat's extensive business advertising, she is their only contact when they are in the Chiang Rai area or the north. We can usually arrange for a local person with a pickup truck to arrive on scene, load the bike and return it to Chiang Rai or sometimes, to the far away home of the rider. With that in mind, we are going to try to start a motorcycle recovery project in Thailand, with perhaps one phone number for riders to call to get help anywhere in the country. If you or anyone else would like to have your phone number added as a recovery source for this area or any other area (you own an available truck or trailer with driver or have family, friend or mechanic who does), please give us a PM. We will post this to other motorcycle forums in Thailand and perhaps we can build a good network that will service all areas of Thailand with one phone number. If not, you can at least count on us to help you in the Chiang Rai/northern Thailand area. For the Chiang Rai area, 089-429-4562 for Woraphat, English and Thai language, 24 hours.

We are open to suggestions that will help to get this project off the ground outside of the Chiang Rai area. We are also open to suggestions that will make things run more smoothly in the Chiang Rai area. If you know of a service that has already been established in Thailand, let us know and we will link up with them instead of starting this from scratch.

We know that in most areas that a person could have trouble, there are locals with trucks that will help if asked. However, we often hear from people who cannot communicate with the locals or for some other reason, do not want to get them involved. Some of those riders call us from the hospital and cannot return to the scene of the disabled bike. This service will be for those who genuinely need help from an English and Thai speaking source. If you know of a phone number that is manned 24 hours a day that can take calls in English and Thai, Thailand-wide and connect the rider with a recovery team/shop in his area, please let us know.

This service is not meant to be a profit making business venture for us. We do not charge anything for our help in connecting people with a recovery truck nor do we make any commission from the various folks who have done recovery for us. We do not repair motorcycles nor do we wish to have any bikes needing repair dropped off at our shop. There are other shops in town who specialize in bike repairs and that is where the bikes should be delivered if they aren't delivered to the owner's home. However, if you do require recovery for a motorcycle, you can be expected to do whatever is right for the team that shows up to assist you. We can hardly expect anyone who is called for a recovery run to drop what they are doing to come get you and not receive anything for their time, fuel and vehicle use. If you call Woraphat for help, she should be able to give you a very good idea of how many baht that particular recovery person will be expecting.

Looking forward to some input to help make this work.

Marty and Woraphat

Chiang Rai Saddlebags and Biker Gear

Hello all. This update goes to all on our mail list. Hope you can see us there.

Hello all.

The ride is on for the 10th., which is this Saturday. Weather forecast is good.

Map, start point and all- http://goo.gl/maps/Q2GuV

Ian estimates 190 kilometers for this ride. For those who want a shorter route and can’t devote the whole day to a ride, you can head east to the super highway(Highway 1) from Doi Tung and save yourselves quite a bit of time.

The start and meeting point for the ride is the PTT and Amazon Coffee Café on the Super Highway (Highway 1) near the old bus station in Chiang Rai, just south of the Kawasaki dealer

Meeting time: 08:30

Departure time: 09:00

Coffee, petrol, tire inflation, snacks and restrooms are available at the PTT and Amazon.

This is an exceptional route. I think the people that participate will add this one to their bag of tricks to show newcomers. It is certainly off the beaten path. And if you’re a tour operator, you will want to know this one.

I scouted this route with Ian and John a few days ago. I think this is one ride that four wheel vehicles would be better off not participating in. There are quite a few kilometers of route that are more or less single lane and four wheel vehicles may have trouble if they meet like vehicles on some of the route. However, if any of you want to go ahead with those vehicles, up to you.

Bring your cameras, folks. There are some real jaw-dropping views in many places along this route. Even if you don’t bring your cameras, plan on several stops where the “Wow!” factor will take over.

There is quite a bit of steep road on this one but I found it fun. As the planner, Ian, has said, it is a slow route because of the amount of turns. Smaller bikes will do as well, or better, than the bigger bikes on this one. If you have a bike that is chopped too much, you may find the sharp turns to be some work for you.

I have done my best to figure this route out well enough to put it to Google Maps so you all could get a good idea of the road. I cannot do it. I just can’t seem to match up all the turns with all of the possibilities on Google map. I will however try to get the turns marked with the orange diamond markers. I am not sure I can find my way again and if I can’t, then I’ll just stick with Ian on ride day.

For specific turns and directions on the route, you can PM Woraphat and I will send map links to you..

An aside: Anyone who wants to have input on the over-nighter to Nan next month, let me know Saturday. We will set the date for the ride and route planning meeting in the few days following the Nov. ride. I know nothing about Nan or going to Nan so I will be looking for some experience to make this thing go well.

See you all on the morning of the 10th.

Hello bikers. We have send this to all on the e-mail list. Please come with us if you can go. Good fun all times and new people join with us every ride. Welcome.

Woraphat

Hello all.

Nov. 10, 2012, a Saturday, is the date for the next Chiang Rai Bikers Day Ride.

This date will coincide with some other bike related events in Northern Thailand. For any of you who aren’t attending any of those, we hope you will join us for a pleasant day ride.

The route for this one has been called by Ian and is looking great . The route will take us north and west of Chiang Rai, into some great hill/mountain riding. Ian’s words concerning this route- “I have the route sorted for the November ride and a real cracker it is, too. Takes in some of the best scenery in CR province.”

Mark your calendars and make your room reservations if you need them.

Maps, stops and other details for that ride will be posted soon.

Also of note: The over-nighter to Nan in December is a sure thing. Detailed planning will begin soon. If you have input on that ride, please e-mail your advice and experiences to us. If you would like to attend the planning meeting in early November, let us know what date you can attend and we will try to schedule a planning meeting for a date that works for you. We will have a rib BBQ and more on the day/evening prior to the Nan ride. More details coming on that.

Hello bikers. We send this to all. Can come join us if you want. Every month we go. Woraphat

This mailing goes out to all on our Chiang Rai Bikers Day Ride mailing list. If you would to receive this in our e-mail, just let me know and I will add you to the list. If you know of someone else who would like to receive this information, please forward this to them and/or have them contact me to be added to the list. Please feel free to post this to any blogs, bulletin boards or websites that you know of where the information may be useful. The Chiang Rai Bikers Day Ride is typically held on the 10th of each month, allowing some folks a weekend to ride and others a weekday to ride throughout the year. We can’t make every ride convenient for all bikers but we try to make sure all bikers can join us for some of the rides each year.

Welcome all to the Chiang Rai Bikers Day Ride. The next monthly ride will be 10 October, a Wednesday.

Map, start point and all- http://goo.gl/maps/Q2GuV

The start and meeting point for the ride is the PTT and Amazon Coffee Café on the Super Highway (Highway 1) near the old bus station in Chiang Rai, just south of the Kawasaki dealer

Meeting time: 08:30

Departure time: 09:00

Coffee, petrol, tire inflation, snacks and restrooms are available at the PTT and Amazon.

The route proposed by the latest volunteer route planner is approximately 250 km. Distance from point to point in the descriptions below were done with a scale on a map and are not exact and do not account for elevation changes. Because of this, the distance listed will not add up to total kilometers for the ride. If someone wants to route this on better mapping software and share it, I will disseminate that info.

A rough description of the route and itinerary is as follows-

Leave the PTT and Amazon Coffee meeting spot and head north for approximately 11 or 12 k, turn right at the traffic lights just past Nang Lae onto 1209

Proceed approximately 18 K and take the obvious highway right.

Proceed a total of 9 k after making this turn. However, after two kilometers you will cross the river bridge. This is your verification that you are on the correct road.

At Dong Maha Wan, you will go left on the unmarked highway and head north-east for approx. 14 K to the intersection with route 1098, near Doi Luang.

Right onto 1098 and proceed approx. 24 k to route 1174.

Right onto 1174 and proceed approximately 4k. You are at San Wiang. Here, you head east again. This one is tricky. As you go around San Wiang, highway 1174 makes a sharp right but there is a straight shot in front of you that will take you across the valley. Stay on that route, heading east.

After travelling approx.18 k, you come to Bun Rueang and here you go right onto the 1120.

Proceed approx.. 12 k and be looking for a left hand turn. Over the entryway onto this turn is a large sign proclaiming the gateway to Pu Chi Fa. This road will take you up and over the mountain, dumping you onto the 1155. Up and over the mountain to 1155 is approx. 8 k.

Note-This is a paved road but it is very steep. Going down the other side is steep as well with very sharp turns. Low gear, slow, don’t get hurt. At the top of the mountain is a large paved turn-out for taking in the views. There are no refreshments up there that I saw but it is worth the stop for the gander and picture taking.

Take the 1155 right/south approx. 23 k to the 1020.

Right/east on the 1020 to Thoeng, approx. 5 k

As you enter Thoeng, you will come upon road construction and the divided highway begins. At that point, where the divided highway begins, make a left to go to the lunch stop. It is approx. 3 k south and on your right. It is a large restaurant area, lots of parking, several style of seating and covered areas.

From the lunch stop, head back to Thoeng and the 1020. Left onto the 1020 and take it back to Chiang Rai.

We scouted this ride a few days ago. Total kilometers on my odometer was around 240. There is nothing for decent coffee stop until we get onto the 1155 and then there are a few. We stopped in different little villages and had cokes for our rest breaks. If anyone knows of a good place about midway in the morning, let us know.

For a look at the route on the Google map, click this link- http://goo.gl/maps/Q2GuV

Folks, anyone can plan a ride. If you think you have a good route for us to run in the future, let us know. If you need help sussing it out, I and others are always happy to scout it all out with you and nail it down prior to the ride date. And if you have a route that doesn’t need any scouting or help, let us know that and what month you would like to call it. Woraphat and I will do our best to disseminate the info to all in English and Thai and get the best participation we can for your ride. And by the way, just because this info is in English and Thai doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of participants from non-English speaking countries. We have folks from all over. The English thing means only that I can’t speak or write another language. Feel free to translate this and pass it on.

The Chiang Rai Bikers Day Ride is not a club event, a sponsored event or a closed event. It is open to all who wish to attend and have a way to travel or can hitch a ride. All sizes and styles of bikes are welcome, as are cars, trucks, vans and so on. We always have bikes from around 100 cc’s up to at 1,800 cc’s. Bikers of all skill levels and riding styles are welcome. While we typically leave the start point together, we soon find ourselves riding in small groups of riders who share our riding style and speed. Faster riders arrive at coffee and lunch stops sooner than the slower riders but we all take the time at those stops to meet and enjoy the company of old friends and new acquaintances. This is as much a social gathering as it is a sightseeing outing and to date, it has proven to be an exceptionally friendly gathering where people make new friends, Thai and expat alike, find new riding buddies and share route info, technical tips and all other manner of relevant information. If you do decide to join us, I believe you will find this meeting the highlight of your biking and social month.

While we do generally have planned stops, each rider is free to stop where and when he/she pleases. There is no pressure to stay with the group. Smoke breaks, rest breaks, pee breaks, photo opportunities and even the lunch stop are entirely up to you. You can run ahead, fall behind and even check in a guest house for an overnight stay along the route if you see a place where you think you need to spend some time. It is all about discovering the area, meeting folks and coming away with a more informed view of the land we live in and the people we come in contact with. Bring your camera. There are great photo opportunities.

No egos, no racing and no competitive personalities means this meeting finds all to be on their best and friendliest behavior. Join us to see the best of northern Thailand each month. You won’t find a nicer group of people discovering or re-discovering the scenic routes of Lanna country. We ride all year round and while some find reasons to stay home to avoid environmental discomforts, some of us find that living or visiting in Thailand offers year round riding weather. Again, welcome to join us. Make that leap and be glad you did. You won’t feel out of place at the Chiang Rai Bikers Day Ride. Coming from far away? Contact us for guest house and hotel info prior to arriving. We will try to suggest some lodging that fits your budget and lifestyle.

Hello riders. Please seen new info on our ride:

Here is what was sent out to all concerning updates for the coming ride:

Hello all.

Looks like the weather forecast for tomorrow the 10th is getting better. We are a go for that date and I’m looking forward to the ride. Some new coffee stop and lunch info is presented later in this e-mail. Please read on.

Meeting and start times and location are here:

The start and meeting point for the ride is the PTT and Amazon Coffee Café on the Super Highway (Highway 1) near the old bus station in Chiang Rai, just south of the Kawasaki dealer. You can find the PTT on this map- http://goo.gl/maps/jMLhX

Meeting time: 08:30

Departure time: 09:00

Coffee, petrol, tire inflation, snacks and restrooms are available at the PTT and Amazon.

I know some of you have mentioned several coffee stop places in Chiang Khong and will head to your favorite spot. In addition to those spots, David and Mai of Chiang Khong have provided the following info for a coffee stop in CK. David writes:

Hi Folks,

Looking forward to seeing you here in Chiang Khong.

For a Great Coffee (other drinks also) and one of the finest views to be found anywhwere along the Mekong; located just 6 kilometers north of Chiang Khong you will find a bamboo coffee hut directly alongside the upland side of the road, called Naka's Kiosken. And it has lots of parking too.

Sorry I've no pictures of Naka's Bamboo Coffee Shop, but here are a couple of pictures of the river and also a picture of the owner with my wife.

Mai and I are looking forward to seeing you there and then continuing the ride north.

Cheers,

David and Mai

Chiang Khong

As for lunch, several will be attending the Thai Kitchen as mentioned in the earlier post and a new offer has come in from Ian at Chiang Saen. I have attached the map to the place that Ian writes about. Ian writes:

Hi Everyone,

I would like to extend an invitation to lunch at Viang Yonok Hotel, for all on the Chiang Rai Biker's day ride, 10th September.

This is a lovely quiet spot, just 4 klms from Chiang Saen and next to beautiful Chiang Saen lake.

We can offer a moderate choice for lunch for about 200 Baht each (main dish, soup, fruit). Being a member of the Chiang Rai biking community it would be a pleasure to have you here. There is plenty of parking space and we can seat about 30 people in our restaurant.

We are located at;

Latitude: 20 deg 15.7' N

Longitude: 100 deg 03.0' E

and here is a map showing how to get here from Chiang Saen.

See you all on 10th September.

If you plan to eat at Ian's place tomorrow, please let him know at the initial meeting between 08:30 and 09:00. Knowledge of approximate numbers of attendees for lunch at his place will be very helpful to his staff.

Looking forward to seeing you all tomorrow.

Marty and Woraphat

Hi riders. My husband has sent this to all on our riders list. Come ride with us!

Hello All. I hope this note finds everyone well.

Please refer to the earlier post for info on starting time and meeting location.

We have had a major route change for the Sept. 10 Chiang Rai Bikers Day Ride. The route planner for this one did some scouting and found some issues with the planned route that aren’t going to work out for the Sept. ride. He and others have laid out a different route. I know this will affect our Chiang Mai riders more than if will affect the locals here in CR. I apologize for the change but in this case, it is necessary.

Basic description of the new route is: Leave CR and head for Chiang Khong, enjoy a coffee stop there on the river front, then follow the river north to Chiang Saen for the lunch stop. Our Chiang Khong coffee stop will be announced on the morning of the ride with input from the CK riders. There are several nice riverside overlooks that have decent coffee service. For this route, which is seen on the map at the link provided below, there will be a shorter option and a longer option. Several of us will be doing the longer option, which takes us north from Chiang Saen along the border all the way to Mae Sai, while the shorter route will take riders from Chiang Saen directly back to CR via Mae Chan. The river route is highly recommended and has some very good riding surfaces, along with a bit that is less than perfect.

Lunch stop. There are many restaurants in Chiang Saen. However, the wife and I will be going 3 or 4 km north of Chain Saen to have lunch at The Thai Kitchen, which sits on the river’s edge, has plenty of seating, open air and indoors, and greats views across the river. I believe that lunch for the two of us will run 400 or 500 baht based on their menu prices. If folks wish to eat at a less expensive place, there will be some good recommendations for shops in Chiang Saen on the morning of the ride. The Thai Kitchen location is not on the main route map but can be found at the green arrow marker here- http://goo.gl/maps/Cbg9L

Grid coordinates for that restaurant are 20.31036 and 100.09256

New route details that we are going with for the shorter route is listed below. The shorter route is estimated to be 221 km. For the longer route, we will stay on 1290, the Mynamar/Thailand border highway all the way to Mae Sai and then return to CR via Highway 1-

PTT Chiang Rai

1. Head south on Phahon Yothin Rd toward Soi Chaiwut 650 m

2. Take the 2nd left onto Srivhiang Rd/Route 1233 Continue to follow Route 1233 6.3 km

3. Continue straight onto Route 1173 4.5 km

4. Turn left to stay on Route 1173 2.8 km

1173 Wiang Chai, Chiang Rai 57210

5. Head east on Route 1173 19.5 km

6. Turn right to stay on Route 1173 9.6 km

Pa Sang, Wiang Chiang Rung Chiang Rai

7. Head east on Route 1173 4.1 km

8. Slight right to stay on Route 1173 6.6 km

9. Turn right onto Route 1098 19.3 km

1174 - 1098 Huai So, Chiang Khong, Chiang Rai 57140

10. Head northeast on Route 1174 14.1 km

11. Turn right to stay on Route 1174 7.9 km

12. Turn left to stay on Route 1174 2.9 km

13. Slight left to stay on Route 1174 1.7 km

14. Turn left onto Route 1020/AH3 7.6 km

Route 1020/AH3

15. Head north on Route 1020/AH3 toward Route 1129 6 m

16. Take the 1st left onto Route 1129 35.8 km

17. Turn left to stay on Route 1129 17.0 km

18. Continue onto Route 1290 86 m

Chiang Saen Chiang Rai

19. Head south on Route 1290 toward Route 1016 86 m

20. Take the 1st right onto Route 1016 31.2 km

21. Keep left at the fork 260 m

22. Continue onto Phahon Yothin Rd/Route 1/AH2 900 m

23. Turn right onto Nakkhaphan 400 m

24. At the roundabout, take the 1st exit onto Thanon Hiran Nakhon 61 m

Mae Chan Chiang Rai

25. Head north on Thanon Hiran Nakhon 29 m

26. At the roundabout, take the 2nd exit onto Nakkhaphan 500 m

27. Turn right onto Phahon Yothin Rd/Route 1/AH2 20.6 km

28. Turn left onto Ban Du Soi 4 210 m

Ban Du, Mueang Chiang Rai Chiang Rai

Map link is here- http://goo.gl/maps/ioqVk

Looking forward to seeing you all.

..same place na ka...

In the absence of the Chiang Rai Pot Luck founder, Scorpio45, the twenty third CR Pot Luck Picnic will be held on Sunday, 26 August at 13:00 at our rainy season alternate location. It is the public park located on the river between the two bridges and a little west of the Legend Hotel.

For those needing info on the location, here is a map with legend. It lists two PL locations. The one for the rainy season (now) is the one marked by a green picnic table on the river edge in town - http://goo.gl/maps/RKbb

GPS coordinates are- 19.91850, 99.83848

What is the pot luck? Anyone and everyone is welcome. Everyone brings a dish or dishes enough to feed themselves, if that was all they ate, and a little more. The food is typically home-cooked outdoor comfort food, maybe not good for the waist but oh so good. Frequent dishes are potato, tuna, chicken, macaroni and green salads but the list is endless. Some of the more interesting dishes have been some of the attendees from non-English speaking countries. There are always some Thai dishes as well for our contingent of Thai wives and gf's to graze upon. Home cooking is what makes the pot luck picnic special but dishes from a deli or the Pizza Company, KFC, etc. are warmly welcomed as well, if you’re a non-cook or in a rush. What does not get eaten you take home. You should also bring plates, flatware, glasses and what you are drinking. If you forget, someone always brings some spares. Chairs, if you have them are not necessary but are useful. The only other requirement is a smile.

Regards,

Hello everyone. My husband writes about next month ride. I hope you can be with us that day for good ride and fun.

This mailing goes out to all on our Chiang Rai Bikers Day Ride mailing list. If you would prefer not to receive this, just let me know and I will remove you from the list. If you know of someone else who would like to receive this information, please forward this to them and/or have them contact me to be added to the list. Please feel free to post this to any blogs, bulletin boards or websites that you know of where the information may be useful. The Chiang Rai Bikers Day Ride is typically held on the 10^th of each month, allowing some folks a weekend to ride and others a weekday to ride throughout the year. We can’t make every ride convenient for all bikers but we try to make sure all bikers can join us for some of the rides each year.

Welcome all to the Chiang Rai Bikers Day Ride. The next monthly ride will be 10 September, a Monday. The route proposed by the latest volunteer route planner is approximately 230 km.

Keep in mind that there may be a few minor tweaks to the route proposed below but any updates will go out in plenty of time prior to the ride. A rough description of the route and itinerary is as follows-

Leave the PTT and Amazon Coffee meeting spot and head south, turn left at the first set of traffic lights and head towards Wiang Chaing Rung (Highway 1 to Highway 1232 to Highway 1173)

From there, head towards Waterford Valley Golf Resort

Somewhere in that area, we will have the first coffee stop. We will nail that one down in the coming days and get that info out to all prior to the ride.

Then to Phaya Mengrai.

Then to Theong. At the traffic lights at Thoeng, hang a left and about 1.5km down the road we turn right and follow the soi down for 3 or 4 km. There are about 6 or more prawn farms. We will go to the one with the best parking and seating for us that has reasonable food.

After lunch, we go to Chiang Kham via the route shown on the map. The road to Pa Daet is all ripped up so this route gets us to the main drag to Chiang Kham. Have coffee at the PTT Amazon at Chiang Kham.

Take the Chiang Kham bypass to Chun road and turn off to Pa Daet - well sign posted.

Then the route is the same one taken, but in reverse, 3 or 4 rides back when we first went to Phayao.

Arrive at Pa Daet.

Then to Chiang Rai.

For a look at the route on the Google map, click this link- http://goo.gl/maps/hqGsy

The start and meeting point for the ride is the PTT and Amazon Coffee Café on the Super Highway (Highway 1) near the old bus station in Chiang Rai, just south of the Kawasaki dealer. You can find the PTT on this map- http://goo.gl/maps/jMLhX

Meeting time: 08:30

Departure time: 09:00

Coffee, petrol, tire inflation, snacks and restrooms are available at the PTT and Amazon.

In the past, there have been a few folks who have wished they could contact me before or during the ride. Here is my phone number for those who wish to enter it into their phones- 087-726-9818. I wear my helmet headset on the rides so you can call any time and expect me to pick up. If you’re lost, I am not sure I can help but if nothing else, maybe I can come find you and we can be lost together.

Woraphat’s number is 089-429-4562 for those who may need a Thai speaker to help them out.

Folks, anyone can plan a ride. If you think you have a good route for us to run in the future, let us know. If you need help sussing it out, I and others are always happy to scout it all out with you and nail it down prior to the ride date. And if you have a route that doesn’t need any scouting or help, let us know that and what month you would like to call it. Woraphat and I will do our best to disseminate the info to all in English and Thai and get the best participation we can for your ride. And by the way, just because this info is in English and Thai doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of participants from non-English speaking countries. We have folks from all over. The English thing means only that I can’t speak or write another language. Feel free to translate this and pass it on.

The Chiang Rai Bikers Day Ride is not a club event, a sponsored event or a closed event. It is open to all who wish to attend and have a way to travel or can hitch a ride. All sizes and styles of bikes are welcome, as are cars, trucks, vans and so on. We always have bikes from around 100 cc’s up to at 1,800 cc’s. Bikers of all skill levels and riding styles are welcome. While we typically leave the start point together, we soon find ourselves riding in small groups of riders who share our riding style and speed. Faster riders arrive at coffee and lunch stops sooner than the slower riders but we all take the time at those stops to meet and enjoy the company of old friends and new acquaintances. This is as much a social gathering as it is a sightseeing outing and to date, it has proven to be an exceptionally friendly gathering where people make new friends, Thai and expat alike, find new riding buddies and share route info, technical tips and all other manner of relevant information. If you do decide to join us, I believe you will find this meeting the highlight of your biking and social month.

While we do generally have planned stops, each rider is free to stop where and when he/she pleases. There is no pressure to stay with the group. Smoke breaks, rest breaks, pee breaks, photo opportunities and even the lunch stop are entirely up to you. You can run ahead, fall behind and even check in a guest house for an overnight stay along the route if you see a place where you think you need to spend some time. It is all about discovering the area, meeting folks and coming away with a more informed view of the land we live in and the people we come in contact with. Bring your camera. There are great photo opportunities.

No egos, no racing and no competitive personalities means this meeting finds all to be on their best and friendliest behavior. Join us to see the best of northern Thailand each month. You won’t find a nicer group of people discovering or re-discovering the scenic routes of Lanna country. We ride all year round and while some find reasons to stay home to avoid environmental discomforts, some of us find that living or visiting in Thailand offers year round riding weather. Again, welcome to join us. Make that leap and be glad you did. You won’t feel out of place at the Chiang Rai Bikers Day Ride. Coming from far away? Contact us for guest house and hotel info prior to arriving. We will try to suggest some lodging that fits your budget and lifestyle.

Hi everyone. My husband writes about our ride from Friday. We have good fun on the day. Hope to see you all next time. See his words below. Can pm me for add to the mailing list.

The following e-mail went out to all on the day ride mailing list.

Hello all.

The August 10 ride went well. All told, we had 26 or 27 bikes participating, some of those were two-up. We left CR at 09:00 with a fair number of riders and enjoyed an extended coffee break at Charin Resort. At the junction of 118 and 120, we pulled off the road to regroup and were joined by several more bikes from CM. Arriving at Phayao, we discovered four more bikers from CR who had missed the 09:00 start time but wanted to make sure they joined us for lunch. I had guessed that we would have the smallest group yet because of the weather forecast but in the end, we had the most bikes attending to date. The ride is becoming a little more diversified all the time, with a total of, I think, thirteen Thai citizens joining us at one point or another. We had a nice variety of bikes, from scooters to the “hog” and of particular note, one CM group was riding the new Honda CRF bikes. I believe there were five of those, the wife thinks there were seven.

We had a nice collection of former participants with us as well as quite a few CR Day Ride first-timers. It is always nice to see the known friends and the new faces on these rides. Several times during the day, I heard comments mentioning that it was really great to be meeting new folks and making new acquaintances. And it is, isn’t it? I can’t speak for others but for me, this is the one event each month where I can say I have met yet another big group of really fine people who enjoy getting out and doing some of the same things I enjoy doing. As much as I enjoy spending time with the folks I already know, I am always pleased to ride with a group that has some new faces. Each ride I attend adds several really nice folks to mine and my wife’s list of acquaintances and for reasons I can only guess at, these rides attract some really, really good people.

The wife didn’t get too many pics on this one except for during the stops we made. We did make a u-turn and get some snaps of a waterfall and then about a minute later, rode by another without stopping to snap it. And of course, on the 120, there is a scenic turnout very high up where a person can get some nice panoramic snaps of the huge valley and distant mountains but we rode by that one without stopping, too. I think the wife really wanted to just enjoy the ride and do away with some of the “responsibility” that she typically carries with her. She did mention that we should have stopped at the scenic overlook though. My bad. I’ll post pics in the Chiang Rai Ties forum and in the following thread as I have time to do it and I’ll send a quick e-mail when it is done but as of this mailing, it isn’t done-

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/573228-chiang-rai-bikers-day-ride-aug-10-friday/

Rain? What rain? True, some of us did hit a couple of places where the clouds gathered briefly and spit at us for a minute or two but in the end, biker safety gear and all, I ended up with very minor sunburn. Temps were cool, the wind was down and the air was smoke-free. There were some really nice views on the 120 and that road surface was in pretty good condition. With all of the turns, ups, downs and the good road surface, I see why the road is popular with the faster bikes. And knowing we were going to be out there on a weekday, I expected quite a bit of traffic but once out of CR, we seemed to have the road to ourselves. Traffic was so sparse in places that I kept questioning myself as to whether I had the days mixed up and perhaps we were out on a Sunday instead of a Friday.

Meeting new people, expats and locals alike, adds so much to the day rides. Learning from other rider’s extended local knowledge of the surrounding areas and the route is just one benefit of spending time with a group. Discussing bike’s and bike capabilities also helps one choose more wisely when selecting the next model to be purchased. With the large selection of bikes participating in these rides and the willingness of the riders to share honest evaluations of their rides, I have learned so much about the advantages and the limitations of the different models and styles of bikes on the market. For me, every ride is an education in addition to a full, fun, social experience.

Another thing I notice on these rides is the safety factor that is observed by fellow riders. One fellow asked me before the start of this ride what the rules are for riding in a group. I told him that as far as I know, there really aren’t any hard rules but the one pet peeve I have is not riding in another rider’s blind spot and not having another rider in my blind spot. If a fellow ever has to swiftly change lanes, he sure doesn’t want to cut off, or collide with, a fellow rider. And truly, these participants are just as aware of the hazards as I am, which allows me to spend less time on the “defensive” and makes it a more pleasurable ride for me. I would guess that the fact that so many of the riders are old hands at this and have seen all the mistakes made before is what makes them a very safe group of folks to spend time with on the road. Thanks to all of you for helping make mine and my wife’s days a less cautious and more pleasurable experience.

For September, we do not have a route yet. A couple of fellows are thinking about calling that ride but if any of you want to lay out the route, let me know. We have lots of years and lots of rides in the future so anyone and everyone will have a chance to plan a route. September 10 of this year falls on a Monday and as far as I know, is not a Thai holiday.

Overnighter to Nan. Quite a few folks have expressed an interest in a longer ride, with an overnight stay in Nan. I am told that the routes there are beautiful and exciting. Since there is so much interest in this, we will add that ride to the list in the future. We will wait until the rainy season has subsided so we can get maximum participation. I think it would be good to make this the usual Chiang Rai Bikers Day Ride with everyone going as far as the lunch stop and after lunch, folks needing the day ride only can return to CR via a nice route and those wanting the overnight thing going on to Nan. However, if others think it would be better to have this on a separate day from the regular day ride, speak up. I am happy to do two rides that month if necessary. If any others of you think you have an interest in such an overnighter, please let us know. One night or two? Up to you all. Also, this ride may a good opportunity for some of the not-so far away Issan folks to join us at Nan. We are getting quite a bit of interest in our rides from the Issan area riders. At this point, I don’t know if we will need to coordinate overnight rooms in Nan or if we can just show up and be assured lodging. I’ll poke around and get some answers as we start to get an idea of how many will be going.

One other note concerning the overnighter- I have been thinking that I would like to have a nice group dinner on a night prior to a day ride. Maybe that overnight ride is a good time to do it. I am thinking of having an all-you-can-eat BBQ rib, baked potato, Southwest chili and taco feed for the group. Depending on how many show, we will select a local restaurant that can provide seating, service ware and drinks for however many attend. I would do the cooking of the ribs, chili and tacos, the restaurant would offer the drinks and whatever menu that they choose. Folks, I make some mean ribs, some fine chili and do pretty decent tacos so it would be a pretty darned good meal and a good time to visit and socialize. I wouldn’t want to foot the bill for this but I would like to offer it at cost. We would set a price for dinner, drinks would be extra from the restaurant and if we made anything over the cost, we can donate it wherever it is needed and if I went in the hole a bit on it, no big deal. As much as I would like to just provide a nice big free meal in order to get everyone together, the thing would surely be a funeral dinner for me as my wife would break my head. She watches the money a little more closely than I do. In fact, she doesn’t know that I am writing this and will soon have me explaining myself to her. HA! I am not afraid!

Okay. I’ve yacked enough. Thanks to all who participated in past rides and welcome to all who wish to participate in the future rides. Any feedback on anything to do with the rides is welcome and will be considered. We want only for the rides to get better as the years go by. So far, you folks have helped to make this ride the coolest thing going on in Chiang Rai each month. Thanks for that.

Hi everyone. Message about tomorrow ride is below. See you there!!

Ride is on for tomorrow, 60% chance of rain, same as today, which was beautiful here. Might encounter some rain on the ride but can sit it out over coffee and go again. See you all there. If we get rained out at meeting time tomorrow, we'll go for Saturday the 11^th.

Hi everyone. My husband writes this below. Hope you can be with us on that day.

Hello all.

Please note that the Chiang Rai Bikers Day Ride for August is going ahead on the 10^th (Friday) not the 11^th. If there is big rain that day, we will push the ride back to the 11th. The Aug. 10 Chiang Rai Bikers Day Ride participants will meet at the PTT and Amazon Coffee stop on the super highway (Highway 1) at 08:30 and will depart at 09:00. The PTT is the one at the junction of the old bus station street and Highway 1. Grid coordinates for the PTT are 19.90334 and 99.84097

There is a basic route map at this link- http://goo.gl/maps/Qsx9j

Select satellite view and you can zoom in on Chiang Rai and see the PTT start location in relation to other local landmarks, such as the Highway 1 river bridge (north) and the old bus station (west). The blue route marker line, with a few negligible errors, shows the route through town and onto highway 1211, then to route 118, then to route 120 and then to Highway 1 and into Phayoa for the lunch break along the lake front. There is a white coffee cup marker on the route south of Chiang Rai and this indicates the Charin Resort and Café, which is the first and only “scheduled” stop between Chiang Rai and Phayoa. Between Charin resort and Phayao, everyone will stop as needed when they see a place that suits them. If anyone knows of an ideal spot after Charin resort, let us all know on Friday morning at the PTT.

Once lunch has finished, some will make the return trip to CR on the same route they came in on for another view of route 120. I am told that the return trip on the 120 is as worthy as the ride into Phayoa is. Others who need to get to CR quicker after lunch will take Highway 1 directly back to CR. The Highway 1 route is going to be a shorter ride to CR for those that have had enough at Phayao.

As always, all bikes and bikers are welcome, slow, fast, big, small and of course, four wheel vehicles are welcome too. I’ll be bringing up the rear with the slower crowd, 100cc to 200cc.

See you all on the 10^th. Bring your cameras and your friends. Someone in CM make sure you have JB in tow.

The following e-mail went out to all on the mailing list concerning the August 10 Chiang Rai Bikers Day ride. Further details will come next week.

Hello all. I hope this e-mail finds you well. As always, if you would rather not receive these e-mails, just let me know. I will remove you from the list. And as always, if you know of someone who would like to be on the mailing list, let me know or have them contact me to be added.

We have a route for the Chiang Rai Bikers day Ride, August 11. The route is basically, leave CR PTT and exit town on the1211 highway (Old Chiang Mai Highway) and head south to the 118, head south on the 118 with the first stop being the Charin Resort for coffee, pie and take a pee. From Charin Resort, continue south on the 118 to the 120, which right before Mae Kachan. East (left) on the 120 to Phayao and lunch. (We will scout out lunch possibilities this week and send further info after the scouting ride). After lunch, some will head back to Chiang Rai via Highway 1 if they have had enough riding for the day and others will do the previous route in reverse. The reverse of this route is highly recommended because of the scenery on 120 and the desire to see the area from a different point of view than what was experienced on the way into Phayao. There will likely be another coffee session at the Charin Resort on the way back to Chiang Rai. (Charin has GREAT pie!)

Any tweaks in the route will be published soon in another e-mail after the scouting ride this coming week. Google map link for the start point and the route will be published and e-mailed at that time.

Looking forward to seeing you all on August 10. All bikes, all sizes and styles are welcome as are all riders, regardless of riding style and skills. The scooter crowd will enjoy this as much as the fast bikers will. I ride at the back of the group so if you’re a slower rider, we can keep each other company. I like to see the scenery. Also, cars and pickup type vehicles are welcome to join us with as many occupants as you care to bring. We also have one Chiang Rai lady who would like to go along if anyone has an extra seat in a four wheeI vehicle. Contact me for her contact info. If it is raining on the 10^th, we will push the ride to the 11^th. If it is still raining on the 11^th, we will cool our heels and see what the weather is for the following week is. One way or another, we will get our August ride in with good weather.

Will send out an update at the end of the coming week but plan on joining us for the 10^th.

Hello riders. We have a day ride each month. Please see about the Chiang Rai Day Ride below. PM for more info or the day ride link with pics or to be added to our mailing list.

The following e-mail was sent to all on the Chiang Rai Bikers Day Rider mailing list. Welcome to all to attend the ride. Many from around Thailand join us. No fee. Just fun and and see the mountains and meet nice people like you.

Woraphat

Hello all. I hope all is well with you all. This e-mail announces the next Chiang Rai Bikers Day Ride which is scheduled for July 10, a Tuesday. This ride will encompass some of the nicest, most scenic riding roads in northern Thailand.

As always, if you wish to NOT receive the e-mails for the monthly Chiang Rai Bikers Day Ride, please let me know and I will remove you from the mailing list. And as always, feel free to post this info to any websites, forums or blogs you may know of and feel free to forward this e-mail to all who may wish to know about the ride. If you know of anyone who wishes to be on the mailing list, contact me and I will add them.

While the day ride is listed as a bikers day ride, all folks with all modes of transportation are welcome. We have trucks and cars with us on each ride, as well as a wide range of motorcycle sizes and styles. Typically, we have several scooters starting at around 100 or 125 cc and we have Harleys up to 1,800 cc. We have the newest models of dirt bikes, cruisers and street bikes and we have antique bikes in attendance. It isn't all about bikers. It is as much a social outing where you can meet new people, make new friends and see some country in the company of others who can lend some advice and information about the area as we travel it. If any of you have family members that wish to attend but don't want to accompany you on the bike, let us know and we will see if we have seats enough in the four wheel vehicles for everyone.

There is no hurry to complete the route and no need to ride as a herd. Faster bikes and bikers will do their thing while the slower ones do their thing and we will all meet up at about the same time for lunch. Lunch seems to last for about two hours as people get to meeting and greeting, swapping know-how and route info and aren't in a hurry to get back on the road. Coffee stops, rest stops, picture taking and dodging or waiting out the occasional rain shower are up to the individual riders.

We get quite a few from out of town and from fairly far away. If anyone is in need of advice or directions about where to stay overnight in Chiang Rai, let me know.

Meeting point for the start of the ride is the PTT/ Amazon Coffee on the Super Highway (Highway 1) in Chiang Rai. Location on the map can be found here: http://g.co/maps/8pdq4

Look for the yellow petrol pump icon on the map to see the exact location. Fuel, compressed air, oil, snacks coffee and restrooms are available.

Meeting time is 08:30, departure is at 09:00

The route as suggested by two anonymous riders is:

Chiang Rai to Mae Chan via Route 1

Shortly after Mae Chan, left on the 1130, west, until it turns into 1234. Mid morning break is scheduled for Doi Mae Salong.

Continuing after Doi Mae Salong on the 1234 and then go right on the 1089, west.

1089 to Fang and a lunch stop. Lunch stop at Tha Ton, next to the river.

After Fang, at Mae Sun, the slower bikes will head east on 109 to Mae Saui, then left and east on the 118 to highway 1211, left and north. This is the old Chiang Mai highway and it will take us back into Chiang Rai.

After Fang, faster bikes who wish for a longer ride will take the 107 south at Mae Sun. Stay on 107 until Ping Khong, then left and east on the 1150 to Foei Hai and then left on the 118, north to 1211 and into Chiang Rai.

It looks like several will be taking the longer route and if the time is right, I may go that way as well.

Here is a Google Map link with the route also: http://goo.gl/maps/C1t4

Our next day ride is June 3. PM me about the details if you need them. Will send to you.

Have some pictures.

Hello everyone. Please see below the ride for May. Also about the details. If questions, can contact me on pm here. to join us.

Just a reminder about the upcoming ride. So far, we have one truck going with lady spouses, ice, drinks and snacks. We also have one car with a couple going along. No word yet on the biggest bike that will attend but the smallest I have heard of so far is a couple of scooter style bikes, maybe 125 cc. There may be several more scooters on that day. A few of our locals who attended last time are out of country for this one and won't make it and some that were away last time will be there for this ride. New folks to meets, old friends to greet.

Regards,

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Hello everyone. Please see below the change of day for the ride for May. Also about the details. If questions, can contact me on pm here. Welcome to join us.

The May Day Ride date has been moved to the 2nd of May to avoid May 1st holiday traffic. May 1 is a national holiday in Thailand.

There is an attached file containing a map of the route.

Here is a link to the Google map showing the meet and start point for the ride- http://g.co/maps/up73v

As always, all sizes and styles of bikes are welcome. Most of us won't be in any hurry and breaks/stops for smokes, pictures, chats, sightseeing and rain avoidance are up to the individual riders. When the group leaves the start point, you'll quickly find yourselves riding in smaller groups of riders who share your style and speed of riding. Getting lost, taking wrong turns, short cuts and scenic by-ways is highly acceptable, as sooner or later, we all end up at the same place and there is no hurry to be any where at any time. Faster bikes/riders will no doubt add a few kilometers to the route and still make the lunch stop in time for some idle chat. As much as this is a nice ride and nice day out, this is an opportunity to meet some new people, make some new friends and share info about favorite rides, routes and places to visit.

The ladies are planning on bringing the refreshments in four-wheel vehicles and they welcome all of the other ladies who wish to attend but don't want to spend the day on a bike. If any of you have someone who wants to join with the others in bringing refreshments and a truck or car, that person/s, if they choose to, they can contact Woraphat so they can get together on who is bringing what and who.

Details of the ride are below-

Wednesday 2nd May

to avoid the holiday on the 1st. We hope that suits everyone and better to ride on a non-holiday day.

Meeting place; Amazon coffee shop at the PTT petrol station on highway 1 in Chiang Rai, just south of the Kawasaki dealer.

Meeting time; 08:30

Departure time; 09:00

Coffee, petrol, tire inflation, snacks and restrooms are available at the PTT

Route- This is a different kind of ride to the Phayao ride. The first part is a bit

boring, down main road 1211, but then after Charin Resort, you get into some

great twisties. Up and over the Lum Nam Kok National Park on the 3037. There

is a coffee shop at the top of Doi Chang (of course) that I think does food

too, or there is a resort in Wawi that has a restaurant. Then the 1089 back

to Mae Chan is always fun. The last run back to Chiang Rai is highway 1.

If anyone needs any type of clarification on any of the above, please let us know. Our e-mailing list for this ride has almost doubled since last time but if any of you know of anyone else who wishes to be on the list, please forward this to them and have them contact me. Also feel free to post this on your websites or blogs and forward to any other local publishing persons as you see fit.

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