T_Dog

We were parking the motorcycle in the open area a few months back and a security guard came over and told us to move it over to the ticketed area. Apparently they had 4 bikes stolen the prior day. After hearing that, I always park in the ticketed area and probably should use a lock too. My wife says that any new helmet is likely to get stolen in a busy area. Even more likely now that the fines for no helmet have been increased.

Today is back to normal, but I've never seen such a crystal clear sky like today in march for seven years. I have a wonderful view on the mountains near Mae Wang. Rarely so clear.

Happy it's hot again, i just cannot stand 18° with cold winds and rain here.

I didn't think it was that hot, maybe if you're standing in the sun, Absolutlely beautiful day I believe! Like you say, clear sky and a slight breeze. Sure beats still smoke filled air, the norm for later March. Temps have already peaked and starting to drop for today so we may get one last 'windows open and no AC' night before the usual returns.

I went for a long mountain bike ride up in the hills today and wore long sleeve thermax for the first part of the ride as it was very cool. Went through a Karen and Hmong hill tribe village and everybody was outside, happy to feel the warm sun. Every household had clothes and parkas drying on the lines.

Am wondering why they don't have a name for this weather situation like "The China Express" or something like that. In other parts of the world, special weather conditions get names like "A Chinook", or "Santa Anna Winds" but I guess it doesn't happen often enough here in SE Asia to warrant a cool name.

Yen Sabai would be a good one.

I like it! How about "Yen Sabai China Mariah" so we know where it came from? My wife says it should be called "Rom Yen Tamaiyah" or the "Why the Cold Wind"!

or how about "now chip hai loi !!" I wish I could freeze frame and record a day's weather to play back when wanted because it would be today!

Yeah, like loading a wp3 file into your world master controller and hitting play!

Until April 10 pls.

By April 11 it needs to be 38 degrees.

Should be before then, this 'Alarming magnetic field changes' is from tonight to the full moon on the 27th, the gloom masters predict another big earth quake in this time.

Um maybe somebody should tell the "gloom masters" that the full moon is today, and therefore not on the 27th?

Must have been a short somewhere inside the tin foil hat

Am wondering why they don't have a name for this weather situation like "The China Express" or something like that. In other parts of the world, special weather conditions get names like "A Chinook", or "Santa Anna Winds" but I guess it doesn't happen often enough here in SE Asia to warrant a cool name.

Yen Sabai would be a good one.

I like it! How about "Yen Sabai China Mariah" so we know where it came from? My wife says it should be called "Rom Yen Tamaiyah" or the "Why the Cold Wind"!

I am getting used to this, I think they should have this cold snap every year at about this time. But just for a couple of weeks.

It is nice, although the rain kept me from doing a few things I wanted to get done. Am wondering why they don't have a name for this weather situation like "The China Express" or something like that. In other parts of the world, special weather conditions get names like "A Chinook", or "Santa Anna Winds" but I guess it doesn't happen often enough here in SE Asia to warrant a cool name.

Still cool this morning but it looks like the hot season is back in full swing a few days. I guess the Mae Taeng river valley got four days of continuous light rain with no breaks. It was running as high as the wet season.

Flew into CNX his morning from KL. 1700 kilometers of solid cloud cover. Raining as we touched downed and could just make out Doi Suthep. What a great site. www.tmd.go .th calls for more of the same tomorrow. The PM10 reading for today 38.3 and AQI 52. A year ago the were 220.5 and 1444 respectably. www.pcd.go.th

I could not see the mountain this morning for all the right reasons!

Very odd weather indeed for this season. The mercury dropped to 19 deg. C and it's raining for longer than 24 hours. Not that I am complaining. The 16th of March 2010, exactly one year ago, was one of the worst days of the last smoky season, if I remember correctly. With a little bit of luck, we will escape the smog this year with the soil soaked and dried vegetation becoming green again soon. Perhaps nature is teaching people how to go through March without burning things.

Cheers, CMX

Quite right. I would rather have a few chilly wet days than smoke for sure. Looks like it will warm up by the end of the week but tomorrow is looking like:

Happy to have a new rain thread open. Please do not close it down.

This is a very nice long deep soaking rain. Like you all, love it. Smells great and sounds great.

What a welcome sight.

Hey, this isn't just about rain.... This is a real weather anomaly! I had to break out my cold season chamois shirt again this morning. I wouldn't be surprised if we see another "I need Slippers" thread by the end of the week!

I felt like I was living in the Pacific Northwest this morning. Kept trying to see through the scudding clouds to see if there was a skiff of snow on the mountain tops!

http://www.tmd.go.th/en/list_warning.php http://www.tmd.go.th/en/weather_map.php

Thanks Dell.... That site wouldn't open for me earlier but no problems now. With the high pressure above the trough, I can see how the cold air is getting here. It still feels strange to have this cool weather a short month before Songkran.

Ok, need some help here.

Where the H-e-l-l can I buy Michelin Sporty for my 150 CBR in Chiang Mai? Or anywhere else for that matter? I've been to half a dozen Michelin dealers here in CM. and not a single one of them will even ORDER the tires for me!

HELP!

J1V... Big Biker shop on the left between the moat and airport mall can order them for you. Lot's of riders switching over to the new IRC though as it is stickier than the Sporty and doesn't puncture as easily.

Just checked the Wunderground weather forecast and see that they are predicting a high temperature tomorrow of 16 C and a 40% chance of rain. Can anyone post a weather map showing how this "westerly trough" is pulling cold air our way?

jbeck...I sent you a pm on one Merida experience. Regarding Maguro, had friends with them back in the USA and they seemed to need more repair than my Hope brakes. I have had two bikes with Hope brakes and there has never been any need for bleeding or service of any kind besides replacing the pads. Great product and company, but I do have to get pads from overseas. Good luck with the search.

Ooops. Replied to historic post....

Is Malay grass the stuff with leaves about 1-2 cm wide? Never seems to get too long if this is the variety I am thinking it is.

The sauce (if it's green) is nam jim taleh (น้ำจิ้มทะเล) (often just nam jim for short).

10 cloves garlic, chopped

10 green scuds (small, green chillies, phrik kii nuu), chopped

a bunch of coriander, chopped

60 ml fish sauce (Squid brand is best)

60 ml lime juice

1 T palm sugar

Mix everything together and stir until the sugar is dissolved.

Nice recipe! Is that the same as Naam prik saum rhot? Or 3 flavors sauce?

What a day! Took off on an early morning run on the motorcycle. We were cold heading out of town, mid-day was rather hot up north, but on the way back a huge cloud loomed south of us. We hit high winds in the face between Mae Taeng and Mae Rim and the temperature dropped dramatically. Then....light rain all the way from Mae Rim to Chiang Mai with occasional thunder and we got wet. Cold, hot, wind, wet, cold again!

I was pointing the sky out to some locals and they remarked that it's the season of ant eggs. They must be right... the markets are loaded with them now. Time to make a snappy omelet. (Only those that have ever had an ant egg omelet will know what I am talking about!)

First time there I'd stay in the White Sand Beach area. Lots of very nice beach front bungalows in your price range. A few days of exploring the Island you might want something quieter if that is what you like, or you just might stay there. It is a busier area and it has coffee shops, 711's and the like. We've stayed other places but some are just too dead. Make sure you take the 4 island snorkeling tour if that is still running. It's a steal for 500 baht with all the food they feed you with. Hit the evening beach meals.... I'm missing the Pomfret Butter Fish already!

They still do the 4 island snorkeling tour, but the advertised prices is now 950 baht. I did it for 450 baht but this was like 7 years ago so I am afraid you have to be prepared to pay a little more.

950 baht? Maybe that is from a different company. We paid 500 baht last year and the year before. They advertise it at 600 baht but we always find a discounted rate somewhere. Could it really have gone up that much in a single year? Still worth it, but quite an increase.

el jefe..... I was a bit surprised about your comment on Litespeed until I did a bit of research. You are very correct: Many frame failures out there and also many stories of horrid support on frames. So much for the Ti dream! As close knit as the MTB community is, a manufacturer that doesn't warranty frames is on the way out.

Thanks Monsieurhappy! Thailand is indeed a great place to fly RC. Up here in Chiang Mai there are several fields available for larger planes including jets, and park flyers are virtually everywhere in the evenings. Here are a few YouTube videos:

Aerial footage:

What are you flying down there?

T-Dog said: '...Road bikes make my back hurt now that I am older so I use the Mantra for road riding as well as trail riding. Fox shocks, Hope hydraulic disks...'

I have a 15-yr olde Trek road bike with thin tires and only oil-filled front shocks - it weighs a ton - it is definitely no longer suitable for me as I am over 60 with 2 medical problems which surfaced in my January medical: poor right knee meniscus, and spurs on my spine all from a 3m drop straight to the ground. I have recently started putting on weight as my jogging days are over. I really do need safe exercise.

I believe renewed cycling is the way to go; with a bike like T-Dog's, with ample shocks, robust yet lightweight, sized for a 5'8" (1.73m) body height. Any suggestions please: your advice appreciated. Cheers :jap:

Jingjoke.... My advice would be to go as many bike shops as you can and try to ride virtually every frame out there. After I was diagnosed with an inward ruptured L1-S5, I was trying to find something that was comfortable. When I got on the Klein Mantra, I knew it was a perfect fit. Now.... 6 Mantra's later, I am building up another one because I know it suits me. Yep... call me a retro-grouch, but it keeps me cycling single-track which is so good for stomach/back strength. For older guys, I think a frame a bit bigger than normal is better because it allows you to stretch out more and allows easier full joint extensions. If I was in the US, I'd be looking at some of the Litespeed Ti mountain bikes that are out there. I rode one a decade ago and it was also a comfortable ride. Always have to have something to dream about!

Riclev.. It's not just you! Radial screws like that are certainly not as secure as a normal threaded on fitting. Did you check ALL of the fitting that came in the bag? They usually include an adapter for the machine that has a standard threaded fitting. I fitted our Samsung unit with the clunky radial screw hose and after I got done, found the right part which I had overlooked.