Cloggie

At Facebook there is a group called "HuaHin downhill"

+++ from another recourse on Internet.....

I've made quite a few trips to Hua Hin this year. Each was super fun and even before it was over, I was already planning the next visit.

But the town's famous beach was never on the itinerary. I was there purely for downhill mountain biking.

Like Chiang Mai, this seaside resort of Prachuap Khiri Khan has the potential to promote biking as its next big attraction. And during my latest trip there I was shown a place that confirmed such belief.

And it wasn't some faraway mountain. It's that same old Khao Hin Lek Fai on the western edge of the small town.

You'll see that the peak with the observation deck, which is where the original DH tracks are located, is just a small portion of the hilly terrain marked in green. Yes, Khao Hin Lek Fai has a lot more to offer.

The photos you see in today's article were taken from the northwestern part of the hills. This area was once a quarry. Local mountain bikers and officers of the Wang Klai Kangwon Forest Fire Control Office which oversees Khao Hin Lek Fai are pondering the idea of turning it into a bike park, not a commercial one but a place where mountain bikers from anywhere can come and have a heck of a good time free of charge.

If you enjoy freeride or downhill mountain biking, I bet you're already imagining you and your trusted bike ramming down those rough slopes. There are also countless drops for you to test your guts and practice your skills.

The long-abandoned road up the hill may not be so easy to navigate for a 4X4 pickup but they are perfect for bikes. Further from the end of the road, a narrow trail leads to an open area on the hilltop from where you can have a refreshing view of the northern part of the town and the sea beyond.

According to Khun Ae of Velo Hua Hin bike shop, who is leading the survey team, with permission from the forest fire office a network of single tracks could be created, including some new DH trails.

"While enjoying our sport, bikers can at the same time help the rangers with patrol work. Any sign of illegal activities in the area will not go unnoticed," he said. In the dream project, a camping ground with public toilet and a small shop where family members of the lowly-paid forest workers can sell food and beverages for extra income may be located at the foothill.

"The natural atmosphere is lovely here. So different from the beach and market areas," he added.

Sounds like fun, doesn't it? But there's another thing that I find most exciting.

The other end of the canyon, which must be about 200-250m long, is found on the hilltop. Satellite imagery from Google Earth shows that it goes in a straight line, although it is not clear how well both ends are connected.

If it is possible to travel through, bikers can ride to the hilltop via the old road and enjoy an adrenaline rush coming down through the narrow walled passage.

From my observation, this possible DH section isn't a gradual slope but tiered like a series of waterfalls.

And that means there will be a number of drops, some of which will be pretty tall too.

Only ground survey in the canyon would reveal whether it's rideable.

Who knows, one day this place might even make it on the Tourism Authority of Thailand's new set of posters.

Actually, I'm already imagining some awesome photographs which people would be taking once the trails are cleared and ready to be ridden.

Searched everywhere so far but I am not able to find any shops that sell electronic parts like resistors, capacitors, opto-couples, relais etc etc

Went to the old shopping mall, computer stores at Phetkasem, computer shops next to railway, road to Pala U, small tv repair shops - nothing, nothing

I am afraid that it is mission impossible if I live here in Hua Hin but maybe somebody can point me in the right direction.

Amorn will probably sell it what I want but I hope there is a local version like this in Hua Hin or Cha Am.

Whatever you use, motorbike, car or even a bicycle - just drive / ride normal. No need to have gas open 100% all the time just because it is possible, no need to overtake so you win an extra 5 seconds, no need to drive 120km through a city. For example, when I travel 90 / 100 km is more than enough in Thailand and when I arrive at my destination I won't be as tired as well - saves also some fuel. Even when you are drunk AND still want to use your motorbike, 30 / 40 is enough or maybe even to fast already. It's the speed that kills....

Ban holidays....

Somebody once told me that the police will not stop those youngsters simply because..... "the police men was a youngster one as well" - let them play, they want to have fun.

Will never forget driving on a back road in Pattaya, 4 young girls on a motorbike and no helmet. Police did a check that day and fined all people with no helmet. In front of him they made a u-turn and told him that they had to go back as they forget their helmet, police just smiled and waved them goodbye :-)

My experience (30 years IT) is that the companies / mangers I worked with in Thailand (15 years) are clueless about what IT is and can do for a company, these people are barely able to handle their laptop / desktop / mac and then tell me - the IT Manager - what to do.

Tasks like:

- I want a full backup of all data from every computer and laptop in the office

- I want you to copy the hard disks of all servers so we can restore the server in 5 minutes if it fails

- Internet is now down for 5 minutes, when is it up again?

- remote support of PC somewhere in Nakhon Faraway with no internet connection

etc etc

Yes I also met secret agents working for CIA / FBI, ex SAS, ex Neavy Seals, "I don't have to work anymore but I do this as a hobby" persons, especially in Bangkok and Pattaya, but he what a surpice :-)

Summary, not only a lot off staff has NO experience but also a lot of managers are clueless as well!

The fines are so so so low that they are no deterrent at all. And if caught drunk, just sat at side of road until semi-sober

I've a couple of friends who were caught, paid an " on the spot " fine and drove away still unable to bite their own fingernails

Today or tomorrow, your friends will posthumously receive the Darwin Award, some problems solve themselves....

Everybody will tell you, never BUY a Thai company - always do the setup yourself as you do not know what shows up after you buy the company....

@BrianCR - why open bank account if you do not want to put money on it? As far as I know ALL banks in Thailand want you to put money on it first, you can withdraw it from the ATM again if you want....

Agree with both poster above, use Krungsri online for more than one year and only yesterday I had problems to transfer money but in general very happy with their website, they even have a mobile version so from my Android phone I can access my account as well.

Found accidentally Tesco ink for Brother printers at -yes- Tesco Lotus, 100ml TB 99 - problem solved for now but how do I get my hands and table clean again

Hua Hin is ONLY one day Songkran - Saturday, that's it!

Just wait a few weeks and see if it still works. I had the same issue with my aircon, they added gas ( TB 750) but after a few weeks same problem.

Went back and they changed compressor TB 6.000, later same problem. Went back again and now they changed some thing small TB 2.500 - no idea what it was - and now it finally works.

Used it at my work before - just one word USELESS.

In my previous job we use www.mappointasia.com, after that we could follow all trucks on a screen about speed, harsh breaking, fuel

@colinp - went there already, this is the old shopping mall correct? Could not find any refill there, only refill tanks.

"200 re-fills from the ink bottles" - I only need the refill two times a year so this will be enough for the next 100 years, not sure if my printer will still work then...

@wayned - advantage of the small shop was that is was quicly, cheap and easy for TB 100 per color I could print for months again...

The shop where I normally refilled my cartridges at the third floor of Market Villa has disappeared and nobody can tell me where it is now. Went also to the old shopping mall but they don't refill cartridges there, you can only buy the external tanks there. Anybody knows where I can simple refill my old Epson cartridges in Hua Hin?

Few weeks ago I decided to resign from my job as I just didn't like it.

What did you do after you lost or resigned from your job?

- start crying...

- go back home where you come from

- moved in with your friends / parents-in-law

- immediate start looking for a new job

I just took the opportunity to travel for two weeks through Thailand to visit my friends.

Now I am sitting behind my computer thinking about my future, go look for a new job again or start my own company......

What do you mean with "charging stations", a 'public' adapter in a seven / eleven?

Delete the driver of your wifi card and reboot the PC, Windows 7 should find the wifi card, install the drivers and hopefully find the wireless networks again

Bought my PC at Tuk Com (Pattaya), 2nd or 3rd floor in the corner - shop called Pattaya4You. Always packed with many people and they offer everybody who visits theirs shop free drinks (coca cola). They speak good English, good service, never a problem is your PC's fails, if it is something very small they don't even charge you!

First you need to apply for a workpermit, just google and you will find lots and lots of info.

If it is a Raspberry Pi, it looks very different from the one I have....

For those interested: ncr = non country redirect