Today, day 1. Ray and I started another ride, we are heading north, but the weather will affect where.

 

We headed for Kanchanaburi taking a new route from Pattaya. Basically, following motorway 7, but on the road that runs alongside it. It cut an hour off the usual route, but there were quite a few trucks on the road in places.

 

Stopping at a weir for a break Ray found a family of water monitor lizards. One of them at least two meters long!

 

Here. https://maps.app.goo.gl/kx9tBJcjBZMXgiq5A

 

Then it was an easy ride into Kanchanaburi.

 

https://www.relive.com/view/vYvrwpgNLLO

Day 2. Kanchanaburi to Tak

 

Today we rode to Tak, a nice ride of 446 km through very green countryside.

 

We took a detour to Pang Sawan Pier when we saw the sign advertising it.. Not a spectacular place but worth a look

 

https://maps.app.goo.gl/9V5pnXdKTY8daiCw6

 

https://www.relive.com/view/vJOKz1VNn5v

Day 3. Tak to Sukhothai Historical Park and Back

 

This morning rain was shown coming in from the west, Mae Sot, so Ray and decided to ride to the Historical Park at Sukhothai, here.

 

https://maps.app.goo.gl/Vo364FLcu8kMn8Zb9

 

Once there we decided to take a cart to drive us around as we were not sure when or if the rain would start. It turned out to be a wise decision as it did start raining.

 

By the time we sorted ourselves out, the rain was just a fine drizzle that stopped on the ride back.

 

https://www.relive.com/view/vevW5gdVwy6

 

 

Day 4. Tak to Chiang Mai

 

On arriving I ate some bad food, which knocked me out for the rest of the day until this morning.

 

https://www.relive.com/view/vJOKz1ywgwv

 

Day 5. Chiang Mai – Samoeng – Doi Pui Ride

 

This morning, we decided to ride the Samoeng Loop. At the start we stopped at the bottom of the ride up to Loha Prasat Sri Mueng Pong. After a few photos we were stopped as no motorbikes are allowed up! Crazy.

 

We rode to the nearby White Pavillion.

 

From here we continued to the Samoeng Viewpoint to take photos before riding back to the city and up to Doi Pui. Great views and skies today.

 

Writing this now, Google maps is down, so no location points.

 

https://www.relive.com/view/vQvxWXnwK9q

 

 

Day 6. Chiang Mai to Nan

 

Today was another good ride through the mountains amongst a very green countryside.

 

There were just a few stop, the first was at Mae Khachan Hot Springs (Thaweesin Market), here.

 

https://maps.app.goo.gl/s4BQLvmghGjGqujV9

 

Next was a viewpoint overlooking Phayao, Kwan Phayao, Phayao, here.

 

https://maps.app.goo.gl/67rPXqQmHu6i29Bt5

 

https://www.relive.com/view/v7O9ZrzXeQ6

 

Day 7. Nan to Loei.

 

Our hotel in Nan was flooded in storms about a month ago. The ground floor had water over 4 feet high. Upstairs was ok so we stayed there.

 

Our ride through the mountains was full of landslides, but passable. Google kept trying to re-route us saying the road was blocked, but it was not. The last hour in the mountains was heavy rain with drainage ditches overflowing in place. We arrived looking as if we had been swimming, totally soaked.

 

https://www.relive.com/view/vE6J53MWZxO

 

Great pics as usual Guys.

 

This one is a real cracker.

 

 

Thanks for sharing.

Day 8. Around Loei

 

Today was an easy day after yesterday’s long ride. Just local to my hotel. First stop was at Queen Sirikit's 60th Birthday Anniversary Park, here.

 

https://maps.app.goo.gl/ex8pDXRprvfnzRqBA

 

Just up the road is a small pond, here.

 

https://maps.app.goo.gl/M5DWjwJTSXuvp9er6

 

Day 9. Loei to Korat

 

This was a nice ride with a small detour to take some photos of the mountains, here.

 

https://maps.app.goo.gl/48CARjccaQthRzh79

 

An hour before arriving in Korat I saw a spotlight hanging from it’s cable. Cable ties secured it. A further 15 minutes up the road the second spotlight started to come loose, more cable ties secured it. Then the heavens opened for about 20 minutes before I rode onto the city.

 

https://www.relive.com/view/vQvxWX2XGBq

 

The guy fishing literally next to the sign saying "No Fishing" is a classic. 

 

Good on you for making trips like this and for posting about them.

 

Beforehand you go further, this is the best.

https://touringthailandblog.wordpress.com/fang-doi-angkhang/

Thanks for sharing your ride... enjoyed the photos... How often did you break?

12 hours ago, PoorSucker said:

Beforehand you go further, this is the best.

https://touringthailandblog.wordpress.com/fang-doi-angkhang/

I have ridden up many times, thanks 🙂

12 hours ago, PoorSucker said:

Beforehand you go further, this is the best.

https://touringthailandblog.wordpress.com/fang-doi-angkhang/

Actually not often as we were on a limited timeline

Day 10. Korat to Pattaya

 

Yesterday I planned to ride to Surin for a few days, but looking at the satellite lots of rain was forecast. In the end I decided to ride home.

 

Ray and I initially were riding to Umpang, but we changed our route depending on where storms were forecast. This worked quite well with only getting really soaked the last hour riding into Loei.

 

Total km ridden 2,555km in 10 days. More km per day than usual, but we were keeping to a timeline. Also I usually ride longer trips, that will happen later in the year.

 

The map shows the trip minus the last day, both Relive and Gaia did not record for some reason, even though Google maps did.

Day 11. Pai – Wiang Haeng – Chiang Mai – Pai Loop

 

Today’s ride turned into a longer ride than planned, but it was a great ride with great view and a good mix of good road, potholed road and tracks.

 

Leaving Pai I took a side track I noticed down to the Pai river and a little further up the road I stopped in a farmers field to photograph the mountains in the distance.

 

From here I rode north to a small weir with a wooden bridge to the side, here.

 

https://maps.app.goo.gl/LDkSxXYmJJ66kEDR9

 

Just up the road is Wat Phra That Muang Noi historical site, here.

 

https://maps.app.goo.gl/EGYWcxLk6dDeygdG9

 

From here the road turned to track up to the army post, here.

 

https://maps.app.goo.gl/7Xday3ternGP68sd8

 

Then it was potholed road for a while until joining R1322 – R107 – R1095 back to Pai. 260km of good riding.

Day 12. Pai, Yunlai Sea of Clouds Viewpoint.

 

Today I cancelled my planned ride after losing time getting un-banned from facebook for some reason I have no idea and they could not tell me.

 

Then my phone after an update could not connect with my laptop, another hour of swearing lost!

 

Eventually I took a small ride to see wonderful views.

Day 13. Pai to Chiang Mai.

 

Todays easy ride to Chiang Mai through me a surprise on the twisties today. Riding a hard left hand bend I spotted water spraying up through the road like a garden sprinkler, as I passed the front wheel slipped out away to the right and I was positive I was in for a fall, it then found purchase as the rear started sliding.

I pulled up to a stop on the verge on the wrong side of the road sweating and swearing. I was extremely lucky that there were no vehicles on that side of the road, it would have been messy!

 

After that it was an easy ride to Chiang Mai a 125km ride.

Day 14. Chiang Mai to Doi Ngom

 

This morning, I rode to a mountain I have ridden up before, Phra That Doi Ngom (Ban Thi, Lamphun). But last time the CT125 died at the very steep part near the top. This time with the big bore kit it was an easy ride.

 

https://maps.app.goo.gl/AJn6hupjh6H4xmXy9

 

From here I rode to a secret rocket launch site that happens to be based at a campground, Huai Lan Rocket Campsite, here.

 

https://maps.app.goo.gl/pp9y85xC39Cw1feZ6

 

I then road around Huai Lan before riding back to the city.

 

https://maps.app.goo.gl/rGUWyTqgWCQmzHpe9

 

https://www.relive.com/view/v7O9g2EXXLq

 

Wow! IMO, the best set of pics so far on the trip Chris.

 

This one looks like one of those African towers where the natives jump off the top with vines round their ankles. Pre bungie days.

 

 

 

 

12 hours ago, Stiddle Mump said:

Wow! IMO, the best set of pics so far on the trip Chris.

 

This one looks like one of those African towers where the natives jump off the top with vines round their ankles. Pre bungie days.

 

 

 

 

Thanks 🙂

 

Yes then one was killed in front of the queen demonstrating the jump 

Day 15. Exploring South East of Chiang Mai.

 

First stop today was to get the bike tested for the tax and insurance. I was a little concerned as with the big bore kit the exhaust is loud. For the grand total of 60 baht ( 1 pound 40 p / under 2 dollars) it passed!

 

I then headed to a temple I had not seen before, here.

 

https://maps.app.goo.gl/6aXa38VgCX42xs39A

 

Following the road through the temple grounds it went up to a great viewpoint at the top of the mountain, here.

 

https://maps.app.goo.gl/1vJAkbY4G9E2u6jQ9

 

I then rode onto Wat Doi Khammo, the sacred well. The well is up a track you access through the temple grounds. I got maybe halfway when the track got very steep, but it was deep gravel mixed with stone and I can to a standstill. After a six point U-turn I rode back to the temple and back to Chiang Mai via the road that follows the railway tracks takes you to the city.

 

https://www.relive.com/view/vXOnzk9NzBO