Another One-day Loop Through Lampang

[chanchao]

After Ajarn posted about his trip last week it kind of gave me the idea to do one as well, but covering far fewer kilometers and generally taking it easy.. I lifted Ajarn's map and drew in 'my own' loop in red:

http://www.netasia.org/album/displayimage.php?album=9&pos=3

This trip also starts out past Doi Suthep, but I didn't continue as far out; just 10 minutes or so past Doi Saket I took a right turn at Pong Din (can’t miss it, it’s the first police checkpoint). Then after continuing for another 10 minutes or so on that road, you get to a well-signposted 3 way intersection where you take a left. (By well-signposted I mean lots of Thai language signs to lots of villages That road goes up quite steep, and half-way through it I got to a broken down songthaew bus.. So my Good Deed for the Day :

http://www.netasia.org/album/displayimage.php?album=9&pos=2

I sent them all to some temple fair event in Kamphaeng Hin village, which was just slightly off my intended route. Lots of smiles and wais and little gifts later I was back on my way towards Jaeson National Park in Lampang. That road looks like it will be paved all the way, currently it’s only paved from the intersection with the Doi Saket – Chiang Rai road to where I met up with that road coming from Pong Din. After that it’s still unpaved, but it looks pretty much all-weather already and we saw the big orange trucks and machines widening and flattening the road for final the final pavement to be put on. That will be an awsome drive when it’s paved, it’s reall scenic through the forest and over mountains.

Then you get to the turnoff to Jaeson National Park, which has so-so hot springs (nothing special) but also a 6-level waterfall which is quite nice. Looked to be very popular with weekend trippers from Lampang and elsewhere.

Then on towards Muang Pan and down towards Hang Chat to catch up with Highway 11 back to Chiang Mai. This stretch of road between Muang Pan and Hang Chat was yet again one of those classic rural Thai scenes. People working the fields harvesting rice, kids and monks flying kites, they were timeless scenes of Thailand. AND, I now have a video in my phone of a monk (apprentice really) flying his kite. That should be lots of fun asking Thai friends if they want to see my video of a monk flying his kite. :D Oh, well, it’s funny in Thai, especially if the video is then actually a very innocent & scenic one of some apprentice monks and kids flying kites in a rice field. Oh well :

http://www.netasia.org/album/displayimage.php?album=9&pos=4

And

http://www.netasia.org/album/displayimage.php?album=9&pos=5

This being a shorter loop I was back in Chiang Mai by 4pm, having left at 9am and taking it very easy overall. You don’t need a 4WD car to do this trip, especially not now in the dry and the road surface is currently completely flattened, so also regular car ground clearance will do.

Cheers,

Chanchao

[AndyW]

I did that trip last year in the rainy season, but the other way around. Sounds like that road (Hwy1252) is much improved. It was a broken rock & mud scramble in several places, with all 4 wheels spinning at times as I slid a little close to the edge for comfort.

The rest wasn't much better either. Suspected that the views would've been great if it wasn't for being hidden in the clouds. Only went that way because it's been on the maps for years as a paved road & looked an interesting way back from Lampang.

Have downgrade that road on my gps map, maybe should upgrade it now.

Another good circuit is on Hwy1230 passing Mae Takrae national park, - take the road north from Mae Tha on Lampang road. Winds its way over the hills east of Mae On with great views towards Chiang Mai. Last time I did this it was dirt road in places. You end up back on Hwy1317, with choice to turn left towards San Kamphaeng or right to Pong Din.

[sabaijai]

I did that trip last year in the rainy season, but the other way around.  Sounds like that road (Hwy1252) is much improved.  It was a broken rock & mud scramble in several places, with all 4 wheels spinning at times as I slid a little close to the edge for comfort.   

The rest wasn't much better either.  Suspected that the views would've been great if it wasn't for being hidden in the clouds.  Only went that way because it's been on the maps for years as a paved road & looked an interesting way back from Lampang. 

Have downgrade that road on my gps map, maybe should upgrade it now.

Another good circuit is  on Hwy1230 passing Mae Takrae national park,  - take the road north from Mae Tha on Lampang  road.  Winds its way over the hills east of Mae On with great views towards Chiang Mai.  Last time I did this it was dirt road in places.  You end up back on Hwy1317, with choice to turn left towards San Kamphaeng or right to Pong Din.

I've done that route from Mae Tha myself, very nice. That whole area around Mae On and beyond seems little discovered by housing subdivisions, etc.

Just how much GPS mapping have you done? I have a GPS unit (Garmin 12), haven't yet learned how to use it, need to get in gear and give it a try.

[AndyW]

I use a garmin etrex vista.

My map is a combination of my tracklogs & those of a friend, PLUS a lot of digitised roads taken from a digital map o Thailand, & converted into garmin format using OziExplorer & GPSmapper software. Got a lot of data in northern Thailand. Also done some digitising of main roads throughout most of the rest of Thailand. Only useful if you can load garmin maps onto your gps unit - the basic models don't accept user maps. I don't know what the 12 can accept.

[chanchao]

Wow, that sounds interesting.. Did you buy that unit in Thailand and how much do they go for these days?

Secondly: Any chance of you making that map available, I'm REALLY interested in having a better map.

Thinking out loud: If you'd want to make that available on a website somewhere then I can get you that, free of course.

Cheers,

Chanchao

[Ajarn]

I use a garmin etrex vista.

My map is a combination of my tracklogs & those of a friend, PLUS a lot of digitised roads taken from a digital map o Thailand, & converted into garmin format using OziExplorer & GPSmapper software.  Got a lot of data in northern Thailand.  Also done some digitising of main roads throughout most of the rest of Thailand.  Only useful if you can load garmin maps onto your gps unit - the basic models don't accept  user maps.  I don't know what the 12 can accept.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Andy, I have a Megellan Mericolor, which I like very much, but the Thailand map is very scimpy with details, though the topographic part of the Thai map is pretty good.

The biggest annoyance is when my routes don't even match many on the road map, like in this one below, a screen shot of the same loop in my earlier thread, but against the Magellan map. Are the Garmin maps more accurate? Is there any way to trade maps between Garmin and Magellan that you're aware of? Or trading tracks/waypoints? I'm still relatively new to the GPSR's, but I find them quite fascinating to use... Amazing that these little units can constantly coordinate info between 12(?) satelites, and do so many simultaneous calculations for position, speed, direction, altitude, eta, etc...

[Ajarn]

Chanchao, when I first got into this, http://gpsinformation.net/ was a great intro into the GPSR world... Prices are from just over $100US up to around $500 for the better of the portables... The main players are Garmin and Magellan. When I checked my unit in Bkk, it was roughly 100% more than the price I paid (about $470 as I recall) from an online store in the States. I couldn't find any company willing to send the unit to Thailand, so I had a friend in the States forward it to me. The Thai PO let it pass without duties... Just lucky this time, I think.

[chanchao]

Any ideas about which make/model would be best, specifically for Thailand? City street plans vs. highway driving? Secondary roads?

[AndyW]

Ajarn, the reason why your Magellan map doesn't match your actual position is probably because of the accuracy (or lack of) of the map that comes with the unit. The map I use on my garmin is not a garmin map, but a homemade map. I can't publish my map because that would infringe on the intellectual copyright of the data I used to create my map. Even that digital source is wrong in places - I get the impression they used the planned routes of roads rather than the actual on the ground routes in some cases. This maybe the case with your map.

For anyone needing maps that they can load to their GARMIN gps, a useful URL is http://mapcenter.cgpsmapper.com/maplist.php?cnt=210&rgn=

This has some published maps created by a guy in Chiang Mai. Look very good.

Anyone needing more info on how to load these maps on to their garmin gps or wanting to play around creating their own maps should look at http://gps.chrisb.org/en/main.htm

Supposedly there's now a Thai company ESRI thats selling a PDA based gps system that comes with a garmin format map preloaded. Don't know anymore details at present. This may be a good idea for those who haven't already invested in a gps unit already. A PDA gives you a bigger screen than the rather small garmin etrex series.

[AndyW]

Link to ESRI who sell garmin units with thailand maps

http://www.esrith.com/

[Ajarn]

The Magellan maps I've seen are quite scimpy on Thailand, as mentioned. Just main roads, mostly, but quite a few smaller towns, too. Nothing like in the States, where you can punch in an address, and a little voice tells you where to turn at each juncture....

I've never used Garmin, but most people I know have them... David U. swears by his. The only thing about the Garmin is, when I checked last year, their memory card was limited to the 16 meg built in memory- no adding bigger cards, which the Magellan offers... With the Garmin, you'd likely need to do regular downloads in order to not lose tracks and waypoints, whereas with the Magellen, I have an added 64 meg card that I can save to and download at my convenience. I also like that the Magellen has a colour screen...

That URL I gave you has some comparisons between the two manufacturers...

Good fun with this stuff, Chanchao, including world-wide treasure hunts and such..

[AndyW]

My Garmin Vista has a 24Mb memory, I think. Although I can't increase this it seems more than enough. If on a long journey such as to Ko Samui I turn the track log off when I'm on previously "logged" roads.

But the main advantage is the ability to load your own maps - or ones that other people have published. The Garmin "world map" is pretty much useless & a waste of money for Thailand. I believe that the maps available on the web, created using gpsmapper are only loadable onto garmin units.

[chuchok]

What about some of the other brands like Lowrance, uniden and Faruno. They used to be quite big in fishing circles (chart plotters and Hand helds)