Khon Kaen Bike Week Vol 2. 20th, 21st Feb 2009

[ray23]

Try going from PHue Ruea to Dan Sai and then Nan you will have to back track a bit but it's worth it

You can continue right up the river and through a few small villages, it beautiful but the roads or horrible. No place to stay unles yuo can hang with a rentnting a hut for he night and I mean hut, It's few hour over the mountain to Nan and no place to stay there at all, untill you hit Nan.

We didnlt do the section yuo did if yuo live here you ride that a lot. The river scenes are fon the e secion of road after Loie Like I saud rough and we knew it goign in. But I wanted to see it once. Prety much ride the Lao border the entire way. And then there w our hut. No bad in winter but I woudl pas in the heat no air.

I thought this bike wa loaded heavily when I left bet it was 20 Ilbs Heavier on the return

Hey we rode from Udon to Loie and that is where the adventure began

From Loie 7.37 Klms we went left on 2115

Great road gentle curves may have seen one pot hole, But hey this is Issan.

Tha Li about 180 Klms from Udon good place for fuel. Really good road up to the point.

Photos from 2195

The other side of that river is Laos. I bel;eive the river is the Huang River The road is full of Pot Holes so slow going and absolutely nothing there. But as you can tell it is beautiful country. None of this was surprise I had been forwarned but I wanted to see it I did

In talking to Tong Dee better shape then his last rip down it when the road graders were working and it was dirt. That may date him a bit. I'll go again some day but not in a hurry.

Edited March 3, 2009 by ray23

[ray23]

1295 to 2169 to Na Haeo This gets a bit tricky you will see a sign that says Na Haeo left, you turn right that will take you to 1268. where you will head north again L/T We went straight I really didnlr know where the resort was Terry's lady made resevations for us.

In going striaght you end in a little village maybe 2 klms out of your way. I have no idea what the name. The people are very friendly and not used to seeing many big bikes. The Photo across the river the lady is doing her Laundry in Laos.

What can I say go to bed at 1930 you wake up pretty darn early. I think we hit the road somewhere around 0630.

You actually riding through the Pu Soi National Park adn no one is going to bother you about fees. The river is the Nan river unless my notes are wrong and yep the other side is Laos.

The road itself is Cement in very good condition, however, in about the first ten klms there are groves in the road just deep and wide enough to catch your tires. Get in them once and you will watch for them no big dealeasy to spot. Just like the other roads stay away from the edges, lots of loose gravel and sand. Your now in land slide country.

This is also a good training for what awaits you in Mae Hong Son nice curvy roads but as difficult yet. Very Little trafffic at all.

We stopped in Ban khok for fuel and they weer having a fetival for somehing so hundred of thse young girls dresed lile this. She really enjoyed being a celebrity for a bit. The further yuo go out the more friendly the people are. They ask for nothing and many times try to give you local treats. Got to get out to enjoy this country.

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What can I say missy and her make up

Go North Young man go North

Not excatly sure what this guys job was and I don't think he knew either but nice enough guy

Could he be the guy who drops the gate on your head? :shock:

Edited March 4, 2009 by ray23

[ray23]

Sorry Guys had to do this out of sequence to many photos. This is the village at the juntion to the road over the mountain to Nan.

A right turn from the Village and your back on 1268 about three klms and your at the beautiful Faukland resort

This was the least expensive place we stayed a whopping 240 Baht a night. Somehitng like camping without having to put up a tent. The do in fact have a hot shower located in the center of the resort. No air but that would simply not be be needed this time of year.

The cabins do have electricity and that was need for the heating pad. Actually it was very beautful and I enjoyed it only down side a Thai toilet, if you have screwed discs in your back as I do pass on this one.

On the good side it's about 8 inches higher then the floor, which meant we did have to hire a moving crew to get me off the darn thing.

No Kitchen facilities, but they will pick up food for you, we fell for that one a simple dinner of chiken rice and mixed veagetable was 1K baht. Had we know that, we could ridden back three Klms and purchased the same thing for under 300 baht. But the food was good.

It is quiet except or traffic noise from time to time on the highway. We got our first taste of cold and a very wet fog there. I had to put up my visor and take off my glasses to ride the next morning until around 0930 hours. There was another resort right next to ours but I doubt it would have been any different.

We had travled 220 Klms from Udon at this point. On the entire trip I never spent more 240 Baht per day for fuel since we were not riding far each day.

Lodging and food exceeded the gas cost everyday on the trip.

All and all it was a great first day, the next time I will skip 1295 and go up to Dan Sai spend the night there and continue on to Nan the next day. Better lodging available and it would probably add less the 100 Klms on the second day ride.

I really had to watch things because of the back the resort is not reommended for the bad back group like sleeping on concrere. But it was a neat esperience

One of the reasons I have'n t started the report yet was recovering with the back form the ride so I will do them one day at a time as I hold up to do them.

Day 2 Chapter 2 coming soon