Good Bicycle Route From Train Station In Cm

[orang37]

Sawasdee Khrup, TV Friends,

We'd like to visit a friend who lives out beyond the Prem School, and were trying to think of a bicycle route, starting from say the Railway Station, that would avoid, as much as possible, the ring roads, and 107 ... while not adding more than ten extra kilometers to the trip out.

See more countryside, eat less vehicle exhaust, etc.

Appreciate any ideas.

best, ~o:37;

[Ricardo]

Can help part-way.

There's a good quiet road which follows the East side of the river, from the 2nd to 3rd ring-roads (counting the SuperHighway as the 1st), and again from the 3rd ring-road to the San-Sai to Mae-Rim road, coming out about a mile east of the Mae-Rim traffic-police box.

[Puwa]

there are 2 ways to do it. in both cases start out on the east bank of the river. 1) you can follow the river until you have to cut west to go up the chotana road until the cavalry barracks and the left turn to the old maerim road along the irrigation canal. follow the canal, cross the mae rim-samoeng road, and go through ban mae ram to the road that goes right to prem. 2) or stay east of the chotana road all the way through mae rim and cut west close to the chotana entrance to the prem road.

[Johpa]

If you don't mind adding a few kilometers, from the Samoeng RD you can take the right turn into the soi leading up towards Tod Mork waterfalls (follow signs to Sukantara Resort) and then take a right at the school/temple soi in the village of Pang Haew (about 4km up the road) and take the dirt paths over to Mae Aen and Prem.

[Loaded]

What do you guys do when you are cycling down quiet Thai country roads and dogs run out of houses and start barking and snapping at you? Any tips? I have a mountain bike but avoid quiet back roads because of this.

[Puwa]

What do you guys do when you are cycling down quiet Thai country roads and dogs run out of houses and start barking and snapping at you? Any tips? I have a mountain bike but avoid quiet back roads because of this.

This doesn't happen to me as often as it used to, but it's still a nuisance. I've been barked at but not snapped at. I just try to pedal along with an air of evolutionary superiority.

[vagabond48]

What do you guys do when you are cycling down quiet Thai country roads and dogs run out of houses and start barking and snapping at you? Any tips? I have a mountain bike but avoid quiet back roads because of this.

Remember, as a rule the dogs are still more frightened of you. If a dog gets aggressive, I just raise my hand a shout mai. On occasion, if they are too aggressive, I stop and they pull back. It's a game of whose Top Dog.

[Ricardo]

What do you guys do when you are cycling down quiet Thai country roads and dogs run out of houses and start barking and snapping at you? Any tips? I have a mountain bike but avoid quiet back roads because of this.

Ignore them, or say 'jai yen yen'.

But definitely not wai them, as this would involve taking one's hands off the handle-bars, so should be saved for when passing a wat , whilst driving a car in Thailand. One tries one's best to fit in with local customs !

[orang37]

What do you guys do when you are cycling down quiet Thai country roads and dogs run out of houses and start barking and snapping at you? Any tips? I have a mountain bike but avoid quiet back roads because of this.

Thanks, all, for the many helpful posts !

Sawasdee Khrup, Khun Loaded,

An interesting topic to bring up !

We distinguish between bicycling in our own neighborhood, where during our nightly fresh-soy-milk run (usually between 10PM and 1AM), about six dogs are waiting to do their thing with us as we go, and come back.

We know these dogs, they know us. It almost feels like a ritual. And we usually just make a sharp guttural sound if they are getting within snapping distance of our lotus feet. And sometimes we whistle (a sweet little bird like sound) which seems to kind of "throw them off balance" mentally or whatever.

Being on a strange street, however, and with a large dog at night; it seems we have to fall back on our street "intuition" : but we think not showing fear is important. At times I've stopped the bike suddenly, spun around so the bike is between me and dog and started shouting. Other times I've driven faster straight at the dog that was looking hostile staring him (her ?) down : this was all based on intuition.

When I lived up on Thanon Chan Kian in the little moo baan where the road runs out into the foothills of Doi Suthep, and bicycled a lot up and down to Huay Kaew, there was one serious dog pack that we did feel wanted to taste our flesh. I would arm myself with a handful of small pebbles before crossing into their territory, but sure didn't like the feeling of doing that, or the throwing I felt was necessary to scare them off.

We've thought about getting one of those telescoping rods for protection, but we ain't doing much bicycle riding in strange places after dark no more after being hit-and-runned by a drunken Thai motorcyclist four years ago and having our right human leg multiply, spirally, fractured : once was enough (yes, the bicycle was fully lighted front and back, with a blinking light on the rear). That was a 200k baht lesson in night-bicycling.

best, ~o:37;

Edited December 15, 2009 by orang37

[Loaded]

I usually wear dark sunglasses when I ride. My theory is a dog will feel threatened if eyes meet theirs. The glasses work well for me most of the time. Just want to cover all the time.

[meadish_sweetball]

Have not tried this as I don't travel by bicycle, but maybe keeping a pack of moo daed diaw in your pocket to throw should work to divert their attention.

If repeated a few times, it might also make the dogs more positively inclined towards your persona.

[IanForbes]

What do you guys do when you are cycling down quiet Thai country roads and dogs run out of houses and start barking and snapping at you? Any tips? I have a mountain bike but avoid quiet back roads because of this.

I've been bitten by more dogs than I can remember, and have the scars to prove it. But, I'm not frightened of any animal if I follow proper procedure. In Thailand where I expect to run into nasty dogs I carry a nice length of green bamboo. It's light enough to carry, but heavy enough to kill something with a well timed blow. As someone already mentioned, it's a case of showing who is top dog, and sometimes you have to get off the bike and show them. Dogs can quickly sense who is a threat and who isn't. It's only the real nasty breeds like pit bulls and other fighting dogs that have no fear and will attack anything if they are so inclined. Most dogs are just guarding their territory and will leave you alone once you leave their area. They may bark, but that is about all.

[IanForbes]

Sawasdee Khrup, TV Friends,

We'd like to visit a friend who lives out beyond the Prem School, and were trying to think of a bicycle route, starting from say the Railway Station, that would avoid, as much as possible, the ring roads, and 107 ... while not adding more than ten extra kilometers to the trip out.

See more countryside, eat less vehicle exhaust, etc.

Appreciate any ideas.

I would check with Google Earth and look at all the options of travel in that area. Google Earth has been updated in recent years and seems to have a good coverage of the more populated areas. You can draw your own map and even carry a GPS like I do when traveling in Asia. I've made up dozens of maps that way and it sure helps to know where you are and where you are going.

[anonymouse]

What do you guys do when you are cycling down quiet Thai country roads and dogs run out of houses and start barking and snapping at you? Any tips? I have a mountain bike but avoid quiet back roads because of this.

You can get those telescopic night sticks from the night bazaar that do the trick, most of the dogs in Thailand are real pussies, if you want to wet your pants about nasty dogs try cycling or walking in the Tibetan areas of China the big mastiffs they keep are like something out of the Hound of the Baskervilles

[mnbcm]

What do you guys do when you are cycling down quiet Thai country roads and dogs run out of houses and start barking and snapping at you? Any tips? I have a mountain bike but avoid quiet back roads because of this.

Ride faster.

[orang37]

Sawasdee Khrup, TV Friends,

Thanks to all who replied on this thread, particularly Khuns, Ricardo, Puwa, Johpa, and Ian.

We made this trip recently, and went this route from near the train station :

1. Charoen Muang (highway 1006) east to first ring road, or Superhighway, intersection.

2. left side lane tracking first ring road (highway 11, first going north, then veering west) until we came to where we could get under the river and then proceed up the road on the east side of the river north.

Note : it would have actually been shorter to go from where we live over to the old Chiang Mai - Lamphun road, and then follow that until it becomes (heading north) first Charoen Rat, then Faham road, but we felt that since it was early in the day, but after the morning heavy commuter traffic, a straight shot along the ring road to get "out of town" asap would involve eating less exhaust fumes.

3. Up the road on the east side of the river, rest stop at the intersection with the second ring road. On up finally to where we had climbed a few flights of steps carrying the bicycle up to a bridge high over the river with the road leading us right up to Mae Rim (assume this was the third ring road).

4. going up 107 through Mae Rim north to the turn-off to the Prem school : yes, we ate some exhaust there.

5. on the way to Prem school : passed many interesting sights including a center for Thai Water Buffalo with some magnificent specimens grazing in the fields.

6. once past the Prem school heading another maybe eight kilometers somewhat west and north to our friend's house, passed through very beautiful fields, lovely country, clean air.

Once we got three or four kilometers north of the first ring road, that road along the east side of the Ping was really beautiful. Many fields of chrysanthemums, gardnes, resorts, Wats. With each ring road we passed heading north the air seemed to get cleaner and cooler.

Unfortunately the old human body did not have the stamina expected to make the trip in under three hours as we thought it would; we had to stop several times and rest his old bones.

And stiff and sore back for the meat-package for five days followed (even though the human rides quite "upright").

We are thinking : "back brace."

best, ~o:37;

Edited December 27, 2009 by orang37

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

After Orang's post I decided to explore this area on bicycle and have found some wonderful safe and quiet routes. These roads are now among my favorites for flat terrain and still being close to CM.

It's very easy to go from 121/107 intersection (not far from 700 year complex) west of the river and passing east of green valley golf course all the way up to Ki lek and beyond. To go to Prem then just peel off to the west and little north of San Pong.

These country roads have very little auto traffic with wonderful rural and river views. Very smiley friendly people too. happily the dogs are also very lazy and have not had any chasers.

There are a few zig's and zags that you will need to find with Google earth but all in all a straight forward route that does not require any off roading or dangerous traffic crossings. Okay well you would have to cross the main road to get to Prem which is west of 107.

Enjoy

[orang37]

Sawasdee Khrup, Khun CobraSnakeNeckTie,

Thanks for the additional info; we're eager to explore more of that area, in fact we were planning a trip for this Thursday along the lines you suggested ... until ... we read about the red-shirt / UDD rally at the 700 year stadium this coming Thursday.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/politics/1...red-shirt-party

Interesting that the Nation has not had this on the "home page" of their internet site yet (yesterday it was on the "home page" of the BP site). We did a "shallow search" of the Nation, and couldn't find any mention of it.

best, ~o:37;