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Short Trips on the CB500x further afield, Thailand
As I am starting to get out of Isaan on some of my trips I have started a new thread. I am not finished with Isaan but I am going further afield.
My latest trip to Nan will be up soon. In the meantime I will put up my trip to Lampang to get the thread started (which is from my other thread) Wayne |
3 days, Isaan and beyond 281123
The plan was to go up north and see Snakeboy from this site, as I have not seen him since around 2017/18 due to other commitments. We first met when we rode together in Laos early Jan 2015. So I was looking forward to the trip. Then the plan was to go further up north to meet some likeminded people from the GT riders forum, https://www.gt-rider.com/se-asia-motorcycling/ , and have some food, drink and banter. Day 1 Home to near Lampang. I set off at about 0630 as my trusty Montana 600 was saying about 430k's to where I need to be and I am not getting any younger so I like to be able to stop as frequently as necessary. The journey as to take me roughly west on the 12 then north on the 11 I was cold when I sent off and there was some mist on the early stages of the 12 cutting through the mountains. I was wearing my new gear and my arms we stinging with the wind blast, at least I know the jacket is working well and letting air in!! https://i.imgur.com/ocLt2yPl.jpg https://i.imgur.com/C0WAwbil.jpg Both on the 12 and 11 there were good dual carriageway roads twisting and turning through the mountains dotted with great views, which meant I didn't not have to ease up on the throttle as much and the ride flowed well. https://i.imgur.com/kV2rWlxl.jpg Phu Pha Daeng Wildlife Preserve Area, Lom Sak, Phetchabun, Thailand https://i.imgur.com/8LHwSO9l.jpg https://i.imgur.com/WHY0NHkl.jpg https://i.imgur.com/UU8scdXl.jpg https://i.imgur.com/OePU5nel.jpg https://i.imgur.com/yN2CatAl.jpg https://i.imgur.com/5CuUeitl.jpg https://i.imgur.com/oAqOnJgl.jpg Khao Kaeo, Khao Kho, Phetchabun, Thailand https://i.imgur.com/nUIsSctl.jpg https://i.imgur.com/EL2lbf0l.jpg https://i.imgur.com/tRc47SVl.jpg Nakhon Thai, Phitsanulok, Thailand https://i.imgur.com/O6Ga5Odl.jpg Wayne |
Day 1 continued
Snakeboy had given me co-ords to a Temple which was on route, very nice it was too.. Wat Phra That Suthon Mongkhon Khiri, Den Chai, Phrae, Thailand. N17.97569 E100.01490 https://i.imgur.com/MkBj8Ykl.jpg https://i.imgur.com/l8NXXstl.jpg https://i.imgur.com/XyZCZfgl.jpg https://i.imgur.com/CpBHZhul.jpg https://i.imgur.com/4gdD0KUl.jpg https://i.imgur.com/Y4Tozrwl.jpg https://i.imgur.com/LFqY4zel.jpg https://i.imgur.com/lmrWlWll.jpg Then it was back on the road to Snakeboy's for the last hour https://i.imgur.com/bcSefCXl.jpg https://i.imgur.com/gbnKJbyl.jpg https://i.imgur.com/SKRxi5rl.jpg https://i.imgur.com/hbGvZqil.jpg Meeting an old friend https://i.imgur.com/Waoz0ZTl.jpg Some great Northern Thailand food and hospitality, delicious https://i.imgur.com/DgzWf0Kl.jpg https://i.imgur.com/Y23eKmGl.jpg Wayne |
3 days, Isaan and beyond 281123
Day 2 Had a steady morning and a good breakfast before heading out We were heading up to Chiang Kham with a few stops on the way https://i.imgur.com/ZYGKVIol.jpg https://i.imgur.com/pb6DIPal.jpg First up was a visit to the Mae Mo Power Station, Lampang, Thailand. It was massive and EGAT (electricity generating authority Thailand) had done quite a lot of conservation work in and around its real-estate https://i.imgur.com/sjMbPxml.jpg Mae Mo, Lampang, Thailand https://i.imgur.com/vPoMfPnl.jpg https://i.imgur.com/zBBC2gIl.jpg https://i.imgur.com/tA19qQ1l.jpg https://i.imgur.com/4EA7UMml.jpg https://i.imgur.com/HP2pGdpl.jpg Then it was off to the Bua Tong Field of Flowers which were still good even though they were getting past their sell by date. N18.34371 E99.75554 There is a good view point there also. https://i.imgur.com/x7Unz4Bl.jpg Bua Tong Field of Flowers https://i.imgur.com/fxo7nJvl.jpg https://i.imgur.com/o5q0HWOl.jpg https://i.imgur.com/SqkX3k1l.jpg https://i.imgur.com/1Jd0eZml.jpg https://i.imgur.com/O3TGaCsl.jpg https://i.imgur.com/I71wvO9l.jpg We were then back on the road heading up to Chiang Kham We stayed in the Chiang Kham Hotel N17.97569 E100.01490 Not too bad actually, price was THB250 with a fan or THB350 with A/C Room was basic and clean. Hotel closes between 2400 and 0600 https://i.imgur.com/Stoz4wcl.jpg https://i.imgur.com/Ssh4bbGl.jpg https://i.imgur.com/YOjtIL8l.jpg We had gone to Chiang Kham to meet up with a couple of guys from the GT Riders forum https://www.gt-rider.com/se-asia-motorcycling/ for a bit of food, drink and a natter It was good to meet up although the place we had food was not very busy, it was still a good evening White House Bar and Restaurant N19.52998 E100.29326 https://i.imgur.com/QdsT415l.jpg https://i.imgur.com/aYzh6nRl.jpg Wayne |
3 days, Isaan and beyond 281123
Day 3 Time to travel home with a long day a head in the saddle, with stops it took me about 9.5 hours. 573km. The first part of the journey was on roads I had not been on but then it was back on to the long sweeping dual carriageway bends on the 11 and 12. It was still dark when I set off which offers a good chance to see how the lights on the bike were. https://i.imgur.com/7RWhrXul.jpg https://i.imgur.com/lLrRLiJl.jpg https://i.imgur.com/g76hdZXl.jpg Chiang Kham area, Phayao, Thailand https://i.imgur.com/ro0gPPHl.jpg https://i.imgur.com/VmCfkGXl.jpg Chiang Muan area, Phayao, Thailand https://i.imgur.com/1QcUs4Il.jpg https://i.imgur.com/vwayyJul.jpg https://i.imgur.com/hj8mFNIl.jpg Nakhon Thai area, Phitsanulok, Thailand https://i.imgur.com/DkWmiaJl.jpg It was a good few days out with a grand total of 1260km. Wayne |
Nice ride mate!
Brings back memories of riding with you! :D:D You want to join me for my Vietnam tour in February 2025? Saigon to Hanoi in about 5 weeks. :scooter::scooter: |
Quote:
It would be great, but my mother and sister will be coming over mid to late Feb as they do every year (cooler temps). So I will have to give it a miss. Thanks for the offer. Wayne |
4 Days to Nan and back dodging the Tropical Storms 180924
Day 1 It's been a while since I last had a few days out on the bike. I had been looking a going north and out of Isaan. I looked at riding through the mountains and heading to Nan as I've never been there. We had just got rid of a tropical storm, Typoon Yagi (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Typhoon_Yagi) and others may be on the way. Possibly Tropical Storm Soulik (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tropic...m_Soulik_(2024)), so it was time to pull the pin and ride https://i.imgur.com/61DIvXJl.jpg https://i.imgur.com/1KQJz6Il.jpg As per the norm, I got a coffee from my coffee shop in my flask cup and off I went I took the 12 for over 100 km which I have done before (on my way to Lampang) It's a nice road, even more so once you are through the first mountain range as it opens up to a 2 lane carriageway with some large sweeping bends and great views. https://i.imgur.com/9OqSn1Kl.jpg Phu Pha Daeng Wildlife Preserve Area, Lom Sak, Phetchabun, Thailand https://i.imgur.com/ciUbJFul.jpg https://i.imgur.com/UlQzNRWl.jpg Lom Sak, Phetchabun, Thailand From there I got on to the 2013, the road was good, I stayed on this until Nakhon Thai. As I entered Nakhon Thai I started to feel a bit hungry so I was looking for some noodles, however I came across a small monument and across the road was a PTT petrol station with a KFC, the thoughts of noodles quickly disappeared. Monument Nakhon Thai N17.08743 E100.82615 https://i.imgur.com/6MYGr2Xl.jpg https://i.imgur.com/qNcvWpJl.jpg Far better than noodles hahaha From Nakhon Thai I went onto the 1143 which skirted the edge of another mountain range for most of it. I stayed on this road until I got to Ban Phae where I joined the 1246 for a short while. From there it was on to the 1214, this road was still following the edge of a mountain range. Eventually it went into a bit of a wide valley where it meets the 117 which took me all the way into Nam Pat. Nam Pat was my first night stopover. I had plotted a nice little coffee shop to go to in Nam Pat, Wela Cafe, but when I got there it was closed down. I had seen another one on the way in so I turned around and headed there. As I nearly got there I noticed a small resort so I pulled in a got a room. Niramol Resort, N17.72691 E100.67407 https://i.imgur.com/guvFhOYl.jpg Thong Saen Khan, Uttaradit, Thailand https://i.imgur.com/1zMNG0zl.jpg https://i.imgur.com/yXVtVFrl.jpg Nam Pat, Uttaradit, Thailand https://i.imgur.com/uKhF7ipl.jpg Niramol Resort, Nam Pat, Uttaradit, Thailand https://i.imgur.com/soA4NUnl.jpg I had some A/C for an hour and decided to go across the road to the other coffee shop I had seen, that was closed also! Not my day! Nam Pat is a bit of a one horse town with not a great deal to do or see. But it was a good spring board for tomorrow's ride. On going for a mooch about I came across a nice little coffee shop which I had missed on my ride through, and not far from where I was staying. Sorted! GoodDay Cafe N17.72655 E100.67460 https://i.imgur.com/46vTCtdl.jpg https://i.imgur.com/UsQENE0l.jpg Wayne |
Roger that mate.
Maybe we can ride together again in the future! bier Send my regards to Snakeboy if you see him again. Pity I missed him on my last trip to Thailand. |
4 Days to Nan and back dodging the Tropical Storms 180924
Day 2 part 1 It had rained overnight and the roads were still a bit wet as I set off to catch my ferry across the Nan river/ SiriKit Reservoir Dam. I wanted to be there early as I didn't know how long I would have to wait for the crossing. https://i.imgur.com/uZ47cNHl.jpg https://i.imgur.com/68XnZcWl.jpg The 1339 starts in Nam Pat and what a great road to ride, you are practically straight into the mountains, with views, tight hairpins, winding bends, what more do you need....dry roads would have been good! But you can't have it all, slower than normal, it's better for the shiny side up. https://i.imgur.com/NZIUvd6l.jpg On the 1339, Nam Pat, Uttaradit, Thailand https://i.imgur.com/GnjxOB9l.jpg https://i.imgur.com/wXcYmQDl.jpg The cloud was low https://i.imgur.com/QcQDmH5l.jpg https://i.imgur.com/c9R8nUXl.jpg https://i.imgur.com/b9vQed0l.jpg I got to the ferry area at about 0830 which was a bit like the Mary Celeste. I did eventually find people who ran the food joint there. Though using Google Translate and my wife on the phone I found out that the ferry would come at some point! So I settled down and had some Pork fried rice and waited. Then a guy came and opened a little kiosk. So I went and had a natter only to be told the the ferry was on the other side and would not just come across to pick up one bike, OMG, maybe I should have gone the long way round! Anyway after a quick natter to my wife, again, she rang the ferry operator and they were coming, maybe 30 minutes maybe 1 hour. More time to kill. Then I spotted it, movement coming from the far bank. The ferry was coming. About 25 minutes later I was on board and off to the other side. From getting to the Ferry and getting off at the other side was about 2hrs 15/20 mins. Not long in the grand scheme of things but long when you're just hanging about not knowing whats going on. https://i.imgur.com/ZZ1VkdQl.jpg https://i.imgur.com/svXxMWQl.jpg https://i.imgur.com/LA8zqwel.jpg https://i.imgur.com/etzZ8Sbl.jpg https://i.imgur.com/gyGkbojl.jpg https://i.imgur.com/IGfEMeDl.jpg https://i.imgur.com/YufRpYtl.jpg The other side Wayne |
Day 2 part 2
Unloaded and on to the 1026, another sweet road to ride with awesome viewing. It would be great to ride it again at some point. I stayed on this until I got to the 101 which took me into Nan https://i.imgur.com/YvdLB5Ql.jpg On the 1026, Na Muen, Nan, Thailand https://i.imgur.com/Wg9OtC5l.jpg https://i.imgur.com/5h15EMKl.jpg https://i.imgur.com/YgdKptKl.jpg https://i.imgur.com/PmmpQKxl.jpg Just as the 1026 was ending I saw this coffee shop in Wiang Sa. A nice little place to relax with a coffee and pastries Coffee House, Wiang Sa, N18.56423 E100.75303 https://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hu...ee-shop-105591 https://i.imgur.com/scziQScl.jpg Coffee House, Wiang Sa, Nan, Thailand https://i.imgur.com/MmWY4T0l.jpg https://i.imgur.com/9J2HUetl.jpg I already had a place to stay planned so it was straight there for some A/C Grand Mansion Hotel N18.786509066654364 E100.77704476441785 https://i.imgur.com/3BBEJfTl.jpg https://i.imgur.com/BL6fzHhl.jpg https://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hu...ion-nan-105580 Once I had had a relax for a bit it was time to go out and get some food Nan Cottage Cuisine N18.787197 E100.773686 The place was quiet when I went but the food was really tasty. https://i.imgur.com/Ej4uX9Rl.jpg https://i.imgur.com/bltGlxIl.jpg Nan Cottage Cuisine, Mueang Nan, Nan, Thailand https://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hu...an-food-105581 Wayne |
4 Days to Nan and back dodging the Tropical Storms 180924
Day 3 Very cloudy when I set off, maybe the rain has eventually caught me! https://i.imgur.com/NsA61hll.jpg https://i.imgur.com/CrjmORul.jpg Blast down the 101 to Wiang Sa then onto the 1162, it was a nice road to ride and probably lulled me into a false sense of security, because then I hit the 1243 https://i.imgur.com/Rbj9brjl.jpg Nan River, Wiang Sa, Nan, Thailand https://i.imgur.com/qQaoROQl.jpg The 1243, horrible road Although it was not raining at this point the 1243 through the mountains was not a great road to ride IMO, I was really narrow and extremely winding and because you were in the trees there was nothing to look at. Which was really a good thing as it was strewn with little landslide which left wet mud all over, wet leaves, bits of broken trees. The road was damp all the way through it and at quite a lot of points on the road I was doing about 10/15 km per hour. Some of the time I was riding in the cloud. Thankfully the rain didn't come until I had cleared it otherwise I don't know how long it would have taken me. This would not be a road I would do again. https://i.imgur.com/nJO0lwBl.jpg On the 1243, Si Nan National Park, Wiang Sa, Nan, Thailand https://i.imgur.com/rEgn70Tl.jpg https://i.imgur.com/mp4UNT6l.jpg https://i.imgur.com/kf4x5tHl.jpg https://i.imgur.com/Gimlkt1l.jpg Still on the 1243, Ban Khok, Uttaradit, Thailand I stopped at a road junction at the end of the 1243 and had a coffee, the rain then came, light at first. I had to think about what I was going to do as there was nowhere in the local area to hold up, no hotels, nothing. I looked at going to Nam Pat, which was about 70km away, then I looked at going to Fang Tha which was closer. I ended up going to Ban Khok on the 1268 and followed it all the way to Na Haeo, which as it turned out was the original road I wanted to go on. The 1268 was nice to ride but because it was now raining albeit it slowly at first All the villages I came across were covered in mud where people have been coming out of their properties and fields. Once clear of the villages the road was good albeit wet https://i.imgur.com/iIH7aqcl.jpg On the 1268, Nam Pat, Uttaradit, Thailand On the 1268 I came across a waterfall, I didn't venture further up the trail as I was in my bike boots. The place was quite busy considering the weather Phu Soi Dao Waterfall on the 1268 N17.70535 E100.95181 https://i.imgur.com/qsGSzSDl.jpg Phu Soi Dao Waterfall on the 1268, Nam Pat, Uttaradit, Thailand https://i.imgur.com/kRC33oBl.jpg https://i.imgur.com/qt0fbq5l.jpg https://i.imgur.com/7XQVGAFl.jpg The original plan was to find a hotel or resort in the area of Na Haeo. But as I was already wet I decided to push through to Dan Sai to get all the smaller roads out of the way today rather than do some more tomorrow as the weather was supposed to worsen. https://i.imgur.com/XPZu6w4l.jpg Still on the 1268, Na Haeo, Loei, Thailand https://i.imgur.com/ZZjq4m9l.jpg https://i.imgur.com/dSWCAl5l.jpg On the 2113 Na Haeo, Loei, Thailand When I got to Dan Sai I had a ride through the town looking for a hot coffee and came acres the Ta Cafe. Hot coffee and hot food. The owner let me put my bike around the back out of the rain and she said she had rooms for the night, after food and coffee I went for a look, it would do, time to get the wet gear off! Ta Cafe and Resort. 17.272970434613633, 101.15195960171249 https://www.google.com/maps/place/Ta...1.1518775,21z/ https://i.imgur.com/DajtAxBl.jpg https://i.imgur.com/CEYRsBWl.jpg https://i.imgur.com/dY8iacJl.jpg Wayne |
Mate,
What is the green thingy on top of your fuel tank? |
It's a green micro fibre cloth, I use it to protect my fuel tank. I had some clear plastic covering on it but it was getting worn so I took that off and now use this
Wayne |
4 Days to Nan and back dodging the Tropical Storms 180924
Day 4 https://i.imgur.com/r23Ijghl.jpg https://i.imgur.com/9VRUlYIl.jpg I left Dan Sai and it was spitting with rain and the roads were still wet from yesterday's and all night down pour. Waterproofs on as I set off. The 2014 from Dan Sai for a few k's then the 21 south towards Lom Sak and at one point I was riding in the clouds, again. The road is nice to ride and by about 40 km into the journey the sun was making an appearance. https://i.imgur.com/o7Kgioql.jpg The Viewpoint, Dan Sai, Loei, Thailand https://i.imgur.com/0oKGsvSl.jpg The further I got down the road the drier the roads were getting https://i.imgur.com/YaQt22wl.jpg Views from the way home https://i.imgur.com/Lq4iqwOl.jpg https://i.imgur.com/qKMoftMl.jpg At Lom Sak I stopped for a coffee at a little cafe on the high street. Whilst I was there it had a good stream of customers, at this point I took my waterproof jacket off but left the trousers on, just in case. The roads were still dry https://i.imgur.com/AGyMQ3Yl.jpg A roadside Coffee Shop, Lom Sak, Phetchabun, Thailand Lom Sak took me onto the 12, I like this road, especially the stretch from Phitsanulok to Chum Phae through the mountains. As the roads were mostly dry it was good to push on, enjoying the bends and the scenery. I stopped at the forest rangers checkpoint to take my waterproof trousers off as I was beginning to feel like a boil in the bag. https://i.imgur.com/V1jw5a8l.jpg Phu Pha Daeng Wildlife Preserve area, Lom Sak, Phetchabun, Thailand Once at Khon San it was on to the 2004 and home Overall a great few days out in-between the tropical storms and smack on 1000km done Wayne |
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