*MOTO TRIP* *DAY RIDE*: Chiang Mai > Mae Sai > Phayao > Chiang Mai. 640+ km

Conclusion (yes, im starting with a conclusion): Sore bum.
lol.

As a foreigner in Thailand, if you wish to stay for any length of time, you will usually get acquainted with visa trips. These can be frequent, depending on your visa type. For this particular trip i headed to the Thailand/Burma border (more info on how to do a border visa trip here). I decided, unwisely maybe, to set off early. Like 6:30am early.
Now i know that i am of Scottish blood, but i have lived in Thailand long enough to have acclimatized. I have also always hated the cold and been able to cope with the heat. So, at 6:30am riding in cool season temperatures, i did not find it fun. In fact, i had to slow my pace right down because the wind and cold was going straight through me. Wearing three layers, a jumper, a jacket with a windproof jacket on top, just didn't cut it and body was shivering so violently that i thought my bike was having issues! Really!

Thankfully there is a great little spot for warming up just before you hit the city of Chiang Rai. The Hot Springs at Mae Khachan. I parked up and nipped into the coffee shop where they pump in hot spring water into troughs. Here you can soak your feet, whilst drinking your coffee. My hands in particular reveled in the heat, as they had gone quite numb.

After warming up (wasting a good hour or so doing so), i carried on up to Mae Sai, the border town into Burma. Report on that here.Visa sorted i grabbed a bite to eat and started off back to Chiang Mai.
Except i didn't.

Now i didn't actually intend to head to Phayao, my plan was a quick trip up to the border and back again. However, me being me (aka - stupid), i missed the Chiang Mai road turn off and found myself heading towards Phayao. I decided i may as well just go into Phayao and make it a day trip.

Phayao itself is a pretty town. Some find it a little boring, but i find it peaceful. I love the Naga serphants on the water.

Ive done a couple of day trips to Phayao here and here (to be fixed) and also a bit of a dancing video at the Naga, which caused a few smiles. (I intend to do something with this video down the line. One day...one day..)

 
After a quick view i headed back to Chiang Mai, arriving a couple of hours later. 

Turned out to be a happy accident and enjoyed the trip :)

*MOTO REVIEW* Yamaha MT03 - v - Honda CB300 - my personal opinion of both bikes.

Had an opportunity to test ride the CB300 and the MT03 for a couple of hours around the Mae Wang loop. This is a really nice loop btw! Many would say there isn't much difference between these two bikes, but for me the difference was huge. The MT03 was an absolute dream, and i didn't like the feel of the CB300. Here's why:

The CB300 was not as balanced weight-wise for me as the MT03 was. Preferred the smooth throttle of the MT03 (although that could be altered on the CB300). The MT03 was smoother all round, from acceleration to gear changes. It handled the curves perfectly and on the straights it went to 145 in a flash..and for sure it has more power in it, but i was just too wary on a new rental bike (and my own experience of it) to take up the power more. On straight highway roads I'm sure this bike would get up some good speed, and wouldn't even feel like it.

My dtracker 250cc shakes at 130, but the MT03 was steady and smooth at 145.
Makes me wonder how much power is in it.

The only thing about it that i may not like about it, if i was riding on it for any length of time, is the fairly fixed positioning.

On my dtracker i have a lot of maneuverability. I can shift my leg position a lot, taking them right off the the peddles and onto the frame if cruising, or placing them right behind me on the passenger pedals.
I would be concerned about possible cramp or stiffness and soreness for long touring rides.
Would be good to find out when more people ride it long distance.

But for a daytrip like i did, it was an absolutely fabulous bike..and i just didn't want to get off it!

MT03 - 1000 baht at POP rentals
CB300 - 800 baht at POP rentals

*MOTO TALE* - Projectile Vomit and the Importance of Hydrating...

Early this afternoon when the sky was overcast, i went to exercise at a park just down from Doi Suthep mountain.


The sun began to emerge and seeing as i had already pretty much worn myself out, i decided that i may as well hop on the bike and head up the mountain.
The sun was out.
The air was clear.
The sky was blue and filled with big puffy clouds.
Just perfect!


A bit further along i see a guy on a KLX 250 riding leisurely. Overtook him. 
But like sticky rice, he was right on my back the whole way. At the 2nd lookout i pulled over, as did he.
Ironically it turned out that the guy was someone i had been meaning to meet up with for around a year or so.

We got to chatting for a while, but in the full sun.
Suddenly I became very aware that i was getting seriously faint. I told myself to snap out of it, but myself didn't listen. (Remember that i had already worn myself out earlier from the workout (and although i drank water, it was probably not enough)). I had planned to eat lunch after working out but didn't (as i instead went up the mountain), so that probably didn't help either. So it must have been a combination of lack of food and water, and a touch of heatstroke. But really brought on by a lack of hydration (ALWAYS keep yourself hydrated!) This bad combination not only made me nearly fall off my roadside perch by fainting...it also..(thank you Murphy's Law)..made me (in front of several tourists)..PROJECTILE VOMIT over the side of the view.

No ordinary graceful vomit either (if vomiting could ever be graceful really...)..but PROJECTILE. Oh happy days. @.@ (Picture "The Excorcist" ..)

....Once recovered, i attempted to redeem myself and my embarrassment. All i could think of to say was "the only way this could get worse, is if i sh*t myself".(Classy, right..)
..and NO, thankfully i didnt (sh*t myself)..! But bloody hell after i said it i thought, 'Murphy' (Law) is a mean bugger and he may just add insult to injury!

..anyway, it turned out good in the end.
Decided to throw in the towel of my day and head further into the mountain.Thankfully it turned out to be something funny to look back on, rather than something solely cringe-worthy. But that's often about the company too. So thank you to those who help me laugh at awkward situations.

..particularly as i have so many of them.

Many many many...

*MOTO TRIP* (Scooter) -One Hell of a Trip on a Fino: Chiang Mai > Fang > Mae Sa Long > Doi Tung > Mae Sai > Thaton > Doi Angkhan > Chiang Dao > Chiang Mai

My first big trip (well it seemed MASSIVE at the time) on a bike. 3 days and 2 nights.

I had only been riding for approximately 8 months or so, and I was riding a Yahama Fino 115cc.
If you know anything about this kind of scooter, you will know it merely chugs along on any kind of incline and has the suspension of a brick. So, basically you get thrown about on any uneven road etc.. and Thailand absolutely has its share of potholes, gravel, poor roads....

Regardless, this trip is firmly implanted as one of my most amazing trips of all time. Purely because i felt like i was on a mammoth adventure. I felt like a true explorer. At the time there were less foreign tourists in these zones also, so it felt like being from outer space..haha.

I loved every moment..even the mini crash i had, due to having no idea about how to break on gravel. Found myself on the ground with my bike on top of my ankle..which later on became the size of a small grapefruit. The perils of being a self-taught moto rider, with absolutely no idea....

Mae Salong. I couldnt believe how different this place was from the rest of the Thailand i knew. They speak Yunnanese. I felt like i was in a whole other country.


Thaton, which thankfully hasn't changed much over the years. The well-known Naga serpents had just been built.

 Doi Ang Khan

Doi Tung

 Ouch............

So...what was your first motorcycle trip? How did it feel?