*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 TRIP* Samoeng > Wat Chan > Pai> Chiang Mai

Feb 2016 - Tail end of cool season. no rain.

Route: Samoeng, route 1349  towards Yang Ha, continue onto Ban Wat Chan.Turn right on to 1265 to head to Pai. 

The Rough Stuff: Resurfaced sections with intermittent rocky patchy stretches. Approx 60km between Yang Ha and Wat Chan the road gets progressively worse, with around 30km of bumpy dirt ridges. (see video )

Note:
Im nervous on dirt and gravel. Particularly as i had a terrible accident on gravel. So this was pretty much nerve-wrecking for me in sections. I enjoyed the route, but the rough stuff took it out of me, mainly because of my nerves. My body was stiff and i was sweating, so it felt like a mammoth trip, when it really wasnt. It was good for me to work on building up my experience and confidence on dirt and gravel.

The route to Pai:

Stunning scenery and wonderfully quiet from when you get out of Samoeng and head to Pai. At the time of this trip the main Pai route (the 1095) was a mess of construction, so this route seemed like an interesting alternative. I just wish i had done the trip with blogging in mind, because i would have been more accurate on the details etc.

Battery says no...
Unlike me, I hope you don't find yourself with a dead battery on this route. As if i wasn't nervous enough already! To cut a long story short, getting to Pai involved clutch starting the bike and then going without stopping until the battery gave up  (which was thankfully not too far from Pai). By then I was low on fuel as I had decided to wing it..because if I stopped to fuel up, I may not have got the bike going again.

When i reached the outskirts of Pai i was towed into town by rope..lol! Ho Ho.
Strangely I had no indication prior that the battery was about to pop it's clogs.

In Pai the mechanic shop then tried to put in a really small battery, and after a bit of explaining, they went and found the correct sized one.
Anyway...thankfully the situation didnt turn out as bad as it could have. Phew ^^ 

At Pai I was unable to stay at my usual place; Pairadise, as I had not booked in advance. So I went to a resort just down from them called Pailanna, which was ok. No big complaints and the food was really good in the restaurant there.

Had a really quiet night in Pai, had a coffee in the morning and a small ride around, then headed back on the main 1095 route back to Chiang Mai. At this point the construction was maybe around 80% complete, so the ride was pretty nice. Just a few sticky tarmac areas, but overall great..and looking forward to riding it when completely finished.

*MOTO TALE* : Jacket Lost / Jacket Found

Mini Adventure Drama...with a magical twist. 
 (...involving "homing pigeon" shoes, a beloved moto jacket, an orange shopping bag, and a dizzy female > me)

Day 1 (2 days ago):
Took a quick motorcycle trip around the Samoeng loop, only to stupidly lose a bag i had (obviously) tied badly onto my bike. In that bag was an awesome pair of beat up flip-flops and my prized motorcycle jacket that fits me like a dream (we women of various shapes and sizes don't find this easy to come by!). So..tracing back my route 3 times and finding nothing, i eventually gave up. Handed in my number to a local policebox and returned home despondent. 

Day 2 (yesterday): With a renewed resolve of at least ATTEMPTING to find my jacket, i made up some posters and flyers in English and Thai (thanks to help from my friend Tik). I went back over the area and painstakingly got on and off my bike on a hot day to hand people the posters and flyers and explain the situation. I figured that if i didn't at least try, i would end up kicking myself. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. If i didn't get the bag back, it wasn't meant to be. The nice part of the whole thing was that it forced me to interact with people (which I'm normally quite reserved about), who all turned out to be lovely and helpful. A bonus being some mahouts with baby elephants that i stopped to chat with.

Day 3 (today): Well officially last night really. I received a phone call around 7pm last night. My bag was found! I was to meet at the local police box at 9am. I arrived at the box before 9am, (and as is the way of Thailand in general haha), when I arrived, I was told that the lady who found it had gone to work and forgotten to bring the bag in. So, I had to ride back 80km or so home and wait to return later. Around 2pm i received a call to say the bag was handed in and to make my way back to the policebox.

I arrived to find all the contents intact! The policeman (although not smiling in the photo) was lovely. I left an envelope with a finders fee for the lady who found my bag, and a bag of home made treats for the policeman. Really amazed and happy about the outcome.
-----

The magical twist...
..ok. The flip-flops that were in the bag are really old beat up things that i have had for approx 8 years. In that time they have been washed down a fast flowing river and retrieved (which i actually have a comical video of) ..fallen off on a road... fallen down a mountainside... and well, a number of things. Yet, they somehow let themselves be found. Because of these magical homing-pigeon flip-flops, my bag and jacket came back to me. HAHAHA.
---
To end..
Most people do like to return things. I could have made it easier for them to do so if i had put a number in the pocket of the jacket or used a marker on it etc. Its a good heads-up to me to do this to my motorcycle gear and anything important to me. So...might be a good tip for you to do so too. ^.^

*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 EVENT* The Distinguished Gentleman's Ride. Chiang Mai 2015.

Great day, great bikes, great people...and really amazing organizing..from the ride itself to the camera work and editing from Bas Man , the wonderful lunch and fun games and auction at Good View Restaurant, to the evening event. Really so happy to have been a part of it. Thank you so much to the organisers...and looking forward to next year's ride !

Opposite is the teaser video, and below is the longer one and another one. Enjoy!


 #‎DGRCHIANGMAI2015‬
Special Thanks to Bas Man ‪#‎basmanfilmsinmotion‬
‪#‎TRIUMPHCHIANGMAI‬
‪#‎THEGOODVIEW‬
‪#‎THACHANGCAFE‬

 

*MOTO TRIP* Chiang Mai > Mae Salong > Chang Dao ( + restricted area at Doi Tung and agricultural area at Pha Daeng) )

 *NOTE* I did this trip prior to considering blogging about my trips. I hope to update with a better detailed map when i work out my route.

Overnight moto trip: 
Chiang Mai to Mae Salong, through a restricted area at Doi Tung, then a slight detour around Pha Daeng way. (Mainly because of going off on a scenic agricultural route and going way off track and getting a bit lost, lol).


Day 1: Chiang Mai > Doi Tung > Mae Salong.

The 118 main route through Chiang Rai is pretty much just a long busy road. It has some sweeps but its more about getting from A to B, at least for me. Things get more scenic once you get onto the 1149 to Doi Tung. 

The 1149 and Doi Tung area has some stunning views in my opinion and its an area which seems to attract few foreign tourists. It is, however, a popular attraction for Thai, particularly the Mae Fah Luang Garden. Doi Tung is also an area with a lot of coffee plantations (you will see a lot of Doi Tung coffee shops around the northern region). A contrast from the neighbouring tea plantation area of Doi Mae Salong, where i headed to next, and where i stayed overnight. Before heading into Mae Salong area i headed to a restricted area near the Burmese border. There are certain times where you are allowed access into this zone (and later i hope to update with the details), and luckily i was allowed access.

By the time i came out of the restricted access zone and was nearing Mae Salong, i was overheating a bit. It was a very hot day and although I wear a mesh armoured jacket and always have a Camelbak  on me, i was sweating. So I took the opportunity to cool down in a pretty stream.

There were loads of butterflies around and the stream was cool and flowing. I nearly lost a pair of flip-flops ive had for around 8 years and that i love. I watched the stream carry them off on its current, but, determined to get them back i launched myself after them, and got them back i did..haha! Yes, i really DO love those flip-flops that much...

I arrived at Doi Mae Salong (very steep inclines at Mae Salong) and checked into the Phumaktawan Resort

 Initially the resort seemed blissful, and although it was beautiful and the view was stunning, the connecting walls were thin. No rooms came detached and each small house had two guest rooms. A noisy family with a noisy kid and a penchant for noisy tv viewing came to stay next to me, which put a bit of a dampener on my stay, sadly. They really could do with insulating the rooms a bit better to be honest.

Mae Salong itself is a place for a bit of a chill out. It has a nice temple up a steep twisty hill, and a LOT of tea. The locals are ethnically Chinese and the main language is Yunnanese. Really doesn't feel like Thailand much at all. Food-wise there isn't a great selection really (imo), but you wont go hungry. There are even 7/11's. lol. The most raved about coffee shop within the biking community is Sweet Mae Salong and it really is very nice actually. Great coffee and great cake (which is often hard to find in Thailand) and a great view. They even provide binoculars.

Day 2: After a bad breakfast choice at a local place resulting in a stomach upset, i made a later start towards Chiang Dao than planned. Was a nice easy route down the 117, so much so that i had time to kill, so took a detour onto a rural road. Turned out to be a really beautiful agricultural route with practically zero vehicles on the route. In the end I got a bit lost trying to head out towards Chiang Dao,  and although my GPS said one way, two sets of locals said another. So, I decided ignore the GPS and go with the locals directions..which did actually land me out at Chang Dao. Would seem that if i went via the GPS i would have arrived at Doi Ang khan..which i would have liked, but it was getting late and i wanted to get back to Chiang Mai that day. Will need to investigate that route more later and find out for sure where the other route ends out at. Stopped off at Chang Dao Nest resort for a cool drink, then headed back to Chiang Mai (then needed to do a short detour into CM via the Pai road because the police had shut down the intersection. Likely some kind of accident. Massive queues of traffic. A guy waiting on a bike said he had already been waiting for 1 hour...so i didnt fancy waiting). 
Got home later than i hoped, but feeling good. 

*MOTO TALE* Rainy Season in Northern Thailand

I recently wrote on my Facebook timeline "Today the weather God decided that ordinary rain made of water droplets was too boring. He decided that rain made of millions and millions of tiny little razor blade needles that have the ability to penetrate the skin like lasers when riding a moto, would be far far more fun..", however, not to worry, it isn't always this way. In fact Rainy Season is a very beautiful time in Thailand in my opinion.

If, like me, you come from a standard four-season country (in my case, the UK), you will likely associate rainy days with gloomy days. In Thailand however, it is often warm rain and not uncomfortable. It usually comes in big heavy bucket-loads, rather than drips and drabs, and it usually comes in short sharp spells. Almost like someone turned a big giant tap on, or dropped a huge bucket of water down. It suddenly on, and then its suddenly off again.

The beauty of rainy season for me is how lush everything becomes. During the hot season months prior to rainy season, where temperatures can reach up to the 40+ (centigrade), the land becomes parched and dry. In truth much of Thailand's beauty comes from its stunning nature, and when dry season has sucked all the moisture out of the ground and all the leaves off the trees, it isn't as pretty a sight. There is a sorrowful amount of litter in Thailand also, and the lush green vegetation hides this sorry shame. In dry season plastic bottles and waste is revealed, exposing a nation that generally needs to be more educated in keeping its country beautiful.

But well..back to rainy season. Rainy season starts from around May and goes on for as long as five months, ending around October. Its usually a four month season. Lately the rainy seasons have seen less rain than usual, which is not good for Thailand's water resources and the vegetation. But, by the end of rainy season the beauty of Thailand is restored as it enters into the cool season and peak tourism period.

So, don't be put off from visiting Thailand during the rainy season, as you will get to experience the full glory of tropical rainstorms.



Watching a rainstorm from a balcony is one of the most joyful experiences i have here. Everything feels so alive at this time, especially the frogs, who are out in full chorus. You will see some stunning mist and cloud formations and, if you are lucky, you may even get a double rainbow! Its also low season, so everywhere is cheaper. So, that's a bonus for the budget minded!