As a man who has only taken to riding around the North of Thailand purely for fun in the last 3 years it was quite easy to find new routes close to home. Now, with over 70,000kms under my belt I have started to look further away. Last years new year trip to Nan was memorable so this year i thought I'd go just a bit more south to Nan-Phrae border area. I finally decided to start from Phrae and do a loop around the Sirikit lake on day 1 and then next day ride up to Nan by a route through more quiet mountain scenery. A quick look at distances and times and I thought I was prepared, fool that I am.
I arrived in Phrae early afternoon unaware that the highway would allow such a quick time. I was amused by the 103 which I had not been on before and which has the unusual quality of being a road you can see almost until it disappears on the horizon. Even the big trucks were doing 100kph on this.
Its probably 25 years since I visited Phrae so it was all new to me and took a while to find the better aspects and places with some activity. The temple I chose to have a look at, probably Wat Phra Bat Ming was very pretty, as was the young lady I waited for while she said her prayer at the doorway. The old section of moat and the narrow park that lines it just shows how pleasant these features can be if development and traffic are kept to other parts of town.
I soon found out that a hotel room with a big TV screen is of little use if there is nothing but shopping channels and so it was an early night and an early morning as is my habit at home. Up at 6 a.m. I had a coffee in my room, sacrificed the American breakfast and was heading out on the highway at first light. By 7 a.m. I was heading South-East out of town on the 1022 towards the mountains with nothing more than some early morning mountain bike riders, coming down the hill, to keep me company. The road early on was lined by recreational area on the small river for tourists to eat, drink and relax but not at this ungodly hour.
as I got further up the mountain the road narrowed as it twisted and turned and the surface got a little rougher. perhaps at this point I should have realised that not a single car or pick-up had come the other way but I was too involved with my own pleasures. Suddenly the bitumen ended and I hit what I assumed was a repair for a short patch that had washed out in the rainy season but that was pure optimism on my part. In parts it wasn't too bad, in other there were ruts and stones and even the odd spot that remained wet and looked decidedly slippery. It was gear 1 and 2 all the way and it lasted for 38 kms according to the signs that referred to this as the 4001 which unannounced was the connection from the 1022 to the 1163. I stopped several times for pictures but it was also a welcome break from the tiring concentration of keeping the bike up and steady. The mountain forest was fantastic, steep sided with ancient trees and quite dark under such a full canopy. I saw a few rare birds, some green pigeons and flycatchers but it wasn't safe to look too long away from the trail. At one point there were some primitive buildings and even a pick-up raising my hopes I was nearing a proper road but it was false hope.
Finally I crested the ridge and it was a long track cut into the almost vertical mountain that wound along and around for a few kilometres before I encountered the village I had seen from the top.
Once back on a decent surface the 1163 was a lovely road that first wound around the lower hills, passed a tiny section of lake and dam and then ran almost straight for several miles until I came to Tha Pla about 2 hours later than planned where I took an 11.30 brunch, checked my bike for loose pieces and fuelled full up for the remaining miles. I was already knackered and there was a lot to go.
The ride up the East side of the lake was uneventful but in no way poor, just pleasant scenery a decent road and the usual lack of signs that left me asking the way. As I went north I moved into a more productive agricultural area and I would guess much of it to be Hmong. It was very dry and the first fires were already being set which I would guess to be quite a problem in a few weeks time. I was a bit worried about running out of daylight hours when I had my first piece of marvellous luck, the ferry across a missing road section was just loading as I rolled down the hill and I waiting nothing more than 3 minutes before I was on.
The 1026 was a pleasure. A lovely road that swept up and down hills and passed through a landscape similar to Phu Chi Fa with corn, rubber plantations and other mixed crops that made for beautiful scenery. I was just beginning to feel safe about getting back in daylight and there were a few vehicles to make you feel safe if a breakdown occurred.
The 4010 was so poorly marked I missed it and found myself heading north not west. The signs from here on to Phrae were all quite poor, small, badly places or non existent and 3 times I found myself going back to look for some small turning that I'd mistaken for a driveway into a farm. About half way along its length there was a dramatic climb up, a scenic area shown on Google and then an equally dramatic drop down into a Hmong village. The down was as bad as anything I have encountered anywhere made worse by tight switchback bends on a road surface breaking into stones. The view from the top was stupendous.
It was here I had a close encounter of the worst kind. Coming down a steep slope a pickup coming up pulled out to overtake a small farm truck and drove straight at me. I got enough brake on to give him room but couldn't understand quite what his big hurry was. Then when I got round the bend I found 20 sacks full of corn that on this steep slope had rolled off the back of the farm truck and probably caused a massive panic for the pick-up driver. His haste was to overtake the truck and tell the driver his load was all over the road 400m back!
I must admit to now being absolutely exhausted from effort, heat and probably worry. It was getting towards 4pm and I was sure about what was still to come. Thankfully a few signs to Phrae were obvious and I just followed them without knowing that I had once more missed a road I had planned to do. Originally I had reckoned on coming back to Phrae on the 1024, a slightly longer route that looked like it was still through the hills, but in my desire for a finish I followed signs and came out on the 1342 which was probably an hour quicker. I finally hit the hotel at 4.30pm by which time my hands were shaking and my shoulders stiff and sore. I showered, gulped down a beer and went out for diner and by good luck hit the street food part of town just as they were setting up. It was a great end to a long day.
Back in the hotel and taking stock of my good luck, my sore parts and my shortage of youth I decided to cancel a second day of mountain exploration on my own and come back another day with some company. The route to Nan out on the East can wait a bit longer, it may even get easier.
I arrived in Phrae early afternoon unaware that the highway would allow such a quick time. I was amused by the 103 which I had not been on before and which has the unusual quality of being a road you can see almost until it disappears on the horizon. Even the big trucks were doing 100kph on this.
Its probably 25 years since I visited Phrae so it was all new to me and took a while to find the better aspects and places with some activity. The temple I chose to have a look at, probably Wat Phra Bat Ming was very pretty, as was the young lady I waited for while she said her prayer at the doorway. The old section of moat and the narrow park that lines it just shows how pleasant these features can be if development and traffic are kept to other parts of town.
I soon found out that a hotel room with a big TV screen is of little use if there is nothing but shopping channels and so it was an early night and an early morning as is my habit at home. Up at 6 a.m. I had a coffee in my room, sacrificed the American breakfast and was heading out on the highway at first light. By 7 a.m. I was heading South-East out of town on the 1022 towards the mountains with nothing more than some early morning mountain bike riders, coming down the hill, to keep me company. The road early on was lined by recreational area on the small river for tourists to eat, drink and relax but not at this ungodly hour.
as I got further up the mountain the road narrowed as it twisted and turned and the surface got a little rougher. perhaps at this point I should have realised that not a single car or pick-up had come the other way but I was too involved with my own pleasures. Suddenly the bitumen ended and I hit what I assumed was a repair for a short patch that had washed out in the rainy season but that was pure optimism on my part. In parts it wasn't too bad, in other there were ruts and stones and even the odd spot that remained wet and looked decidedly slippery. It was gear 1 and 2 all the way and it lasted for 38 kms according to the signs that referred to this as the 4001 which unannounced was the connection from the 1022 to the 1163. I stopped several times for pictures but it was also a welcome break from the tiring concentration of keeping the bike up and steady. The mountain forest was fantastic, steep sided with ancient trees and quite dark under such a full canopy. I saw a few rare birds, some green pigeons and flycatchers but it wasn't safe to look too long away from the trail. At one point there were some primitive buildings and even a pick-up raising my hopes I was nearing a proper road but it was false hope.
Finally I crested the ridge and it was a long track cut into the almost vertical mountain that wound along and around for a few kilometres before I encountered the village I had seen from the top.
Once back on a decent surface the 1163 was a lovely road that first wound around the lower hills, passed a tiny section of lake and dam and then ran almost straight for several miles until I came to Tha Pla about 2 hours later than planned where I took an 11.30 brunch, checked my bike for loose pieces and fuelled full up for the remaining miles. I was already knackered and there was a lot to go.
The ride up the East side of the lake was uneventful but in no way poor, just pleasant scenery a decent road and the usual lack of signs that left me asking the way. As I went north I moved into a more productive agricultural area and I would guess much of it to be Hmong. It was very dry and the first fires were already being set which I would guess to be quite a problem in a few weeks time. I was a bit worried about running out of daylight hours when I had my first piece of marvellous luck, the ferry across a missing road section was just loading as I rolled down the hill and I waiting nothing more than 3 minutes before I was on.
The 1026 was a pleasure. A lovely road that swept up and down hills and passed through a landscape similar to Phu Chi Fa with corn, rubber plantations and other mixed crops that made for beautiful scenery. I was just beginning to feel safe about getting back in daylight and there were a few vehicles to make you feel safe if a breakdown occurred.
The 4010 was so poorly marked I missed it and found myself heading north not west. The signs from here on to Phrae were all quite poor, small, badly places or non existent and 3 times I found myself going back to look for some small turning that I'd mistaken for a driveway into a farm. About half way along its length there was a dramatic climb up, a scenic area shown on Google and then an equally dramatic drop down into a Hmong village. The down was as bad as anything I have encountered anywhere made worse by tight switchback bends on a road surface breaking into stones. The view from the top was stupendous.
It was here I had a close encounter of the worst kind. Coming down a steep slope a pickup coming up pulled out to overtake a small farm truck and drove straight at me. I got enough brake on to give him room but couldn't understand quite what his big hurry was. Then when I got round the bend I found 20 sacks full of corn that on this steep slope had rolled off the back of the farm truck and probably caused a massive panic for the pick-up driver. His haste was to overtake the truck and tell the driver his load was all over the road 400m back!
I must admit to now being absolutely exhausted from effort, heat and probably worry. It was getting towards 4pm and I was sure about what was still to come. Thankfully a few signs to Phrae were obvious and I just followed them without knowing that I had once more missed a road I had planned to do. Originally I had reckoned on coming back to Phrae on the 1024, a slightly longer route that looked like it was still through the hills, but in my desire for a finish I followed signs and came out on the 1342 which was probably an hour quicker. I finally hit the hotel at 4.30pm by which time my hands were shaking and my shoulders stiff and sore. I showered, gulped down a beer and went out for diner and by good luck hit the street food part of town just as they were setting up. It was a great end to a long day.
Back in the hotel and taking stock of my good luck, my sore parts and my shortage of youth I decided to cancel a second day of mountain exploration on my own and come back another day with some company. The route to Nan out on the East can wait a bit longer, it may even get easier.
