Back up around the North. Part 3: North East and Isaan

[Dougal]

Before we leave the "North" just want to say we had a great time in CNX at the GT Rider BBQ where we met up with so many GT Riders.
Thanks Ian & Long for putting on a great spread for everyone.

So the Three Amigos left CNX heading East to Nan.
Dougal, Marco and Franz. It was great having Franz riding with us. The only problem being keeping up with him!!

We stopped for a coffee break at a market place on the 118:

Then again at the viewpoint on the 120:

Got into Nan via the 1091 and all the roads today were great.
Checked in to the Devaraj Hotal. Showered and headed straight for the riverside. Check out TonyBKK post for pics.
Great night with the BKK Hooligans!
Marco will have some pics of the bikes we found parked up back at the hotel. In excess of 50 bikes. Big group from BKK.

Next day it was the Doi Pukha Loop. Here are some of us waiting at a nice new coffee shop 50m down from the Deveraj. (Opens early).

Complete mix up with meeting some of the others so agreed to meet up along the road.
Took the 1169 and 1081 out of Nan to Pua and a right onto 1256 for Doi Pukha.
Here we are at the National Park entrance:

Stopped at this viewpoint for lunch and met up with the rest of the guys here:

One of the views:

The guys were really enjoying the roads and I told them that the creme de la creme was still to come. One of my favorite roads, the 1081 from Bo Khlua back round to the 1169 and Nan.

Here's Tony getting in touch with nature and trying to be environmentally friendly:

A couple of the guys enjoying:

Finally a stop along one of the ridge lines where evryone could finally catch up with the Austrian Demons: Gerhard and Franz:

Great days ride and the only minor casualty was Trent who had a slow speed fall on gravel and rocks.
Finally got back to the riverside in Nan where Trent (AKA Naked Air, AKA Bananna Boy) promptly collapsed and immediatley called his GF seeking sympathy for his terrible ordeal.
Oh, that's Frank sitting next to him busily sending SMS to evreyone on his contact list of the same event:

The bikes assembled at the riverside for another great time:

The riverside by the bridge in Nan:

Next day the BKK Hooligans went back to BKK. Franz headed back West and Marco and myself headed down to Loei via the 1026, 1083, 1268.
At a viewpoint on the 1083:

The bridge on the 1083:

In Loei we always stay at the King Hotel. Great rooms for B500.
Next day we headed off to Udon for R & R.

Here are a couple of Mekong riverside shots:

It was a great trip with many great memories. Thanks to all and hope to see you on the road again soon.

Marco will fill in the gaps with his multitude number of photos.

.

 

[Franz]

Yessir that was real fun and most enjoyable, Thanks for the great report & pxs plus the tip about Nan. So now I know where to go again in 2 weeks time............. :lol: . Yep, BananaBoy got some invisible marks on his pride there, but he could get rid of them quickly with the help of his G/F........... :mrgreen: . We are not Austrian Demons :twisted: , just love mountain roads hehehe...... Not far away from where Gerhard and myself used to live there are some awsome roads through the mountains & forests.. . By the way, up from Phayao to Nan, I was never in the lead but enjoyed seeing Marco from behind using both lanes while taking pictures of the landscape every 1 km... :wink: . He even scared all chicken off the road with his fortress coming along the wrong lane........
Picture of bikes in front of the coffeeshop, there's a silver R1200GS which belongs to a 747 captain of TG whom we met several times first in Chiang Muang at lunch and then again in Nan. Nan is really a quiet laid back town and the roads are awsome.
One tip, while we came to Chiang Muang on pretty small roads through loads of villages, I enjoyed going back trough Pong and Jun which is a high-speed perfect 2-lane road with next to no traffic.
When I arrived in Phayao, HTWoodson - Liam also joined some hours later. We had then a good dinner at the lake and some R&R at the BM pub that lastet to well after midnight...........
I really want to thank everybody for the pleasant company and Peter for organising everything, including a room which would have been a problem already one hour later !! Looking forward to the next ride with all of you. Cheers, Franz

 

[Marco]

Ok part #3

Leaving CNX was planned night earlier in the Bike party,,,well planning to leave around 8.30am from kafe,,,we will see how many ctually will turn to be there from Bkk Huligans and few others..

2 Bikes where waiting,,and waiting,,,and waiting.....

3bikes levt CNX around 09.26am My self, Peter and Franz

One we left from the rest area there was tis Hot spring spraying water in every direction....

This was just beside the Rest area

Guys where plasting away,, i was enjoying sceenery and talking easy..

Then i finally catch them for smoke brake,,,but it turn to be something else,,they took MAP out,, is this gonna be again some U-Turn Group im with :shock:

i think Peter is saying and pointing that we should be there and NOT here..

It was nice rest area, just in the bend of this fantastic curve and spectacular view point as well

Then we are off again,,

Ok,, just short trip to go...

This is example what might be behind the bends, when one speeding, this is not friendly surface...

Franz in Cruise mood, now i can say that i actually pass franz at least 1 time..Yipeeee

This was actually 1 time we pop in to that 747 Captain from TG, he was having his lunch when we stopped and Franz had a chat with him and he was on the way to Nan as well, so we might see him there, so he took off before us and as you know we met him again in coffee shop in Nan, really guiet and fiendly guy in Blue shirt.

How in earth i end up in this position,,,,Now how can i take pictures from others..well, problem solved, Left handed picture over the shoulder..LOL

NAN, her we come, you like it or not,,,
So now, from next section, lot's of evening shots and party Onnn pictures, when BKK huligans turned up suddenly in the river side when we had our dinner,, what a night that turned to be,,,

Tony is just blain hungry, he is eating like no tomorrow,,,

When ever some one tryes to take picture, it's Aka banana boys face defenently in there

Some one having peanuts,, next time through in his mouth and we will see what happen then...

even i tryed to be fast, he managed to get his shadow in to picture...

There was food for whole army,,,and Chang for me.

What happen here,,,Trent, your mouth is Closed????

Ok,, GF was asking his wallet,,

Did i cought him doing something wrong??

Toast for this friendship and future riders together

Did you see that???
Then when we arrivd to hotel that night, previously empty parking lot was full of bikes, total of 51 of them.

now brake time as my eyes hurt of too much editing pictures,, tons of more follows later today ....and all NON censored pictures as well

 

[TonyBKK]

Brilliant pics guys! Makes we want to hit the road again for more good times with great friends! Wishing you the Happiest of Holidays! Tony

 

[Marco]

OK, ready to continue,,,,

So next Day was the day of Twisty sneaky bendy roads,,BUT we where waiting bkk Huligans,,,

Then Tony turn up and told us the News,, that rest of the gang wil heading back to Bkk,,ok,no worries,,

Then Liam turn up and we desided to hit the road, so riders are Franz,Peter,ME,Tony and Liam

Tony is warming his Ninja for up coming bends,,,that was one happy camper by end of the day

Where did they go???? really nice bendy roads..

Oh nooo,, i see dust clowd coming,, close all the holes in the helmet

this surface was hard and not bad at all for me,, MUCH worse is to be come,,but i just did not know that yet...

guys where waiting for us,, mean me and Liam,, we took our sweet time, BUT only one this was that in one part i was in T junction and i have NO idea in witch direction guys whent, BuT there was nice Thais in buss stop and they point me in right direction,,,

Liam in action

Franz is inspecting his "rubber" it's guite warn out,He claims,,but it did NOT slow him down a bit...

Tony found out that "HIS" tail bipe is clocked..or something

then we continue the journey after lads filling they bladder

It's so funny that in so many small village there is 90decree turns so often

So 21 to go for a park and real nice roads, we did thi last year so i kind of Knew the road and that ws the main reasson why i could make it ook so easy i some part, and my co-navigator(GPS) will tell me in advance what and where to turn next.

then we reach Entrance to park and it was time to visit the "Bush" one by one

abot 9km n the park is Rest point and good place to eat

Tony is Streching up for up coming roads...
While ordering some food, we heard raoring sound from the road and immediately we knw that rest of the gang is catching up and BANANA boy came first and he was pumped up,,like "little" Duracell Bunny

Followde by Frank and gerhard

And all the guys where Hungryyy

this was the place where i had to stack up abt 3plactic chairs to able hold my weight, They where OLD chairs any how i managed to broken 2 3 chair set's,,,LOL

We spot about 1/2Hrs and witness something hilarious as well, there was 3pick up's with large number of kids, some kind of schoolUni trip
any how then all 3 cars left and suddenly i noticed one guys running same direction where the cars left earlier and shouting,, so they managed to leave 1 poor guy behind and he will have to catch them some how,, and now some one might think that he can call them,, THERE WAS NO MOBILE LINK CONNECTION,,,that gu had nice little walk and just wondering how long it takes before they notice that one guy is missing....LOL

Soon after that it was time to hit the road..

Little land slide, no problem to pass it.

This was the spot where i took that VDO clip, about 2km up hill and i could hear the guys Waaay before they appare from the road far down below.
Then next obstacle we had to over come was, HEY there is NO ROAD for us,

i let the all others go first as they make up the track for me and then i just kep my "Buss" in the same track and i was ok, no problem.Thanx guys.

then we stopped for little brake again and waited for a while and then got the news that Banana buy has lost the bike in the bend,, nothing major as stated b4 and he was smiling...

Ride continues, only thing i find difficult on really bendy roads, I cant take so many pictures,but it was so much fun.

After hard day riding we arrived to NAN and directly to river side restaurant and filling up some Chang(for me),,oh yeah and some food as well.

There is something in my Buss seats that attract Trend always sleeping there.

Thos nuts gonna be sore loong after i put my foot down....5555

Trent need to filling up, he lost so much fluid on the road,,

Littele ZzZzZzZzZzZz as well, these roads really eating the man if you havent rode them before and take it really hard.

Tony when Shower first and came back with Fresh and Happy

I wanna go home and Sleeep....he was waiting his GF to arrive by car.

This ws farewell dinner with all the guys as Bkk Huligans are heading back to Bkk, where they arrived 7h30min after leaving Nan following morning.
Franz headed to Prayo(i think) and Me and Peter Loei,Udon Thani and then home
BIIIIG TANK YOU FOR ALL OF THE GUYS WHO RODE WITH US AND I REALLY HOPE TO RIDE WITH YOU GUYS AGAIN SOON, remeber if you ever pop in to UBON, let me know and i'll be there and we can have again WAY too many Beers

Following morning and after Bfast in the hotel,where i ate way too much, i.e 6 fried eggs and toast and about 6cups of coffee 8)

It was really Foggy morning and Petr was NOT happy at all,so we need to stop as he could not see anything,,

after about 20min brake, itcleared up and we hit the road,

Road following Mekhong from loei to Nong Khai to HW 2 to Udon thani is kind of Booring but this year it has been fixed and was bit more pleasure to ride.

there was this HORRIBLE section of the road,about 5km atleast small rocks all over the road and it ws like to ride top of the ball's and very very hard to keep LT up, but low gear dn ready to accelerate if it feels going helped me in many times.

If you tke this road to Nan to Loei, remember there is NO real coffee at all, only instant coffee and even not that in this village.

then inside park again, they where building over flow canal and there ws lot's of sand in the road and indie curves,,

View what my GPS shows about the roads.

about the half way there is this restaurant with exelent food, if you are in this road, take a brake hehe, it's worth it.Thai look at me when i rode my LT down there as all of them left they bikes up, Here is peter coming up from there.

More road constructions, but hard surface now and no worries at all.

these lads where carrying bamboo in they showlders and while i was beside then, they lost 1 bamboo what just start to rolling in the road, so if you see this kind of thing,, PLS stay well clear or over take ASAP

this start to sound like Obstuckle course,, this HUGE rck was landed middle of the up coming lane now they are talking it in the pieces.

Nice bens here as well

our regulas coffee brake before arrival to Nong Khai

Fuel stop and ths was funny, while i was paying to guy, i spoke to Peter and then put my valled away, and then when i looked again, Peter was gone so i stopped as i assumed that he went to toilet,,i waited and waited and waited, then i looked toilet area,but as it was far and full of crs,did not go there,but then something was not correct and I SMS to him, where the F#*#K you gone and he reply to me just LOEI so i took of and then i sw him waiting me and when passing by i just gave him nice international traffic sign with my middle finger..55555
In Loei we had early nigh after eating in the King hotels restaurant ad i was soo full and tired so off we when to bed after litte walk.

Next Day from Loei to Udon, nice ride but not so much to photos as Mekhong had no water again.

then just before arrival to Udo,we looked food and finally found one small stall,nicely over priced Kao Pad for farangs
and noticable temperature is very very high.

OK, now we are In Udon, had a rooms in Top Mansion, and was promiced rooms in 2nd floor and as always NOTHING works in this place and got rooms in 4th Floor, it's always these same even called in advance,they just play stupid and do what ever they want, But it's so convinient to stay and very good parking,, so off we went to 4th floor,, i gave them really hard time again as this was NOT 1st time they done it.

Venue for party of choice tonight,Girly street

Had really good time in there and spend guite long time before we left to other venues closer to our rooms, dont ask what is the venues plce, in this time i have no idea bu camera seems to working..LOL

and after we head to sack and following day ws really guiet.
Next day peter prblems with his bike seems to come back as every time in Udon,he need to do something, this time they change his procket what was worn out.

then as always all the good must come to the end so was this trip.
VERY early start 5.45am we left Udon and refueled and got some coffee.

then not so intresting ride to Koen kaen where we arrived 7.24am
stopped in the bridge where Peter turned to his home and i continue strai through KK to HW 208 and HW 23 to my home

Thank you Peter and ALL the other guys for this years memories and Pictures, see you NEXT yearfor Similar trip,that i can Promice.

My home riding from KK is really booring as Usual but managed to take 1picture
ones in the home town i went directly to Pharmacy and ate there nd after eating i sat in my chair and just fell a sleep, then after some time,my wife told me to go home and sleep propelly there, Man i was tired
I arrived home at 10.45am, later got SMS from Peter he arrived 1.30pm.
So 4623Km, 17days and wy too many Beer,make one really tired, but DARN HAPPY..
THE END

 

[TonyBKK]

Ah! Absolutely brilliant! Love the pictures of BananaBoy passed out on the Panzer Wagon! Ha ha!

What's up with Franz staring at that girl's ass?!?! :shock: Ha ha ha!!!

How you manage to get such good pictures while riding is just amazing- especially since many of them are right before big curves... I guess you must be left handed?

Thanks again Marco- everytime I see your posts I know they will put a big smile on my face! :mrgreen:

 

[Franz]

Marco, perfect pxs & many many thanks for the huge effort you had not only in taking them but also editing, resizing .........but then again you are now off-work with plenty time on hand :lol: ............Like Tony, love the fotos of Trent on your German castle...............

Tony, Matti Jaekkimaekki has his bike many times on Autopilot/Cruisecontrol, that enables him to take care of pictures and not of obstacles like Waves/Finos, dogs, pedestrians which he will just sweep away with the comined mass of > 500 kgs........... :wink:

Me looking at what ??????? No way !!! :twisted:
Just was looking at Franks R1 and wondered if I should do the testtrip offered by Yamaha CNX.......... :lol: the outcome you read already 55555....

Cheers, Franz

 

[Marco]

Tony

Yes i take all pictures by left handi use Canon Ixus 80IS what hangs i long cort from my neck, not using Cruise controll unless in the long strech and acting like a Bird with my hands,, that seems to amuce thais on the road.
I think Franks bike ws not there Franz....it was parked bit more on your LEFT and behind one more BIKE,,,SO,, what are you looking for?? :wink:

500Kg thats ONLY the bike,, + me, 125, what means MORE THAN
HALF METRIC TON :twisted:

Tank your guys who made this trip so memorable.
there is many guys on the road what i would never even conside to ride with,but this group is just awsome and FUN to be with, that is min thing, Common intrest+Beer or too much beer and little bit more= FUN TO BE WITH :roll:

 

[TonyBKK]

Franz wrote:

Me looking at what ??????? No way !!! :twisted:
Just was looking at Franks R1 ..........55555....

Sure sure Franz, whatever you say... :roll:

But pictures do not lie!!! H aha hahahah!!!! :mrgreen:

Ha hahahahahahaaaaaaa!!!!!

 

[TonyBKK]

BTW Franz- do you worry your FJR will get jealous if she see's you sitting on BakerBoy's VFR??? :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

 

[Franz]

Tony, now you got me really !!!! 5555555555555555 Peter will love this !!!!!
Still not sure if the 'lady' wasn't actually one from the second version :lol: ....would make sense 5555555555555.
FJR doesn't worry sees the silver VFR already as good running mate :roll: they had a chat when Gerhard or I weren't there you know as she did already with some green Ninja 650, they agreed they'll drive to Nan somehwere before New Year, even if their riders won't........555555.
Marco, shall I buy you a new balance ???? There should be some function to calibrate yours !!!! :? Will ya please and calculate again, I mean I'm nearly 110 and you seriously tell me your 125 ?????? 55555555
Cheese :lol: FR

 

[Marco]

franz

last night together with my empty wallet in Digi scale 124.8kg

i have been 130 few yrs ago,but now i seems to stucked 125...
Im a small boy