Puppies, Pandas, and Pumpkin soup. Wet season in the North.
In and around, Mae Hong Son. August 2009.
The sun broke through the clouds early on a Saturday morning in Chiang Mai, so I threw a few things
in a bag, and headed of to Mae Hong Son via the elephant track that runs through Wat Chan.
I knew it would be a little muddy. But thought I could still squeeze "just one more trip" out of my worn out tires.
Wet Season....what Wet Season? Sun shines brightly just out of Samoeng.
The track up until Wat Chan was in quite good condition really.
After Wat Chan the fun began, and the next 70kms would take over 3 hours.
Slip sliding away.
It was great day to be riding this track, little bit of drizzle, and a cool 17 degrees or so. Prefect trail riding conditions.
Looks like this is the very start of the Wat Chan/Mae Hong Son, super highway.
This was on the very top of a monster hill. I couldn't work out why they wouldn't start at the bottom and work there way up.
Check the bamboo rio.
The rice fields look a treat at this time year.
Welcome the jungle.
While coming down this steep hill, I soon came the conclusion, that being a tight arse and trying to get "just one more trip" out of these tires was a bad move.
Bold tires, 240kgs of bike and rider, along with gravity, createred unstoppable momentum, and It was so slippery that the front wheel would lock, even when I thought about using the brake.
Seeing a cliff at the end of the hill made me think I better lay it down, or the next stop mite be at the bottom of a valley some were.
I stayed up right when the bike came to a stop. But slipped over on my arse twice while taking the photo.
I managed to walk the bike down the hill, slipping, and sliding all the way.
I ventured on.
:arrow:
Yes, I have a rice field fetish.
I like this snap. Shows the undulating track weaving through the jungle with full tree cover .
You had to be there.....Looking across to a mountain so lush with foliage, that it looked like carpet.
Motocross anyone?
Just like KFC, I arrived in Mae Hong Son. But unlike the Colonel I didn't bring eleven secret herds and spices with me.
Who would of thought. Mr. Sanders in Mae Hong Son. Wonder how long it will be before Ronald makes he's way up HWY1095.
Tired and thirsty, I booked into the Piya Guest house.
Next morning it was off to Salween Restaurant for breakfast. IMO the best food in Mae Hong Song.
Coffee, sliced banana in pancakes with honey, while surfing the web with free WIFI.
There's even a GT-Rider whaling wall..........for the whalers.
After breakfast decided to ride up to the Burmese border at Rak Thai (mae aw).
Thought this is what I had yesterday.
Stopped to have a look at the phagha waterfall.
To get to the bottom of the waterfall you had to take a slippery route.
Sign confirming the condition of the route.
Waterfall...scene one you've scene them all.
Made it up to Rak Thai. A strange little town that surrounds a lake right on the Thai/Brumes border.
There's some good restaurants to stop for a drink.
This one had a fine selection of local wines.....some bottles dressed like small humans!
There was plenty of accommodation right on the lake in bungalows.
The border was about one km north of town, up this track.
The next two photo's were taken as I was about to leave this area.
I rode up the above track to the border, as I get about 10 meters from the crossing, eight dogs come from no where surrounding me, three of them are not your typical Thai dogs, but big mean mongrels, like the one on the left in the next photo. I couldn't go forward because Id come to a stop on a hill that was black slippery clay. I was stuck, and there was no one around to call them off.
I just sat there for a minute saying things "nice puppies, nice puppies" while thinking,.....this is bad.
Even with all my years of studying animal behavior via 60s and 70s cartoons, I still was unsure what to do.
I know Sylvester would simply throw a stick and the dogs would run after it, thus giving him time to escape. But in this case putting my hand down near the ground to find a stick wouldn't have been a very good idea, besides, I doubt these muts would understand the concept of the thrower and the fetchee.
No, I just had to wait. Id given up hoping a border guard would come out of the bunker. Id say the dogs had already eaten him, and they were looking at me for dessert.
After about 3 minutes they settled down. So I slowly started to role backwards, still saying "nice puppies" which I think was helping my case. When I got far enough away I slowly turned the bike around, took these two photos , put the camera away, and got ready for take off.
Its was so slippery that I simply couldn't just nail it, so I put it into gear and waited for the Benny Hill chase music to start. But there was silence, I took off and dogs didn't move.
Believe me this was bad scene. Made worse by the fact that there no one any where.
Mongrels
The border crossing.... so close but no cigar.
Not long after escaping the K9 killers. I came across some good old “down under animals“. Yes, these are the type of four legged creachers we like.
They don't attack or make trouble. No,...there kind animals, that spend there lives keeping the grass down, prejudicing wool to keep us warm, and when there dead, there great on the BBQ.
Tasty friends.
The road heading back to Mae Hong Son.
Made back to Salween Restaurant for Pumpkin soup with freshly baked bread and NZ butter. Yum
The Road south of MHS.
If you go out in the woods today, you better not go alone.
Came across this Panda in the jungle near Mae Hong Son.
Just joking, believe it or not, its not a real panda, but a painting.
Who knows where it is? Prize for 1st correct answer.
I was only going to spend one, maybe two nights in MHS, but ended up staying five.
Its a great little town, and the riding is great, even in the wet season.
Cheers Rex
In and around, Mae Hong Son. August 2009.
The sun broke through the clouds early on a Saturday morning in Chiang Mai, so I threw a few things
in a bag, and headed of to Mae Hong Son via the elephant track that runs through Wat Chan.
I knew it would be a little muddy. But thought I could still squeeze "just one more trip" out of my worn out tires.
Wet Season....what Wet Season? Sun shines brightly just out of Samoeng.
The track up until Wat Chan was in quite good condition really.
After Wat Chan the fun began, and the next 70kms would take over 3 hours.
Slip sliding away.
It was great day to be riding this track, little bit of drizzle, and a cool 17 degrees or so. Prefect trail riding conditions.
Looks like this is the very start of the Wat Chan/Mae Hong Son, super highway.
This was on the very top of a monster hill. I couldn't work out why they wouldn't start at the bottom and work there way up.
Check the bamboo rio.
The rice fields look a treat at this time year.
Welcome the jungle.
While coming down this steep hill, I soon came the conclusion, that being a tight arse and trying to get "just one more trip" out of these tires was a bad move.
Bold tires, 240kgs of bike and rider, along with gravity, createred unstoppable momentum, and It was so slippery that the front wheel would lock, even when I thought about using the brake.
Seeing a cliff at the end of the hill made me think I better lay it down, or the next stop mite be at the bottom of a valley some were.
I stayed up right when the bike came to a stop. But slipped over on my arse twice while taking the photo.
I managed to walk the bike down the hill, slipping, and sliding all the way.
I ventured on.
:arrow:Yes, I have a rice field fetish.
I like this snap. Shows the undulating track weaving through the jungle with full tree cover .
You had to be there.....Looking across to a mountain so lush with foliage, that it looked like carpet.
Motocross anyone?
Just like KFC, I arrived in Mae Hong Son. But unlike the Colonel I didn't bring eleven secret herds and spices with me.
Who would of thought. Mr. Sanders in Mae Hong Son. Wonder how long it will be before Ronald makes he's way up HWY1095.
Tired and thirsty, I booked into the Piya Guest house.
Next morning it was off to Salween Restaurant for breakfast. IMO the best food in Mae Hong Song.
Coffee, sliced banana in pancakes with honey, while surfing the web with free WIFI.
There's even a GT-Rider whaling wall..........for the whalers.
After breakfast decided to ride up to the Burmese border at Rak Thai (mae aw).
Thought this is what I had yesterday.
Stopped to have a look at the phagha waterfall.
To get to the bottom of the waterfall you had to take a slippery route.
Sign confirming the condition of the route.
Waterfall...scene one you've scene them all.
Made it up to Rak Thai. A strange little town that surrounds a lake right on the Thai/Brumes border.
There's some good restaurants to stop for a drink.
This one had a fine selection of local wines.....some bottles dressed like small humans!
There was plenty of accommodation right on the lake in bungalows.
The border was about one km north of town, up this track.
The next two photo's were taken as I was about to leave this area.
I rode up the above track to the border, as I get about 10 meters from the crossing, eight dogs come from no where surrounding me, three of them are not your typical Thai dogs, but big mean mongrels, like the one on the left in the next photo. I couldn't go forward because Id come to a stop on a hill that was black slippery clay. I was stuck, and there was no one around to call them off.
I just sat there for a minute saying things "nice puppies, nice puppies" while thinking,.....this is bad.
Even with all my years of studying animal behavior via 60s and 70s cartoons, I still was unsure what to do.
I know Sylvester would simply throw a stick and the dogs would run after it, thus giving him time to escape. But in this case putting my hand down near the ground to find a stick wouldn't have been a very good idea, besides, I doubt these muts would understand the concept of the thrower and the fetchee.
No, I just had to wait. Id given up hoping a border guard would come out of the bunker. Id say the dogs had already eaten him, and they were looking at me for dessert.
After about 3 minutes they settled down. So I slowly started to role backwards, still saying "nice puppies" which I think was helping my case. When I got far enough away I slowly turned the bike around, took these two photos , put the camera away, and got ready for take off.
Its was so slippery that I simply couldn't just nail it, so I put it into gear and waited for the Benny Hill chase music to start. But there was silence, I took off and dogs didn't move.
Believe me this was bad scene. Made worse by the fact that there no one any where.
Mongrels
The border crossing.... so close but no cigar.
Not long after escaping the K9 killers. I came across some good old “down under animals“. Yes, these are the type of four legged creachers we like.
They don't attack or make trouble. No,...there kind animals, that spend there lives keeping the grass down, prejudicing wool to keep us warm, and when there dead, there great on the BBQ.
Tasty friends.
The road heading back to Mae Hong Son.
Made back to Salween Restaurant for Pumpkin soup with freshly baked bread and NZ butter. Yum
The Road south of MHS.
If you go out in the woods today, you better not go alone.
Came across this Panda in the jungle near Mae Hong Son.
Just joking, believe it or not, its not a real panda, but a painting.
Who knows where it is? Prize for 1st correct answer.
I was only going to spend one, maybe two nights in MHS, but ended up staying five.
Its a great little town, and the riding is great, even in the wet season.
Cheers Rex
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