Si Satchanalai, Chiang Khan, Muaklek, Bowin and more....

[Franz]

Being able to get away from home for 8 days as Boy is taking care of doggie Charlie and house, i decided to go on a non-planned trip. Left Tue morning via CNX, Lampang in direction of Denchai but turned off onto the fabulous #101 to Sisatchanalai. Road is in very good condition. Stopped for lunch here at this viewpoint:

คาเฟ่ดอยแดง แม่สิน · Si Satchanalai District, Sukhothai

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There's several coffeeshops there and on the whole road next to no traffic.

View from the restaurant.

Arrived too late for the Srisatch historical park and only took some photos from the outside

Booked myself a room at the perfect Chanalai Resort outside of town in direction to Uttaradit. Price very low, beautiful room, pool, undercover parking, friendly staff:

Breakfast today was more than plenty, just a shame that tourists are missing, Srisatch was empty. As it was "auk pansah" yesterday all eateries were closed so 'mom and pop' got me ice and Soda, Saengsom i had in my aluminium travel bottle ready from home.

Chanalai Resort and Hotel · Si Satchanalai District, Sukhothai

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Price was THB 800.- via a booking platform and hotel more than worth the price.

Today morning went to Uttaradit and then on the AH11 in direction of Philoke until the turnoff to the #1246. What i saw there was shocking as the small river that runs there went amok and people were still removing sylt, walls were knocked down, cars inundated in mud. Sorry i did not take any pictures at it was shocking enough to see the damage caused by the flood. It went on until the turnoff to the 1143. Lok and Tron rivers too burst their banks.
The first part of the 1143 is one of my favourite rice paddy roads:

Then i continued to Dansai and decided to again ride the #2114 & #2195 which are hugging the Laos border with the Hueang and Mekong Rivers. Also here hardly any traffic and a beautiful tranquil landscape.

I arrived in Chiang Khan just before it started to rain. Staying at the Vamin Resort, a clean & cheap Hotel off the tourist center for just THB 540.- via a booking platform. Today i will be at the walking street and later for Beer Lao Premium Lager (big bottttennnn) at my favourite riverside hangout JO+Beer:

Vamin Resort Chiangkhan Loei วามินทร์รีสอร์ท เชียงคาน เลย · Chiang Khan District, Loei

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Jo+ Beer – Craft Beer Bar · Chiang Khan District, Loei

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Tomorrow i will ride down to Muak Lek to see some good friends therefore to be continued as my trip progresses.....

 

[DavidFL]

Looks like a great days for riding,
Clean roads, nice weather.

 

[Franz]

Did get a shower here and there, especially near Nakonthai and near Chiang Khan. Today need to hurry to Muak Lek but on my way back i got some time to go to KK and Udon, hopefully......

 

[Franz]

Today no photos but a small summary. Left Chiang Khan at 08:30 and went to Loei in sunshine, then Phu Ruea to Lomsak which was just torrential rain in some parts.

Lomsak to Petchaboon was quick and easy and then the boring part to Chaibadan and my friends place near Muak Lek, arrived at 14:20. Had breakfast-lunch near Petchaboon and delicious coffee and cake at a Punthai Coffee of a PT station near Wichianburi.
That was necessary after too many bigbottle BeerLao Lager last night 555555

Then i was at my friends house near Muak Lek in the sticks before l went to a Hotel i booked via A booking platform, they didnt find my reservation...... (price on A was too low...) Stupid me i didnt look up the comments as was happy to get even a room there. Long weekend is coming up and so are BKK folks, think no need to elaborate further. Had another bad experience in trying to do a 'walk-in', was asked 3 times the published price. So i finally found a small 'mang root' with tiny living boxes which again is totally overprized for what it offers, shower area is just 40 cms wide. Will not recommend anything from this town as also fugly as hell with the elevated Chin.Express just uglying the whole town on its high pillars, just out of a Stanley Kubrick film.....
Not a town i will remember or recommend.
Finding places to have F&B that are still open after 21:00 was a fruitless endevour......
If you can drive further then go to Pakchong or Rari (Saraburi) as at least eateries and acco are better there.

As for riding: the #21 from Loei down to Lomsak is just beautiful but forget the rest, 15km straight, slight curve, 10kms straight, slight curve, 20 kms straight,...... you know how to continue.
Lomsak area is full of traffic lights, i am sure a cousin of a local Hiso owns a shop selling them, intervalls are annoying as much too long for the 2 cars & 4 motos in each direction at the most.
The further south i go the more boring riding gets............
On Sat its down to Bowin and Rayong-hee....

One more funny thing to mention: have you ever tried a towel thats made mainly of polyester material? TiT........

 

[Franz]

Today spent the day with my friends of at least 27 years in their home in the sticks some 30kms from Muak Lek. As they bought my former partners and then Boys well maintained MT03 we made a ride to: Ahng Gep Num near Muak Lek:

After this to our favourite road side Esan foodstall for Somtum Poo Pla Rah, Lahb, Gai yahng, khao neow and some Leo.

Time was plentyful so we went on to visit one of their friends at the beaches of Pasak Jolasit, the huge water storage near Patthana Nikhom/Lopburi. There were loads of locals fishing at the sides but no swimming or boating as this is forbidden for whatever reasons, might be that this artificial lake is too shallow with a lot of treetrunks below the surface.
Another interesting thing is when you look at Google Maps area south and south west of Pasak Jolasit near Patthana Nikhom, you will see (if you zoom in) that the whole area and roads are organised in squares. Makes bike riding not so easy as if you cross west-east you have to stop at least 30 times for any road crossing yours and they are spaced very close to each other.

There are a lot of eateries around the shores and also some budget accomodation. Upper picture looking north, lower looking south.

As stated before, i had some troubles with my booked acco in Muak Lek so i found the small 'mang rut' which was a little too expensive for the 6 sqm i got, 690.-THB, no foodie. Place was called V Village.

V Village · Mueang Nakhon Nayok District, Saraburi

maps.app.goo.gl

Had some good snacks served by my friends and they even managed to get some Beer Lao for me 555555

Tomorrow i will head down to Bowin and Eastern Seaboard Industrial Estate my former place of work, to meet some former colleagues and friends. As i have done the Khao Yai Road soooo often i will take the Saraburi-Nakorn Nayok-Prachinburi-Sri Mahaphot-#304-#331 down there as i expect Khao Yai to be jammed up with BKK folks.

Will not be an exciting ride but one that i already did at least 200+ times on different bikes and cars over the last 30 years......