Mapping the unmapped Omkoi beauty

[KTMphil]

This looked initially like spring onions but apparently its mountain rice

More great trails

Surface here still seemed pretty good

 

[KTMphil]

The skies were getting blacker and blacker, things weren't looking good

Bob still smiling

Very green everywhere, looks like they'd had plenty of rain already

Around here, up in the clouds the GPS registered 1457 meters, it was a bit chilly

We were starting to get the odd light shower now

If you're smart, you'll start to evaluate your options for getting out

Into the village to talk about the trails with the locals and how they are in the wet

This was the shop owners Aunt

Inquisitive children

 

[KTMphil]

Skies now even blacker

A bit of rain and the trail has absorbed it pretty well

It starts to absolutely piss down and we duck into a village school. Lovely people, the teacher who is from Lampang brings us drinks and snacks

Lets hope this stops

Interesting character at the school

 

[KTMphil]

Everywhere wet and slippy Bob had had enough now.

Back up the big slippy hill, we manage to find a pickup that will take Bob back to Omkoi

 

[KTMphil]

We rode back to Omkoi, as usual stupendous views after the rain

Mr Bob safely back in Omkoi

 

[KTMphil]

So everyone back to Omkoi safe, 4pm , still time to get to Mae Sariang.



Picked up a leech (not the first one in Thailand!!!). It had been squashed under my knee brace and made a huge mess

Low season rack rate at the Good View GH in Mae Sariang is 500 bht - great value!

Dinner with friends

Then R 108 home ---- a great trip

 

[KTMphil]

One from David Bailey

 

[bsacbob]

Turns out i had been also been bitten but through my boot socks by one of the little buggers, found it all nicely squashed up inside my boot

 

[cuban8]

What an awesome trip!!

 

[KTMphil]

What an awesome trip!!

Glen, in the dry it would be awesome on 990's, except for 1 trail

 

[2wheels]

Yep, well done guys; an excellent (and valuable) ride.

 

[KTMphil]

Yep, well done guys; an excellent (and valuable) ride.

Ron,


This is a whole new area to explore and we've got it pretty well mapped now with several routes through from R 1099 to R 105, it's one of the most unexplored, ethnically preserved areas in Thailand, i love it.

 

[johnnysneds]

Looks like an excellent challenge for rainy season. Is most of it the dreaded red clay?

 

[KTMphil]

Looks like an excellent challenge for rainy season. Is most of it the dreaded red clay?

No - actually a lot of sandy trails on the high traffic routes, the bigger trails are all year for sure.

 

[johnnysneds]

Awesome find Phil many thanks for opening yet another door for Offroad riders. Omkoi/Mae Sariang is becoming a great area for adventure

 

[KTMphil]

Awesome find Phil many thanks for opening yet another door for Offroad riders. Omkoi/Mae Sariang is becoming a great area for adventure

All this trail data will be on the new North Thailand Road & Off-Road GPS map coming out soon, it will all auto-route, so you'll be able to get through from Omkoi & Mae Tuen (both on R 1099) all the way through to Mae Sot or Mae Sariang ( both on R 105). This will make the ride SW amazingly enjoyable, it's just like being in Laos and it's only 2 1/2 - 3 hours from Chiang Mai!!!

 

[Lone Rider]

All this trail data will be on the new North Thailand Road & Off-Road GPS map coming out soon, it will all auto-route, so you'll be able to get through from Omkoi & Mae Tuen (both on R 1099) all the way through to Mae Sot or Mae Sariang ( both on R 105). This will make the ride SW amazingly enjoyable, it's just like being in Laos and it's only 2 1/2 - 3 hours from Chiang Mai!!!

With some luck the tracks and waypoints should be in the map by this evening. Then I have to send it of for compilation into a GPS compatible map - guess that by tomorrow I should get it back.

 

[Lone Rider]

Some stunning pictures of the locals Phil - thanks for posting them. Maybe I should take some more time to take pictures instead of driving as a madman around the country to collect information - last week 1200 km. in 3 days and this week over 500 km in 1 day:RE.

 

[KTMphil]

Some stunning pictures of the locals Phil - thanks for posting them. Maybe I should take some more time to take pictures instead of driving as a madman around the country to collect information - last week 1200 km. in 3 days and this week over 500 km in 1 day:RE.

I think you d like it a lot....many of the 40km long trails are all year around 4wd tracks for sure.

Never sent from an I-Phone

 

[KTMphil]

Some stunning pictures of the locals Phil - thanks for posting them. Maybe I should take some more time to take pictures instead of driving as a madman around the country to collect information - last week 1200 km. in 3 days and this week over 500 km in 1 day:RE.

Bob has given me over 100 geo cached turn and building photos to add as waypoints too.

Never sent from an I-Phone

 

[Just Bob]

Another fantastic read!

Spending more time on the CRF250L?

 

[Lone Rider]

Bob has given me over 100 geo cached turn and building photos to add as waypoints too.

Never sent from an I-Phone

Will pick them up this evening so I have something to do this night:

 

[KTMphil]

Another fantastic read!

Spending more time on the CRF250L?

The crf 250 l is great for a trip with 175km of tarmac before you hit the trails.This trip with some really steep torrain convinced me its a better bike than the klx 250, I was riding them back to back up some nasty shit, crf was a clear winner.

Never sent from an I-Phone

 

[The Bigfella]

Will pick them up this evening so I have something to do this night:

You'd better call in for a refreshing ale

 

[Lone Rider]

You'd better call in for a refreshing ale

Yes, that is probably part of the process of picking up the pics.

 

[Captain_Slash]

Well done on exploring all of these new tracks and I bet there are still more out there to come.
The area south of the 108, east of the 105 and north of the 1175 should be pretty much mapped by now.
By the time I return in november the updated map will certainly look a lot fuller then the one I have at the moment

 

[KTMphil]

Yep, there's a lot more there Colin.

Well done on exploring all of these new tracks and I bet there are still more out there to come.
The area south of the 108, east of the 105 and north of the 1175 should be pretty much mapped by now.
By the time I return in november the updated map will certainly look a lot fuller then the one I have at the moment

Never sent from an I-Phone

 

[KTMphil]

Took another trip into the fantastic Omkoi region, this time with Chuck, Mike & Dave, all 3 of them on Honda CRF 250 L's

 

[KTMphil]

From Chiang Mai, took the easy trail route southwest to Mae Na Chon

Note : "R" missing in reservoir above




The village just before death valley

The start of death valley ruts

 

[KTMphil]

U-turning from death valley to find the trail south, a new rice crop takes shape

The reservoir just north of R 1013/ Mae Win Rd. with its lakeside restaurant

 

[KTMphil]

Apart from severe shaded areas, every all the mud areas are hard packed and dusty

SW towards Mae Na Chon

There's a huge new double track dirt road being cut NE of Mae Na Chon, will be interesting to see why

 

[KTMphil]

The Mae Na Chon gardens

...........more to come

 

[The Bigfella]

You guys are really getting your teeth into it eh?

 

[Lone Rider]

You guys are really getting your teeth into it eh?

Yeah but I am not sure if it is done in a constructive way as it looks like that the "competition between the players" is becoming increasingly unhealthy. As a result the division between the people interested in enjoying a ride in uncharted territory has become even worse in particular when I see statements like this on Facebook "..... ....... better stay the f@ck out of our way! *_^.

Personally I am so fed up with all the crap going on that I will have a very hard look at what is going on and may decide to pull out of mapping this area and possibly other areas as well.

 

[KTMphil]

Approaching Mae Na Chon

The wet season river crossing just north of Mae Na Chon

 

[KTMphil]

New crop being planted in Mae Na Chon, plastic everywhere

There's a convenient fuel stop in Mae Na Chon as you come off the trails from the north at co-ords:



N18.53987

E98.52332

 

[KTMphil]

R 1088 south of Mae Chaem is looking a bit rough, several big sections like this

Autumn south of Mae Chaem

 

[KTMphil]

The old suspension bridge just north of the Thep Phanom Hot Springs that you can ride across south of Mae Chaem, co-ords:


N18.27756


E98.38240

Into Mae Sariang, new tires, new inner tubes and a pinch from the rim lock, good job it happened here

 

[KTMphil]

The Riverbank GH in Mae Sariang has superb brand new rooms (new wing), practice your haggling skills, you can get them down to 800 Bht a night if you try, co-ords:



N18.16334


E97.93123




They are pretty special with a balcony overlooking the Mae Yuam river

 

[KTMphil]

0630 at the big PTT in Mae Sariang for breakfast, have to remember that the fuel pumps dont open until after 7am, the PTT on R 108 is open earlier

Then south on R 105 and into the fun area on "R 3017" that follows the Mae Ngao river south east