KMA
Senior Member
When someone who speaks fluent thai (similar to Lao'n) and has been to Laos at least three times asks if you want to go, you say hell yes! Our plan was loose and we pretty much just played it by ear everyday. This worked out pretty well I think.
So two guys on KLX 250's leave Chiang Mai on a friday and head for the Chiang khong border of Laos
Lunch with a friend in Chiang Rai first for some beta on directions.
Smart and pretty
OK let's get two flat tires before we even get into Laos and get them out of the way. No problems after these
me at the Mee Kong River
loadin the bikes to cross over into Laos
looking back across the river at thailand
friggin border customs and crap in laos took almost three hours
lunch before we hit the road to the town of Namtha
funny thing is when you leave thailand driving on the left you get into laos and drive on the right
it was getting late so we checked out a couple rooms in Phouka but decided to press on
nice view from the small guest house
roadside carnage
We got into beautiful downtown Namtha just in time for sunset
this would actually be the best accommodations of the trip, who knew?
day one of riding we chose something offroad that looked to follow the Namtha river for miles. welcome to dee jungle
Peter asking this old dude for some info. I offered him a little money and he refused & said he owned a rubber tree farm nearby, proud people
the road was pretty well used and had real bridges
looking off the bridge
it was right about here we found a small road that went up to a remote village
some local guys on the way up a small river by the road
heading into the village
some of the more remote villages the people don't really approach you, some of them as we find out
the road ended and we were now on trail
we ran out of trail and had to turn the bikes around here between a drop off and a hill. We had no room to spare and it was a little hairy
were out
back on the main road
the gps said there was a small lake up this side road, not. turned out to be a trash dump
then on the way back we hit a traffic jam
because of this
we only had to wait about 30 minutes. some people had been there for 2 hours!
So it was an easy day ride to Udon Xay. We decided we would just take some roads off the main road and see some more villages etc
lunch stop on the way
back into somewhere off the main road. looked promising
this kid looked at me like I was from outter space
the GPS track ended but we kept going on past the village
We ran into this villager who said his hut was up near the end of the road and to follow him if we wanted to, OK!
they offered us something to drink but it was in some nasty kettle, decline. He said in the rainy season they rarely get out.
Million dollar view??
then he says his wifes hut is further down the trail so we go to check it out. there were motorbikes but no one came out. I think they were a little freaked out about the space men
on the way back out thru the main village we spotted this. They stick these low hp motors on these old trucks and chug around, slowly
smoke house? I didn't get a picture but this pregnant villager came out to look at us. She blew a big snot bomb and went back into her hut. Just the kind of girl you want to take home to your mother :<)
From here it was pretty straight forward to Udon Xay. Wish I could remember the hotel we stayed at, pretty decent
Next day we were gonna try to make it to the t-land border crossing above Nan
On the way some good stuff
this road dead ended but was fun anyway
these guys are everywhere. So if you get really hungry...
rummaging for corn kernels
just out of the corner of my eye I spot these guys working just off the road
Down another back road to another remote village
now this village was pretty cool. they had power lines brought in by some chinese company but after finishing 2 months ago still no power
loved this guy!
So the chinese contractors just left this tractor for whatever reason
So just as were leaving this little Albino kid comes out. He can't see very well and is covering his eyes. He is half naked and really dirty. Peter tried to give him some peanuts but he couldn't see them real well and kept dropping them on the dirt, picking them up and eating them. This was a pretty sad moment, for me at least
back down the road we go
so I gotta take a piss and pull over. all of the sudden this woman pops out of the bushes across the road and goes running down the road mumbling something. Peter goes over to talk with them, said they were nice but there was something not quite right with the one (sitting looking at camera) that saw me pissin
Our last village stop before crossing the river towards the border
You see these kids all over walking/riding home from school
River crossing
this was pretty cool. this truck rolls on and now the back of the ferry is stuck on the landing, no problem. The truck backs up guns it forward and then slams on his brakes to rock us forward. It took about five times but got us going. Love the way they adapt to situations. In the states you would never get away with this, f'n safety rules!
on the other side and on to the border
Last gas stop before the border to get rid of our kip (lao banana republic money) this would turn out to bite me in the ass later
Back in thailand and trying to make it to Chiang Kham before dark, not. Some cool stuff on the way though. Lots of mtn roads and stunning views.
After riding over 300 kilos we pulled into town in the dark and found a decent place for the night
last breakfast of the trip
on the road towards Lake Phayao for lunch & bam, check point!
Peter got offered to take one of the check point girls back home with him, he politely declined
Lunch & coffee in Phayao. I didn't eat and candy bar'd it all the way home
Looking back down at view of Phayao
So that's about it. That last gas stop in Laos I lost my wallet, atm, credit cards and 50,000 kip. No worries man, it's only money!!
Ride while you can YFF'RS
and of course don't forget your genuine Giant Loop Saddlebag! (shameless plug for Dave and his peeps at GL)
So two guys on KLX 250's leave Chiang Mai on a friday and head for the Chiang khong border of Laos
Lunch with a friend in Chiang Rai first for some beta on directions.
Smart and pretty
OK let's get two flat tires before we even get into Laos and get them out of the way. No problems after these
me at the Mee Kong River
loadin the bikes to cross over into Laos
looking back across the river at thailand
friggin border customs and crap in laos took almost three hours
lunch before we hit the road to the town of Namtha
funny thing is when you leave thailand driving on the left you get into laos and drive on the right
it was getting late so we checked out a couple rooms in Phouka but decided to press on
nice view from the small guest house
roadside carnage
We got into beautiful downtown Namtha just in time for sunset
this would actually be the best accommodations of the trip, who knew?
day one of riding we chose something offroad that looked to follow the Namtha river for miles. welcome to dee jungle
Peter asking this old dude for some info. I offered him a little money and he refused & said he owned a rubber tree farm nearby, proud people
the road was pretty well used and had real bridges
looking off the bridge
it was right about here we found a small road that went up to a remote village
some local guys on the way up a small river by the road
heading into the village
some of the more remote villages the people don't really approach you, some of them as we find out
the road ended and we were now on trail
we ran out of trail and had to turn the bikes around here between a drop off and a hill. We had no room to spare and it was a little hairy
were out
back on the main road
the gps said there was a small lake up this side road, not. turned out to be a trash dump
then on the way back we hit a traffic jam
because of this
we only had to wait about 30 minutes. some people had been there for 2 hours!
So it was an easy day ride to Udon Xay. We decided we would just take some roads off the main road and see some more villages etc
lunch stop on the way
back into somewhere off the main road. looked promising
this kid looked at me like I was from outter space
the GPS track ended but we kept going on past the village
We ran into this villager who said his hut was up near the end of the road and to follow him if we wanted to, OK!
they offered us something to drink but it was in some nasty kettle, decline. He said in the rainy season they rarely get out.
Million dollar view??
then he says his wifes hut is further down the trail so we go to check it out. there were motorbikes but no one came out. I think they were a little freaked out about the space men
on the way back out thru the main village we spotted this. They stick these low hp motors on these old trucks and chug around, slowly
smoke house? I didn't get a picture but this pregnant villager came out to look at us. She blew a big snot bomb and went back into her hut. Just the kind of girl you want to take home to your mother :<)
From here it was pretty straight forward to Udon Xay. Wish I could remember the hotel we stayed at, pretty decent
Next day we were gonna try to make it to the t-land border crossing above Nan
On the way some good stuff
this road dead ended but was fun anyway
these guys are everywhere. So if you get really hungry...
rummaging for corn kernels
just out of the corner of my eye I spot these guys working just off the road
Down another back road to another remote village
now this village was pretty cool. they had power lines brought in by some chinese company but after finishing 2 months ago still no power
loved this guy!
So the chinese contractors just left this tractor for whatever reason
So just as were leaving this little Albino kid comes out. He can't see very well and is covering his eyes. He is half naked and really dirty. Peter tried to give him some peanuts but he couldn't see them real well and kept dropping them on the dirt, picking them up and eating them. This was a pretty sad moment, for me at least
back down the road we go
so I gotta take a piss and pull over. all of the sudden this woman pops out of the bushes across the road and goes running down the road mumbling something. Peter goes over to talk with them, said they were nice but there was something not quite right with the one (sitting looking at camera) that saw me pissin
Our last village stop before crossing the river towards the border
You see these kids all over walking/riding home from school
River crossing
this was pretty cool. this truck rolls on and now the back of the ferry is stuck on the landing, no problem. The truck backs up guns it forward and then slams on his brakes to rock us forward. It took about five times but got us going. Love the way they adapt to situations. In the states you would never get away with this, f'n safety rules!
on the other side and on to the border
Last gas stop before the border to get rid of our kip (lao banana republic money) this would turn out to bite me in the ass later
Back in thailand and trying to make it to Chiang Kham before dark, not. Some cool stuff on the way though. Lots of mtn roads and stunning views.
After riding over 300 kilos we pulled into town in the dark and found a decent place for the night
last breakfast of the trip
on the road towards Lake Phayao for lunch & bam, check point!
Peter got offered to take one of the check point girls back home with him, he politely declined
Lunch & coffee in Phayao. I didn't eat and candy bar'd it all the way home
Looking back down at view of Phayao
So that's about it. That last gas stop in Laos I lost my wallet, atm, credit cards and 50,000 kip. No worries man, it's only money!!
Ride while you can YFF'RS
and of course don't forget your genuine Giant Loop Saddlebag! (shameless plug for Dave and his peeps at GL)
