MastaMax
Senior Member
- Joined
- Apr 28, 2011
- Bikes
- 19 ktm 300tpi 6 days / 15 Yamaha YZ250F / 08 Husky 450SMR / 13 ER6N / 13 KTM 300XCW(sold)
Offroad to Fang (or attempt at least)
When: 4-5 June 2011
Who: Alex and Max
km: about 550km
Day 1
Chiang Mai - Mae Rim
The trip started in Santitam at around 8:45 Saturday morning, though we didn't leave before 10 (had something to fix on the bike and there was no way to wake our friend the mechanic up at this time).
Then took off to Mae Rim through Huay Tung Tao trail and made a stop at the X-Center to plan our next move.
Cigarette time for Alex
Mae Rim - Sop Poeng (on 1095) attempt, ended up at Pa Pae (more west on the 1095)
So the idea was to follow a trail we saw in one of the reports here that leads to sop gai, we did find the small single track through the jungle over the mountain, but it went steeper and steeper, and more slippery than we wished for.
Hard and slippery ride uphill. Roots, elephant tracks and branches on the way didn't make it easier.
Even half cut trees... (can't see on the pictures, but the big branch was cut by a saw, but somehow he gave up half way through).
At some point we saw the "Cautious: very steep" on the gps trail which was indeed really steep, even impassable with those slippery conditions.
Trying to get up there... Not impressed with the amount of energy spent per meter.
We gave it a few goes until we were too exhausted, which was about 1 hour 30 later (and thunder was also closing by).
So in a wise decision we turned around and looked for a easier going road.
By the time we got back on the road it was about 4pm already, so time to eat something and take the road again.
Going back on the road
At this point it was 4pm, we were pretty knackered and only about 30km away from Chiang Mai... Not a dream start. So back on the road not far from Mae Rim we took a wide off-road route that led us to Pa Pae.
Fast riding on this truck road
But not without risks...
Alex posing with the locals
Refuelling stop
Pa Pae - Fang
Once in Pa Pae we couldn't find any easy way to get to Fang in time off the paved road, so we drove straight to Fang on the road, by night. Nothing very exiting but nice ride in the night through all those big curves.
In Fang we arrived around 8:30pm, picked the hotel behind the PTT gas station (400 baht for a decent smelly room, not sure if the smell came from the room or the rider actually).
After a good shower we went for some good food, and went in search for a good massage place (to be ready for the next day). A long search started without much success, we were sent from one place to another, even to some (very) shitty karaoke (they were suppose to give massages, but the massage girls didn't come because of a few drops of rain, very dodgy place indeed).
Then later we found a massage place that opened until 3 in the morning, so gave it a try. Only thai massage, with very lazy girls (after 30minutes they tried to sneak out by telling us it was time). Anyways after this crap massage we went looking for a bar.
By that time it was over midnight already and we were told there was only 1 place open, some little bar with very funny performance (mostly gays and katoeys).
Anyways not gonna keep going on about this part since it's a road report. All I have to say is we ended up at 2:30am in some farm near Fang, where some granny made us smoke some weird stuff and Alex getting in big discussions about farming stuff and their own alcohol distillery (which was empty by the way).
Day 2
Fang - Chai Prakan
After a short night, in front of the hotel
Waking up at 8:30, going for a breakfast, refueling and on bikes again. Tried to find a way off this big ugly road. We found a trail all the way to Chai Prakan along the rice fields, a really enjoyable morning riding! Once in Chai Prakan we couldn't see anymore paths so it was time for a new plan.
Nice riding along the rice fields
Alex posing again
And some nice way east from the main road
No bridge there, had to head back to the road
Chai Prakan - Phrao
We decided to go east from the main road through the national park. There were more chances to find nice trails there than on the main road. After a few km on this nice road we found a trail half marked on the gps. Thinking there is no way this road just ends in a dead end, we gave it a try.
Following this awesome fast off road track with some river crossings and very VERY nice views, it did indeed end up in some remote village.
Some river crossing, failed attempt to wheelie, just ended up splashing in the water.
Alex's turn for the river shot.
Lot of nice quiet places along the road.
The fork (right goes to a dead end, left leads to the wrong way...)
We tried to communicate with the people there, but they didn't speak a single word of thai.
We then tried to get further, but the trail started to get to dangerous (it was just to remote to get into trouble there).
After the village we found a single track to this place
The small track goes along the hillside, but it's very narrow, the hill very steep and we had no clue if it even led somewhere.
So after a few km back there was another way, we followed it for quiet a few km, but noticing the trail went north-east and we needed to go south-west we had to give up and turn around all the way to the main road.
The main road to Phrao is actually a very enjoyable little road, without any traffic so it wasn't too bad.
Back on the road to Phrao
Nice and quiet road (until we found it
)
Phrao - Chiang Mai
Once in Phrao we decided to eat and refuel, then just cruise back to Chiang Mai so we could arrive before dark. So we did, we arrived around 4:30 in Chiang Mai, right before the rain.
We got very lucky with the weather, not a single drop of rain (except sat night during diner), with rain clouds all around us.
When: 4-5 June 2011
Who: Alex and Max
km: about 550km
Day 1
Chiang Mai - Mae Rim
The trip started in Santitam at around 8:45 Saturday morning, though we didn't leave before 10 (had something to fix on the bike and there was no way to wake our friend the mechanic up at this time).
Then took off to Mae Rim through Huay Tung Tao trail and made a stop at the X-Center to plan our next move.
Cigarette time for Alex
Mae Rim - Sop Poeng (on 1095) attempt, ended up at Pa Pae (more west on the 1095)
So the idea was to follow a trail we saw in one of the reports here that leads to sop gai, we did find the small single track through the jungle over the mountain, but it went steeper and steeper, and more slippery than we wished for.
Hard and slippery ride uphill. Roots, elephant tracks and branches on the way didn't make it easier.
Even half cut trees... (can't see on the pictures, but the big branch was cut by a saw, but somehow he gave up half way through).
At some point we saw the "Cautious: very steep" on the gps trail which was indeed really steep, even impassable with those slippery conditions.
Trying to get up there... Not impressed with the amount of energy spent per meter.
We gave it a few goes until we were too exhausted, which was about 1 hour 30 later (and thunder was also closing by).
So in a wise decision we turned around and looked for a easier going road.
By the time we got back on the road it was about 4pm already, so time to eat something and take the road again.
Going back on the road
At this point it was 4pm, we were pretty knackered and only about 30km away from Chiang Mai... Not a dream start. So back on the road not far from Mae Rim we took a wide off-road route that led us to Pa Pae.
Fast riding on this truck road
But not without risks...
Alex posing with the locals
Refuelling stop
Pa Pae - Fang
Once in Pa Pae we couldn't find any easy way to get to Fang in time off the paved road, so we drove straight to Fang on the road, by night. Nothing very exiting but nice ride in the night through all those big curves.
In Fang we arrived around 8:30pm, picked the hotel behind the PTT gas station (400 baht for a decent smelly room, not sure if the smell came from the room or the rider actually).
After a good shower we went for some good food, and went in search for a good massage place (to be ready for the next day). A long search started without much success, we were sent from one place to another, even to some (very) shitty karaoke (they were suppose to give massages, but the massage girls didn't come because of a few drops of rain, very dodgy place indeed).
Then later we found a massage place that opened until 3 in the morning, so gave it a try. Only thai massage, with very lazy girls (after 30minutes they tried to sneak out by telling us it was time). Anyways after this crap massage we went looking for a bar.
By that time it was over midnight already and we were told there was only 1 place open, some little bar with very funny performance (mostly gays and katoeys).
Anyways not gonna keep going on about this part since it's a road report. All I have to say is we ended up at 2:30am in some farm near Fang, where some granny made us smoke some weird stuff and Alex getting in big discussions about farming stuff and their own alcohol distillery (which was empty by the way).
Day 2
Fang - Chai Prakan
After a short night, in front of the hotel
Waking up at 8:30, going for a breakfast, refueling and on bikes again. Tried to find a way off this big ugly road. We found a trail all the way to Chai Prakan along the rice fields, a really enjoyable morning riding! Once in Chai Prakan we couldn't see anymore paths so it was time for a new plan.
Nice riding along the rice fields
Alex posing again
And some nice way east from the main road
No bridge there, had to head back to the road
Chai Prakan - Phrao
We decided to go east from the main road through the national park. There were more chances to find nice trails there than on the main road. After a few km on this nice road we found a trail half marked on the gps. Thinking there is no way this road just ends in a dead end, we gave it a try.
Following this awesome fast off road track with some river crossings and very VERY nice views, it did indeed end up in some remote village.
Some river crossing, failed attempt to wheelie, just ended up splashing in the water.
Alex's turn for the river shot.
Lot of nice quiet places along the road.
The fork (right goes to a dead end, left leads to the wrong way...)
We tried to communicate with the people there, but they didn't speak a single word of thai.
We then tried to get further, but the trail started to get to dangerous (it was just to remote to get into trouble there).
After the village we found a single track to this place
The small track goes along the hillside, but it's very narrow, the hill very steep and we had no clue if it even led somewhere.
So after a few km back there was another way, we followed it for quiet a few km, but noticing the trail went north-east and we needed to go south-west we had to give up and turn around all the way to the main road.
The main road to Phrao is actually a very enjoyable little road, without any traffic so it wasn't too bad.
Back on the road to Phrao
Nice and quiet road (until we found it
)Phrao - Chiang Mai
Once in Phrao we decided to eat and refuel, then just cruise back to Chiang Mai so we could arrive before dark. So we did, we arrived around 4:30 in Chiang Mai, right before the rain.
We got very lucky with the weather, not a single drop of rain (except sat night during diner), with rain clouds all around us.
