REVISITED - The Missing Link- Sangkhlaburi to Umphang - Myanmar border jungle trail

[KTMphil]

We did this trail 2 years ago, some other RideAsia.net rider's had arranged to do it, so why not do it again. It's a fantastic trail ride which is hard to match in most of Thailand & you even do some riding in Myanmar.



These two Karen locals on the banks of the Suriya River (Myanmar border) seem quite focused on some drama?

They're watching to see if Bob's KLX 250 will fall through the raft before it reaches the Thai-side of the river.

Looks like she enjoyed the entertainment?

 

[KTMphil]

...lots more to come.

 

[KTMphil]

All packed up and ready to go, shame they wouldn't fit on the back of Jim's Ferrari, its a boring 940km drive from Chiang MaI to Sangkhlaburi.

 

[KTMphil]

0600am start from Chiang Mai, with empty roads we made good time south. A quick look at the The Bridge on the River Kwai

Then NW to Sangkhlaburi, a new temple along the way I don't remember seeing last time

 

[KTMphil]

Onto R 323 towards Sangkhlaburi, we timed the Khao Laem Reservoir sunset just right

What a special region of Thaland

Just before dark we get to the P GH in Sangkhlaburi, 250 Bht for a fan room with shared bathroom

 

[KTMphil]

0700am & a chilly morning to head off into the border jungle for sure

Despite the cold weather everyone pretty keen and ready

I wonder if they're headed in the same direction?

A very cute child at the market

Filled up with food and fuel, off we go north into the jungle

 

[KTMphil]

Time to let the tires down to 15 psi

Mr Kelly lovin it

Up to the National Park Ranger's guard checkpoint, we're all praying there's no hitch, there has been in the past

All good and into the fun park we go

 

[KTMphil]

More to come ........

 

[KTMphil]

We were the first group to go through this jungle trail this dry season, Jack had walked it a couple times before but not ridden, as you can see, a bit soft in places still.

Bigfella headed through a cut pass across a swampy river

Being so remote, the bamboo is still flourishing in the area, being so useful in populated areas its mostly disappeared.

 

[KTMphil]

The route is only do-able from middle of December through to May, there is numerous river and stream crossings, and the route follows the river bed in a few sections. Jack's trekking tour takes 6 days to get north to Umpang.

This is why Jack waits until the end of December, this soft terrain slows the pace down so much that it makes it a push to make the sleeping destinations, luckily there are alternate choices if its real boggy

 

[KTMphil]

Pounce through that crossing with no trouble

If you look closely at the ground you can see its all still pretty wet and slippy

Our first bamboo bridge, still a little slippy

 

[KTMphil]

....more to come

 

[bsacbob]

Great pictures Phil myself and Pounce will contribute when we finish our ride

Sent from my iPhone using Forum Runner

 

[The Bigfella]

Phillip, making a splash. This crossing was a tad slippery.... well, OK, it was a LOT slippery. The rocks were algae covered, as no-one had been through. I went first, to Jack's suggested direction. Nope.... don't go that way. I got well and truly stuck on rocks front and back. I'm not sure if Jack was back there helping (I suspect so), but I had to back up a bit and charge the rocks.... and only got through without ditching it because of my long legs. Jack was next, on a different line.... and dropped it.... short legs. Phillip cleaned it, on the new line



Yet another creek, this time with Bob trying to earn the name Captain Splash



An over the shoulder shot of Naht (not sure how he spells that), Phillip, Bob and Pounce - leaving the site of the new rice festival that was being held that night, with us heading back to the trail

 

[KTMphil]

Most of us were having slips in the mud (i'm sure there's a few coming of me on my side)

A quick map to give an idea of where we're riding along the Myanmar border north of Sangkhlaburi

 

[KTMphil]

Into the first village to the north, everyone ok for fuel so no topping up

Back into the jungle

Then north to B. Chong Samakey, with it's helipad in place for the Princesses visit a few weeks back

A spot of noodle soup in the village

 

[KTMphil]

Full bellies & time to start the river crossings, never a dull moment and always horrifying, you drop the bike & it's often a big problem

This one everyone across safely

Slow is best

 

[KTMphil]

3 minutes later and another crossing awaits

Deep and rocky, good to have a spotter

Beautiful emerald colors

 

[KTMphil]

A real treat - a suspension bridge in decent condition that could be used for a particularly nasty crossing

Up to the next checkpoint and again praying that we don't have a problem and get refused

All ok and north to another nasty, polished, slippery rock, river crossing, Nat from Bangkok making easy work of it.

 

[KTMphil]

The halfway point and the area where there's a dis-used mine

A school run by Monks is also there

The classroom

 

[KTMphil]

Back into the bamboo jungle

The terrain starting to get a bit dryer

The "New Rice Festival" was happening the next day, with us on a schedule and having to move on, we missed it by one day, it would have been fantastic

One of the best bamboo shots of the trip near the festival

 

[KTMphil]

Into the village of B. Hin Tang & no-one at the house where we had planned to sleep, they had gone to help set up the New Rice Festival

No real drama's, we asked the owner of the shop if we could set up camp there and they said no problem

 

[KTMphil]

Getting late in the day, time to get all the camping set up before dark and shower too

Pounce's new hammock looking good

Mr Kelly's very professional set up

I'm playing with a lightweight minimalist set up

An ultra-lightweight hammock from Grand Trunk, XS Thermarest inflatable sleeping pad, lightweight mosquito net that can be used for floor camping and lightweight attachment lines. Also a Thermarest sleeping bag that has elastics that wrap around the sleeping pad so you can't fall off the pad.



Lots of people ask why you need the sleeping pad in the hammock. It adds an immense amount of thermal insulation and helps keep you warm, 2am - 6am the temperature really drops, the pad makes all the difference in the world.

 

[KTMphil]

The shop was pretty well stocked, at first we wondered if they were the wholesaler for the area

Great to see water catchment still being achieved with bamboo

Always fascinates me to see the intelligent setup of the locals vehicles that have to work in these horrendous conditions that are cut off for more than half a year

Maybe off to help setup the New Rice Festival

Straw for insulation

 

[KTMphil]

Bigfella managed to talk 2 of the family into a massage

With granddaughter watching

Dusk upon us headlights and blankets at the ready, Nat trying to keep warm

Jack preparing dinner

A feast consisting of omelette, fish soup, vegetables and rice

Ian, now a little chilly, trying to charge everything from the remaining battery power left in his laptop

 

[KTMphil]

Mr. Kelly coming through one of the crossings with speed


[video=youtube_share;DxZWf_FgcXc]http://youtu.be/DxZWf_FgcXc[/video]






You can get an idea of how slippy the rocks are here, you can't even stand on them


[video=youtube_share;l4qbP0RRMp0]http://youtu.be/l4qbP0RRMp0[/video]

 

[KTMphil]

7am the next morning, bloody freezing, the fire was a Godsend

Maybe a little too much "Lao Khow" the night before

Steam rising from all our boots and socks, very effective drying

 

[Oddvar]

Thanks for great pictures.
Not a good feeling knowing that I should have been there too. But my broken collar bone stopped that. Bike packed and ready to go too..
There will be a next time I hope.
Keep the pictures coming..

 

[KTMphil]

Looks like he's woken up a bit now, time for us to get rolling

Even on a cold morning, the 2-smoker with full choke always starts first kick, always amazed me

We're ok for time, so we go take a look at the setting up for the New Rice Festival

 

[KTMphil]

Jack with the Phu Yai Ban's wife at the festival

Setting up for the evening's festivities

 

[KTMphil]

One more checkpoint

Then back into the ruts

This is the nastiest water crossing on the trail, the slipperiest rocks you'll find anywhere

Waiting for Pounce

Spotters are a good idea here

Now to navigate the big, uneven hole

 

[KTMphil]

Bob gave the bike a good bath on this crossing and hydro-locked the engine, a nightmare crossing for people with short legs due to the uneven bottom.

Spark plug out, turn the engine over, spark plug back in and started pretty quickly (make sure you have the correct length spark plug tool)

I had plenty of slips myself, all these were slow speed stuff

 

[KTMphil]

A quick stop at Jack's family house ( we slept there last time) to say hi to his parents and sisters

 

[KTMphil]

A few easy crossings before we make our way down to the Suriya River

 

[KTMphil]

Heading north, the trail here enters Myanmar. Jack estimates that the nearest Myanmar military is roughly 8km inland. Headed north you have to cross the Suriya River to re-enter Thailand, the river is the border.

It's pot luck which side of the bamboo rafts are left at, we're unlucky, the raft is on the Thai side of the Suriya River, Jack has to swim and go get it

Time to load 2 bikes at a time

 

[KTMphil]

This might be my favorite snap of the trip, got a real jungle feel about it

Bob's front wheel parted the bamboo and the bike sank, we were hoping it wouldn't get serious

No drama's across OK - IMPORTANT, TAKE YOUR MX BOOTS OFF FOR THE RAFT CROSSING, IF YOU FALL IN YOU MAY SINK.

 

[KTMphil]

Took some effort to dislodge the front wheel on the wobbly bamboo raft

Pounce coming across

 

[KTMphil]

All across safely, time for the nasty rutted gradient, probably the hardest hill of the ride

Never shows steep!!!!!!

 

[KTMphil]

Thank God that's over and finally into the Le Tong Khu village


Beetle nut harvest time

 

[KTMphil]

There is a certain ethnic tribe in the Le Tong Khu village where the males arn't allowed to cut their hair

Yet another boggy, swampy crossing, jack get hung up on the far side

Ian lends a hand

Nat finally has a slip, hadn't come off all day

Bob through without a hitch

Peter

Nat