The SW Monsoon says hello in the Nan region.

[KTMphil]

"Have you checked if there's a weather window"?

Reply:

"No, the squalls are so isolated, no point really".


So off we go to Nan from Chiang Mai. 30km down R 118, its wet weather gear on, nasty black skies and white rain squalls clearly vizable 500 meters ahead.


IMG_8477_edited by Triangle Golden 007, on Flickr




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[KTMphil]

Keld was telling me how awesome his rain gear is. It's in fact so awesome & waterproof, if you leave your Iphone in one of the pockets with the zip undone while it's raining, the pocket will fill up with water 1/2 way up your Iphone, it's that waterproof, amazing.


Phayao PTT/ 7-11, time to buy a bag of rice and put the drowned Iphone in the rice to see if we can dry it out


IMG_8479_edited by Triangle Golden 007, on Flickr



In it goes ( we won't starve now)



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[KTMphil]

The fun south loop to Nan - R 1251 / R 1091, although not as fun as usual due to the wet roads, then into the NBW GH in Nan to dry out


IMG_8482_edited by Triangle Golden 007, on Flickr




A bit of afternoon culture, this might be the first Wat my riding partner had ever been in, a least its one of the most interesting - Wat Phumin, Nan



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Wat Phumin


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It's quite splendid and well worth a look if you're in Nan


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This is what makes it so special - the ancient murals


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This one is the most famous and you will see it all around Nan

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They all tell stories, I know Reed has spent a lot of time researching them and can tell you what each mural portrays. It's quite interesting. On the back wall there is a series of paintings, that tell the story of the European invasion in the 1800's presumably the French by the flag on the ship



Look closely and you can see they have attempted to draw what a westerner looks like (the arrival of the French in the 1800's)


IMG_8496_edited by Triangle Golden 007, on Flickr



From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Indochina


[h=2]First French interventions[edit][/h]Main articles: France–Vietnam relations and French assistance to Nguyễn Ánh

Portrait of crown prince Nguyễn Phúc Cảnh in France, 1787.​

France–Vietnam relations started as early as the 17th century with the mission of the Jesuit missionary Alexandre de Rhodes. At this time, Vietnam was only just beginning to occupy the Mekong Delta, former territory of the Indianized kingdom of Champa which they had defeated in 1471.[SUP][1][/SUP] European involvement in Vietnam was confined to trade during the 18th century. In 1787, Pigneau de Béhaine, a French Catholic priest, petitioned the French government and organized French military volunteers to aid Nguyễn Ánh in retaking lands his family lost to the Tây Sơn. Pigneau died in Viet Nam but his troops fought on until 1802 in the French assistance to Nguyễn Ánh.




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Welcoming committee


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Some of the other murals on the walls of Wat Phumin, they all record history


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[KTMphil]

Around the back of Wat Phumin, a vision of what hell looks like


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All you gossipers/ tongue waggers out there - watch out


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Dinner with Tony (Tony's Place, Nan - gastronomic roast pork), the next days riding plans sorted with Mark & Craig and off to sleep in the great, soft beds at the NBW (if you've been in Thailand a while you'll understand)

Back at the NBW, the Hypermotard had acquired a POP rentals sticker, didn't know he had any of those?

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

 

[KTMphil]

NE of Nan, towards the Laos border, the "Bo Klua loop", might be the most fun road ride in Thailand. Its a continuous big dipper with constant curves that will have you smiling from ear to ear.



bo klua edit with txt by Triangle Golden 007, on Flickr
Copyright - Nan Map


There's some minor road construction underway on R 1081, it only lasts for about 2km.



IMG_8506_edited by Triangle Golden 007, on Flickr

 

[KTMphil]

Steamy and moody ahead on R 1081, with more altitude we'll hit some rain for sure


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The rain really does brighten up the collage of colors in the rural areas


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Wet and rainy now, so no fun riding the corners


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Might be my favorite shot of the trip - R 1081


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Lots of new surface around, quickly finished before the SW Monsoon stops progress





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R 1081 - real fun in the dry


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A quick look around the ancient salt mines



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The well with the brine


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Boiling off brine to get at the salt


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Mark thought we were riding across this bamboo bridge and was a little concerned


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The Bo Klua Resort looked great with the rising moisture from the torrential rain



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[KTMphil]

All pretty soggy, time for a late late breakfast at the Bo Klua Resort


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How about this for breakfast?

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Nam Mae Mang river full of mountain silt


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Spectacular area




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With the torrential rain we were riding in, Keld's Icon helmet was leaking from the top of the visor and coating the inside with rain water, he taped it up to try fix things, but it then steamed up


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Bo Klua


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We'd planned to do more but with the nasty rain, we decided to take the northern part of the Bo Klua Loop back - R 1256


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It does look pretty cool after some heavy rain


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Wet


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One for Alex (St. John spider????)



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Handsome beasts


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Mr Rossi joined us through the driving rain on Honda CBR 650 F, seems he wasn't super impressed with the 4 cylinder engine as it needs to be rev'd pretty hard to perform

With the nasty SW Monsoon continuing, we took the safer R 101 back to Chiang Mai. Even with the SW Monsoon kicking our ass, it was a fun ride.



IMG_8565_edited by Triangle Golden 007, on Flickr

 

[Lightemup]

Excellent pictures and color, Phil.
Good times, good company, excellent food and crappy Icon helmet

 

[lakota]

was on the 1256 last week and was wondering what the 1081 south of there was like. now I know , Thank lads.

jacket looks like a modern version of my norrona recon jacket. Awesome. real waterproof Zips on the pockets (if you zip em) and Pit Zips help a lot here . Wish I had worn it today instead of getting a soaking

 

[KTMphil]

One more of the Bo Klua Resort in the mist



IMG_8539_edited by Triangle Golden 007, on Flickr

 

[Lightemup]

jacket looks like a modern version of my norrona recon jacket. Awesome. real waterproof Zips on the pockets (if you zip em) and Pit Zips help a lot here . Wish I had worn it today instead of getting a soaking

Yeah, the Norröna Recon was awesome in the '90s.
But Arcteryx LEAF is where it's at today.

 

[lakota]

La-La-La-La She's so 20th Century

 

[2wheels]

Thanks Phil.
Informative with very nice pics.
Those Temple murals are sensational.

 

[Ally]

Thanks Phil for taking us along.

The SW Monsoon certainly seems to have given you excellent photo opportunities, & the SW Monsoon photos of the twisties & Bo Klua area and the Bo Klua Resort are very attractive indeed.

Maybe more people can appreciate the SW Monsoon & Bo Klua area like you, riding in the wet season with the SW Monsoon or without the SW Monsoon!

Look forward to hearing if the rice dried iPhone has been recovered.

Ally

 

[Lightemup]

The phone works like it did before the soaking. Flawlessly !

 

[disting]

Sorry to see how wet it was. Such a difference in weather from our ride last week. Recognize so many of those pictures too. Brings back such good memories.
Am sure it wont be long before we are back up there for another bash at it.