Umphang to Chiang Mai as off-road as possible!

[KTMphil]

Managed to get some internet, we're off on a scouting, checking some trails (the most fun part of riding for me), poking around seeing what might go through to where, often wastes some time but has to be done.



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Not much spare time available, so it will only be one way - Umphang north, this looks like a gateway to trail heaven according to the data we have, so will be tomorrow's playground.



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One of the resettlement, Karen refugee camps on the way south to Umphang



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Late when we get down there, managed to find a clean room in the dark in Umphang


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All ready for exploring the next day....




More to come....

 

[KTMphil]

7am start, we know where the trail head is, a little tarmac north, then R 1090 is under repair, a good warm up i suppose



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Gassing up, the Karen lady was shy and didn't what her photo taken


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Even from the start, we could tell this was going to be good


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Even with some burning around the viz was pretty good, a great day to get out in the sticks



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.....More to come

 

[KTMphil]

Lots of gates to open and close on this trail, 6 I think in total


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But some really fun elevation riding between them



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....more to come

 

[Captain_Slash]

Glad you enjoyed it Phil, I certainly did but there was only one gate to open when I rode it two years ago

 

[KTMphil]

This is the most southern trail we know of (from Colin), that leaves R 1090 so that you can head north on dirt trails. It's got some unusual, unique views


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'



A scamper up the hill to get the best of this one



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The old trusty CRF 250 L is eating all this up without a problem



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Nothing like a trail you've never ridden before


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'




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Pig pen in a small village 1/2 way through the trail


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This must be where we're headed
'

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Fantastic trail, will do it again for sure, out onto the highway


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A new, amusing thing in Mae Sot (even more amusing because they can't spell "start" correctly) - The Magic Hill. One of those hills that looks like its up hill but actually a decline, quite fun when the bike does start rolling of its own accord


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Nong Deere hadn't seen the Myanmar border post before, so we took a quick trip down there



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Looking across into Myanmar


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Friendly Thai border control


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The dirt border trail


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[KTMphil]

The next day we knew was going to be a big day - Mae Sot to Omkoi, with as much off-road as possible. We calculated it would be 250 ish KM, with off-road average speed this would take most of daylight hours.


Government workers clearing a dam before the rains start



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A little bit of beautiful tarmac to get east and pick up the dirt trails



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500 meters of dirt and we're into the river crossings already


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Handguard bolt gone, time for the wire ties


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Then up we go, no smoke around and its gorgeous



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Then a little smoke!



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Still looks pretty amazing


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Probably where we headed below


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Fueling up on the road link and a little air needed


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Keeping a close eye


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A remote village with no public electricity 1/3rd of the way north from Mae Sot


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Nice bridge to get across here



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[KTMphil]

20km further north and look at this beaut



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Locals gathering sand to make cement from the river bank



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Not sure this Karen lady had seen many enduro bikes coming through here



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Out the other side and we can see the trail ahead


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Beautiful hill tribe village on the way north



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Out the other side and back into the wilderness


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Some of the steeper hills have been concreted


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Nice, cliff viewpoint




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The KTM 300 EXC 2 stroke running well



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10 km's more and some rice terraces



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Back out on the rollercoaster of dirts, you cross a lot of mountains on this trail


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More rice terraces



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Burning starting in some areas here



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Every 30km or so there's another village. Fuel is generally available in most



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Nice mountain range'


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More rice terraces



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Then it gets real nasty



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But the views make up for it


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Village and the trail ahead



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Lots of crushed limestone rock in this area, when it rains probably helps the water drain through



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Another cool bridge



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& we make it all the way through to Omkoi, 9 1/2 hours of riding




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..... more to come

 

[LivinLOS]

Is that design to stop 4 wheel vehicles crossing and keep it light bikes only ??

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[KTMphil]

No pickups could fit, I think to stop the commercial trucks which weigh more

 

[LivinLOS]

Must be perspective.. Wouldnt have thought even a small one would fit through..

You had clearer skies than I got this week..

 

[Loop]

The KTM 300 EXC 2 stroke running well

I'm sure you made the right offerings and said the right prayers beforehand though :kboom

 

[KTMphil]

Omkoi was much chillier than everywhere else, maybe less concrete around and the cold air falling from the 1,500 meters surrounding mountains. Omkoi Resort is always a fantastic place.



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This is how my spare bed always ends up in the bamboo bungalow there

Chilly morning too in Omkoi, time to say a quick hello to the birds



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Sad to see them tied up, but amazing animals


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[KTMphil]

Back out on the trails, now west of Omkoi, hopefully headed to Mae Sariang


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More hilltribe villages with no public electricity


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They seemed pretty content in their village


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Kind of confused why we were there for sure


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This trail area south and west of Omkoi offers some of the best trail riding in Thailand


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The limestone trail we just did


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Off westwards


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Hmong village gate to keep out the evil spirits

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Westwards to some rice terraces


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Pretty awesome


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Huge bamboo


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Laundry time


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[KTMphil]

The sound of the loud exhausts and they came running


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Might be my favorite shot of the trip, shows how delicious ahead will be


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More hilltribe villages



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They'd been fishing and caught some big fish



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[KTMphil]

Video of some of the superb offroad riding west of Omkoi

This is south west of Omkoi, it is some of the best riding in Thailand

 

[KTMphil]

Some more with great views



[video=youtube_share;qNitCfzMW8g]http://youtu.be/qNitCfzMW8g[/video]

 

[KTMphil]

The hilltribe village we just came through


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Views in the Omkoi area are some of the best out there


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Into Mae Sariang & this might be my favorite restaurants in Thailand. Bricks of lean, BBQ'd pork



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Home made spicy sausage

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Pork with some fat, its all here


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[KTMphil]

High season, we lucked out. the Good View GH wasnt full, its got great views


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Great rooms


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Next day, some new trails out of Mae Sariang, looking good so far, looks like autumn in the west



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A rush to get the concrete down before the SW Monsoon


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A little tarmac here and there


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Cabbage harvest


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More smoke from the burning

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Time to look for some fuel


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We're told there's some here

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Then off northbound


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Into Ban Houy Phun Mae for lunch and fuel




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Tradition Hmong attire is everywhere


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Some not quite so traditional


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They even make their own ice cream there




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Into Mae Hong Son for the night, this Chinese registered Smart car had driven 7,000 km from Beijing



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Presume that was a fold out luggage rack on the back??



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Salaween River Restaurant in MHS does the best food in MHS, its always packed



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Nong Deere had some Thai food there he said it was excellent


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.......more to come

 

[KTMphil]

Getting a little lost

Getting a little lost, not really lost, but not where we were supposed to be.



[video=youtube_share;gyUQciA1rkQ]http://youtu.be/gyUQciA1rkQ[/video]

 

[KTMphil]

Last day & the famous Elephant Trail from Mae Hong Son to Chiang Mai


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Pretty dusty out there, we had to ride at least 500 meters apart


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Plenty of sign posts on the way through


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Even with some concrete here and there its a nice trail


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Real smokey as we get 1/2 way

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Lunch in Wat Chan, there's several choices


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7 thats about it --- a really great off-road trip.

 

[Captain_Slash]

Fantastic Phil, next week you get to do it all again

 

[Liew kw]

The hilltribe village we just came through


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Views in the Omkoi area are some of the best out there


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P1000268_edited by Triangle Golden 007, on Flickr





Into Mae Sariang & this might be my favorite restaurants in Thailand. Bricks of lean, BBQ'd pork



P1000269_edited by Triangle Golden 007, on Flickr




P1000273_edited by Triangle Golden 007, on Flickr





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Home made spicy sausage

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Pork with some fat, its all here


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I am visiting Mae Sariang - Umphang next month. Can I have the name of this restaurant? It is my 5th visit here and usually I just go either Inthira / Redwood. These BBQ looks good.

Liew

 

[bsacbob]

The BBQ place is located at N18.16072° E97.94148° it opposite the newly rebuilt museum near the 105-108 junction, just look for the smoke !!

The Intira still has the best priced food in town IMHO or try the Sawaddee at N18.16186° E97.92962° but it can be hit and miss when it's open

 

[Liew kw]

Thanks for the info, Bob.

Appreciate it.