Fields of rape are everywhere around where I live and like to ride

A tunnel under the Watercress railway line, its a steam train that runs from Alton to Alresford in Hampshire.
Whilst I have not seen the train actually running, a few years ago our building site was within earshot of it and a thunderous noise could be heard whenever a steam train went past plus a large cloud of steam could be observed climbing into the air through the woods

The Sportster actually out for a fun ride on a dry road

What I found surprising was the rivers and streams were not all flooded across the fields

The Salisbury to Southampton line is still diesel out here in the wilds

The Harley dealer in Southampton where my Harley riding experience began six years ago in april 2006

Nothing new in here I fancy, they dont appear to have an XR1200 which is the only other one I could happily ride

Riding back along some country lanes and these cyclists appear to be enjoying themselves and oblivious to the cold, whereas I am wrapped up with six layers on top including thermals and still noticing the chill

On the outskirts of Winchester and lovely countryside

Overlooking the city of Winchester

An army firing range here and best not to go walking when that red flag is flying

Saturday afternoon and I call in at one of our wednesday night meeting points, as its rained every wednesday evening since I got home I guess the cafe must be glad to actually see some bikes here as their trade will be down so far this year

Now to ride home along the lovely twisty 272 which is one of the favourite biking roads around here

Now a few from sundays ride

This bus shelter is nicely hidden in the hedge and unless you know its there you pass it without spotting it

A scenic little short cut along some narrow side roads that bypasses Salisbury

The cafe is full this sunday afternoon

A few old bikes out today

To all those who say the new Bonnies shouldnt have mag wheels take a look at this 1980 bike that had them back then, much better in my opinion

The helmet just doesnt go with the bike

I like the exhausts.
Well it was nice to actually get out in the dry even if it was cold.
To all of you who sometimes complain about Thailands oppressive heat, you dont know how lucky you are not having to put up with the crap weather we have over here in the UK

Get the gdb file here …

The Route 107, 3009, 1095

Total Distance 165 km

I turn left off the 1095 at Pa pae and take a paved road for a few km that has a small running stream alongside it for a while

At a fork I take a left that soon stops where these statues are being carved

Another one is being measured and it will be a baby Buddha

A finished baby Buddha

I ride on and the surface turns to unpaved at N19 08.082 E098 41.407 at a junction with another track, here I turn left

I was surprised at how clear a day it was out here

At a junction this was being built, here I take a left

This track doesnt look like its been used for a while and that deep rut in the middle might be a problem

Just past here I reach a paved surface that goes up towards those transmitters.
Its a paved surface from N19 07.631 E098 38.429 to N19 06.786 E098 38.374

I go up to the transmitters for some good views

Then along the dirt track

I take a left to get back to my start point at Pa Pae and now its a ride through the forest

This brings me back to my start point and the surface returns to paved at N19 07.164 E098 42.050
These were all new tracks for me today, still lots to find around Chiang mai

Along the 1095

Now some shots from along the 3009

Back in Chiang Mai and my bike gets washed every 12,000 km whether it needs one or not

Personally I dont think it needs one but at Kawasaki they are a bit funny about servicing them in this state

Yes all of that came off my bike

My wallet is now 80 Baht lighter and the KLX feels about 8 kg lighter

A monster pizza at Pizza N Pasta for 420 Baht, I used to easily consume one of these but tonight I struggled to finish it, thats worrying

Get the gdb file here …

Get the gdb file here …

Total Distance 309 km

After a fun weeks riding and exploring a few new tracks it was time to ride back to Chiang Mai today.
A few shots from along the 1091

While I agree it looks hazy in the distance its still great fun riding in it, and much preferable to sitting around complaining about it

This unknown reservoir still looks pretty full

I take a left off the 1251 to ride a couple of new roads

The 3021 is a twisty that takes me to the 1021

The Tarn Thong Waterfall along the 120 still has a good flow

Chicken jalfriezi and rice for 160 Baht at New Delhi

Get the gdb file here …

Total Distance 139 km

First stop was for breakfast on the 1080 opposite the airport at N18 47.735 E100 46.757

The chef cooking a nice spicy gai phad kapow, these are the only type of Thai meals I eat, at authentic little restaurants where Thais eat.
Its spicy like it should be rather than the bland stuff with about as much flavour as cardboard that you get at restaurants that cater for tourists.
With an authentic Thai price too, 30 Baht

I ride along the 1080 then take a left onto the 4007 and not far along here I take a left onto an unknown road that I have often promised to explore but never got around to it

Its a nice twisty fun road

The surface turns to dirt at N19 02.108 E100 43.657

A fun dirt track at the moment

I ride through another village and get on the dirt track that I am hoping will take me over the hills to the 1082

There were at least six of these small recently constructed weirs out on todays dirt tracks

I am now heading north and riding the unknown as I have lost the track on the ESRI, I missed the turn off just before the last village but I will ride on as theres another track showing due north of me which I hope to link up with

I can see an obstruction ahead so leave the bike and walk to it

I climb over and go for a look around

Even if the fence wasnt there I had no track to ride on.
I try another side track but that quickly also finishes

I ride to the brow of a hill and this guy tells me I cannot get to Sop Khun this way so its a return to try the track I missed earlier on

I get a few shots from the top before I ride back down

Back through the trees and the village then its a right onto the track showing on the ESRI

This bridge looked rather dodgy so I walked over first to try it out, it held so off I rode across it

This is more like it, I am really enjoying this.
New tracks again for me today right on Nans doorstep

The Esri shows two or three tracks to pick but they either dont exist or are dead ends when I am annoyingly close to the 1082.
I knew it might be difficult as there are some high hills to cross but this is irritating

This is the only other track showing on the ESRI but its a very steep single track with no sign of any motorbike tyre tracks and only the marks of this wood having been pulled down.
I decide to leave this and perhaps explore it from the other end on my next trip here

Before reaching the village I take a right which loops back to the asphalt road I was on earlier

I reach the asphalt at N19 01.565 E100 43.883, take a left then ride to the village where I take a right to explore another dirt track

In the village and things being done the old fashioned way

Now off on another fun dirt ride

The surface returns to asphalt at N19 03.057 E100 44.436, I ride back to the 4007 turn right and ride back to Nan.
This is my last ride in Nan for this holiday and yet again more new tracks were found, theres absolutely loads of these tracks out here just waiting to be discovered

Ribs, fries, fried and raw onions at Tonys Place for 190 Baht

Get the gdb file here …

Get the gdb file here …

Total Distance 226 km

The riders

Heinz Lifan 200
Phil Suzuki DRZ 400
Captain_Slash Kawasaki KLX 250

Sadly Con had to go back to Chiang Mai early this morning so today it was just the three of us, we took the 1080 to past Pua then took a right onto the 4001

We took a left onto a dirt track at N19 16.311 E101 00.839 to ride to the one we were exploring yesterday until we lost it

Another pleasant easy going one that went quite steeply downhill for a while

We reach the track that we couldnt get on yesterday and turn left onto it to ride to where we lost it

Here is where we should be crossing to stay on the track but its a no go

Phil goes off scouting for a way round and decides we can ride along the river bed to cross over

We manage to get across then its off up this rutted overgrown track

After riding up a narrow track this gate blocks our progress

I climb over to view whats on the other side and its another gate

Plus this is the track

Even without the gates blocking our way this is what the track becomes.
We were told yesterday that it didnt go through and that appears to be correct

Its time to turn around and ride on the last section of this track which apart from possibly about 2 km was explored by us

Up until this point the track was quite easy

Then it got a lot harder and here Heinz needs a helping push to get going again

Deep ruts and a rocky terrain make for slow going and the fan on the KLX is working overtime until we reach the 4001

At the 4001 we stop in a village for much needed refreshments and a cooling break

Now to enjoy the rest of the 4001 for only my second time

Looking back at the village where we stopped.
Another fun days riding and exploring

Roast beef, yorkshire pudding, roast potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, baked onion plus gravy at Tonys Place for 230 Baht

Get the gdb file here …

Total Distance 217 km

The riders

Con Kawasaki KLX 250
Heinz Lifan 200
Phil Suzuki DRZ 400
Captain_Slash Kawasaki KLX 250

We took the 1080 north to Chiang Klang then took a right to find an offroad track that would hopefully cross over to the 4001

The dirt started here but in the excitement I completely forgot to set a waypoint here and it was about 1 km further on before I remembered it at N19 16.797 E100 54.800

This soon turned into a fun track that we all thoroughly enjoyed riding and it was also the first time along here for all four of us

The views would be awesome here at the right time of the year

The surface turned to a nice twisty asphalt one at N19 16.459 E100 56.606 then became concrete until it returned to dirt at N19 16.875 E100 57.171

A few villages were passed through on todays trip

Plenty of burning had already taken place

The Nam Kon down there

Here we appeared to get parted from our track but we were told to ride up to the top to proceed

A fierce fire to our right

Con giving his trick KLX some welly up there

We are not on the track we were following but another one that will bring us out to the 4001 but further south

Heinz really enjoying himself on the Lifan

We reach the asphalt of the 4001 and the dirt fun finished at N19 15.998 E100 59.489
A couple of km later its a snack and drink break at this shop

Not far past the shop we take a right onto a concrete road until we get to N19 15.937 E101 01.611 where the road turns to dirt, here we take a left to see whats up there

About 3 km later its this and just past here its the end of the track

We ride back taking the other fork and proceed onwards

Another village

The ESRI shows the track finishing soon but we are all getting more confident of it going on right through to a main road

Phil going for it on the DRZ

The only obstacle that we thought could stop us was the Nam Pua

But we all got through alright, I dont think in the rainy season would be such a good idea though

The dirt track that we have just descended

We reach the paved surface at N19 14.144 E101 03.787 and a bit further on we reach the 1256 where we turn right to ride back to Nan.
It was a brilliant fun days ride exploring some new tracks and finding the loop was great

Four hungry riders at Tonys Place for dinner

A very tasty pork steak, stuffing, roast potatoes, cauliflower, cabbage, baked and raw onions plus gravy at Tonys Place for 210 Baht

Get the gdb file here …

Total Distance 168 km

I head north on the 1080 then take a left onto the quieter 1336

Just before rejoining the 1080 at Tha Wang Pha I stop for breakfast at N19 06.426 E100 48.498

A spicy fried chicken with basil for 25 Baht

The 1148

The odd bit of smoke but nothing to worry about

I stay on the 1148 for about 15 km then take a left onto the 4011

Although its now hot its a pleasant fresh air up here today

A quick stop at the Ponggi hot springs

Apart from these kids playing in the stream theres no one here the same as last years trip

The surface turns to unpaved at N19 13.031 E100 38.596 and I stop at the next village

The girl with the purple top on tells me the track ahead that is showing on my GPS goes nowhere but if I take the left which doesnt show it will lead me back out towards Tha Wang Pha

So off I set on a very pleasant dirt ride

This was a great surface, no bulldust or rocks, just a hard dirt surface

Its breezy and pleasant up here

Theres been a severe shortage of snake photos this year because I have hardly seen any, I spot this one today and think I havent seen this golden coloured one before

It appears to have the same characteristics as the tree dwelling rat snake as it gets off the ground at the first opportunity and stays aloft until out of sight

I reach the asphalt of the 3077 at N19 11.285 E100 43.137 and ride it back to the 1148 completing a nice loop for the first time

I ride back through the village to reach a track and the paved surface finishes at N19 10.801 E100 45.912.
I turn right to ride this dirt track to where it joins the 3077 at N19 11.083 E100 45.733

Plenty of workers busy along here

Then at the junction with the 3077 I turn around and ride it to its junction with the 1082 and I expect this will be an asphalt surface next time I ride along it.
The dirt finishes at N19 08.050 E100 46.653 when I reach the 1082

Tony has put on a sunday roast today and theres a few here for dinner eating their diet sized portions

Theres mine and my powers of gluttony were much needed today to devour that lot

As I was about to leave Tony persuaded me to have some homemade bread pudding with custard and ice cream, with that I was completely stuffed.
All of this at Tonys Place for 260 Baht

Get the gdb file here …