For
the past few days I've been doing a daily check of the rear tire. The
centerline tread depth is holding steady but there's just not a lot
left. Today showed a marked change - I have some cord showing in a
couple spots. The tire won't make it through the trip. Time to take it
easy and get to a tire shop. My plan, before the tire inspection was to
wind my way towards Chiang Rai (northwest) but now I'll deviate to
Chiang Mai (west, and I think the second largest city in Thailand).
Heading
up the highway I missed my intended road - never noticed it where the
map depicted it should be. No biggie - there's another not far up -
they'll both get me going in the right direction. Finding the second
road I made the turn to the west. Seeing a gent pushing a bike I did
the routine with the fuel can but this time the response was "yes". He
emptied the fuel can and offered to pay. I declined the offer and he
said thanks and started the bike and headed off. I did the same and
started to like the smaller two lane I was on.
Some winding up, over, or around hills. Farming country. Hand planted corn on the slopes of the cleared hillsides.
Before
long I passed a sign saying there was a waterfall "5.750 meters" down
the road to the right. It was a nice asphalt road, I had the time - why
not. Noting the mileage on the GPS I kept poking down the lane. More
rolling up, over and around. Vine foliage was creeping into the roadway
making the narrow two lane more of a single lane - not that there was
any traffic. The stated kilometers came and went and I gave it one more
kilometer just to be sure. Halfway into this final 1000 I passed a
village and the road turned to a rocky two-track. Just a little
further.... Over that rise, around the bend.... Just maybe.... The
valley was necking down and the slope to my right was close and
steep, inviting and quite possibly hiding a waterfall.
I kept
passing motorbikes that were parked alongside the road - common as the
farmers park near their fields. When the road necked down to a single
track path I called it quits. There was a "blue sign" (in Thai) a
few kilometers back - maybe I should have turned down that way? Heading
back one of the local guys came out to the road to assist in the
search. We didn't get much accomplished but I was thankful he came out
into the light drizzle anyway.
Down at the blue sign road I took
the turn. This road went to gravel/rock fairly quickly and was headed
into the wider valley - end of the search. I headed out, foiled by not
knowing the language.
The two lane road to the west did its
share of twisting into the hills. An enjoyable ride - good road, good
scenery, little traffic.
Stopping on a downhill to put on the
rain suit and have a snack two other bikes came up the hill. These
folks must be travelers - they're on "normal to me" bikes. A V-Strom
1000 and a Harley-Davidson. They stop and we would end up spending most
of the rest of the day together.
Andrew and Rob,
who rode their bikes up from the Singapore? area, used to be neighbors
but have since moved apart. Vacation available they hopped on their
bikes and road up to Thailand. They were decently equipped with cameras
- still and video (along with a bullet cam out the front of the
V-Strom) - as well as bike-to-bike radios. We chatted for a bit, took
some photos, and headed out. Stops for photos at most every good view -
perfect. Their running speed was a bit higher than my intended with the
tire going away (gone!) but when Andrew offered to film me for a
stretch of road I figured the tire was only worn in the center - the
edges would work nicely in a avid!
The road had some nice twists
and after a few kilometers we pulled off. Rob kept up with his
heavy cruiser and was soon to pull in after us. About here we found
some fuel and went to make a jump to Chiang Mai. Mostly flatlands they
were wicking it up to "normal" speeds of 90 and 100 kph. I wasn't quite
comfortable with the rear tire so I waved them off and they went ahead.
Should we meet up for dinner - great - if not - that's life.
A
zig-zag on and off of a highway I was again headed up into the hills -
Road 120. Construction is starting but it's open lane travel so far
(good timing). I stopped several times as the views were grand -
different from the farming areas that had hillsides shaved of
vegetation. This must be a national preserve as the hills were uniform
in their tree coverage. Seeing a vista point I pulled over - and there
the two were - sitting down to some lunch.
I wanted to get into
Chiang Mai more than I wanted to eat so I suited up again and headed
out - figuring they'd be passing me before long. Right about 14
kilometers out of Chiang Mai they zipped past and I caught up and kept
pace. We dropped into the city and paid for a Tuk Tuk driver to show us
the way to a hotel / guest house. Done deal - the bikes parked just
before the third rain shower of the day started.
A shower and
then another Tuk Tuk ride (a first for me) to dinner. Good company with
good food = a good time. They are early risers, and I'm not, so we bid
farewells before heading to sleep. They plan a two or three day loop
west of here before heading south to home. I'll see about the tire
tomorrow and depending upon when I get out of Chiang Mai I'll decide
where I'll end up - I'd like to get up to Chiang Rai. |
