Mayan Prophecy Countdown

I needed to start moving, I am getting too comfortable here in the crab pot, I mean Riders Corner. It is just like a crab pot though, once you get in it is hard to get out 🙂 So, I was downstairs early and packing the bike before a great breakfast, thanks Som. 🙂 There were a few downers to start the day with, one I had a gut problem yet again, but will persevere through that and then when I finally did want to get moving at 9am, the damm bike would not start. It has done this a few times since the crash a few months ago and I think I may have dirty contacts on the starter switch, because it did start a few minutes later just when I was going to dismantle it 🙂 The weird thing was I had started the bike 1/2 an hour ago just to warm it up ❓ So anyway, farewell to the Corner and thanks for having me, see you in the new year if not before 🙂

My planned route was take the 118 north east, at Pong Nam Rong turn east onto the 120 to Phayau then south east on the 1251 to Chiang Muan and then east on the 1091 to Nan. The first part of the ride was heading north on the 118 or Super Highway, that is what they call this dual carriageway and it is smooth and fast for the most part and the traffic was light. It soon changed to normal highway though and started to slowly add some curves 🙂

After turning east onto the 120 the road was more rural and it was still a very smooth road but much more twisty, just the way I like them. The views were great with all the rolling hills covered in crops, corn for the most part but the valleys always had rice and of course bananas are everywhere. I thought my gut problem had finished but no, it was back with a vengeance, what the heck did I eat, maybe it was that rice dish at the Mega Mall? Anyway, with all the trees around you would think it would be easy to find a place to hide, but as soon as you find a nice tree or bush area, the other side has farmers in it 😳 But, I did find a cool shady spot and felt a lot better, hopefully that is the last for the day!

After a few hours I arrived at Phayao and headed east and south along the 1251, the road was a bit rough in sections here with many potholes to miss, or hit depending on oncoming traffic.

I was starting to get hungry now, my stomach was empty(the top half at least) and although I looked I could not find any restaurants in the small towns I went through, I mean good sit down ones. In the end I just stopped at a roadside stall, what the heck, I had paper on board, how bad could it be 😉 It was actually quite nice, a meat and noodle soup with a nice cold drink, just what was needed, nothing too heavy.

It was leaving here that I nearly made a fatal error, but I did not know it could have been fatal at the time. Because of the gut problems, I decided to take an Imodium tablet to stop the trots and headed off again. I was not that far from Nan actually but I was now entering some of the nice twisty sections of the road. Despite the following pictures, I really do not remember much about the ride from here on in, I know I did it but within 15 minutes of leaving the lunch stop I was nearly asleep and very much a danger to myself and others. I fought it and it was not until later that evening that I re-read the instructions for the Imodium, basically it says it may make you drowsy, brilliant!!! Anyway, I am glad I have some nice photos cos I sure don’t remember riding too much along here 😦

I think the only thing that woke me up was my arse, because I needed to go again and I was now entering town. When I arrived at the Amazing Guesthouse, I am sure she was a bit confused when I asked can I use her dunny, but I was desperate 🙂 I was soon booked in, the aircon was on, and I had a nice cool shower. It was only just gone 2pm but I was intending going nowhere for the moment, not until I was ‘sure’ at any rate.

I just vegged out for the rest of the afternoon, did some internet work but basically rested and drank heaps of water. I ventured out after dark, after all it was Friday night, but although I looked, I could not find the Pizza place that was supposed to be near here. I walked around for ages and eventually just stopped at another roadside stall and had pork and rice, one of the staples 🙂 I had just the one beer then went back and did some more relaxing. I had made a route for tomorrow and was intending going for a ride, if my bum shuts up long enough for me to go 😉 There is a lot of riding in this area and I was going to base myself here and just do day rides. I had a location for a good breakfast, but it was 2km away, so I would plan on going there dressed to ride then head off afterwards, if I did not need to do a mercy dash back to the throne that is 🙂

Friday night and sober, that is scary, but the closest pub is miles away and they are nightclubs which I am not too interested in anyway. There is not too much in this town where I am situated, I may move house to somewhere with more action, but then I may drink too much and not ride, hmm decisions decisions 😆

Cheers from Nan, Thailand
TravellingStrom