Mahachai: 17 December 2011

Last trip for 2011 as shortly leaving for Christmas holiday. Given an expected  busy weekend ahead, I decided to keep the trip short and start early. So, at about 5:15am departed for the "seaside" - Mahachai and one of my favorite rides. I took the rural roads and came across my first "flood" in Thailand. A stretch of road that runs between shrimp ponds was flooded for 50 or so meters - not particularly deep but fun to ride through nevertheless.

Reached usual PTT gasoline station and the 7-11 (mileage 6,308) at about 6:45am and had breakfast of 0% fat milk and yogurt. Upon return to Bangkok a much needed "car wash" was quickly followed by chain oil to ensure everything remained healthy on the motorcycle.

Mahachai PTT gasoline station - Latitude : 33° 42' 36" N Longitude : 100° 15' 53" E

New Tires: 13 December 2011

6,000 kilometer service completed (plus oil, filter, ring) and 2 new tires (Pirelli touring) fitted.

Nice!

Nakon Ratchasima: Weekend 10-11 December 2011

Had a lovely couple of days riding my motorcycle. Got up Saturday morning feeling very good and, with nothing special to do, packed a small bag and decided to take off somewhere. Departed at about 8:00am and followed Rama IV and then Sukhumvit to highway 34. Stayed on highway 34 until I reached Bang Pakong where I travelled along route 314 north until Bang Phra. A right turn to route 304 took me through Phanom Sarakham, Kabin Buri and Wang Nam Khaio.


It was a wonderful day for riding with some of the best weather I have ridden in. The roads were lovely with good asphalt surface, twisty, hilly, and with very little traffic. In the "mountains" of Khao Yai National Park it turned quite cool. Before departing I had removed the lining from my jacket because I thought it would be hot - next time I will remember to check the weather forecast before I leave for a trip!

Stayed overnight at the V-One Hotel in Nakon Ratchasima and returned the next morning to Bangkok by way of highway 2 to Saraburi and highway 1 into Bangkok. On the way back I stopped for coffee at an outlet shopping complex and bought some new towels (hence why my bag looks so full in the picture below). When I returned to the motorcycle there was an elderly gentleman looking at it. He pointed to a nail in the back tyre. He also pointed down the road, so off I went to a vulcanizing shop - it was soon fixed!

The ride back to Bangkok was as lovely as the day before - warm, beautiful road and little traffic. When I returned, the mileage was 6,158 so I dropped my motorcycle off at Motoaholic for a 6,000 kilometer service and two new tires.


Total mileage for the weekend was 813 kilometers.

It's now 7:30am on Monday and I'm off to Dean and Deluca for breakfast.