I left Ban Tham and Cave Lodge on a perfect Thai day. Sunny and 75 degrees. John Spies, the owner of Cave Lodge suggested I take the dirt roads and loop up towards the Shan Army checkpoint on road 1226. "maybe they let you through, maybe they don't".
Riding packed earth roads on the little XR 250 I was glad for a real off-road moto. I drifted through the tiny hamlets of Ya Pa Nae and Mae Lana while avoiding hogs and piglets an roosters and small waving Shan children. At 1226 I headed North on "mostly" pavement and then mostly not through Mai Hung and then the checkpoint.
The Shan army are an ethnic rebel group fighting the Mynmar government. They are one of several ethnic groups from Burma who are actively fighting inside Burma from bases in Thailand that are allowed by the Thai Government.
The Shan soldiers I met were very professional and very orderly. The checkpoint soldiers allowed me to go as far as Pang Kham on the "main" road only.
I rode along the ridge looking into Burma, just across the valley to the North.
In Pang Kham there was no guest house so I had tea with a group of village women who laughed at me Thai in a nice way.
Back through the hills and valleys to the checkpoint, back to the loop highway and hell, we're exploring right? So north again on the road to Pang Kong. Went halfway through more incredible hamlets and Karst mountain towers. Back south from Na Pu Pon because I really do have to get to MHS today.
But wait, where does that bridge go to? Up an incredibly steep switchbacking snake of a mountain path that quickly goes to double track, rutted and rough. Now we're having fun!!
At 1 km I met the bamboo logging guys. They are pointing and making house mime signs and urging me to keep going. At 7 km I meet the second crew that makes sleeping mime, pointing at me and then up the goat path that is now getting really rough.
And at 10 km is the most beautiful, isolated, and dead end hamlet I have ever seen. I was big news. Even the pigs and roosters came put for a stare.
I was invited to sleep in the village, offered a beer, etc, but I was too far north and would have to abandon the loop if I stayed. So I did my most polite exit with many thanks and headed back riding the ruts like a madman
Finally at the highway I stayed on course and got to HMS. I am now at a beautiful guesthouse right on the town center lake next to two Wats. Ivan hear the monks doing stuff over the wall.
There is just so much more than I can share about today. I can say that if today was my last day in earth, I would not wish to change anything.
Sent from my iPod
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