7 Days Circulating Clockwise to Chiang Mai-Mae Hong Son ::::::::Day 2:::::::: Ban Huay Hom

During my 7 days journey, this road offers the most beautiful view.

Our destination of today is Ban Huay Hom

Actually, it's only 45 km away from Mae Tho. When comparing to yesterday drive of 163 km from downtown Chiang Mai, this ride is "a piece of cake". I relax and smile like a winner. We can ride and enjoy the beautiful view along the way as it's so close. We can open our arms to feel the wind and let our hairs blows with the wind.

..................Above is my imagination.......and it turns out that they are...................all wrong................

Even though the road is unpaved and it's just small road going around tens and hundreds of mountains with few people going pass, it's the main road with the road number. When we zoom in from the Google, you'll find that this road doesn't go straight more than 200 m, it's so curvy. According to the map, there're two ways to reach there so we asked the local people of which road we should take. She advised us to go on the main road as it's closer. We learned later that, it's not true. This road is worse. We didn't mind if it's farther as long as the road was good. Anyhow, we could only console ourselves that it's alright, the view is very beautiful despite the road is so rough.

Ok, let me tell you more story about it.

The YAMAHA NMAX Sports Matic 155cc CVT 4 valves, with water-filled cooling system and diesel cylinder enduring the high speed and full compression, has now turned into a motocross.

For those 45 km, it's only paved at the beginning and the rest is dirt and the moon surface road. I'm not sure whether the road budget is used up or what so the entire road is not paved TT.

For these 3 hours ride, it's really tough. Although we have some fat built up, we really can't fight it. i have bag on my back which leaves no place for me to hold onto and soon I also go forth to jam with the driver.

Since I have no hand to hold onto thing, the only thing to prevent me from squeezing into my friend is to "keep my leg still with the foot resting place". It's like I'm doing cardio all the time and it's quite shaking riding along this road. It's such a nice exercise.....right? Well, not really!!!

Until later I couldn't stand it as I got cramps many time so I started to go jam to my fried. Well, I feel bad for her. It's already difficult riding here as she has to avoid rocks and t's quite curvy. Also, she has me squeezing onto her....I'm sorry, my friend. I've tried and I lose all my energy to do the cardio now.

45 km and 3 hours is very tough!!!! But the road is compatibly beautiful.

I have too long introduction now, let's take a look at the photos. The road and view photos are quite a lot as they are too beautiful that I can't resist not to take a lot.

At the beginning when we just left Mae Tho, we are still in the communication zone where we still see houses and people.

The road is still paved and we still enjoy the view along the way. I'm on the second bike so I can see the leading bike all along the way. We also have the third bike following us but I didn't take any photos of them as it's quite hard to do so.

The below view is so amazing that we must stop. It's such a good combination of sky and mountains, so beautiful.

I keep taking photos from where I sit. I just take it randomly without specifically focusing on anything as the view is changed in every two seconds. So I just take it first and choose the good ones later.

Whenever we see the beautiful view, we stop to take photos. And we don't have to worry about the car coming onto our way as there's only one car in every half an hour, it's certainly safe.

..... Well, I didn't know why I had to wear the full make up this morning as now I have to cover everything and only my eyes are visible which I also wear sunglasses when riding on the bike.

Maelanoi is famous for rice terraced fields. It's exotically beautiful. It's not like farming rice on the plains. On the right is a stream loudly running and echoing to the entire mountains. The cows are there with a small hut. It's like someone specifically set this scene for us. The actual scene is just like below photos, so beautiful.

We keep riding. Whenever there's a hole, she might avoid it or fall into it depending on the .view If she's deeply into the beautiful view, then we fall into those holes, haha.

This area also farms cabbages which are over several mountains stretching as far as our eyes can see.

The more we ride, the more we are into the dirt road. Now I'd really love to have triple adults pampers with me but nothing I can do. I can only scream quietly that, I hate the dirt road!!!!

Well, when seeing this beautiful view along the way, it really help ease my pain.

The road looks like this almost the entire route. Even now that 6-7 months have passed, nothing has changed and now I even feel butt pain again, haha.

When our butt reaches its numbest point, we stop to rest before moving again. (You voluntarily come, no one forces you......Or, we were fooled here, now I try to find the responsible person for this hardship, haha).

We are all dusty and we see almost no car running towards us. Most of the cars are 4 WD trucks. I only see 5 of them the entire route.

If you ask, whether it's difficult to ride? Well, it's not that difficult but it's just lots of holes, lots of curves, and tons of dust.

The third bike leaves us quite far and they turn at the wrong turn so we have to stop and wait for them. We really can't do anything but wait as there's almost no mobile signal around so there's no way to contact them.

We almost reach our destination now. While waiting for the lost friends, the ice cream sellers happen to come by so we enjoy the refreshing ice cream while waiting for our friends. There's only few roads, they can't go elsewhere!!!

My friends complain a bit when they found us. Well, the leading one just leads and the one follow just follows and no one knows when they disappear.

And finally......

We arrive now. My butt is no longer mine and so as my legs. They are so numb and painful. I really don't know how to describe this soreness. But one thing is certain, I'm so happy to finally see the village sign.

From the entrance to the village, I see the dusty truck coming from different way. This means that it's several ways to access to this village and we chose the hard one.

Of course, this village is so famous and welcomes lots of tourists. How the tourists can keep coming if the road is this hard? But why did we choose to come this way.....of course...that's because we choose to travel in circle. We are going to Mae Hong Son, alright?

Ban Huay Hom is a small village in a valley situated at Maelanoi District, Mae Hong Son Province. Most of the people believe in Christianity. The main occupation is farming rice, especially rice terraced fields. Betel palms are along the road. Passion fruits and concentrated Arabica coffee is also there. The villagers are also shepherd which create another job of weaving wool and natural cottons. Most of people do not leave the village to find job elsewhere as they have enough job to make a living. It's indeed a simple life.

Tonight we are staying at the Home-Stay. Here is very convenient judging by the warm water machine (last night at Mae Tho, the water was so cold that we felt nothing even if we got slap at the face, the same goes to shower where the water was so cold that we almost died there). Here, the WiFi is also available, oh wow!

Let's take a break from the comfort and talk about why we have to sleep this far?

Let's take a look here, it's the view in front of my house.....It's so magnificent and splendor like the view for the emperor for only 150 THB per night.

It's just now that I get to take the photo of me. After this, I go take shower, wash my face and put on my pajamas. Sometimes, I'm not sure why I still wear make up everyday as I hide under the helmet most of the time. Then, we eat to compensate for the calories lost by doing the cardio on the bike.

Today journey is yet my another impressed one. The second day is this tough, now I have no worry for other days, I'm more than ready and up for anything!

Our dinner is a Fried home grown Chayote, home fed fish, and omelet which everything can be found within the house. After that, we just relax, sip the beer, watch the stars, and take a rest. The weather is about 10 degree Celsius which is just the right temperature.

The next morning, we wake up with light fog and lines of betel palms. We try the famous, soft taste of Huay Hom Coffee and enjoy our breakfast afterwards.

This is all for the morning fog. We yet see the sea fog on the second day. Hopefully we'll see it on the third day.

Then, we take shower, wash our faces, and pack again to our next station, Doi Mae U Kho for Dok Bua Tong or Mexican Sunflower and we will stay at Phu Chee Pher.