I’m going to try a new style of updating so that I can actually keep the content more fresh. A typical blog entry takes a few hours to write and put together the pictures. Now I’m just going to try to put up what I have without taking hours and hours. I will then post longer elaboration / photorich entries as I have done in the past.
So.. for yesterday.
The bike is running GREAT! Drizette’s getting me all over Thailand and not demanding much in return other than the highest quality of Benzine I can manage. It is amazing to be back on the saddle– I actually feel like a motorcycle traveler again!!
Yesterday I met up with Dean and rode from Chiang Mai to Chiang Don almost entirely offroad. We took a route given to us by an offroad tour operator with waypoints in the middle of northern Thailand’s forested mountains. It was an amazing ride that was difficult enough to be challengening but not too hard where it was demoralizing. The road ranged from clay 4×4 high clearance type to washed out single track up steep inclines.  Absolutely no problems for the DRZ loaded with luggage. Is this the right bike? HELL YAH.
Everything didn’t go well though — Dean’s Zumo 660 took a crap followed by my 550. Fortunately we had finished all the navigational aspects of the ride before mine died. I was able to fix mine later that night after pulling the battery and reseting the unit, however Dean’s is still broken.
I’m now in Chiang Dao heading west on another offroad track.
I’m really feeling jealous of you Dave! Wish I could be there too How do you know all these people showing you around??
Hey Michelle!!
I met Dean on the side of the road. I pulled over to say high as it looked like he was just taking a break and a taxi driver was talking to him…. It ended up that he was on broken down on the side of the road and a taxi was about to start towing him.
This ride was great. The environment looked much like the area we rode in Northern California at the HU meeting. Lots of trees with tracks along ridges.. except here there was much more biodiversity and less fog
+1 on the microupdates. Maybe you could include just the little EXIF thumbnails from a few choice shots
Glad to hear you are finally getting to ride!
So you’re saying it looks like Chile???!!!
Glad to hear you’re back up on two and exploring the area. Thanks for the link to the map of where you’re riding too. Puts things in perspective for me.
Happy Trails!
>The environment looked much like the area we rode in Northern California
Except for elephants grazing on the side of the road! Haha.