Popular Post EoinC Posted October 27, 2019 Popular Post Share #1 Posted October 27, 2019 (edited) Advertisement (gone after registration) What I did (am still doing) in the holidays... My wife recently bought me a motorbike to use whilst based in Kuala Lumpur. For those who are interested in such things, it’s a Royal Enfield Interceptor (650 twin cylinder road bike). I was in Angola when it cleared Customs and was ready for delivery, and had a plan to use it for a week on my return to KL, before heading off up through Malaysia and Thailand to the North of Laos, on the pretext of running it in. As it happened, I got delayed on my return, visiting Ethiopia and Equatorial Guinea, such that I only had time to ride it from the shop to my apartment, before heading off on my little putter. As, where I was headed was extremely inappropriate for the bike (following a dirt / mud track from Houayxai, along the Mekong, to Xiengkok, then riding up various stony trails to hill tribe villages), I decided to also carry an inappropriate 4x5 field camera, and assorted sheets of film that were also fairly inappropriate. I’m now making my way back down through Thailand (currently in Hua Hin), with about 6,000km’s of running-in under the bike’s belt. The ride up to Xiengkok was a great experience, taking me over 10 hours to ride about 100km, and having dropped the bike 3 times along the way, the last of which was well past horizontal, with me thigh-deep in a clay swamp, trying to right the capsize. I ran out of water, and the bike was running on fumes, despite me having picked up a 2l bottle of yellow-ish petrol-ish fluid at a Tai Lu village along the way. By that time I had well and truly past the point of no return, and knew I didn’t have enough strength left in my foobarred shoulder to be able to pick the bike up again. It was interesting to see how desperation changed my assessment of river crossings and swamps - I took on an uncharacteristic (for me) fatalistic-blast-through approach, after first assessing to the extent I could. There was a looooooong 20km section that wound its way around the Jungled steep hills that the Mekong passes through on its journey between Laos and Myanmar, and every single left (for me, heading North) turn was a waterlogged clay quagmire, with ruts sometimes 2+ meters deep, shaded from any sunlight. As I could only see the first part of each of these turns, I had to ‘pick-a-rut’, and then devote myself to getting through to the next right-hander reprieve. Along the way, I came across abandoned local motorbikes, forlorn and semi-buried. I also encountered a family with 3 totally bogged trucks (as in their chassis’ were fully under the mud), working on how they could winch each other out. That gave me some crazy-uplifting thinking that, as they had come through, presumably from Xiengkok ahead, the path did still exist. Had I allowed rational thought to enter this cerebral conversation, I may have wondered at what diabolical geological churning they may have done in traversing that section ahead - It was far worse than any I had encountered to that point. After a 1,000 ‘This is the one that could end it’ corners, and the final river crossing (I didn’t know it as such), I suddenly found myself in an Akha village on the Muang Long / Xiengkok ‘road’, and an elderly Akha woman had a little stall. She got me a chair, and sat me down with a bottle of cold water, that was perhaps the best I have tasted. I was dehydrated, exhausted, and my shoulder was on fire, but I felt emotionally whole. I then had about a 30km ride on the ‘road’ (combination of round river boulders, gravel, and bull-dust) at night to Muang Long. Every flying critter known to mankind (and a few new ones not yet known) was out in force that night. It was bad enough getting hit in the face (I’d had to ditch my full-face helmet in Bangkok on the way up, as it had surpassed waterboarding as a means of extracting confessions from me, and had replaced it with an open-face) by well-meaning beetles with the same density as golf balls, but it was the flying ants that ended up inside my ears, inaccessible to gloved hands outside the helmet, that really pushed the limits of good manners. Eventually I made it through to the little settlement of Muang Long, and found a family with a guesthouse room. I must have made a really good impression as, when I (covered in mud) stopped in front of the landlady and her children, to ask her if she had a room, I found too late that I didn’t have the strength to hold the bike up, and ended up horizontal for the 4th time that day, although this time without any geological nemesis to claim a worthy fight. The running in journey continued... Edited October 27, 2019 by EoinC 18 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted October 27, 2019 Posted October 27, 2019 Hi EoinC, Take a look here Running-in... . I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
andybarton Posted October 27, 2019 Share #2 Posted October 27, 2019 Sounds a lot like this jaunt 😊 https://youtu.be/O1zfuBgCUqY 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeffry Abt Posted October 27, 2019 Share #3 Posted October 27, 2019 “My wife recently bought me a motorbike...” Wonderful! 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
EoinC Posted October 27, 2019 Author Share #4 Posted October 27, 2019 46 minutes ago, andybarton said: Sounds a lot like this jaunt 😊 https://youtu.be/O1zfuBgCUqY ...except without camera crew, minders, electrickery... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
EoinC Posted October 27, 2019 Author Share #5 Posted October 27, 2019 11 minutes ago, Jeffry Abt said: “My wife recently bought me a motorbike...” Wonderful! Indeed - I showed her this series https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEIs9nkveW9WmYtsOcJBwTg and next thing I know... 👌 I have other motorbikes, including an old Enfield, but they’re all in Australia, and haven’t been ridden for years. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
EoinC Posted October 27, 2019 Author Share #6 Posted October 27, 2019 These are phone pic’s, not intended for the photography, but as evidence of my stupidity (my daughter requested that I grow a beard on this 30-day journey, hence the even uglier than usual mug)... Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! IMG_0692 by Eoin Christie, on Flickr IMG_0698 by Eoin Christie, on Flickr IMG_0734 by Eoin Christie, on Flickr 6 Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! IMG_0692 by Eoin Christie, on Flickr IMG_0698 by Eoin Christie, on Flickr IMG_0734 by Eoin Christie, on Flickr ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/302864-running-in/?do=findComment&comment=3842989'>More sharing options...
Gibbo Posted October 27, 2019 Share #7 Posted October 27, 2019 Advertisement (gone after registration) I don't envy you but I certainly do admire your spirit of adventure! Nice one Eoin! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
EoinC Posted October 27, 2019 Author Share #8 Posted October 27, 2019 3 minutes ago, Gibbo said: I don't envy you but I certainly do admire your spirit of adventure! Nice one Eoin! There’re probably easier and smarter ways of finding out one’s body-aging status. Mine is 98 years old, according to my calibrated foobarrometer... 👀 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gibbo Posted October 27, 2019 Share #9 Posted October 27, 2019 😂 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
EoinC Posted October 27, 2019 Author Share #10 Posted October 27, 2019 (edited) I also found that Adox CMS-20 is the absolute worst sheet film to try to load in hot humid conditions in a change-bag. It has some self-attracting adhesive quality that 3M would pay squillions for the patent of. Not only does every sheet stick to each other, but they also do some sort of alternating 90 deg. pivot, ensuring that they cannot be re-packed into the box and, as soon as a sheet senses that it is 80% inserted in a film-holder, it bonds itself to the holder like a skin graft. I normally (or abnormally, as the consensus may be) enjoy loading sheet film, but this had me ready to abandon photography and take up needlepoint. I expect an inordinate number of slimy fingerprints on any of the sheets that do develop. If I’d had time to do what I planned, I would’ve taken Delta 100 and Tri-X 320, but there were boxes of CMS-20 in the fridge... Edited October 27, 2019 by EoinC 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
EoinC Posted October 27, 2019 Author Share #11 Posted October 27, 2019 Mirror seems to be a bit fogged up... Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! IMG_0733 by Eoin Christie, on Flickr 2 3 Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! IMG_0733 by Eoin Christie, on Flickr ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/302864-running-in/?do=findComment&comment=3843015'>More sharing options...
jcraf Posted October 27, 2019 Share #12 Posted October 27, 2019 Well, kudos Eoin. I am lucky to make it round the local woods with the dog without falling on my arse. And if I do, I'm no more than a mile from a hot cup of tea, and sympathy, in my own kitchen. I've never been much of a risk taker...... 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
EoinC Posted October 27, 2019 Author Share #13 Posted October 27, 2019 Akha Autobahn... Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! IMG_0737 by Eoin Christie, on Flickr ...and why did the snail cross the Akha autobahn? IMG_0739 by Eoin Christie, on Flickr 3 1 Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! IMG_0737 by Eoin Christie, on Flickr ...and why did the snail cross the Akha autobahn? IMG_0739 by Eoin Christie, on Flickr ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/302864-running-in/?do=findComment&comment=3843024'>More sharing options...
NZDavid Posted October 28, 2019 Share #14 Posted October 28, 2019 Mud, mud, glorious mud! Hope you brought the right attire for going out to dinner. And hope there are no late wet season deluges. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
EoinC Posted October 28, 2019 Author Share #15 Posted October 28, 2019 (edited) 19 minutes ago, NZDavid said: Mud, mud, glorious mud! Hope you brought the right attire for going out to dinner. And hope there are no late wet season deluges. I was very fortunate in that the last big rains occurred the night before I crossed from Thailand to Laos, unfortunately quagmirifying the Houayxai / Xiengkok section, but generally making the rest of the Laos-time excellent, particularly as it triggered the rice harvest, which is still by hand up there. Much of where I stayed had no electricity, so at night-time, it didn’t matter what I wore. I generally tried to be suitably presented, though... Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! IMG_0695 by Eoin Christie, on Flickr I’ve still got about a week left, heading back down to KL, but it’s sealed roads for the remainder. Edited October 28, 2019 by EoinC 4 Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! IMG_0695 by Eoin Christie, on Flickr I’ve still got about a week left, heading back down to KL, but it’s sealed roads for the remainder. ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/302864-running-in/?do=findComment&comment=3843341'>More sharing options...
lykaman Posted October 28, 2019 Share #16 Posted October 28, 2019 Absolutely Amazing, I Take my Hat off To You.. (how on earth did you find fuel for the bike?). Safe Journeys.. L 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
EoinC Posted October 28, 2019 Author Share #17 Posted October 28, 2019 13 minutes ago, lykaman said: Absolutely Amazing, I Take my Hat off To You.. (how on earth did you find fuel for the bike?). Safe Journeys.. L Old plastic drinking water bottles of liquids of various colours / various volatilities are available in some villages. I picked up a Guglatech in-tank filter as I passed through Bangkok: 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
EoinC Posted October 28, 2019 Author Share #18 Posted October 28, 2019 After a few days riding around the hills North of Muang Sing, I headed down to Luang Namtha on Wednesday, to decide if I wanted to ride up to Gnot Ou. My foobarred shoulder was making it’s importance known to me, and I just kept riding, ending up in Phayao, Thailand, so only a short hop down to Lampang the following day. Had my only genuine close-call on the Vieng Phoukka - Houayxai section, when a mad £&@)er bus driver ran me off the road as he came head-on at full noise around a right bend (turning left for him), overtaking a truck going downhill. There was a fairly healthy drop on the shoulder, and the outer tyre on his duals was already over the shoulder. I headed bush, but managed to keep it together (Good onya, Enfield). I hope he grows up a little before he kills some villager or bus load of innocents, or me. I also past a group of about 20 Beemers, heading North through one of the ridge villages, towards LNT. They seemed to be on a bit of a mission to get wherever they were going, barreling through the village at ‘speed’. They also appeared to be more pristine than myself, but perhaps that decline lay ahead of them. I really like that part of Laos, from Muang Sing across to Xiangkok. Not that the Interceptor is anything less than the most capable Adventure Bike in the Known Universe, but I’d love to spend some time up there with a slightly more dirt-oriented bike. The Enfield handled herself well (much better than I handled her). I put her in plenty of places (and orientations) that she should not have to be in, yet she managed to stay largely upright (apart from the three times I dropped her on the track up the Mekong to Xiengkok - and those were 110% my fault). Next time? - Carry less shite: Using the large format camera was fun, but it’s cumbersome, and has an inordinate amount of paraphernalia to carry (tripod, camera, ball head, boxes of film, film holders, dark cloth, change bag, light meter, shutter cable, loupe...). I think I’ll leave it for dedicated trips. Most of the other gear got used, but could still be trimmed down a lot to only what is ‘necessary’. - Less moving / More exploring: I enjoyed myself most when I was based in one place, making daily unplanned forays of following my farang nose. The part where I rode all day to get from A to B, then off again next day to get from B to C, was OK, but definitely not where the value was for me. Next time I’d probably put the bike on the train up to CM (or convince the CFO that I need to get a registered dirtbike sitting in Lampang). - Kids: I dropped into several schools. Most I just gate-crashed and disrupted normal service, whilst one I organised to be there at knock-off time. Handing out a GoPro, and flying a drone had them in hyperdrive. They were all great fun. Next time, I think I’ll pick up some (Laos) Big Brother Mouse books for each of the schools ( http://www.bigbrothermouse.com/index.html ) - I absolutely love how seriously they take education. I spent a little bit of time in Lampang with the Whanau, getting in 3 man-whimpering Thai massage sessions at the Lampang Herb Conservation Centre to get my shoulder back in some kind of order. then continued my way back South towards KL. I hope to break the journey a little more on the way down. Once I get back, I have a bit of film-developing to do, and some vid’s to compile (I assume - I haven’t looked at them yet, so they may just be cerebral snapshots... ). 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
EoinC Posted October 28, 2019 Author Share #19 Posted October 28, 2019 This is sort of the route that I have followed / am following: Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Untitled_Artwork 8 by Eoin Christie, on Flickr Differences are: 1) Spent more time up in Xiengkok / Muang Long / Muang Sing area of Northern Laos, and deleted Oudomoxai / Phongsali / Gnot Ou section. I took my family up to this area 15 years ago, and hope to head back again some time in the future. 2) Spent more time in Lampang on the way back down, so deleted Isaan (North East Thailand), where I’ve been many times before. 3) Did my very best to avoid Bangkok on the way back down (possibly the least big-bike-friendly city I’ve ever ridden). Whilst most Thai and Malaysian cities are very motorbike-friendly / aware, Bangkok has a superfluity of roads where motorbikes are banned. The problems are that (i) MapsMe does not recognise the difference between a car and a motorbike; (ii) Bangkok underpasses / overpasses / sidepasses are spaghetti-like in their manifestations; (iii) there are limited motorbikeable bridges across the Chao Prayah river; and (iv) the signage for motorcycles being banned is often after one has already become committed. My best was not good enough, and I spent over an hour of intense frustration, trying to escape the clutches following the missing of the correct ramp in a 3D spaghetti conglomeration intersection, including twice having to ride back the wrong way on toll-way entrance ramps. Being the middle of a hot Bangkok day, and having an increasingly urgent pending volcanic bowel expurgence descending upon me did not help calm my fragile geographical control. Crossing toes inside of one’s motorbike boots may have little empirically-proven physical affect on sphincter aperture, but it is a port in a digestive tract storm, providing a little steerage perception underway. 7 2 2 Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Untitled_Artwork 8 by Eoin Christie, on Flickr Differences are: 1) Spent more time up in Xiengkok / Muang Long / Muang Sing area of Northern Laos, and deleted Oudomoxai / Phongsali / Gnot Ou section. I took my family up to this area 15 years ago, and hope to head back again some time in the future. 2) Spent more time in Lampang on the way back down, so deleted Isaan (North East Thailand), where I’ve been many times before. 3) Did my very best to avoid Bangkok on the way back down (possibly the least big-bike-friendly city I’ve ever ridden). Whilst most Thai and Malaysian cities are very motorbike-friendly / aware, Bangkok has a superfluity of roads where motorbikes are banned. The problems are that (i) MapsMe does not recognise the difference between a car and a motorbike; (ii) Bangkok underpasses / overpasses / sidepasses are spaghetti-like in their manifestations; (iii) there are limited motorbikeable bridges across the Chao Prayah river; and (iv) the signage for motorcycles being banned is often after one has already become committed. My best was not good enough, and I spent over an hour of intense frustration, trying to escape the clutches following the missing of the correct ramp in a 3D spaghetti conglomeration intersection, including twice having to ride back the wrong way on toll-way entrance ramps. Being the middle of a hot Bangkok day, and having an increasingly urgent pending volcanic bowel expurgence descending upon me did not help calm my fragile geographical control. Crossing toes inside of one’s motorbike boots may have little empirically-proven physical affect on sphincter aperture, but it is a port in a digestive tract storm, providing a little steerage perception underway. ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/302864-running-in/?do=findComment&comment=3843361'>More sharing options...
Michael-IIIf Posted October 30, 2019 Share #20 Posted October 30, 2019 Brilliant adventure and write-up. One for the 'what bag' threads. What bag for total immersion in mud? Answer: Kriega. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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