Doi Inthanon via Mae Wang(Wheres my Wetsuit?)

Felt like a marathon today, most of which was, as usual, most enjoyable. But let me say one thing about going up to the top of Doi Inthanon in rainy season….**#@@**##……[edited for family viewing].
This weeks meeting point was in Hang Dong, at the Kow Soi Restaurant opposite the Hang Dong Police station, 9.30am.
Allys doing her best to make sure I’m not complaining about my empty stomach all the time.

After an excellent Kow Soi breakfast we headed off toward San Pa Tong and turned right onto the 1013 to Mae Wang.

The title says ‘via’ Mae Wang, but in actuality Mae Wang was a short detour to see yet another stunning reservoir.
Close to large reservoir, which, like Huay Tung Taow, has many cafes and shelters on the waters edge, is a beautiful ‘shrine’.

Up a easy set of steps, this shrine features many model Chickens, and two horses reared up on their hind legs.

Close by is also another small shrine featuring three model wooden Thai houses.
That detour done, it was back on the 1013.

Some way along there I spotted a sign for Mae Sa Pok Waterfall and called Ally back so we could investigate.
Well worth it! More of those stunning terraced rice fields on the way.
When we reached the end of the track I wondered if we’d been duped by the sign, when we spotted a very cute waterfall, pretty, but not what we’d expected.
Fortunately, a group of young girls, busy washing empty drinks cans for recycling, pointed us to the path to the main event.
Another lush forest track, just a couple of hundred metres and….WoW!!.
Not only was there the sublime beauty of the waterfall in the middle of glistening green forestation, but also some wonderful bird life, no doubt attracted by the insects brought out by the damp, and fish washing down with the strong water flow too, no doubt.
Although its not the biggest I’ve seen it rates as one of the most beautiful, with a touch of magical quality about it.
Back to the road we were on, Allys reliable directions tell me that it changes from the 1013 to the 5118 after Mae Win.

Turning left out of the waterfall road we carried on to Khun Wang. Here you can find the Khun Wang Environment and Natural School. Quite an immense growing set up.
Again, as well as the many rice fields, you see so much more going on up here, with huge nursery set-ups sprawling all over many hills.
Carrying on along this wonderfull road,

which varied from newly laid tarmac to potholed tarmac that required a lot of weaving to and fro,

we rode on to the Doi Inthanon Shop, through rain that got quite heavy for a while. There we had lunch and coffee and for a while the rain had stopped, but by the time we got going, so had it once again.
Honestly I can’t believe we carried on up, through the clouds and worsening rains; which were exacerbated by strong gusting winds. But battle on we did. I was hopelessly unprepared and got saturated.
My legs were threatening to cramp up and my whole body was shaking by the time we reached the coffee shops at the top.

It took me quite a while to stop the shakes and the coffee was very much needed.
Even my hope of buying a dry t shirt to change into was dashed, with the souvenir shop being closed.

And to add insult to injury I had been charged 100 baht at the summit check point, for the pleasure of putting myself through that hell. Hey ho, beats sitting at home.
Ally kept assuring me that the views up there are amazing, some of the best you’ll ever see. Even tried to tell me that there are two massive Chedis on the way up to the summit, “stunning, beautiful they are…right there!!” Staring at thick white cloud hugging the hillsides, I told her that I didn’t believe her. Whats more, at that point I couldn’t have cared less if the Taj Mahal had been moved there.
Still, although we still had to go back down through the icey cold squalls, it wasn’t so long before we were down to Wachirathan Waterfall   in much more pleasant conditions, and after that short visit, on our way home.
On the 108 to Chiang Mai, not so far from Chom Tong, the highway was blocked for quite a way by huge numbers of Lamyai growers turning up at a big fruit buyers warehouse.
I said goodbye to Ally at San Pa Tong, where I turned right for Lamphun.
Looking forward to our next ride.

For many more photos from this trip, please visit our photobucket album here.