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Simply another outstanding video by Greg Towle. It's hard life here but I do the best I can with it LOL You know they ever put all this bike weeks together and you would have another Sturgis.

Courtesy of Greg Towle Maybe next year Day 2

Courtesy of Greg Towle

We did everything possible to do a safe ride and even with that things can go wrong. We even did a safty briefing in the end I was very thankful for that cause no one ran over my wife or I. The Culprit amazing that the owners cared for their dog so much that they bought it sweater to protect it from the cold. But, not enough to keep it off a busy highway I had always been told if your going to hit a dog hit him straight on, I remember thinking that as I saw there way no way I was going to avoid it. So I was doing all that I could to do just that. One of those times no where to go for me or the dog. Oncoming traffic coming now that would have hurt. Dog got scared and ran for the edge of the road at the last possible second. Lots of things happening real fast, Question did I lock up my rear brake trying to slow, don't know I know there were skids. I also know I just had the brakes redone and they were much more sensitive then I was used to So maybe I really don't know. The skids were side way brush skid, so I just don't know. Hitting them straight good as anyhting I can think of now that I have experienced it. I do know this, when my front tire hit the dog it went the same direction the dog was running. Not good folks get um to stand still :wink: The rear end felt the same way. Did that put me into a skid can't say, might have hit the breaks to hard. Believe me things are happening very very quickly. Mind you we were doing around 70 Klms before the accident. We had already been confronted with dogs on the edge of the road . Horn kept them out of the road. [ The worse injury was a severly sprained ankle, note the front crash bar going into the foot board. My guess that is where it came from. Since it was my right ankle. Believe me since I have to rebuild anyway. I will have custom crash bars made hopefully that won't happen again. But that is no light bike by the time we actually went down still had to be doing 40 Klms. That is a lot of wieght and energy. IMG] An Amazing thing bike hit on the right side the left handle bar snapped at the T. After market bars put on the bike for looks not by me more for looks then anything else. So this time a good set of strong bars. Rear crash bars and sissy bar can't say enough about them. Wife had few minor scratch marks on her upper thigh. Guys tell me she stayed with the bike and rode it out. I know I did but I wa a bit busy at the time. That equipment protected her no doubt about it Also the bars and bag absorb a lot of energy on impact. Well I was going to post some more photos but photo buket is not coperating today. So I'm just goign to finish the story. I will say that the villager were very worried about me trying to get to the hospital, heck we were ony 20 Klms out of Udon. Not that serious. We actually ended up with a mechanic coming from Udon and picking the bike up. He delieverd us right to our front door. Question will it be ready fro the Udon Bike week. I really doubt it. Can't say enough about the guys on the ride list, stepped right in got things organized very quickly and made the sure the wife and I were OK. They stayed and helped load the monster in the truck not something I could have done. Finally convienced them that I was alright to go ahead and finish the ride and enjoy the day. One of those days one the guys had Mechanicle problems same mechanic came out from Udon and picked up his bike as well. Turned out the new road I wanted to ride was pretty much a goat path, hey at least I know and I can scratch that one off the list. One guy was talking to me about not going because his wife told him before he left to be careful that she had a dream and there was going to be an accident, I told well heck thats done I just did it might as well go. I missed seeing Lickey, oh well next time. He called to check on me as John from Udon has done several times as well. Nice to have good friends. I went home elevated the ankle put ice on it. It seemed to be good idea the next day and get an xray, rather painful. Well not broken that was good news. They applied a partial splint gave me some crutches. First time I have ever used them. I have a gained a lot of respect for people who do, real quick. My attitude about safety has not changed one bit. No matter what you do you ride long enough your going to go down, comes with the territory. That is a given what is not a given is how badly are you going to be hurt. We did this at 70klms, what would the results have been at 140klms. My guess a lot more severe injures. So I will still be riding my way. Wouldn't it be nice if the bike and I were fixed at the same time somehow I doubt that. Well Photobucket fianlly gave in. You got the story that goes with them. Last by but not least I was really rpoud of my wife throuhg this a real trooper

This time of year for the next four months there are bike week every weekend sometime as many a three in one weekend, this is one of the big ones in the Northeast of Thailand Some of the best riding you will find anywhere. I don't really enjoy them that much so I try to pick three a year, out to go to. Our ride list guys here are at on every week, till the season ends. This is one that I would go back to. It ain't Sturgis guys but this a fairly new thing in Thailand. It's like an infant in coparison but it grows every year. Enjoy

Well back on subject, in my case if I'm doing a ride full protective gear. But here bikes are a way of life. Not just for sport. So if you want to go get milk and ride 2 klms to get it. Ya I will wear shorts but I never skip the Helmet. You get in to traffic down town, the speeds will definetly be slow, cause traffic is slow. If I'm going to do a ride like I used to do in my work days weekend sort of thing. Minimum of boots levis and long sleves shirts. I purchased a safety jacket, with the web venting, man that sucker is hot. Especially if you get stopped at one our four Min. red lights. If I could actually find something that was cool I definetly would wear it. But so far nothing. My wife has one and she is Thai, they never go out with out being covered, it about dark skin not safety and even she can't take the heat in the safety jacket when real heat hits. A common heat index during that period is above 100 F. that is your in the shade, once you step into the sun evreything changes dramatically I think the difference is I essentially live on the equater, the sun is the most intense here than anywhere I have ever been. I was originally a Desert Rat from the Palm Springs area, where temps in the summer are common at 120 F. I lived there for 23 years, it is hot in the summer no doubt it. But the intensity of the sun here far exceeds it. Worked in Kuawit for a short period temps can hit 140F and it was humid. But the intensity of the sun didn't even come close. We are coming into our cool season and the wife I and I will be in full leathers for about three months. But that is our ride time here cool and no rain. The rides in between are really sanity rides. At the moment you try to get your errands done in the morning when it's cool. Back in the airconditioner play on the computer and wait for the sun to go down. So if you guys know of something that provides protection and helps to stay a bit cooler, I would really like to know about it. But I wont be dressing out in leathers to go get milk I own a full size pickup as well with air in it, but the reality is the roads in the downtown area were never meant for a large amount of cars. They were meant for bikes. So for me the dailey things that people do is done on the bike it is just easier. But the speeds when your down town rarely get over 25 Klms, and less most of the time. It's a different world. Ya I can put up wiht minor road rash, but the helmet, that is a totally different beast.

Eating i a good meal is always a part of the Thai riding experine and this was no exception. One of the German guys sit a up lunch for us at his inlaws house in avillage really a huge feast. I really think this is why the wives and girlfriends go that time to chat gosip and catch up We guys are sitting and tlking as well,but, of course ours is serious conversation about bikes and riding, No gossip and of course we never lie Well guys that is a typical ride here in Udon. You get a chance to ride Thailand you will enjoty a very different experience. But the best riding in the Mae Hong Song area in Northern Thailand. If yo enjoyed the tour let me know I will do more as time and new things come up. If not I don't want to drive everyone nuts with it. We all have great places to enjoy riding.

Your very welcome. The ride experience is very international here. along with Thai's there are people from the UK Germany, Denmark, France, Australia and New Zealand on this ride. We try to get together once a week, during the good ridning weather, and as often as we can when things are rianey. Riding in the rain goes with the territory. During the season we will ride together to wha they call bike weeks here. Not properly named really one night events, that are huge parties where riders from all over Thailand gather. Some are huge, like Pattaya or Chaing Mai. But most are few hundred people. Good music and performances by Thai bands and the Thai version of Go Go dancers. From this point till the end of the year only one weeknd that one isn't scheduled and that is just that I know about. The following are just more ride photos. I hope I don't duplicate any. Well I enjoy sharing this with everyone and if doesn't bore everyone to death I will do it from time to time.

Some of our best riders Oh that right these are the monkeys in Kumpawapi, they pretty much own the town. Even have a Wat in their honor in the park. Two huge statues of monkey's in front of it. Little buggers are not the least bit afraid of people and will steal anything that isn't mailed down. Oh the guy a newbie from America has to ride with that group till he learns the roads. Just kidding, they wouldn't take him either Well I'm tired so I will finish this up tomorrow TO BE CONTINUED

Sorry guys didn't take many photos of Phu Phi Lom been ther many many times. It is a National Park with a camp grounds some bugalows for rent, nice resturant Toilet and shower facilties. You don't pay anything for camping there. We have as a group did overnight camping there. We took advantage of the coffee place. the ladies I believe were sitting around lying to each other. Of course us guys never do that The ladies seem to really have fun when the mats get broken out but that was to come later this time. The signifivcance of the area is that during Vietnam the Viet Cong went to this palce a you could see the Airbase in Udon Thaini form the lacation. So when the F-105's took to the air they were being were watched form the minute they left the ground some radar huh!

Not real sure what these young folks are all about. but they were streched along both sides of the road for about 5 Klms. I think we were the highlight of the day for them, I guess they were marching some literally dragging along old M-1 rifles, they must have been bit tired. But none the less they had smiles and lot of english hellos for us. Never can tell what you might run into on one these rides.

The ride itself about 200 klms, Phu Phi Lom, Kumpawawpi, Nong Han and back to Udon Thani. Uodn is the eigth largest city in Thailand, where my home is at no time were we more then 45 Klmns from my home just one boig loop. Country roads some good some with lots of pot holes to dodge, some on the map some not. the villages just common villages in Issan. The fields rice paddies.

Just for you Goff meet your Thai counterpart. rides a 400 dragstar just like me all 90 Lbs of her counting leathers and helmet. She is the lady in the front on the left. My wife I think she trying to tell me something 37 no children I think the clock is ticking. I think she like is going to handle 40 just fine

Goff looks like yuo will do just fine with 40 That's it no more