So I've been exploring the jungles over here in Thailand. A hell of a lot different than the 3 foot sand whoops and wide open deserts of southern california.

So whats this stuff they call mud!!! Turns...uhhh, rut roh. Definitely some learning going on amongst all the fun times. Water crossings???? What the hell are these!!


Careful of those hidden holes on the river crossings. after drowning the bike out, working on it for 2 hours we still could not get the KLX started. Had to tow the damn thing out for 13 KM's back to a road, through mud and 6 river xcrossings. Loads of laughs.





Auugghh, the joys of towing in slippery mud and water.



Not only that but some rides even had some obstacles. Such as a six foot rock ledge, threading between tree's that if you dumped it and fell you landed on bamboo pungi stakes like the boobie traps that had during the Vietnam war.



Sad to say the KLX made it up the ledge cleanly. However how about a video of the second time I tried it???? Ummmm can you say not enough approach speed. The clunk you hear in the video is my helmety trying to drive itself through the trunk of the tree.

Here's a video clip to confirm I've a lot to learn[8D] http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...46217136694280


Or another trip that 200 KM's into a 3 day off road ride I slip in some mud and break the gear lever off. Usually no problem...attach an allen key or some vice grips to the stub and keep on going. Sadly this time the shaft snapped offinside the cases and i had to ride back 200 KM's in 3rd gear through a four hour monsoon rain. Who thought you'd get hypothermia in Thailand. At least before I crashed i met some wonderfull hill tribe people (refugees from mynammar(Burma)).




Anyway I'm packing my soft bagz and heading to Laos for a month long Off road exploration trip. Hmm isn't it monsoon season over here now???? Never said i was the sharpest tool in the toolshed.

Take care all signing off from Thailand for now.

 

Thats some good stuff man.... looks like fun..... that ledge in the vid was crazy.... watch your head man....lol

 

nice ride report!! the pics are awsome. do you work for a living?? how do you get to go ride allthese places? vaction??

 

I don't think the KLX or motocross boots were designed for landmine clearing - so be careful (since you're riding off the beaten path) and find out what areas are still hazardous. Was it "ignorance is bliss" or "ignorance is a blast"? The Aussie's have been doing a great job in cleaning up the "mess"!

Note: The primary threat to civilians in Laos is unexploded ordnance (UXO), not antipersonnel mines, though both are present. To the civilian population, there is little or no difference between the two. The massive problem with unexploded ordnance is the result of extensive U.S. bombing during the Indochina War, especially during the period from 1964 to 1973. Bomblets (or “bombies as they are known to the Lao people) from U.S. cluster bomb units became de facto antipersonnel mines when they did not explode on impact as designed. It is often said that there are millions of unexploded bombies, and in 1996 the UN estimated that 500,000 tons of UXO were still present in Laos. However, UXO Lao, the national coordinating body, has expressed concern that the real number of UXO in Laos remains unknown and that the very rough hypotheses put forth cannot be substantiated.

Handicap International (HI), which in 1997 released the results of an extensive national survey of villages, found that over 3,800 villages, with a population of 1.3 million people, had been affected by UXO and mines. HI stated, “More than 1,000 villages reported the presence of landmines in the past with 214 villages currently reporting landmine contamination.� To date (2007), the UXO problem continues to be so serious in Laos that it remains a daunting obstacle to development by adding hazards, time and expenses to virtually any new economic activity.

So, good luck and may the big buddha be with you - can't wait for your next update!

 

Count me out from riding Laos, thanks to the report above, and also that I would probably have never gone in the 1st place. So how do you go on these trips, do you work there??

 

Wow great freaking post bro!

Crazy azz sheet for sure, keep them coming.

 

The stuff I did in my heyday looks tame compared to that and I did some seriously insane things on a bike. Laos? Burma Thailand? Cripes how far can you ride w/ barely a 1+ gal tank? I get nervous now going to work on it....
Thai is my favorite food PEROID. I want to go there and just eat!

 

"how do you get to go ride allthese places?" and "So how do you go on these trips, do you work there??"

In regards to the above. No i don't work over here. I came to a life dcision that had me want to enjoy my life rather than working 80 hours per week for another 24 years. So I'm renting out my house and living rather cheaply in Asia until i get bored. Best time of my life. Friends said I'd get bored and come back to work. So far no chance.

"I don't think the KLX or motocross boots were designed for landmine clearing"

Thanks for you concern. Both laos and cambodia still have a decent precense of UXO. Hell we dropped more bombs on Laos than during any other campaign. Even though we were not at war with Laos. The younger guys on the boardare probably thinking 'how does that work?". I volunteered at a orphanage for kids that were injured by UXO in Cambodia. In poor countries the family cannot afford to keep a child that cannot work due to injury so they are given up. Working with these abandoned children was heart wrenching. Especially since the Cambodian government drags its feet on the UXO clearing due to the amount of funding it gets for it. Really sad. Don't get me started.

"Cripes how far can you ride w/ barely a 1+ gal tank?"

I've got the KLX 300 tank bolted on which gives me close to 3 gallons. In these poor countries the mode of transport are usually scooters with a range of 80 KM's so there is usually gas in small villages to buy. Granted its out of whiskey bottles and rusty drums but it works fine.

Anyway guys thanks for the feedback and I will keep in touch. So far the KLX is running fine.

 

You're a good man Justin!

 

You guys are TOTALLY INSANE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! In a good way, great pics and what an adventure. Good times man.