philsquest

Heavy rain in the mountains

Three days ago I made my way up to the mountains to get some more work done on our center. We prepared the frame the other week to get the cement poured for the foundation. Unfortunately when I drove towards the village I was met with a lot of water. passing the last Thai village I saw many people standing on the bridge discussing about the rising waters. The water level was just under the bridge. More then a meter higher then usual. I am passing the village and going off-road towards Hui Kau Laam. As I come to the log bridge going to Catusi. The bridge is totally submerged under water. I usually don't use the bridge, but just pass through the river, which would be impossible now.

I drive on for a couple of hundred meters and meet a truck that slid into a ditch blocking the way to the village. His axel was sitting on the dirt and it was impossible even with 4x4 to et out. The owner came running with a smile and was happy to see me. I seem to e known for being the guy who pulls others out of the dirt with ease. I mean who else got a winch on their truck around here. 

I drove another couple of hundred meters and meet two electricity poles blocking the road. The heavy rains and the flooding just swept them away with the foundations. There was no way of getting around them, so I needed to drive back a kilometer and make a detour through the jungle over the hill and take a back road into the village. 

So much to get things done easily here. We had to call off the cement trucks that were supposed to come in to pour the foundations. This part of the project has to wait another one to two weeks. There is no way those trucks can come in when the road is half gone and extremely slippery.

Still I was able to do many other things. I never run out of work up here. :-)

Mein kleiner Helfer

Endlich habe ich die Zeit gefunden am Geländewagen rumzuschrauben. Beide Trittbretter hat es beim Off-Roadfahren nach ob gedrückt. Timmy hat mir geholfen die Bretter wider anzuschrauben nachdem ich die Aufhängung  mit dem Hammer wieder gerade geschlagen hatte.

Off-road driving takes it's toll

Yesterday I brought my truck to the Toyota garage to get fixed. I have over 200,000 km. and the "tiger" is starting to show it. Specially the off-road driving on the front wheel base. I had to replace the cooler because it had a crack all the way across. Then I had to replace different part connecting with the front wheels. I really don't know what those parts are called. But it sure cost me quite some money. When I was driving home immediately felt the difference in stability. Such a difference. I thought my truck is just old and the way it handled was just because of age. But actually it was that some of the part were bent and some ball bearings were totally warn out. I can take a corner without the feeling that the truck is kind of giving way like it would slide. Would you believe it there are no noises anymore when I go off-road.
The only thing I need now is new tires. As you can see on the picture I am driving them "Thai-style" till there is no tire tread left. But unfortunately on a dirt road it is like driving on ice with these.

Cleaning up

I was cleaning up some off my work gear the other day. To put away my tools and other stuff I take up to the mountains I use old army boxes. Those are the only boxes I found in Chiang Mai that are water proof and strong enough to survive the abuse when I go into the mountains. This one is the stuff I always throw on the back off the truck before I leave. I know not very much. But I guess I'm bit of a minimalist. Depending on the project or work I will add other boxes with tools etc.

Schlammfinken

Dieses mal bin ich wirklich fast stecken geblieben. Nicht das ich mich mit Hilfe der Seilwinde rausziehen könnte. Meistens ist es aber so das wenn ich aus dem Truck aussteigen muss auch im Dreck stehe. Es ist rutschig und klebt wie ein Kaugummi.
Meine "Finken" wurden echt dreckig und trieften nur so.

Sliding the truck

Yesterday afternoon I drove back from a trip to Fang. After the police check point in Chai Prakan I entered into the mountain pass. Heavy rain started to pour down. So strong it was hard to see. Two kilometers further on it stopped. After I passed a curve the tail of my car wanted to take over from the left. For a moment it felt like loosing control and I saw myself flipping the truck. I went slightly on the breaks and the ABS started to work. I had to steer left and right to keep control of the truck but managed to turn it around coming to a stand still in the middle of the road. I quickly put first gear in to drive to the side knowing there were other cars coming a little behind me. This all happened in just a second. I thank God for His protection and that nothing bad happened.
This is the second time I experienced this. The roads here can get very slippery. The surface wasn't wet. It hadn't rained there yet. I don't understand why this happened. I wasn't driving very fast either and now this road very well. It was really one of those freak moments.
Thanks for all who pray for us. It seems to work.

Nail puncture

Two days I had another nail in my tire. I stopped counting over the years. Driving off-road it happens that I drive over nails, screws or other metal spikes that puncture my tyres.
What I usualy do is leave the object in the tyre, till I can get to a garage. It keeps the air in and spares me from actually changing the tyre.
So this afternoon I went to goodyear in Chiang Mai and got my tyre fixed, let them rotate all the tyres and had them check the breaks. This all for 100 baht (3.-SFr. / 2.60$) I love taking care of my truck here in Thailand.