The Golden Triangle is still home to many different variety of hill tribes. Here is a young Lisu lady in front of her hut.

One of the largest hill tribe groups, the Hmong, all dressed up in their finery, during their courtship.

Terrain like this makes for superb biking. The GOLDEN TRIANGLE is geologically part of the Himalaya massif. The excellent road system throughout is a rare gift to bikers.

Where there are mountains there are rivers, and with rivers come waterfalls

like this one. Keep a bathing suit handy when you come on an A.M.A tour. There's no better way to cool off.

Typical GOLDEN TRIANGLE road. Notice all the other road users. Most of the roads are in perfect condition. Most are empty. Most will leave you gasping for more.

We're getting ready for a cruise up the Salween River, which is the border between Burma and Thailand. We passed working logging elephants on the Burmese side.

The Thai people are wonderful and love to enjoy life. Famous for their smile, it seldom leaves their faces and comes deep from within their souls.

Unfortunately, great trails like this are disappearing in the GOLDEN TRIANGLE, a victim of commercial development. Photo by Chris Stowers.

A lot of the heavy labor is done by the hill tribe women. Here they are carrying loads of nipa palm leaves that are crafted into roofing panels. Stowers.

The ancient capital of Sukhothai. This is a designated UNESCO World Heritage site, having significant importance for human culture.

All over the north are fantastic Buddhist temples. Often they are built in remote areas and the roads to get to them are unadulterated sources of pleasure.

This Chiang Mai temple mural is several hundred years old. Chiang Mai is our base of operations in the north, and is worthy in itself of an in-depth and extended visitation.

The Emerald Buddha is one of the most revered icons in Thailand. Around 4" high, it is carved from an emerald and covered with gold and rubies. It resides in Chaing Mai.

Most Thai temples are outrageously picturesque. Wat Doi Tung is built high up on a peak and is surrounded by hundreds of bells. It's said if you ring them all you'll go to heaven. A deal like that doesn't come along every day.