Clicked over 5000 km, heading back to Chiang Mai

Due to the longer than expected mountain bike up the Mae Kok river  (YES Trevor, 30 something km to 60 something km  IS significant) we ended up staying about 10 km east of our original destination of Tha ton.
Tha ton is right on the Myanmar/Burma border but no land crossing there. Lots of police and border checks all around the north but we just get waived through. There is still a big drug problem here but with methamphetamine now, coming out of Myanmar. Border patrol boats on the Mekong river as well.
Tha ton is a nice town, we had coffee over looking the river. Boat trips go up and down from Chiang Rai.
Continued to Fang, only 35 km so well deserved cruisy day, found a nice place to stay (photo) with paddy fields and banana palms outside the window. Went to the only restaurant we could find open which was a new Italian place and ended up invited to join the 65th birthday party of a UK expat, lots of Australian wine flowing, a fun late night, generous gorgeous Thai people complete with birthday cake.
Fang to Chai Prakan, 40km, just an easy highway ride. It is a real trade off, hills and very little traffic or highway with good motorbike shoulder and traffic with noise. We have been mostly off the highways but some is unavoidable.
Chai Prakan to Phrao 70 km, rural roads, big hills, even some walking with bikes...Not many eating places today. Had glasses of tea in a 'Karen' village. A nice friendly Burmese guy stopped us outside his place, poured us tea and tried to converse in English. There are about 1 million ethnic minority inhabitants in Thailand.  ( about 10 different hill tribes ) They are not Thai citizens and most still live very poorly. They have come from China, Laos and Myanmar over the hills illegally over many years and settled. There has also been huge exploitation from tourists and vice versa over the last 30 years but there does seem to be some organizations now working to help preserve their individual cultures and identities. We have seen some of the older women in the villages still wearing their traditional dress and head wear but it is rare as change is inevitable.
Phrao to Lamphun, 124.5 km, longest distance yet.in one stint. It said 112 on the map but we managed to take a few wrong turns. Big day, still felt good at 80 k but last 25 near Chiang Mai was busy motorway. The traffic whizzing on and off is scary.
Made it back to Robert and Kung's, our lovely warm shower hosts that we stayed with on the way up. We were both pretty tired and were easily talked into staying for a couple of rest days and to see the annual Chiang Mai flower festival. The floats were amazing, the photos do not do them justice. We also enjoyed a night out at a new eating place serving great pizzas and the next night an all you can eat cook your own bbq. I think Kung was trying to fatten me up! The four of us also enjoyed a 20km cycle around their surrounding village. The itinerary Robert sorted for us around the north was fantastic.
Sunday morning we left to go to Hot, 94 km away. A few stops, food, coffee, puncture and a temple visit so did not arrive till 5.45pm. Dinner, 4 meals plus a tub of icecream from the 7/11 to finish off. We are eating a lot.
Hot to Li - another 94 km through dry  bush, some of the undergrowth being burnt off. Hot, smoky and smelly. Not a lot of villages or people. Very rural.
So we did 186km in 2 days on a detour to avoid about 115 on a highway... My legs are telling me  that was not the best option. Stopped for ice coffee with about 25 km to go and a dutch couple on bikes arrived as well so enjoyed chatting to them.