Two Weeks Away from the Ride

We're counting down the days for flying to Ho Chi Minh City and beginning our 600-mile ride through Vietnam.  Our preparations for Christmas combine with our preparations for Vietnam--twice the challenge and double the blessing.

Imagine going from cold and snow of the American Midwest in December and January to the near-tropical climate of southern Vietnam. We anticipate sunny skies and temperatures in the upper 80s and low 90s for the journey. We may experience some cooler temps as we climb in to the highlands near Cambodia, but it's going to be a warm ride.  Still, we'll trade freezing temperatures and short days for warm temps and sunshine.

Don't worry, we'll still be suffering.  Views of our route on Google Earth show us significant elevations and much hillier terrain than we have trained on.  Consider the photo, which is a view along route 14, the roadway we'll follow most of the way from Ho Chi Minh City to Da Nang.  Some of the road follows along the hilltops, but it has many more ascents and descents than we've trained on.  "Just remember, this is not a race," one of our team members reminds the rest of us.  Indeed, it is a tour.  We'll make it...together.