A Scenic 68-mile Jaunt to Chu Se

From Buon Ho to Chu Se; about 68 miles; 5 hrs, 16 minutes riding time
Conditions: Sunny and windy; 70 F at 7:00 am; 83 F at 3:00 pm

Our journey in a northeastward direction along Route 14 continues.  We are following a highland ridge, often seeing valleys and distant hills/mountains on both the left and right side as we pedal.  Though we follow the ridge, the road has numerous climbs and downhills.  We had one two-mile climb today that was a real heartbreaker.  However, we made good time today, as there was less wind and were were gently descending to about 1300 feet elevation.

All along the way each day, we are greeted by small children running to the front of their property and waving and yelling "hello!"  School children do the same.  Adults, too, are friendly toward us.  We aren't sure if this is standard behavior for a colorfully-addressed cycling group passing by or if something else is going on.  We have heard that Westerners are not seen in these parts very often.  Perhaps we're a novelty. That's okay.

Our accommodations at little hotels have been good.  The facilities are clean. Almost all floors in Vietnam are marble or some kind of hard, polished tile.  Shoes are removed at the doors.  The hotel rooms are simple and spacious.  We have had Wi-Fi Internet access all but one night thus far.  And, if any of us have time to watch it, cable TV with all major American entertainment channels. Sadly, Vietnamese are learning about USA through our shallow and trashy entertainment media (John's commentary).

We are a truly international team.  Six members are from USA, one is from Canada (Joe James), and our friends from Vietnam switch off riding segments of each day's route.  We had not anticipated this dimension of our team, but our Vietnamese friends insist on sharing in the riding, rather than serving only as guides.  These two young leaders are outstanding in character, strong in spirit, and knowledgeable.  So, as we ride up through Vietnam, all who inquire realize that what they are seeing is not just some cyclists from USA, but an international cycling effort for the sake of a peace investment.

We don't really know the names of the Vietnamese dishes we have been enjoying.  The food is rice-based and rich in boiled vegetables with either beef, chicken, pork or fish added.  Everything seems spicy and hot.  Chilies rule.  We have Pho Bo (a rice-noodle soup with beef) for breakfast.  Last evening, we ate turtle.  This evening, the treat was snake fish (selected out of the onsite pond) that was broiled and prepared in rice-paper roll-ups.  We also had this chicken this evening.  The chicken was good.  The fish was delicious.

A Headwind to Write Home About

From Buon Ma Thuot to Buon Ho

Conditions: sunny, high-70s, very windy

We looked forward to a rather short-mileage day.  Sunday morning, we took a late breakfast at a cafe, met together for an hour of fellowship, and then hopped on our bikes for a relatively short jaunt to the next city on our route—Buon Ho.  We’d be there in a couple of hours if we rode briskly, we thought.

But we weren’t counting on a 20-30-mile per hour headwind.  As we left Buon Ma Thuot, following the mountain ridge that has taken us northeastward for several days, a strong wind hit us head-on.  Typically, we ride at about 14-20 mph on gently rolling terrain.  But though the terrain today was not too hilly, the headwind reduced our speed to 5-10 mph.  It felt like the tougher hills we climbed in the middle of last week, except when we crested a hill we could enjoy the ride down.  With this headwind, there was no resting, just grinding.

About 5 miles from Buon Ho, the route shifted more directly northward and the impact of the headwind subsided.  We rolled into this Central Highlands town by mid-afternoon, checked in at a local hotel and enjoyed dinner together at a restaurant our hosts selected for us (as we have encouraged them to do).

All along our route, we have encountered many rubber tree plantations.  They are carefully platted and tended to.  With careful cuts into the bark, sap is drawn to the surface and drips into a bowl that is attached to the tree.  When the sap dries in the bowl it is a white substance that has the consistency of latex.  This is harvested routinely.  Vietnam is one of the leading international producers of rubber.  Coffee and rubber are its two largest export products.

Tomorrow (Monday, January 10), we will be back to our 100+ kilometer per day routine.  Our hoped-for destination on Monday is Chu Se, another Central Highlands town on Route 14.

How Does One Ride an Elephant?

Our one rest day from pedaling mile upon mile was something of an adventure in itself. We traveled to the nearby Yak Dom National Park (something like a national park in the USA).  There, we embarked on a two-hour excursion through the teak-wood forest on the backs of elephants.  That's right: instead of riding bicycles, we rode elephants.

As these photos attest, it was a funny, uncomfortable, interesting and thrilling experience all at the same time.  There were four healthy-looking Asian Elephants, the oldest and largest of which was 70 years old.  Each seemed to carry us without even noticing we were there and enjoyed their walk through the woods, stopping occasionally to push over a tree to get at its tender top leaves or reaching high to pull down a leafy branch.  We discovered that you do not so much ride an elephant as you are permitted to by an elephant to be taken along for a ride.

Hard to describe the feeling of being atop one of these largest of land mammals. It's gait sends you lurching in just about every direction, but it's a slow gait, so you just loosen up and go with the flow.  The terrain of the forest in Yak Dom National Park is hilly, so we had the experience of feeling like we were going to topple forward when it headed downhill and the fear of falling off the back when it went uphill.  And when the elephant bent low at the river's edge to drink, we just held on for dear life.

We noted that elephants walk very quietly through the woods.  When we weren't laughing and bantering, you could hardly hear these grand creatures moving among the plants and trees.  In its environment, the size of the elephant seems to be less overwhelming and more functional.  The ride was an unforgettable experience of Vietnam.

Our day also included a visit to a tribal village and waterfalls within Yak Dom park. Our photos reflect the good, relaxing time we had.

We return to pressing on toward our goal on Sunday.  After a morning gathering time, we'll climb back on our bikes and head northeast and into our second week of cycling Vietnam with a heart and hope to invest in the lives of children and supporting projects for our friends here.

Thanks, again, for following our sojourn and for all the support you are giving us.  We appreciate your comments and questions.

Yeah, We're all Here and Alive and Well

We snapped this photo (the first ever on a timer on Joe's camera) upon arriving in Buon Ma Thuot--the coffee capital of Vietnam.  We just want our family members, friends and associates to know that after five days of pedaling, we're all here and we're safe and sound (well...). We're grateful for your support and encouragement. After a rest day today (Saturday), we move on northeastward toward Da Nang, our destination.

Day 5: To Buon Ma Thuot and a Rest Day

Today, our pedaling fellowship made one last push to the Central Highlands city of Buon Ma Thuot to finish out the first week of cycling from Ho Chi Minh City to Da Nang.  We've thus far pedaled nearly 300 miles through some tough terrain, climbing to 3000 feet elevation, cutting through brisk headwinds, and sweating in 90-degree temps.  But please don't feel sorry for us.  We are living a dream.

Our ride today was eventful for the heavy traffic on a narrow road that we encountered riding into Buon Ma Thuot--a city of about 1,000,000 citizens.  Each of us, at one time or another, have been forced to move completely off the road when trucks pass each other, leaving no pavement.  Unlike in the USA, honking horns are nearly constant in traffic flow.  Instead of being used to say "get out of the way!", honking a horn here means "I want you to know I am coming up behind you. Share the road." Or, at least that's how we've come to interpret it.  You usually know the size and speed of the vehicle as it approaches from behind by the kind of horn it sounds, along with the rumble of its wheels on the pavement.  Please know that we are wearing florescent yellow vests with reflective stripes on them not as a fashion statement (seriously?), but to be readily seen (as well as to see one another when we get separated or strung out along the roadway).

We are deep into coffee country.  Buon Ma Thuot is considered the coffee capital of Vietnam and we are anxious to sample what it has to offer.  We have biked past hundreds, if not thousands, of homes with coffee beans drying in the front yards. If you live in this part of the country, instead of growing a grass front lawn, you roll out canvass and dry coffee beans.

We are looking forward to a day of rest on Saturday.  Actually, we will spend part of it visiting the Yak Dom National Park.  We anticipate seeing lots of native animal species.  Bob Yardy and Bob Burtch are anxious to hear and see lots of birds, as they are both amateur ornithologists.  We are also scheduled to take a 1-2 hour elephant ride.  THAT should be interesting.  We can pedal a bike, but can we ride an elephant?  Check tomorrow's blog post for photos and a full report.

Saddling Up after a Rest Stop

Our group of eight riders stops to rest, refresh and check in with one another about every 20 kilometers/12 miles. We eat a banana or other fruit, drink water or Gatorade, replenish our water bottles (hydration is very important throughout a day of cycling in hot weather like this), and talk together.  The 5-10 minute stop usually ends when our team leader Bob Yardy climbs on his bike and tells us it's time to roll again.

Day 4: More Climbing, Headwinds, Pain...and Breathtaking Vistas

From Duk Nong northeastward to Duk Minh; 54 miles; up to 3000 ft elevation
Conditions: Partly cloudy, strong headwinds throughout the day

Let's be honest: the last two days have been some hard cycling. We sail down a hill in three minutes and spend the next 20 minutes inching up the next.  Repeat.  Repeat.  Repeat, etc.  Add a headwind that is strong enough to buffet your bike and seems to pull you backwards.  That's what we've experienced for days.  We are tired.  Our legs ache.  We fall into bed and are immediately asleep.

However, there are three payoffs for this toil: (1) we get to see great vistas and some beautiful, simple-living people in these Central Highlands where Westerners rarely travel (we have encountered less than five outside of Ho Chi Minh City); (2) we get to fly with exuberance down the other side of the hill we just climbed.  Make no mistake: this is a blast!; and (3) we realize that's one less hill we have to climb.

That said, we are enjoying every minute of the journey.  Well, almost every minute.  The journey itself and being alive and present in the moment is as meaningful as the destination.  Yes, we do ride with purpose and keep focused on goals.  At the same time, we open our eyes, our minds, our hearts to what we are experiencing right now.  Awe and gratitude emerge that way.

As we wave and say "hello" a thousand times to children, workers, families, and people passing us on motor scooters, nine times out of ten they smile big, wave back, and respond with "hello!"  We've seen eyes and faces light up.  Mothers grab the arm of their toddlers to help them wave.  Schoolchildren playing in their schoolyard run to the fence and yell at us as we pass by.  Some adults will ask "where from?" On a few occasions, a few have asked in Vietnamese (our hosts translate for us): "What are you Westerners doing here?"  Not sure if it's a friendly question, but our response would be: we are here to express our love for our friends, to enjoy your beautiful people and country, to invest in some development projects, and invest in children--your future.

Our impression of Vietnam is that it is so young.  Statistically, we know that 70 percent of Vietnam's population was born after 1975.  So, they have no personal recollection of USA's military presence here.  We see so many families with infants and toddlers.  We see so many young people.  It's rather striking.

We also see people living simply and working hard.  We've ridden through many rubber tree plantations.  We've pedaled past hundreds of homes with coffee beans drying all around.  Every kind of small industry is in full flower.  Construction is underway in many places and the highway we are on is undergoing major upgrades in sections.  It is no wonder Vietnam is one of the fastest growing economies in the world.

The photos on this blog, mostly from the eye and camera of Joe James, reflect only a fraction of what we are seeing and experiencing.  Traveling a place via bicycle is a feast for the senses.  There is so much coming at you, you cannot take it all in.  But you can stop and spend a few moments inquiring, contemplating, enjoying.  Most of this is missed or under-appreciated from behind the doors and windows of a car or bus.  We consider this a privilege and don't want to miss a thing.

Again, thanks for following our journey and checking in whenever you can.  Your comments and questions are welcome.

Day 3: A Day of Climbing: Exhausting, Invigorating

From Phuoc Binh (elevation 530 ft above sea level) to Kien Duc (2300 ft asl); 56 mi /90.7 km.
Conditions: sunny with a constant headwind; by mid-afternoon, temps were well above 90 degrees F.

We just put in one of the hardest days of cycling most of us have experienced. Ten major climbs, one at 14 percent grade, took us from 530 feet above sea level to over 2300 feet asl.  This was a day to remember, one we will all likely look back on and tell stories about.

These were long, grinding climbs--not the kind adventure cyclists would typically jostle with each other to make to the top first. These were climbs on which you talk to yourself.  A lot.  You try to stay focused.  You count revolutions up to 100 and start over. You sing songs. You do whatever's necessary to keep your head down and your feet cranking.  Remember, we range in age from 45 to 67, but we all made it to the hilltop town of Kien Duc.  Exhausted, but we made it.

You never know what a day holds when you begin in the morning. On this day, after a 6:00 am breakfast, we headed out and one of our riders punctured a tire within 100 feet of the little hotel in Phuoc Binh (btw, the hotel cost $6 per room).  Within 20 minutes, we were on our first climb.  Before 8 am we had climbed to over 800 ft asl (both Daniel Shinkle and John Hay, Jr. have GPS units mounted on their handlebars as a fun way to track the trek in a variety of ways).  Less than an hour later we were over 1000 ft asl.  How high would we go?  We weren't sure.  By the time we crested hill on which Kien Duc sits after 4:00 pm, we were too exhausted to celebrate the accomplishment...or hardly notice.  But no one needed to tell us that we'd done some very serious cycling--cycling that's not for the faint of heart.

Though the climbs were difficult, the tops of these hills have provided us with some breathtaking vistas of this hill country (called the Central Highlands).  We anticipate more.

We are now on Highway 14, which is the main interior road running south to north through Vietnam. Unlike Highway 1, which runs south to north along Vietnam's coastal areas, Highway 14 is more lightly traveled, which means it's safer for cyclists.  However, it is not in good condition, is narrow in places, and is under construction for upgrade along the way.  And, of course, it is quite hilly.  It is also the route on which some of the friends we are riding to support live.

In one bustling town along the way on Tuesday (Jan 4), we helped one of our Vietnamese hosts traveling with us to purchase a bicycle and helmet (in foreground in the photo).  He wanted to ride some with us, to share the experience.  It was fun supporting him in this.  He and our other host have ridden portions of these two days.  When not riding, they put the bike on the mini-bus that serves as a support vehicle that's going along with us to Da Nang.  They have helped us immensely, including finding rest areas, refreshments, lodging, a places to take lunch and dinner.

As with the previous days, we are grateful for good, Vietnamese food.  We really did not know what to expect.  But we're trying a variety of food our hosts recommend.  We ate something like squid today at lunch.  We're not really sure what we're eating some of the time.  Whatever it is, it is usually served with either rice or rice noodles in a soup.  We're eating lots of bananas and oranges.  Also tried: dragon fruit, jack fruit, rambutan, papaya, etc.

You are welcome to leave comments.  We will share them with the team.  Our Internet time is usually very limited, so we are only able to capture a few highlights and photos.  Some days we may not be able to post at all.  But we're grateful for your interest and support.

And now, a night's rest and another day in the saddle.  Who knows what adventure it will bring?

Day 2: We Head into the Hills

Our second full day of cycling took us from just north of Ho Chi Minh City into hill country.  We had some serious climbing that gave us a sense of what lies ahead of us.  We rode from an elevation of 160 feet above sea level to over 700 feet.  We know that our highest point on the route will be at 3000 feet. So, let's hope our training pays off.

These photos are from Tuesday's ride and activities.

The day was humid, hot and overcast as we started at 6:00 am.  It threatened to rain all day, but didn't.  So far, so good.  By early afternoon, terrain that had been undulating became quite hilly.  We climbed hill after hill, sailing down a bit before cranking slowly up the next.

Everyone is healthy and riding well. Our few mechanical problems are handled ably by Kevin Williams and Bob Yardy.

We are enjoying Vietnamese food.  In the photo, John is holding up rice noodles in pho bo -- a basic Vietnamese breakfast soup with chunks of beef and veggies. Very tasty.  So it the fresh watermelon Daniel Shinkle is biting into.


Thanks for thinking of us.  Feel free to leave a comment to any team member or the group as a whole.  Also, check out the Twitter feed in the right sidebar.  These come from the open road throughout the day.

Northward from Ho Chi Minh City

Our experience in Ho Chi Minh City was incredible.  On Sunday afternoon (January 2), we decided to take a "shake down" ride together through part of the city.  We were not at all prepared for the experience.  We rode amid thousands of motor scooters and motorcycles, along with some bicycles.  It was at the same time invigorating and harrowing.  After 90 minutes of riding, we arrived back at the Duc Minh Hotel safe and sound, but each of us was full of amazement.  The photos in this and other posts show only a fraction of what we saw and experienced.

Today, Monday (January 3), we again rode faced unbelievable traffic, even though we left the hotel before 6:30 am.  The ride through Ho Chi Minh City's two-wheeled traffic is the experience of a lifetime.  It took us about 90 minutes to get north of the city and into somewhat lighter traffic.

About 30 miles north of Ho Chi Minh City, we stopped to tour to Cu Chi tunnels. This is an underground network of over 160 miles of multi-level tunnels that local residents and the Viet Cong used to avoid American forces.  It became both a supply route as well as a key to the Viet Cong's ultimate ability to turn the tide of the Vietnam conflict in the 1970s.  We crawled through part of the tunnels.  Quite an impressive place.  In this photo, Bob Burtch goes into one of the tunnels.

Back on our bikes, we headed another 40 miles north of the city.  The terrain is undulating, slightly uphill and some down (but mostly uphill) as we head toward the Central Highlands in a few days.

Everyone is healthy so far.  Everyone is riding well.  We have great Vietnamese hosts who are watching out for us every mile of the way.

Hope you enjoy some of the photos from Ho Chi Minh City and our first day of riding. The following photo is our first flat--Greg Pennington gets the dubious honor.

If you are trying to follow our journey via Facebook, please know that FB is not accessible in Vietnam, so that avenue of sharing our story is not available.  You can see our updates from on the road several times each day at http://www.twitter.com/bikevietnam2011.

Also, please remember why we are riding: to raise support for needed development projects and to sponsor Vietnamese children for education, food and clothing through ICCM.  Please see our Bike Vietnam 2011 page on the ICCM website, where you can make an online donation.

Good morning, Vietnam!

Our journey to begin our journey ended after 22 hours of flight time when we were greeted by friends at the airport around 11:00 pm Saturday night (Jan 1).

We awakened on Sunday morning (January 2) in Ho Chi Minh City.  Good morning, Vietnam!  Today (Sunday), we had a good breakfast pho (soup) and Vietnamese-style coffee (it's French-style espresso: it literally stands up on its own!).

A few of us got to go to an inspiring meeting with friends in the morning hours. We let them know you are really standing behind them and encouraging them on.  Joe taught a great lesson from the book.  John shared gifts of pens from ICCM.

After arriving back from the meeting, we took time to assemble our bicycles. All the bikes were in good shape.  We broke down the boxes and stored them for the return trip in a few weeks.  After lunch, we'll likely do some sightseeing in this massive, energetic city of 8 million people.  We may also take a bike ride together.

Our Team is in Ho Chi Minh City

A brief post just to say our Bike Vietnam 2011 has arrived safe and sound in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.  We arrived around 11:00 pm on Saturday evening and were greeted by friends.  A bus took us and our boxed bikes to a Hotel for the night.  Today, we'll gather with some friends, put together our bikes, and explore this massive, energetic city to get our bearings.  On Monday, bright and early, we ride!

All team members made the 22-hours of flight well, if weary.  That's a good beginning!

Checking in from Seoul

Our flight from Chicago to Seoul, South Korea took us from the morning of December 31 to the afternoon of January 1.  Go figure.  We flew over the Hudson Bay, into the Arctic Circle, over Russia (rugged mountains in the photo John took out the Korean Air 747 window) and China.  We looked for the Northern Lights, but no luck.

Next: we have 3.5-hour flight to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam and, after a night's rest, begin to assemble our bicycles and prepare to commence the ride of a lifetime.  Our thanks to all who are supporting us and are with us in your prayers and with the blog, Twitter and Facebook.

In the second photo, team member Daniel Shinkle checks in at an Internet cafe in the Seoul airport, which, by the way, has got to be the world's cleanest airport.  Next post from Vietnam!

If you would like to contribute to the development projects we are riding to raise funds for, follow this link to make an online donation.

We'll, at least we made it as far as Chicago...so far

Amid a three-hour predawn drive and morning thunderstorm, our team arrived safely at Chicago O'Hare International Airport.  We easily checked the boxed bikes and gear and are ready to board a Korean Air 747 behemoth for a 12+ hour flight to Seoul, South Korea.  We'll celebrate the New Year in South Korea and Vietnam.  We wish all our loved ones and friends a Happy New Year.  Our next post will be from either South Korea or Vietnam.

No, Daniel is not glowing with radiation; it's the reflective gear.  Just so you'll know, this is what our reflective gear looks like in the headlights of a vehicle.