Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City: Day 15: Thoughts on the road...

Every new day is becoming a routine as we pack and hit the road. Today was no different, slightly damp jerseys and shorts. All good really as there was promising warm sunshine through all the clouds.

Quadriceps felt sore but I managed to get off to a strong start. I think that's so key to your performance as it sets the tempo for the remainder of riding day. Shifting up gears slightly earlier and shifting down gears slightly later, would, I hope, build up my pain threshold. I'm no professional but it makes sense that what precious effort you put in, you reap in terms of a sexy figure and of course fitness (just ask these three handsome devils below).

With a banh mi aka pork roll in the stomach, I was ready for anything, including the fat lady. The fat lady, that voice inside your head which tells you things like: "My legs are burning, how about a break?"; "Ohh that patch of shade by the road looks like nice"; "hey my stomach feels hungry now, snack?"; "How about..." You get the picture.

So approaching the second hill, a straight road, excellent for zig zagging (snaking) up, I dared the fat lady to taunt me. And she did alright. After about halfway, suddenly those patches of shade seemed mighty enticing. Heck, I even kicked myself for missing some of those patches as when I misjudged a turn. So at the three quarter mark, I made the "sensible" decision to break in the cool shade cast by the green forest to my right. Fat lady, today I did good, but I did stop. I had my reasons, I was alone and leading...it'd be nice to wait for company, the more the merrier right? All these mind games, which is the moral high ground?...Honestly, I was just happy to get off and hang a leak into the bush.

Looking back, it was a sweltering day punctuated by a glorious wash under a waterfall. Everyone went topless and wandered around posing as if for an el'natural shampoo ad. Equally good was the garden lunch by the lake.