It was difficult departing from Dong Hoi, the beachside
hotel we had been staying in. Although there were signs up prohibiting swimming
due to visibly strong waves, it had been such a fulfilling reward after a 100km
ride to see the ocean and feel the sea breeze. We woke with sunshine spread
across the horizon to do our morning stretches right by the sand.
That wasn’t the only treat we had in Dong Hoi. The previous
night we were lucky enough to have a taste of home with a local backpackers
hostel serving western food. We were tired and down in the dumps for losing
three of our members to injuries, but the food helped everyone cheer up a bit.
When we found out western breakfast was available the next morning, we were
ecstatic. I had to resist not stuffing myself, but I definitely had to go for
that extra ice cream with my waffles.
Then, we were off again, bidding farewell to the sea and the
charming little city of Dong Hoi toward a place we were told would not be so
eventful, Cam Lo. Previous H2H group members had warned us that Cam Lo would be
more a glorified truck stop than a town. I was imagining the worst, a good
strategy for these things, just so it’s not so bad when you see it.
My ride for this particular day was still Chuong, our
mechanic’s, trusty Cannondale mountain bike, which had served me well since my
road bike’s rear axle broke at the end of Day 3. On this day my legs were happy and rejuvenated, and I
decided to push hard with Mike to the front of the pack, but before long Mike
was having some trouble with a tire. Little did we know, my riding buddy was
about to have a disappointing tube change, then an entire tire, then a
puncture, then another faulty tire. That’s two tubes and two tire changes
within a couple hours, which launches him to the top of most tire problems in
the group.
That too, had its benefits, as we spent most of the day with
the back van and it’s eccentric driver, Mr. Cuong, as well as our cheerful
mechanic, Chuong. The four of us happened upon the best lunchspot I’ve been to
on this trip so far – offering a tower of delicious food for a mere 40,000VND,
just $2. The best part was Mr. Cuong barging into the kitchen to cook some of
the food himself. I guess the rest of the team will just never know how good it
was.
Once we were fed, Mike and I pedaled like we were possessed,
keeping a consistent 35-40 kph. I’d been riding with Mike for a few days now
and we didn’t have to say anything to each other to know that we both wanted to
see the rest of the team. Once we were caught up, the remainder of
the day was a sweet, relaxing ride.
This route featured a cultural and historical stop at Nhgia Dia Liet Si Truong Son (Cemetery of Ho Chi Minh Trail Soldiers). The mood among the ten or so H2Hers in my group was reflective and somber, a welcome contrast to being hungry or exhausted. There was a bit of drizzle, which added to the gloomy mood that afternoon. H2H, after all, is a cultural experience, and I believe the team was touched by the reminder that Vietnam has a sad past deserving of respect.
By Chris Tran
Photos by Chris Tran
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