Day 10: Dong Ha to Hue

Day 10   Dong Ha to Hue.    Kms - yep, lots of em !

Kudos to David for sourcing an alternative to Highway One, greatly appreciated by this correspondent at least. The route we took was very flat with acres of rice fields on either side of the team. The road was, in parts, constructed of pre-fabricated concrete slabs which could be felt through the handle bars and one or two riders were left with minor problems in their hands/wrists.
Despite the flat terrain, we rode all the way into a (very) strong headwind, and as was pointed out, it doesn't go away.
A tradition has developed whereby the team don Hawaiian shirts for the last 10k or so into Hue. This year the shirt was replaced by the 'kimono' option. So following a lunch by the lake, we all donned our garb and set off. As we barrelled our way through the small towns the locals were totally dumbfounded at what they were witnessing. To see ten riders 'hurtling' through, kimonos flapping in stiff breeze, you could be easily mistaken for believing you were witness to a scene from a quintessential British 1950's Ealing comedy which would star the likes of Alec Guinness, Kenneth Moore, and Terry Thomas, with Kay Kendall as the obligatory love interest.
Once in the Hue, the locals seemed oblivious to what was in their midst and after a few photo shoots we headed to the Century Hotel ( nice one D ) for a very well earned and overdue rest day.Then onto the mountains . . . . . . . .

mike kilroy