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Vietnam Ride 2006 Part II - by Ryan Petersen

Click on the photo to see my pictures from our ride together last month.

Labels: biking, photos, vietnam

Vietnam Ride 2006 - by Charlie Glasser

Labels: biking, photos, vietnam

 

 

 

 

Labels: photos, vietnam

Labels: photos, vietnam

Labels: photos, vietnam

Labels: video, vietnam

Labels: video, vietnam

Labels: video, vietnam

Labels: my favorite posts, video, vietnam

Labels: video, vietnam

 

 

 

 

Labels: photos, vietnam

Most days of our ride included at least a couple of stretches of road just covered with excited children who were suprised to see crazy white cyclists coming their way. I was lucky to have the video camera out for this one.

Labels: video, vietnam

This is not something you plan when you set out to ride your bike through Vietnam. Without speaking a word of Vietnamese, I managed to convince these lively construction workers that it would be really cool to let me drive their earth mover. And it was.

Labels: video, vietnam

Labels: vietnam

Labels: video, vietnam

Every day of the ride we were blessed with the constant accompaniment of small, joyous children overwhelmed with enthusiasm. Who taught these kids to reflexively smile and wave with genuine glee at the first sight of foreigners? Is that something they are born with, an innate sense of kindness to true strangers? Unfortunately another first reaction was to try and hold us back so they could postpone our departure. But once instructed through a few proper waves, their restraining grasps turned into willing pushes, helping us up the endless chain of long hills that characterize northwest Vietnam.

Labels: video, vietnam

Day three's main climb was a beast of more than 1000 meters (3300 feet). All three of us hitched a ride on the back of this truck for a few hundred meters but I couldn't keep my grip (Michael J. Fox made it look so easy in Back to the Future). So I ended up having to actually use my leg muscles to "pedal" up the mountain while filming this video.

Labels: video, vietnam

The sun was beginning to set before we realized our mistake. Coming upon a crossroads the afternoon of our second day in Vietnam we had followed the directions of three locals. As it turns out, our poor command of Vietnamese tones (or was it the lack of geographical sense so common in Asia?) led us completely astray. And now it appeared the onset of darkness was prepared to make us pay for our mistake. Having already cycled more than 8 hours, we suddenly found ourselves at least 20 kilometers from the nearest town with a guest house. Refusing to despair, primarily because of Charlie's eternal optimism, we set to the task of finding the perfect farmers hut where we could beg to be taken in for the night. Much to our suprise, we instead came across an entire village gathered for the butchering of a water buffalo. The perfect opportunity to make friends before it got too dark to find our way.

Labels: video, vietnam

During day one and the first half of day two we climbed more than 2,000 meters (6,600 feet), the second half of it in the rain. Our reward was one of the longest continuous stretches of downhill ever seen. And glorious scenery...

Labels: vietnam

Labels: vietnam

The Spandex Warriors finally make it across the border into Lao Cai, Vietnam. From right, Bernhard Wegner (Germany), Charlie Glasser (UK) and Ryan Petersen (USA).

Labels: vietnam

Vietnam issued us visas on September 23rd, but they didn't become valid until the 25th. Bored with waiting in China to cross the border, Bernhard and Charlie decided to stage a swim race across the river just to check things out on the other side. However, taking homeland security into his own hands, a Vietnamese farmer proceeded to send them scurrying back to China. All captured on this video..

Labels: china, video, vietnam

A fairly substantial export trade from China to Vietnam is conducted everyday using old bicycles loaded down with all manner of products, from manufactured goods to vegetables. All this has developed since 1992, when this border crossing at Hekou-Lao Cai was finally reopened after two decades of closure for political reasons. (Actually, I should say the bicycle-based trade "re-developed," as the Viet Cong were supplied from China in nearly the exact same manner throughout the American war in Vietnam. The goods were pushed thousands of miles over jungle trails to the front lines in then South Vietnam.)

The export of Chinese manufactured goods makes sense, as China is one of the world's lowest cost producers, however I would have thought that vegetables and other produce would be flowing the other way across the border. But in fact, nothing comes in from Vietnam at this crossing except empty bicycles ready to be loaded. I think this would be worth studying if there are any China-focused economic researchers looking for a good thesis out there.

Labels: business, china, video, vietnam

Let's hope all the answers are in these photos...

Labels: vietnam

In two hours two friends and I set off on the night bus for Hekou, a small town at the border with Vietnam. From there we'll dismount and ride our bikes in a broad arc that will bring us through the northwestern part of the country and into the capital of Hanoi. If we go fast enough (too fast?), we'll reach the beach. Check back soon for pictures, videos and stories from our journey.

Also, check out this Google Earth route of our trip. It's not totally accurate, but gives you the general idea.

Labels: vietnam

Labels: china, food, vietnam