Posted on August 13, 2018
For as long as I can remember I had a desire to visit Vietnam. That goes back to my teen years and maybe even earlier. Since that was the Vietnam-American War era I am not sure what motivated that desire. It wasn’t until 2014 when I first visited Vietnam and now on my fourth and longest visit I know my desires were well placed.
During the war there were a number of well publicized images that helped mold public opinion that surrounded the war. Many of those were taken in Saigon and while I was there I was able to visit the locations of those images almost fifty years later.
These images have been etched in my mind forever. I am not sure when I first saw them but each one brings a bone-chilling reality to what was happening a world away back in the sixties and seventies. It is hard to see these images and not have them hit a deep emotional spot inside Read More
Posted on August 4, 2018
Inspirations
There are many points in a persons life that brings them where they are today. All of the choices we make, whether large or small, have an impact on us. Although I have always loved bicycle riding and long distance touring there are a couple of incidents that helped me make the decision to ride around the world now. And there are a few people who helped influence my planning and decisions and fed my desire.
After having a stroke and dragging myself out of my apartment in Cambodia in the middle of the night while half paralyzed it was an easy choice to increase my exercise regiment. The best way I could do that was to get on a bicycle and ride. And keep riding. Read More
Posted on July 30, 2018
Vietnam – A Little Help From Strangers
My ‘Strokes to Spokes’ around-the-world bicycle trip continues in Vietnam. I leave the flat lands of the Mekong Delta and the chaos of Ho Chi Minh City behind as I head out to the ocean for some views of the coast. I made a decision to head inland to the mountain town of Dalat after some soul searching about my physical abilities. This part of the ride turned out to be the toughest so far almost leaving me stranded half way up the five-thousand foot climb. But in the darkness I found some angels waiting to help.
And as always I list the random acts of kindness at the end of the post showing how nice people I see along the ride are to me when they see me pedaling around Vietnam. Read More
Posted on July 15, 2018
Venturing Into Vietnam – Pho, Lotus Fields and Rats
I crossed into Vietnam from Cambodia on the seventh day of my bicycle ride around the world. It is time for some Vietnam bicycling. The border crossing at Ha Tien was uneventful and quick – it almost seemed too easy. I originally planned to go to Phu Quoc Island from Ha Tien but all of the ferries were cancelled on the day I booked my ride due to the weather. The outlook didn’t look much better for the next few days so I decided to continue on instead of playing the waiting game with the ferry. I have an overnight stay planned in some lotus fields in a few days leaving me wondering what surprises they have for me on the dinner menu when I get there!
Posted on July 7, 2018
Strokes to Spokes – Week One
Early morning view from my guesthouse near Skun Cambodia
Every journey starts with a single step. This week I began a huge step in my life and the first week has come and gone without a hitch. Strokes to Spokes began seven days ago. I rode five of the first seven days for a total of 309 miles. I planned a day off in Phnom Penh to look for a tripod head which was hard to find but I was successful. As I neared the southern part of Cambodia I kept thinking about the excellent food at Ciao! in Kampot so I headed that way and spent an extra day in one of my favorite Cambodian cities.
This is the rainy season in Cambodia and I expect to ride in rain from time to time. On the second day I had to get out my rain jacket for about twenty minutes of rain on my way into Skun. Riding into Kampot was a day full of rain in addition to a stiff headwind most of the day. Thoughts of the ravioli dinner waiting for me kept me focused on the road. Read More
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