to Viet Quang: a "getting down the road" day

November 14, 2016

"This is the first day in the past three that we didn't start out with a a big climb" Patrick says.

We have three relatively easy cycling days to Lao Chai from where we climb back into the mountains to Sapa. Today we follow the main road from Ha Giang towards Hanoi. There are many large trucks, probably coming and going to China, cars, mopeds and even kids still riding bicycles when school is out.

These are the days in between the highlights that most backpackers simply skip by taking an overnight bus. For us they are part of cycle touring; we would never have seen the "bridge-garden" if it wasn't for us cycling. (see photos).

The weather still does not want to cooperate, it is extremely humid, foggy with a drizzle. We just have to get down the road. We see a solo cyclist on a "small-wheel-bike", probably a foldable Brompton or bike Friday, and a Polish guy who is riding in jeans and trying to dry his underwear on the back of his bike. On a day like today that is overly optimistic we think.

Only a couple of minor hills so we make very good time and get to the junction town Viet Quang at noon. We see at least a half a dozen hotels, with the one right at the junction being the largest, but our goal is the blue building we saw in a CGOAB journal from a fellow Idaho-ian. With asking and a little bit of luck we find it and check into a room at Nha Nghi Huong Giang. Later in the afternoon we ask to change rooms to a nicer one with windows on two walls and more floor space.

Another Pho Bo for lunch, even though Rachel is getting tired of them, and not much to do during the afternoon, but wait for dinner time. Also waiting for our laundry from two days ago to dry.

We made a reservations for a room in Sapa. We will be there over the weekend and it might be busy then, but mostly because there are so many places to stay in Sapa that checking several out at the end of a long day is simply too overwhelming. It is much nicer to have a reservation at a place where we could read the reviews, know exactly how much it costs and what it offers.

A dreary day with very high humidity, fog and a little drizzle.

The old bridge is now a vegetable garden. No horizontal space is wasted.

The road surface is good, but there is quite a lot of traffic and not much of a shoulder.

Not many landscape photos today, so here is some good communist art.

And another one. Even the minority women in their traditional gear have joined the movement.

We seek out this hotel because another CGOAB cyclist stayed here. It is okay and we doubt you are going to find better in this town.

Today's ride: 61 km (38 miles)
Total: 24,629 km (15,295 miles)

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