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What was I thinking, harley tracks cont.

mc2

Active Member
Contributor
The last two days ridding on the 'National Hiway" was a battle. Bus & trucks like I had never seen, and road conditions that would anger a donkey for stretches.
When I arrived in Nha Trang for a lay over at a friends resort I was wore out. 5,000 miles in the past 6 weeks, consider 300 miles is a days ride, but I have done 350 previously. This trip had some of the best and worst ridding and I was wore out physically and mentally.

Three things you have to have for ridding over here: skill, focus and lots of luck. I felt I had been very lucky and was beginning to push it, to the limit. So many close calls with moto riders, cars, trucks, cows, holes in the road that would swallow the whole bike, dodging debris on the roads, sliding down wet clay roads. There is anarchy on these roads. Having been over most of them over the past 2/3 years I can say they will never have a good hiway system. Before they have completed construction of a new hiway they are making serious repairs to the same.

I had thoughts of shipping the bike back, or even selling it!

After a days rest I had to continue back to Saigon for a couple days, another 250 miles. The ride there and back turned out to be the easiest ride over that stretch I had ever made. Weather was great too.

It helped clear my mind. As long as there is a stretch of road worth riding I'll ride through purgatory to get to it!

I have thousands of photos documenting my rides and have posted a few select in my album open for all. Enjoy.
Ride safe.
 
MC, looks like some great riding and beautiful country. When I have more time I will look at the rest I made it through about 24 pics this morning. It does look like gas stations are far and few in between. I guess you have to plan your route carefully or take fuel with you?
 
wow! what a great adventure. I will look at the pictures. and yes i agree "what were you thinking?":)
 
I looked through your pictures and all i can say is wow, simply amazing!

what brings you to Vietnam?
 
Wow, completely amazing! I can't even begin to imagine an experience like that. Awesome photos... Thanks for sharing!

:bigsmiley12:
 
My only question is - when does your book come out?

With those photos and if you kept a good journal, I'll bet there are hundreds just on this forum who'd buy the book!
 
Wow! Those are really great pics. I love the mountain roads. Just looking at them is relaxing...well except for those pics towards the end of the album with the pot holes in the road big enough to swallow a school bus.
 
I guess my first reply didn't get posted!!

Thanks for the comments and glad you like the photos.

It was quite the adventure. A lone american biker ridding around VN gets the locals attention. I am here in the golf business; design, construct and maintanence services. Its a tough business, but offers breaks to do more of what I enjoy.

HOtels can be few and far between on some routes so I had to have a destination each day. To old to be sleeping on the side of the road, and not the safest thing to do here. Gas was always available. Only one time on the western branch of the HCM road did I have to buy liters from the locals.

I did fall down once on those wet clayey roads. The road was not even on the map, and it is still not on the new map. Going downhill, around a curve and the back tire got on the other side of the lump, started slidding out, couldnt brake anymore because I had to put my foot out to try hold it up. Knee was twisting bad and had to let it come down. Was at a walking speed, but knee was twisted under the saddle bag, ankle was twisted under the skid bar and left leg was still over the seat. There I laid, face down, screaming & swearing in pain and hoping nothing was broken. Thankfully some local rode by and helped lift it off me. Limped for a while, but just another aggrevation for later years!

I have been told by others I should write a book about my travels & experiences, but never gave it any thought, until now. So I am entertaining the idea.

Enjoy the ride
 
mc2 a book with lots of pictures should be something you think about. I looked at your entire album and all I can say is I salute you for taking the "Road Less Traveled".
 
Great Pictures, Brought back some memories, Especially the Rice terraces, and the mud. Took a convoy up Highway 1, Tuy Hoa to Da Nang, back in 66.
 
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