Bicycle Touring Vietnam
My Surly Ogre
For me, Vietnam represents some significant firsts. My first ever bicycle tour was in Vietnam, and the first blog post for AgeHIGH.com covered my experience there.
Vietnam is also where I fell in love with bicycle touring. I even know the exact moment. In the video, Bicycle Touring SE Asia Part 2, at 3:20, when I make my turn to the West, I had such a feeling of exhilaration. My yearning for adventure had never felt so fulfilled.
It wasn’t just the turn into the unknown, but a turning point in my life. It was at that moment; I found my passion.
Nothing in the world seemed familiar. I was entirely out of my element, and it ignited all of my senses. Never had I been so present. That is when I fell in love with bicycle touring.
Bicycle Touring Vietnam Blog Posts
Buffer BoeschBicycle Touring Vietnam to Laos
BICYCLE TOURING SE ASIA PART 2
Because it’s the main artery connecting North and South Vietnam, Highway 1 isn’t the best road for bicycle touring. It’s busy and loud. There’s a constant barrage of honking horns, and the air is thick with the smell of diesel fuel. The only thing it had going for it was endless packs of other bikes in which I could seek shelter. Like a shy fish, I’d settle into the center of the school. The plan was to follow the highway South to Vinh, then turn West towards Laos.
Buffer BoeschBicycle Touring Vietnam
BICYCLE TOURING SE ASIA PART 1
I was so incredibly nervous. The traffic in Hanoi was intimidating. How the hell was I going to ride a bike through it? I left before sunrise on an early Saturday morning hoping to beat the crowds. It didn’t work. There were bicycles, mopeds, cars, buses, and people moving in every direction. Lights were flashing, and horns were honking. It was sensory overload.
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