Saturday, Nov. 27 Sapa to Bac Ha 100 km

     We left Sapa in a heavy fog and looked forward to going downhill for a long while. However, the downhill had many "uplations", as Nancy calls them.
      We cycled almost 80 km before lunch. As the terrain leveled out the scenery became familiar: tea, banana and pineapple plantations, sugar cane fields and lots of little "market gardens". The people were mostly dressed in western style clothing. We met groups of middle school-age students leaving school at 10:30 (had been there since 6:30) on a Saturday, very happy to greet us while they rode double on their bikes.
     In a village we saw thin sheets of wood drying by the roadside. Paul and I investigated the mill where logs were peeled by a machine into long sheets of veneer.
     Lao Cai city, where we're catching the train tomorrow, is very large and Chau led us safely through the traffic and many intersections.
     After lunch in a small town we headed up Bac Ha Pass which was described as a "severe climb", parts at 12 %. The climb was 17 km with a false summit before the real summit where the terrain once again became undulating, rather than a true downhill. All the heroes of 2 days ago did this pass joined by Nancy and Yvonne.
     Once in Bac Ha at the hotel we boxed up our bikes (the lucky ones who had rented bikes went exploring in the town). After dinner Chau once again gave the itinerary.....we have a busy day tomorrow....Bac Ha Sunday market (minorities from all around come), a boat ride to the restaurant, bus back to Lao Cai where we shower and change for the overnight train. Most of us bought silk sleeping bag liners in preparation for the "sleepers".
     written by Yvonne

November 25th Lai Chau to Sa Pa 38 km

Rain.  Haven't seen actual rain for a while and thought our group had found the magic touch re weather.  Guess not.

But after last night's unexpected and delightful celebration of my becoming an official old fart eligible for OAS, as well as free trips during the week on BCferries and even free parking in Nelson, nothing is going to dampen our spirits.  Nancy had transported a flock of cards to present with all the pomp that she is so good at generating, along with two candles, the numbers 6 and 5 - some card suggested putting the 6 upside down - and Chao had arranged for a fabulous two story cake decorated with white and red roses in icing, the first real dessert that the crew has experienced since we started.

Given that the day had been a seriously hard climb in pea soup mist and an exhilarating descent in great  weather, the party was quite welcome to all.  Thanks Nancy, you seem to always come up with just the right touch.

So today we were curious about the day.  We had decided last night to forget about doing the first climb, based in part on the advice of Group 1 and on the description in the itinerary.  We drove about 25 km to a point just past what Chao described as the construction on this road to Sa Pa.  For a host of reasons several people opted out of cycling, but Doug and Gala, Ross and Dawn, Les, Brendan, Bernie and I all decided to ride to the top of the highest pass in Vietnam at 1,990 m.

It was a grind that extended for 24 km with really only one section at 18-21 km that approached easy.  The rest was a steady climb at probably 5% to 8% with the last few kilometres at 9%+.  Several sections of road construction were muddy, slippery and acted as drags on the tires.  But we all crested the pass to the howls from the sane ones in the group that had taken the van ride to the top.  I say sane because they were treated to a picnic treat consisting of great hot tea, pork on sticks barbequed over a brazier and sticky rice in bamboo tubes, all very good.  Unfortunately, the riders got some tea and a taste of the rice but not much else before we all set off.

Only four, Doug, Gala, Les and Bernie, rode down to the restaurant in Sa Pa as it was really cold at the top.  I know that I had a concern about going down through any slippery areas under construction - in the end, there weren't any - and others had similar thoughts. Brendan started down but his bike quickly developed a serious shimmy and he jumped into the van thereby showing the first glimmers of sanity.  Damn but he's fast.

Lunch was in a very posh looking place, certainly compared to most of our lunch stops and the food was a cut above in quality and presentation.  The ginger tea was really a treat, and very gingery, after getting cold on the bikes.  But our entertainment was provided by Ross and Sharon who found the cute salt and pepper shakers that fitted together like a couple just too much of a temptation - engaging them in conversation and doing who knows what rude things with them.

The Bamboo Sapa Hotel is a delight - the plumbing works without washing the floor each time you use the sink or the loo and the shower is heaven - didn't want to get out.  But the sky is about 18 inches off the ground and very wet with mist.  A lot colder than Nancy and I expected as well, even though we brought warm things for this region.

Walking around Sa Pa I am sure would be a delight if we could see anything.  The fog or whatever (I think the clouds live here) make it appear like London in the time of Dickens.  But that didn't prevent a few of us finding some decent wine in a shop near our hotel for a bit of a happy hour.

Dinner was at a restaurant a seven minute walk from the hotel - numerous courses and quite good, but I suspect it was at a different place than Group 1 went to as it was certainly not formal which was fine by us.  Obviously Group 2 has a more laid back approach to such things.

All in all another memorable day, to be filed with all the other memorable ones that we have experienced.  And the group has been eminently compatible and a pleasure to be with.  Nancy and I are obviously much less experienced at such trips than many of the group members so we have learned much and picked up more ideas about possible future ones.  Bonus.  All we have to do now is turn our pictures into something we can share or show or keep for posterity.


Paul Hough

November 24th Sin Ho to Lai Chau 66 km

Minimal breakfast at 6:30 am of 2 cold fried eggs and the usual soggy anemic sweet white bread but for a first time welcome treat with honey.  Drip coffee addicts don't seem to understand the 2 ounce serving of espresso and finally go direct to the kitchen to get boiling water to add.  The coffee is actually authentic with crema sticking to the sides of the little cups as it should.  Supersweet condensed milk like Eagle Brand is served on the side.

Assembled in the parking lot at 7:30 am which is the usual appointed hour.  Started climbing up out of the village in mist and busted streets.  Wake up climb without warmup got juices flowing.

Early this morning the mist cleared for a few minutes.

The itinerary and our guide had emphasized that the day would be hard and begin with 30 km of 10% uphill.  Wrong.  It was 30 km of 10% DOWNhill.  Greasy downhill, so steep that your forearms ache from braking.  Soupy fog and layers of rutted red clay and condensation leaving a film everywhere.  Tricky riding.  In fact, a couple of people did lose it but with minor consequence and back on the bike.  Paddy had a small accident and is doing fine.

One of many muddy sections today.

Everyone else made it through fine.  Brendan was in Lai Cau shortly before 11 am  followed by Dawn who is riding quite strong some days.  Directions for the hotel over the last 4 km were terrible and many of us had a nice frustrating ride around the beaten up town.  [Group 3:  easy directions to the hotel.  As you come into Lai Cau from the mountains, you can't miss a huge new multi-lane freeway.  Turn right and go about 2 km.  Watch for high building on left with big neon sign on top Muong Thanh Hotel.  Go left 200 m and you're there.]   Everyone made it by 2 pm and had a well-deserved lunch.  Short distance but with the mist and steep climbs in the second half it was the most challenging day but still fabulous mountain riding.  Vertical gain:  1277 m; vertical loss: 1884 m

Tonight we are celebrating Paul's 65th birthday with some secrets shared.

Poinsettias grow readily, sometimes wild.  A reminder that Christmas is nigh.  Sweet mandarain oranges also common.

Doug Sly

November 23rd Dien Bien to Sin Ho 102 km

Spectacular adventure today! Great climbs - we even had to break down and use the granny gear on the first climb today - mountain Thai villages, neatly piled cords of firewood (an indication that it can get cold), beautiful warm temperatures, the riding just gets better and better. A couple of people had to jump in the van today but for some at least it was easy fantastic riding. Near the end coming into Muong Lay we ran into mega construction as a huge new dam is being built on the Da River and communities are being relocated before being flooded.  This creates what they call in Chinese fashion a New Economic Development zone.  Not easy for us to get a feel for how willingly this transition will occur. Then we drove and drove and drove, up and up and up to 1573 meters to a secluded mountain village. We had to get out at one point as the driver spun and slid over greasy red clay. We were all holding our breath, some nearly sobbing. Took 3 hours to drive 60 km and we arrived just before 7 pm.  But all safe and sound.  Vertical gain:  1376 m; vertical loss: 1671 m

The hills are beautiful vistas to the eye, mists hovering, but it does not want to be captured on camera: still shy from the wars and devestation.

The hotel tonight in Sin Ho was a delapidated Communist hotel.  Service lacking - the girl at the reception rolled out a Thai blanket and slept on the floor all night.  One computer.  Lighting dodgy going bright and dim.  Little or no hot water at times.  Everything damp from the high mountain mists.  Dinner and breakfast sketchy.  But we were expecting it so everyone at least reasonably happy.

Doug Sly

Timeless Essay: WHY THE FRENCH WERE DEFEATED AT DIEN PHU

We recently spent 2 nights in Dien Bien Phu and were acquainted in a variety of ways to the historic importance of the battle with French colonialists in 1954.  History is a children’s story written by the side that still has at least a piece of paper and a pencil after the hostilities have ended.  The losing side has the shirts on their back and about half the men they started out with.

Our tour leader, Chau, has repeatedly told us that the Vietnamese won because they dragged their cannons up to the top of the mountains and then bombarded the French who were meandering in the valley below.  At the war museum in Dien Bien Phu we were afforded another version related to the destruction of “A1”, the “impregnable headwaters” of the French.  The presentation was by less than state-of-the-art electronics.  A 26” flat screen TV was placed about 10-15 feet away from the audience and the TV’s audio system was used for the audio.  This meant that you could only hear about every fifth word. 

Much of the commentary was coordinated with a diorama directly below the TV screen which showed French positions in green lights and the slow but steady advance of Vietnamese forces—in red lights-- through the use of tunnels.  The speaker went through the French positions: “strongpoint 501” and some lights when on. “Strongpoint 502” and more lights, and on and on.  I noticed there was a “strongpoint 505B” and I think that stood for “505 barely adequate” and I think that may have been the weak link.   Anyway after all the green lights were lit, they began lighting the red lights.  By the end of the narrative, all the green lights were out and all the red lights were on.  Since you couldn’t hear hardly any of the commentary, I concluded if the French had chosen to be the red lights, they would have won the war.

Well, after doing a considerable amount of research and utilizing the information provided, I have reached several conclusions about the reasons the French were defeated Dien Bien Phu.  First, why the French would establish a command center at the “headwaters” is very poor planning.  The place would‘ve been overrun with water every day.  It is impossible to get any work done.  Second, the French would have preferred to get hill C-12, but the Chinese already had that one.  The French were Johnny-come-latelys at abusing the Vietnamese.  Hill A1 was a loser from the start.

Third, to properly establish their headwaters, the French needed to produce a large amount of “semen” to reinforce  their trenches.  But since by 1954, the French had been in Vietnam for several years, they had a large number of older soldiers, who were no longer had the ability to produce a large amount of semen.  As an aside, historians have debated for decades which is more important: high semen production in wartime versus high production of semen in peacetime.  I will not weigh in with my opinion, but encourage the reader to engage in this debate with family and friends and see what conclusion you reach.

As a back-up system the French attempted to use a layer of “mazo’leum” to reinforce the trenches.  Unfortunately, they forgot to spray the mazo’leum with “lisol” and thus a lot of soldiers came down with dysentery, further depleting French forces.

Another problem was the French housed their troops on one side of a busy street and placed the eating facility on the other side of the street.  Every morning around 7 a.m. a large number of troops were rundown by motor scooters, as they casually attempted to secure a croissant and a caffé.

Early on some French troops were captured by the Vietnamese.  The plan was to torture them and then return them to their unit, creating fright and despair amongst the French.  The chosen torture was to force them to eat an entire porcupine, quills included, and then make them do pilates for an hour.  Ironically, this is a training technique  originated by Canadian bicycle racers over 100 years ago, which may explain the short list of Canadian Tour de France winners.  On a positive note, it was a Canadian cyclist who pioneered the use of ear wax as a medium for repacking wheel bearings when far from a repair facility.

But I digress.  Another crucial failing of the French was to not have enough certified public accountants (cpa) on staff.  A large amount of materiel was lost and unaccounted for.  The United States is well known for its large number of cpa’s (more than probably needed, and it has certainly helped to make the country prosperous and model for other nations to emulate.)

There is another lesson learned from the battle at A1.  The French believed their fortress impregnable.  The Vietnamese realized their only hope was to tunnel under the main fortress and blow it up.  The chief engineer was instructed to build a series of “undulating” tunnels.  Unfortunately, the chief engineer interpreted undulation to mean long steep uphills followed by short downhills.  Although the tunnelers eventually reached their objective, they were several weeks later than planned, and the term “undulation” has been held suspect every since.

As you can see, there are many issues to consider to put this historic battle in proper perspective.  Simple answers simply leave too much unsaid.

By Michael Goldberg, M.B.S., B.F.D.

Monday, November 22nd Rest Day in Dien Bien Phu

Day Fifteen: Rest Day in Dien Bien Phu

 

We arrived at the beautifully groomed grounds of the tranquil government owned and operated resort, the Him Lam Hotel, on the outskirts of Dien Bien Phu late yesterday afternoon. Our airy rooms are in small typical Vietnamese red wooden buildings on stilts in the Thai style. After happy hour on our open balcony, we enjoyed a great dinner before being entertained outside under a full moon by local communist party members and singers. The entertainment, where "rice wine" was shared freely, was all in Vietnamese and much of it boring, but Les and Bernie last till the end when everyone participated in lively Vietnamese dancing including the "bamboo stick dance" that many of us have learned.

 

Bananas are one of the daily fruit staples that are easily available here. Last night some of us stored a banana in our airy room to eat with breakfast. In Michael & Bernie's room, something (?) ate through the skin of the banana and half the inside. Paul & Nancy discovered half their banana eaten last evening and threw it in the garbage can; this morning the banana was gone. We are wondering what kind of animal/insect is in our rooms at night? Chou says its the Thai ladies that come into our room at night?

 

After a breakfast that is marginally little better than yesterdays, we enjoy a day off from cycling. It is another warm sunny day (3'rd in a row). In the morning we have a tour of Dien Bien Phu which is located in one of the most remote parts of Vietnam in the flat Muong Thanh Valley surrounded by the thick forests and steep terrain that we cycled through yesterday.. A small village until recently, the city has grown quickly with parks, tree lined boulevards and new buildings (war monuments, communist party offices and congress centre) that have been constructed. This is definitely a communist party stronghold; red flags and banners are everywhere although we are unable to understand the messages.

 

Dien Bien Phu, near the border with Laos, is famous as the site of a decisive Vietnamese battle. The French colonial forces were soundly defeated by the Viet Minh following which the French Indochina empire began to crumble. First we see an English film about the battle, that is difficult to understand, then visit the War Museum, walk up the previously well fortified and guarded "A1" hill, complete with tunnels, trenches and crater where the most important and last battle of the war was fought and won by the Vietnamese on May 7, 1954. This was indeed a good but very detailed history lesson. The next stop was at the reconstructed bunker which served as the french headquarters for the 16,200 french troups located in the Muong Thanh valley.

 

Last stop of the morning was at the local market where you can purchase everything that is required to live in this town.  We purchased some fruit and other local snacks. We were the only tourists at the market and were not hassled like we have been at markets elsewhere. The group separated after the market; some stayed for lunch in town and some returned to the resort for a relaxing afternoon by the pool or in the shade in the beautiful resort grounds, anticipating tommorrow's 100 km cycle with one long 8 km 10% hill climb. 

 

The 16 of us are well and healthy but keeping our fingers crossed. We have all cycled the distances and routes outlined in our daily itinerary. Our excellent guide, Chau, warns us about picketpockets and not to eat local foods from street venders or markets. To my knowledge, none of us has experienced any issues related to picket pockets, lost bags, etc.

The Vietnamese wine "Vang Dalat", available in red or white, "produced from Dalat regional fruits" is not very good. Some of us have tried other imported wines but none have impressed us. Wine is very expensive (relatively speaking) here because it is heavily taxed. We have few choices for local and imported beer but what is available is good and inexpensive ($ 0.50 to 1.00). A few of us have been taken to the local vodka, straight up. It's made from fermented rice with 29.5% alcohol, according to the bottle. It's actually pretty good compared to the wine.

Sharon brought a couple of surgical masks and they work for her. Some of us have obtained a local mask to wear for protection against the dust and smog while cycling. I tried mine yesterday but found it to be too thick for breathing properly while huffing and puffing up the hills. My whole face overheated (hot, sweaty, glasses steamed up). I used it only when the road dust was very bad.

 

Dinner tonight is in the hotel restaurant.

 

Written by Bernie Phillion

Sunday, November 21 Son La to Dien Bien 89 km

We stayed at the  Him Lam Resort Hotel in Son La last night, a government operated hotel.   The facilities were plain, clean, roomy, poorly lit, but quite adequate.  Dinner was very good.   Breakfast fell just short of sh___ty -- the service right out of a communist manual.   We had the sparsest selection of food items so far on this trek and the waiter resembled a deer in the headlights.  For Vietnam, this was an excellent illustration of free enterprise vs communism as all the other places we have stayed provided excellent service, still,it was all part of the experience.

The ride today was incredible, the scenery stunning.  We rode 50+ km of almost flat road through countless terraced rice fields, by limestone hills and cliffs, through villages with busy street markets, by many Thai ethnic minority people, women and some children and men in traditional dress ( some women wearing their scooter helmets over their ornate head wear)  The terraces were marvels of basic hydraulic engineering, their shapes and levels accurately placed to facilitate the irrigation necessary for rice production.  all this done without transits or laser leveling, probably by eye and trial and error over many many years.

We were driven up Pha Din pass for which we were all very grateful. This was a steady climb for 30 to 40 km along hillsides and through valleys with fields cut and planted on steep slopes with the occasional house and small villages off to the sides.  We had lunch in the village of Tuan Giao, and drove on past many more terraced fields, some of them supplied with water from water wheels placed in a river flowing through the valley.  We drove to the top of Tang Quai Pass and then rode the last 30 km to Dien Bien Phu, mostly downhill, arriving at the beautiful and unique Him Lam Resort on the outskirts of town at about 3 p.m.

The ride provided many interesting events and sights for us to remember. We watched a 30 man crew doing the framework on a new home, saw some pot bellied pigs, noticed flowering poinsettia bushes, saw many Thai women wearing colourful head wraps.  We saw Doug's upper lip, the first people in over 40 years to do so, as a language barrier contributed to his barber's mis-interpretation of his request for a trim and shaved the whole thing off!
We noticed the first two monuments to Vietnamese soldiers of the French War, probably more to come tomorrow

North Vietnam has proven to be more busy than many of us imagined, with many more cars in the traffic mix. The roads and village streets often have spilled gravel on the edges and are much dustier.  There seems to be more garbage on the roadsides as well.   The people are just as friendly and the children shout "Hello" or put out hands for us to touch in a sort of "high five" as we cycle past.

Another day of great cycling and memorable sights and experiences.
written by Ross