Day 10: Dong Ha – Hue

Distance: 60.72

Time: 5:33

Average Speed: 10.9 mph

One thing that’s struck me since Phong Nha, and this Central region in general, is the proliferation of North Face jackets. In the north, they stood in fields all day in plastic ponchos, yet here they all have North Face, very suspicious! Anyway, I’ll be looking out for a factory outlet along the way.

Today, I broke my own first rule of cycle touring: never go back the way. It was only 2 and a half miles, but I knew it was a bad idea at the time. Having travelled parallel with the coast yesterday, but no where near it, I was keen to see more of the sea today, and I’d read of quiet back roads by the sea popular with motorcyclists. Unfortunately, the quickest way to the sea was to retrace my steps for 2 miles and then travel directly towards it for another 7. Every metre felt like a major imposition as I was travelling miles that weren’t getting me any closer to my final destination.

Having finally reached the sea, I was dismayed to discover that the track alongside was red dirt like yesterday. With vain hope that this would soon change, I started along it for a few hundred metres. Eventually, my front tyre was submerged in deep sand and I toppled sideways onto the verge. Some farmers working nearby started gesticulating that I should turn around, it looked like there was no through road. To make matters worse, having reached the track back to the main road, I realised my Garmin had fallen off in the tumble, I needed to turn back again to retrieve it.

The main road headed way west from here and keen not to compound the wasted miles by going back inland, I looked for an alternative, which seemed to be a small road that turned off shortly and hugged the coast. After turning onto it, my heart sank, it was a single track road and the road surface was awful. Half way along, it became even worse when it turned into concrete blocks like I’d encountered on the way to Phong Nha. 30 miles of atrocious road surfaces. To make matters worse, although I was only a couple of hundred metres from the sea, I couldn’t see it as I passed through small villages, burial tombs and tree-lined lanes.

Rejoining the highway, at the end of a peninsula joined to the mainland by a bridge, I passed across open countryside, straight into a headwind. It was a relief to finally veer west again and make for Hue, free from the battle with the wind.

The ancient capital of Vietnam, Hue was a lovely place to spend the evening, and my hotel was situated on the banks of the Perfume River. In the evening I headed for the Citadel and the pleasant French bistro, Les Jardines de la Carambole. As I had dinner, I noticed the American coach party from Dong Hoi leaving the restaurant. Nice to know I was moving as fast as a bus…

The shorter day today means that tomorrow I need to cover some big miles, and conquer the Hai Van pass, if I’m to reach my target of Hoi An.

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