Disaster Averted

After 100 km that is! First day was interesting to say the least. We navigated the chaotic streets of Hanoi to the train bridge that is retrofitted with bike lanes on each side and we were off for Hai Phoung (route 5). The bridge span being about 1.6 km provided for beautiful viewing of the river crossing. Of which the river was a little grung although I'm sure we ate a fish from its bounty. Well along the bridge there was a film crew taking pictures, several market areas, lots to steal your attention from the road. And yes this is what it did.

We were not 2 km into, or 30 min, our extensive ride and I decided to tear a spoke right from my rim! Insert drama! Jason was riding ahead and as I was joyously checking the scenery a local marketeers bike junk was parked in the right hand lane next next to the guard rail. I noticed this at the last second and thought break or swerve. As I felt I could swerve I did and cleared any bike to bike contact. And oh ya I have panniers!! And she has ceramic pot panniers on the front of her junk. Well who would have thunk it but my panniers hit her front pot. And I'm sure her junk did not move, but mine did. Two km in and I have forced the pannier into the spokes of my rim causing a spoke to literally tear from the rim. Double threaded nipple and all. I inspected the damage, used a few choice words to  express my excitement for biking and carried on.

Once catching Jason on the other side he could not believe his eyes. Luckily the rim was straight, and I just wanted to ride. As things were working properly I said let's just ride. Now the logical thing to do would have been to return to Hanoi as this is the largest city, where we could expect to find parts. Never mind a top of the line rim or wheel set. But it is what it is let's go.

We rode for the next 100 km through beautiful countryside that was covered in smog for the most part. But we are heading in the right direction away from the city. We stopped in a smaller town for snacks along the way. The biking roadway conditions are quit good as there is the road for motorized traffic, with two lanes, then a barrier for most parts and then a six foot plus wide biking lane. Now we didn't only come across bikes on this lane. Nor were they all going in the direction of traffic. We came across many workers and school children in their uniforms on the way to and from, we came across a man in his cart being pulled by a donkey, several vehicles heading the wrong way to get a short distance, but this took up the whole lane and after a historical WTF. We carried on. The most interesting thing must have been seeing what people strap to their mopeds or motos of different sizes. Just about anything you could imagine! We saw a load of pigs full in size strapped to the top and sides of the rack heading off to marked. The one closest to the muffler I'm sure well done upon arrival. Many cages with live animals from chickens to piglets. The best was a bonsai looking tree about six feet high, six feet wide consuming most of a lane. Bought a new desk and chair well strap it to the bike and get it home. New mirror for the bathroom or window for the kitchen, better have a buddy sit on the back to help secure this one!

As we rode the 97 km of Hai Phoung, everyone was kind to say hello and gawk our way. The only hills we encountered were two rises to overpass of rivers. Other than that very easy terrain, but not so easy on the lungs with the burning in the country side. Around 6 pm we arrived in Haiphong and I was starving.

Dinner, hotel and how will we repair or replace this rim? After dinner we navigated our way through the streets to find the harbor and a hotel. We were looking for Cat Ba and inadvertently followed the signs to Cat Bi. Only to find ourselves at the airport! Close! But the strangest thing happened this kid had seen us ride by from his shop front and, unbeknownst to us, followed to the airport. When we realized where we were and determined where to go here was this, I should say young man, signaling for us to follow him. We were headed in the same direction and he rode ahead to wait at the main intersection. He signaled for us to look across the road and here was his bike shop. What a stroke of luck!! He just wanted us to take a look, maybe a new bike or simply an allen key there must be something we are missing. And yes indeed there was something I desperately needed. After inspecting the few dozen bikes he had and wheel sets he had separate on the wall. It was decided I would need to buy a wheel of a bike he has on the floor. So this morning I will be off to complete the transaction and there it is disaster averted. Funny how life works out. As Jason put it, "we did not head the wrong way to the airport, this was the way we were intended to go".