Horrendous Roads on Our Last Day Riding

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Tuesday 5th April 2011 Sa PA to Than Uyen 62m 90k
Left the hotel at 9.00am in fog and had an easy first half of a 14km climb to the top of Tram Ton pass, the highest pass in Vietnam. The last section became harder and I admit to getting off and walking a bit to stretch my legs. It was foggy most of the time with just an occasional burst of sunshine. At the top we ate a hot, baked sweet potato and boiled eggswith green tea in a little road-side tent, provided by a lady vendor. That's what holidays are all about.
We then 'enjoyed' an exhilaratingly serious, 26km plunge downhill to Bin Lu junction where we turned left for Than Uyen. The road alternated between tarmac and very rough bumpy stretches where the road had been washed away, or covered in debris by water. After the descent we had a brew and then the weather became very hot, about 30deg+.
After the brew we rode about another 40 miles along the valley with steep climbs up 2 or 3 quite big hills and fast descents. Along the route we passed people picking leaves at tea plantations and saw many rice paddies and young boys riding water buffalo. The scenery in this area was quite nice especially after the weather improved. Washed bike again at the hotel.
We stayed in a basic, but thankfully clean, hotel with a reasonable bathroom, ( not as good as last night's) with a silk mozzie canopy over my bed!

Wednesday 6th April 2011 Than Uyen to Lao Cai 23m 35k
Left Than Uyen and back along valley 10k before big climb for about 15k followed by a fairly decent descent. Next we rode about 25 miles over some of the roughest, most horrendous roads I have ever seen through some very dirty villages. After that we had lunch alongside the river, boarded our mini-bus and drove 60k to Lao Cai over some very rough, concrete roads with masses of deep pot holes; our maximum speed was 10/15 mph. At the hotel we had a quick shower and dinner before boarding a train for an overnight journey to Hanoi.

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