Mui Ne again...

I was emailing a friend and he reminded me that my blog has been quiet.  Yeah, probably.  I don't really find a lot of fulfillment in writing about our daily rides in teh Nguyen Van Linh.  I have been much more successful sticking with the guys, even on fast days.  I pull on the top and no longer vie for the not so coveted 'caboose' position.  Mr. Back of the Pack and I.... no longer are riding partners.

Gjermund's folks are in town so we planned a two day trip to Mui Ne (my favorite riding place that is accessible).  I took off at 6am and did some hill repeats, then Gj met me and we headed north to this really great area.  There are a few lakes and the scenery is beautiful with the red sand/soil and trees.  The environment is quiet and serene (as serene as it can be with motorcycles...)

Just beautiful and peaceful.  So happy I am in the kind of condition to enjoy this ride and see this part of Vietnam.  So glad Gjermund joined me for the last part of the ride too.  Unfortunately, he rolled over some glass and got a flat.  He was able to ride back to teh sand dunes and took a Xe Om back to the hote.

Nothing like the name of a Singaporean Pub on your b-hind to accentuate its size!  LOL!

Mui Ne

After a quick 8 hour drive (200km - think I could RIDE it faster!)... we arrived to Miu Ne about 11pm.  Gotta remember, holiday weekends, everyone is out, so are the police ticketing and making trouble EVERYWHERE.  It took over 1 hour just to get Gj from work...

Packed our bikes, looking forward to some good riding.  The day before on bridge repeats, it was very windy.  Alex said, "Oh, yeah, it will be windy up there!"...

Sure enough..... nuclear winds.... windsurfers delight, cyclists nightmare.  I was really looking forward to one of the great facebook posts, "Rode 110km, 33kph average, blah, blah, blah"... Nope...

no such luck.

Friday's ride I wanted easy and short, recovery from bridge intervals... its in the training plan, but Gj wanted to ride longer.  So, humor him....  considering the garbage we ride in in HCMC and the amazing scenery, open roads, its hard to say no.  Even if I risk overtraining....  my legs are a little achy from Thursday's bridge repeats.  Alex met me about the 7th trip and I though he'd visit, nope, he drafted behind an oil truck and I had to move it!  Set a PR on that climb, 7th climb no less... so pleased.  Ended up doing 8 climbs that day.

So, Friday, we head to the end of the beach road and back.  60km for Gj, 57 for me.  Our bike computers are 'off'.  Well, at least I feel better about that!

Saturday, my long day.  The day I build my endurance about 10km per week.  I was slated for 110km and really looking forward to it.  I got out on the road at 6:45 and knew I could get in at least 50km before I saw Gj.  If we road to the end of the beach and back, I'd have between 105 and 115 depending on where I saw him.

He didn't feel that hot.... we turn around 12km early making the day's ride 25km short.  I was pissed all day.  Trying to console myself in the fact that I did work hard in those 85km, climbed only 70% probably, but tried to keep the heart rate up and cadence up.  Also, doing some intervals that are part of my Saturday routine. 

And today... we go back to HCMC....

Miu Ne - Day 5

There was no day 4.... my stomach hurt so bad I thought I should just rest!  So, I did... I worked, read, and worked on my tan!

From the restaurant we always had lunch and dinner at (and DID not get sick from.... that was another place)

the pooch and I enjoying some quality quiet time before dinner.

Day 5:  Hoping for the 2nd 100km ride of the week, I set out to do 3 full upper road laps.  We had to clear out of the room by noon, so time was no on my side.... neither was speed apparently!  ha ha...  I felt good though, healthy and rested. 

Its not a good picture, but the ocean is right in front of me.... Today is "New Year's Day", families are out in new clothes just smiling and enjoying the day!  It's wonderful!

I decide to go home at 10:00am.  I figure if I had my 100km or not in, it is enough.  I need breakfast (the Cliff Bar isn't cutting it and have eaten so little in the last 3 days)... the wind is picking up and I am getting tossed around a bit.  So, I cut it 10km short.

Breakfast afterwards.... I was actually hungry!

Glad I was back by 10:00am....  the Dragon Dance came through the hotel and treated us to traditional dancing.  The 10km and bragging rites of a 2nd 100km ride would not have been worth missing this.

The girls were awesome with their knives.

and back home we go, about noon.... 

4 days:  310km, 2000m climbing, and definitely some endurance in the legs.

Mui Ne - Day 3

Still NOT feeling like a rock star from the stomach aches, but a recovery ride was a good idea (not that anything more THAN recovery was an option).  So, I head out by myself.  Gj decides to windsurf.  Emily's feeling a little better.

 Where the upper road, joins the main road, passes the sand dunes and down to the water.  It is VERY windy!

 My goal was 4 days of riding in a row.  Simply, so my body could get used to recover/ride the next day.  Intensity and mileage would be added after a solid endurance foundation.  But, my stomach.....oh.... my stomach....

 This bike has been from Taiwan to Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand.... and several places in Vietnam, not to mention all but the southern tip of Taiwan.... 

Heading north.  I choose to go home.  I complete two full loops with the added "beach front".  this makes 70km averaging.... 25kph?  tough wind, bad stomach... but, could I sit home and NOT ride?  Riding opportunities are just not THIS in HCMC...  Unless I am truly sick, I go!  Miserable, pain, stomach ache, even if I throw up...

Sadly, that night was horrible.... what was still 'in' me made very violent exits.... Gj simply said, "I think you should stay off your bike tomorrow".... I agreed.

Miu Ne - Day 2

So, a bit tired after the 104km ride from the day before.  Hubby enjoyed boasting of his 'long ride', "Yeah, rode 60km today!!"...  he must have felt the laser glare of my eyes because then he would say, "oh, Tina did over 100".  ha ha...  He's a 40km rider....  that's what he likes, that what he does.  Just maybe 4 or 5 times a year he gets over 50, and very rarely, 100.  that said, he's a freakin' locomotive!

that said....  we ate a restaurant that we trust and have befriended the owner (not at the hotel).  But by 8pm, I was in dire pain... stomach, legs, head...

2am, though I was going to be sick.  All I could do to keep it down.  I so badly didn't want to throw up, but probably should have. 

Emily did.  She was SICK.  she threw up for about 3 hours...

Horrible stomach ache.  But, by 7:30am, I felt OK.  Gj talked me into, "an easy ride".  Well, okay.... an easy ride.

That it was for him.  Even though my overall speed was less then 25kph, the headwind was fierce.  The side wind with my big rimmed wheels took me off guard and I wasn't strong enough to 'deal' with it.  I was sooooo mad, "I am NOT going to the WATER today!"  It was late when we started, 9:30++ and the wind was really whipping out there!

We did about 45km.

The climbs were too much, I couldn't keep anywhere near Gj.  Typically, I am 200m ahead.  I felt bad at the top.

I took it as a recovery ride.  Hoping that thought the speed was very slow (out, reached 58kph fairly easy on the way back at one point), the wind would be making me stronger?

I couldn't eat much for the duration of the day....  Emily slept until 5pm, and actually, I worked.... in the room.... no beach.

Mui Ne - Day 1

Sometimes the reason I 'put up' with the Nguyen Van Linh highway is to be in decent condition.... good enough condition to ride in Miu Ne!  Oh....  it is soooo awesome.  It is really harder to think of a better place, yes, better then Taiwan, yes, at time, better the where I live in the US....

Ocean on one side, sand dunes on the other, sun beating down on me, a coconut, beach and maybe a beer waiting for me afterwards.... tell me there IS better riding and I will NOT believe you!

Day 1:

 My BFA...ha ha...  there's a bit of a head wind.  NOT enjoying the headwind.  It makes the average speed slower.  All I see from the other girls is there average speeds... and I know mine falls deeply short!  But, I don't have a wheel (regardless the size of my husband, he is NOT a group rider and he is NOT a steady wheel to be one....I try to remind him, but at no avail.... I was on his wheel and the next thing I know he's bending over trying to wipe something off his front time!)  I give him a good, "wife nagging", but... the memory of crashing is still too fresh on my old body!

 At the turn around point.

 On the way back.  This out and back is about 58km.  However, I already had 55km in when I met up with him.  I was feeling soooo good, regardless of the speed. I still beat him up any hill longer then 200m in length and definitely, the long big hills on the way home... Even did the "look over dropped shoulder - 'are you coming?'" look to him.... oh... years of that demeaning look.....  LOVE IT! (I am only teasing, of course... he is thrilled when I can out climb him).

105km, 995m climbing.... to the beach, coconut, spring rolls and some ocean time!

Phan Thiet Velo

There will be a day (I hope) that I move back to the US.  At that time, opportunities like this past weekend will be gone.  Not many are willing to stick their necks out there... be laughed at... pointed at... and know that no matter what they do, they will NEVER be a local.  Many just stick to their own...  and there is NOTHING wrong with that...

but for the fine boys of Phan Thiet Velo, thanks for letting me ride with you! 

They arrived at my hotel abotu 7:20.  I had NO idea where we would ride other then the 'upper road'.  Thankfully!  That's an amazing new road that makes traveling to Miu Ne totally worth it.  This hill is just about 1/2 km from the hotel from the lower road to the upper road.  Its about .5km and averaged 9%...  hmm.... you bet I'll be going up and down THIS hill a few times!

Got the 'thumbs up' after the climb.  I was the last to the top... its been a while since I was the last.  All I could think is, "yeah... its gonna be good!"

I know they didn't know what to think of me, "aauuh, are you tired?"  they asked about every 5 minutes.  "NO, I am fine".  I ride w/ Saigon Velo and Quan 7, it is always a race and its no problem!  I TRY to tell them this, but.....

The guy on the mountain bike had no problems keeping up.  Great idea though, he went ahead on teh lower road as there is a lot of sand etc.

on the down hill, I guess I didn't know I looked so stupid stretching!  ha ha

Two (Jerry and Mr. Thinh) were on the motor bike for support!  I couldn't believe it.  After riding in the crap that is HCMC riding.... here I am on an open road, and a motorcycle escort for lights!  WHOA!

Thumbs up for the effort!

could I be any happier?

Stop after the sand dunes.... LOVE this part of the ride...

Not sure what they are pointing at....

Finally, the group shot.

It was a really short ride, only 25km for me with them... after they left, I snuck off for 10 more.  They said I could go again with them.

thanks for letting me join. 

When I came to Taiwan, riding with the locals at first was always a bit like this.  Communication is bad at best, sometimes, depending on who I rode with , there was NO TALKING... only hand motions and my bad Chinese.  But, a few nice ones gave me a chance... eventually, more and more gave me the chance.  By the time I left Taiwan, I had many cycling acquantences and joined many group rides.  Riding among females increased by 20 times as well.  Seeing a chick on a bike was more normal... seeing one that could keep up and actually be stronger, was also becoming, more normal.  Being a westerner.... women have arrived to this level decades ago...

Now, in Vietnam, I am where I was when I first started riding in Taiwan, but even less ladies, and have yet to find a local lady.  But, my riding with these boys is becoming more and more accepted...

the price:

some humilation, some pointing, some laughing, and a load of patience...

but at the end of the day, not one of them has left me with out a tiny bit of respect....  they know... we women are coming!

Mui Ne, Vietnam

Kids had one week off... so we typically take some sort of trip.  Last year we went to Mui Ne and rode our bikes from teh 1/2 way mark.  We had a tail wind and for 100km, average speed was about 35kph.  Not bad!  But now, the roads are so nice in Mui Ne, no need to ride tere.

We left Saigon at 3pm, picked Gj up at VL about 4pm.  It takes aout 5 hours to drive there.  It is only 200km north of Saigon, but the traffic is horrific and scarey.  Typhoon Magi was suppose to hit us leaving Mui Ne in its souther part... but, it took a turn to the north.

Thursday morning, Gj and I head out about 10:00 for a leisurly ride.  Just a 20km out and back.  The new 'upper road', Highway 706B is a 34km loop.  We are located about 7km into it.  There's about 300m of climbing (you need to remember, I life in Saigon, our only climbing is a 47m bridge).  Gj beats me on the two short uphills, but I get him on the longer climbs. 

There is never, leisure in leisurely riding...  ha ha... 

When we get back, our Pucci is very sick.  She is throwing up everywhere. 

She wouldn't even take table scraps....

Thursday night, eating at Jibes... The kids got candy necklaces from one of the French workers.  I was so jealous... I always wanted a candy necklace.

Emily models hers!... 

Eirik models his.  We sit at the same table every meal.  We go here for lunch and most dinners.  Its owned by the same people as the hotel.  Eirik had a big day playing in the waves (they were big enough to surf).  It seems I never get enough sun screen on him.

Friday morning, I go for Ride #2, solo... I just want to do a loop of the 'upper' road.  I made an appointment with Phan Thiet Velo for a Saturday ride.  Their average is 35kph, so I wanted to make sure I knew where to meet them, etc. 

 Always cows on the roads...

 Auugghh... so happy with Ride #2.  Though, slow, still happy. This is my 4th day in a row riding and 5 for the week.  Saturday makes 5 days in a row and 6 fo the week. 

WHOA... am I coming back from the .... 'lame'?  Am I getting better, I am feeling better.  though over the days of riding my mileage is really low for as many times of wearing spandex, I am feeling... OKAY!

 Jibes, Eirik playing pool....  lunch tht day.  Eirik has three admirers...  Its good for him to be the 'cool' one.

Dinner at Ganesh... an Indian restaurant, the owner of whom which we have befriended.

 Ride #3... meet the Phan Thiet boys.... and that they are... boys... strong little boys...  not to be conceited, but its been a long time since I have been the worst climber in a group...  I still got the thumbs up, but still dead last.  Well, there were only 4 of us!

 They didn't exactly know what to do with me... I could tell.  We ride the upper road out and then past the sand dunes and out to the beach. 

 After they rode by my hotel, I waited for them to pass a bit, then went back out for some more glorious riding.... we head back to Saigon and this type of riding is out again...

and happy to be riding

Hm.... I think there's a Golf Course here...

On the way back to Saigon, we stop to buy fresh dragon fruits