Harley Tracks - Trail Update
Harley Tracks - Trail Update
Nha Trang to Hanoi on a straight hard run is less than 3 days. At a more leisurely pace on the scenic route I arrived in 7.
If there is a list of great motorcycle rides the Ho Chi Minh Road (The Trail) deserves to be on it. Riding the Western Branch South to North was at least as enjoyable as North to South, perhaps better with the elements!
From the coastal plains, up across the highlands The Trail only gets better in conditions, less traffic and scenery. The solar rays baked my skin with occasional relief from the expected monsoonal rains. Grinding the footboards around hairpin turns, working the gears over the mountains and stretching out across the few straightaways was great.
I found access onto a few remnants of the Old HCM Trail used during the war and naturally layed Harley Tracks upon them.
My Khe Sanh arrival was early enough that I could visit the war memorial/battle site for a very sorrow filled visit, followed with anger. In the morning I rode out into the hills for a walk through the brush. The heat and humidity was unbearable, and the dense thorny vines literally tore me up. My sorrow deepened with the thought that Vets are still out here.
With heavy thought I continued on up the Western Branch of the Trail into one of the most remote regions of Vietnam. 2 minutes below the 17 parallel I was literally stopped in my tracks by a wall of water. This was the strongest and heaviest monsoon rainfall I had ever encountered. I wandered up and down the Trail during this with an almost deafening sound of rainfall and thunder that felt as though the mountains were shaking. It was so cool! Then after about an hour I thought of what Linus would say from the pitchers mound during a rainstorm, "I think it's letting up" and cautiously rolled on.
Farther up the Trail I turned west to lay Tracks on route #7 to the Lao border and back. A beautiful ride with good trail between the "blemishes".
Rice harvest is full on throughout the central regions. An awesome sight to see this labor intense process. Drying of the crops is done mostly, or all, on the Trails.
As I approached Hanoi there was an increase in heavy traffic, but when there used to be no traffic, any is an increase. However, it was taking its toll on My Trail with blemishes developing. Still The Trail is the best ride in Vietnam.
After a few days in Hanoi I'll be laying fresh Tracks on a scenic route to Sapa where I hope to find sunshine this time. Perhaps the 3rd time is a charm. I hope so because these are the highest mountains and are well known for their beautiful vistas. All I have ever seen is dense fog!
Photos are posted in my album for your entertainment. Enjoy
If there is a list of great motorcycle rides the Ho Chi Minh Road (The Trail) deserves to be on it. Riding the Western Branch South to North was at least as enjoyable as North to South, perhaps better with the elements!
From the coastal plains, up across the highlands The Trail only gets better in conditions, less traffic and scenery. The solar rays baked my skin with occasional relief from the expected monsoonal rains. Grinding the footboards around hairpin turns, working the gears over the mountains and stretching out across the few straightaways was great.
I found access onto a few remnants of the Old HCM Trail used during the war and naturally layed Harley Tracks upon them.
My Khe Sanh arrival was early enough that I could visit the war memorial/battle site for a very sorrow filled visit, followed with anger. In the morning I rode out into the hills for a walk through the brush. The heat and humidity was unbearable, and the dense thorny vines literally tore me up. My sorrow deepened with the thought that Vets are still out here.
With heavy thought I continued on up the Western Branch of the Trail into one of the most remote regions of Vietnam. 2 minutes below the 17 parallel I was literally stopped in my tracks by a wall of water. This was the strongest and heaviest monsoon rainfall I had ever encountered. I wandered up and down the Trail during this with an almost deafening sound of rainfall and thunder that felt as though the mountains were shaking. It was so cool! Then after about an hour I thought of what Linus would say from the pitchers mound during a rainstorm, "I think it's letting up" and cautiously rolled on.
Farther up the Trail I turned west to lay Tracks on route #7 to the Lao border and back. A beautiful ride with good trail between the "blemishes".
Rice harvest is full on throughout the central regions. An awesome sight to see this labor intense process. Drying of the crops is done mostly, or all, on the Trails.
As I approached Hanoi there was an increase in heavy traffic, but when there used to be no traffic, any is an increase. However, it was taking its toll on My Trail with blemishes developing. Still The Trail is the best ride in Vietnam.
After a few days in Hanoi I'll be laying fresh Tracks on a scenic route to Sapa where I hope to find sunshine this time. Perhaps the 3rd time is a charm. I hope so because these are the highest mountains and are well known for their beautiful vistas. All I have ever seen is dense fog!
Photos are posted in my album for your entertainment. Enjoy
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