After having ridden mostly downhill so far, today would be a bit of a test for our legs - the biggest climb of the trip. It switchbacked its way up several mountains to give us a total climb of around 1000m over an unrelenting 20km. Again - the roads were not very steep, but this climb felt like it went forever. I was also struggling with the effects of the fermented pork - although the fig leaves seemed to be doing their job because nothing was making it out (despite feeling like it certainly wanted to). It was also testament to the climb that today the van trailed along behind us - usually it would go about 20km ahead and we could all ride at our own pace and reconvene when we reached it. Today it waited behind before catching up with the last rider and then waiting again (no way were we going to succumb to the temptation of a free ride, though). At one rest stop, after we were all feeling like we had been climbing for ages and surely it mustn't be too much further, our guide helpfully informed us that we were about 15% of the way up. Sigh.
View of the road below
Eventually we made it to Heaven's Gate, which marked the top of the pass, and were rewarded with a picnic lunch from out of the van (bread rolls, cucumber and beef from a can). A few workers had also stopped their scooters at the top and Ryan once again become the centre of attention and the subject of several photos. A group of German tourists on motorcycles also paused at the top and were astounded to find out that we had ridden up. I think we were just as astounded to know that we had all made it.
Of course, a climb that huge is always rewarded with a ripper descent and this one did not disappoint.
The day was cut in half by a couple of hours in the van - the 140km to our destination being too far for us to manage in one day (apparently only one person in the history of the tour had ever done it, and he arrived at the destination well into the night). We were happy for a rest, and as we drove the scenery gradually became more and more spectacular. Instead of terraced hillsides, we were now driving through (and around) massive, steep-sided limestone mountains. The limestone was black (apparently because it was so old) and dotted with caves. And every piece of land that was accessible to humans was being farmed. The previous corn crop had all been harvested and now the land was being prepared to plant the next - it seemed like even the tiniest pocket of soil between the rocks had been tilled ready for planting. It must be a spectacular sight when the mountainsides are covered with a green sea of corn plants.
We left the van and rode the last 15km into Dong Van so that we could enjoy the scenery up close. I don't think words (or pictures) can really do it justice, but these mountains were by far the most spectacular scenery of the trip. We were all feeling a little weary, though - on one climb out of a village, a small boy rolling a scooter tire along with a stick easily kept pace with me until he started getting too far from home. It's amazingly demoralizing to know that you are slower than a 4 year-old. On foot.
Dong Van nightlife...
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