Day 6

Temperature: 27ºC Humidity: 82%
Destination: Hoi An to Quang Ngai

Breakfast was scheduled for 7.30am, but thanks to the noisy rooster we were awake early and had breakfast at 7.00am. Everything was organised for an 8.45am departure from our hotel. We boarded the bus for a 1 hour 45 minute journey to Nui Thanh Township.

Before we go any further, I offer some general information on other members of this group. I mentioned the names of all the participants on Day 1 blog. There are 15 of us, 11 women and 4 men. Ages range from mid twenties to early sixties. Each one of us has our own individual reason for doing this Challenge and we are respectful of each others motives. Nevertheless all people with Parkinson’s in Australia will benefit from this Challenge, as a great deal of awareness to Parkinson’s has been generated by all participants in the months leading up to the bike ride. Awareness in Vietnam is also being generated as we ride through the country with our colourful “Pedalling for Parkinson’s” bike gear on. Most of the group are accomplished and regular bike riders, one of the main reasons I’m at the rear of the pack, however all offer advice and encouragement to those of us with lesser skills. We also all get on well together as a group.

Now back to our journey - On arrival at Nui Thanh we set up the bikes, making any necessary adjustments before we set off on today’s journey southwards. We start riding – but guess what we have another headwind today. We ride heading towards the coastal road. I start off near the front of the pack, but it doesn’t take long for me to get back into my usual position - at the rear of the pack. It’s hard going with the increasing temperature and the wind constantly blowing into your face, but we get to the next main drink break – I’m about 10 minutes behind the pack together with my new mate ‘Knoc’. We had ridden about 20kms with the bus and support vehicle always close by. Fruit and some other light snacks are available as I take a little while to recover. The pace is not fast according to the experts, but it is continuous.

Refreshed, we are back on the bikes as we continue our journey southward. Christine decides she has had enough and gets on the bus, her face very red, showing the effects of the sun. As it warms up, I take a few minor drink stops as the bus and support vehicle hover close by. Some 6kms further on I am fully exhausted and decide to get on the bus. The back marker now is Karyn with Leanne and Knoc in support. (Leanne has often ridden with me as support). Karyn is struggling up this long incline; the main pack is way ahead in the distance. Stopping for a drink, the support crew jump into action thinking she is going on the bus - they don’t know how determined us Parky’s can be. Karyn waves them off and gets back on her bike to continue on up the hill, the bus and support vehicle are right behind her. Leanne sings out “Karyn’s run out of water”, but she won’t stop as she snakes her way upwards. I find a bottle and pass it through the buses window to Leanne who gets it to Karyn. On and on she struggles, as Christine and I offer her words of encouragement through the bus window. Her bike is wobbling but her determination is evident on her face, she is not giving up just yet. We near the top, and find we have reached the location for lunch, Karyn has made it. I congratulated Karyn on a fantastic effort. Well done Karyn.

After the picnic lunch, we head off again. We find our way onto a narrow dusty road, which is very rough. Cars and trucks passing both ways and make it very dusty. Partway up we find Sue with a broken chain, I continue on as the mechanic goes about repairing the chain. Eventually Sue, with repaired bike, catches up and passes me. Back on the bitumen again, we finally reach the main group at a drink stop, I needed the stop. We set off again heading towards My Lai. I went for a further 4kms before boarding the bus, exhausted.

We stopped at My Lai and looked around the site – this is where a company of American soldiers massacred over 300 men, women and children on 16 March 1968. It was now getting late, it was after 5.00pm (it is dark by 6.00pm) we had to hurry and had to get to our hotel, around 12kms away, before it got dark. I got back on the bike to complete this final leg. Because of the darkness we were to ride in as a group. The pace was fast, the journey flat as we rode on amongst the traffic. Darkness came quickly as we rode on, the support vehicle taking the lead and the bus the rear giving some protection to the group. Suddenly, we were in total darkness, without bike lights and riding fast in single file heading to our hotel. Nico stayed at the rear of the pack as support and as we came into the town, traffic lights separated the group. The first group waited for the next change of light sequence and we regrouped and were off again. A few minutes later we crossed another set of lights and then reached our hotel. That was an exhilarating and fast ride, everyone was pumped.

I had ridden 50kms today. I felt good, though exhausted.

Hilly advised that tomorrow is going to be tough as there are many steep hills.
Lets see what happens.