Hue Rider II. The epic Ho Chi Minh Trail...

Second day: visiting Khe Sanh militar base and ride through Ho Chi Minh Trail


As the americans had the control over Highway 1, the main transport hub between North and South, the north vietnamese troops spontaneously created a trail for their own benefit and away from the Highway 1.

The Ho Chi Minh trail was a logistical system that ran from the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam) to the Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam) through the neighboring kingdoms of Laos and Cambodja and partially through Vietnam. The system provided the transport of support, in the form of army, manpower and material from the North to the South during the Vietnam War (1959–1975).

In the early days of the war it took six months to travel from North Vietnam to Saigon on the Ho Chi Minh Trail. But the more people who travelled along the route the easier it became. By 1970, fit and experienced soldiers could make the journey in six weeks.

From the air the Ho Chi Minh Trail was impossible to identify and although the US Air Force tried to destroy this vital supply line by heavy bombing, they were unable to stop the constant flow of men and supplies. The main danger to the people who travelled on the Ho Chi Minh Trail was not American bombs but diseases like malaria. In the early days, as many as 10 per cent of the porters travelling down the trail died of disease.

The trail was not a single route, but rather a complex maze of truck routes, paths for foot and bicycle traffic, and river transportation systems. The name, taken from North Vietnamese president Ho Chi Minh is of American origin. Although the trail was mostly in Laos, the communists called it the TruongSon Strategic Supply Route, after a mountain range in central Vietnam. According to the U.S. National Security Agency's official history of the war, the Trail system was "one of the great achievements of military engineering of the 20th century."

Early morning!!! 7am for a quick shower set up the bike again, say Olá to the curious children on their way to school and have the basic breakfast. The egg was not as greasy as the one the morning before but one could tell it was not their speciality. The closest thing there was to our blessed continental breakfast was the old oily scrumbled egg, strong coffee and baguette bread (inheritaded from the french). No milk. So this was Miguelito's breakfast for quite many days. Either that or their breakfast: a soup or fried chicken or rice, noodles, etc... A proper lunch meal. But not for me: at least not at 7am!











Not quite like Starbucks or portuguese sweet Pastelarias, but will do...






At least I could watch some hotties on wheels!















One way for the Americans to counter the Ho Chi Minh Trail was to build large bases near to it – Khe Sanh was one of these. From these large bases patrols were sent out in an effort to intercept anyone using the route.

Khe Sanh was our stop of the day. the vietnamese troops surrounded the base on by setting camps on the hilltops around it and bombarded it for long time. The battle lasted 77 days, the americans where isolated and couldn't get any reinforcements for long time. Many lifes where lost and eventually they had to abandon the base leaving their machinery behind.










Great! 'Cause we had a little play!!






































The Classic versatile H-21.













Planning strategies of war





















Women at war...












Ui ui... doi-doi no rabinho!
Here's something you don't see everyday.
Vietcong doc looking after american bum!












American belongings waiting to be claimed back...
Hey dudes!! You forgot to take your shit!!!















American veterans














Back on the road...















...we finnaly reached the Trail. We were going to travel through this sector until we reach our night stop. Ahead of us, over 200km of pure motorbike joy.











The plaque celebrating the Trail and marking its start point on this sector.












For about 4 hours with several stops for Quy's cigarettes we drove through villages and people of all ages walking, working or just chilling on the road. No western soul was seen and again one feels pretty special when litteraly through out the whole journey people, not just children but adults, stare at and greet you along the way. ''Elôôô!!' ...
On a bike, you feel people closer. There are no windows or doors to make that separation traveller-local. You feel more blended with the surrounding environment. And you get that fresh breeze on your face...

































...And along with the breathtaking views and the mysticism of its history, it makes this Trail something unique.












































There they go...















Living with the elements!










































According to Quy, the works to asfalt the Ho Chi Minh Trail in Vietnam finished only 4 years ago. Before would be a dirt path that would get muddy in the rainy season. It took about 10 years to be completed. Some parts still show some decay.












No soul for Kms and Kms...










































There at the distance...


















'Hellooooo!! Is it me that you are looking foooooor!!!' Lionel Richie!
Why? Because for some reason Quy was showing off his english songs reportoir under his helmet and this one stuck up. We shouted over and over together whilst riding!
How romantic...





























Lunch time at this 'buteco de rua'!



Another luxury 'maison' with a special visitor passing by!


Quy has this previous arranged places where he takes his costumers everytime he passes there. He calls them in advance and when we get there food is ready. Of course he gets his comission: free lunch!
















Back on the road for a wee stop, but...




...one cannot carry on without cleaning his hands!



















On this second part of the course the hill became even bigger and higher and the forest became into jungle! Same Trail, different scenery...













I mean, proper jungle!!




Kept wondering what those men must have gone through back in the day...
Reminded me films like Platoon. Imagining what would I do if 40 years ago, with no technology of nowadays, I was dropped in such a place by parachute in the night...
I would shiiiiiiiit myself!
Its dense jungle to the bone! For miiiiiiles and miiiiles...














Kind'a felt that a vietcong could still jump on us at any moment...
























And of course with jungle and mountains come the waterfalls...









Waterfalls that most people like to jump into and get wet...




















...and explore...























...and some others not!

















The Ho Chi Minh Trail...
























Some parts are still being repaired or finished.








Men came from far away in the country to work on this roads. Because it is a long way to the next village they just simply live their for weeks or months until the job is done, often sleeping in hand made shelters. It not they suffer or struggle. Yes, its not easy but its just normal, they don't complain.











In some areas like this one the workers clean it and end up forming a little community. Through out the years they don't go home and bring their family close to them instead. They have more children. Families grow up together and eventually a new village is formed...






...with a community house, to discuss the village matters.





















After another long rewarding journey we got to Prao to stay for the night.



...at this 'fancy' guesthouse! Mosquitoes where the main guests!







Here we found another group of westerners doing the same as us. The first white faces in 48 hours. A Londoner couple, as they liked to introduce themselves (they looked more like a pair of Twats to me), and a German couple, ridding a bike per couple, and their australian guide on a third bike.
The englishman... oh sorry! the Londoner seemed that kind of 35 year old office worker that had something to prove to his fat girlfriend and kept drinking shots of rice wine all night long despite the fact he had to drive a bike he didn't know that well on a dangerous road he didn't know at all the next morning. And the most worrying: he was trying to keep up with the Ozzie guide who didn't want to fall behind on the number of shooters (australians are natural born drinkers), and the german man (driver) was not feeling very well either with a stomach ache!
Great... what a Trio!
The english twat was seen late in the evening wandering on the streets talking loudly and trying to be so cool and friendly to the locals whilst being carried by his fat ugly girlfriend. The cocky Londonders... Nice...
Unfortunatelly we left without seeing them the next morning... :(
lol