A PPS to be going on with

After my postscript on Tuesday, I thought that there would not be too much more to say about Vietnam and Northcott, but I would be remiss if I didn't acknowledge the generosity of more of my old mates, Lyn and Stan Glaser ($250) and Maxine Lacey ($100), who are pushing the total raised by Tony and I closer to $13,000. Thanks to you and to all the great supporters of Northcott Disability Service, I understand that the total raised by the group for Northcott is getting over the $40,000 mark.

Vietnam Cycle Challenge Postscript

Only four days since we arrived back in Sydney and already the adventure seems an age ago. Got an email from Don last night passing on the limericks he and the lads had written for everyone and got another chuckle from those.

When we left each other, we parted with protestations of keeping in touch and meeting again together at a reunion - I hope both these things happen, as I've shared a very special part of my life with Tony, Lee, Katie, Don, Gumza, Hugh, John, David, Marc, Sue, To, Chris, and Wal. Marc and Sue were staying on, as were Katie and Lee, while Hobbo and Wal were heading off to Hong Kong for the Rugby Sevens. When the rest of us got back to Sydney, the combination of a "full house" at baggage claim and customs, along with places to go and people to see, meant we simply dispersed rather than took our leave from each other.

To anyone reading this blog, if you haven't been to Vietnam, go - what a wonderful country and people; if you haven't done a "road trip", do it. To my friends with whom I shared this special time - thank you!

Vietnam Cycle Challenge Day 11 - Thursday 29 March 2007

Today we bid farewell to Hanoi and to Vietnam but before we did, we got another couple of hours to wander round Hanoi. Tony and I had decided to go and visit the "Hanoi Hilton" (Hoa Lo Prison, nicknamed as such by the American POWs who were imprisoned there during the American (Vietnam) War. Don tagged along and we had a most informative, if disturbing, morning, as we toured what is also known as the Maison Centrale, where the French, in turn, had gaoled Vietnamese political dissidents during their occupation.

When we got back to the hotel, no one had a particular interest in lunch, so Chris, Don, Tony and I headed off again, to see what we could see. When we thought we might eat again in Pho 24, Don said he wanted some "authentic" food and so we wandered down an alley where we had the most delicious (if not the most hygenic) meal of our trip. Yes, that is a lady on a motor bike driving between the "chef" and Chris - adds a new dimension to the idea of dining al fresco.

Before we got back to the hotel, Don wanted a shave and we found our street barber, who kindly provided the service. This was my last photo in Vietnam.

We boarded the Vietnam Airlines flight VN783 at 5.00pm reluctantly, but with a host of memories and stories to tell (and photos to show!).

Vietnam Cycle Challenge Day 10 - Wednesday 28 March 2007

We arrived in Hanoi at an ungodly hour and were transferred to the city, where we had local breakfast at Pho 24, and then checked in to the Army Tourist Service hotel. The whole day was free to look around Hanoi, do some shopping and to relax, which we all did quite a bit of (resting).

Before we did that, though, we went to visit the Ho Chi Minh museum and Mausoleum. Here we see Tony with one of the guards outside the Mausoleum. If you're wondering about the bemused look on Tony's face, it's because the guard happily agreed to the photo and then grabbed Tony on the backside (heh heh). The picture of Tony and I in front of the Mausoleum is a more subdued one.

In the evening, we went to The Seasons restaurant for our farewell dinner and were entertained by Don and Hobbo, who had prepared a series of limericks, one for each member of "Team Northcott".

Vietnam Cycle Challenge Day 9 - Tuesday 27 March 2007

We spent the morning in Hue, cycling to the mausoleums of famous Nguyen Emperors. Tony showed his appreciation of the moon house as he viewed the scene.

In the afternoon we boardedthe Reunification Express for an overnight ride to Hanoi. It was here that we said goodbye to our driver, Mr Tri and his assistant Tang (pronounced "tongue"), whom Tony had nicknamed "Bluetongue". We were also able to witness some railway maintenance Vietnam style in the process.

The itinerary said we would have 4 soft-bed berths for the journey, but the picture betrays a more crowded environment. Tony and I were put in charge of the "cold drinks" (kind of like putting Dracula in charge of the blood bank).

Vietnam Cycle Challenge Day 8 - Monday 26 March 2007

Today is "Youth Day" in Vietnam and I wondered whether I would be feeling young or old, especially by the end of today's ride. The first photo shows what we faced at the beginning of our ride which required a 10 km climb over the spectacular Hai Van pass (‘Pass of the Ocean Clouds’).

I'm afraid that I wasn't up to the challenge - in conditions where we estimated the "players' comfort" temperature approaching about 48C, I made it about half-way up and was overcome by the heat and a touch of asthma. Tony struggled further up the hill and we picked him up on the bus about another km or two along the way. On the other hand, Don, Studs, Hobbo, Wal and Chris did the climb in 40 minutes, breaking the previous record of 43 minutes, so we were able to celebrate their success at the top of the pass. Hugh continued the mighty effort, also getting to the top a little later.

Once at the top we freewheeled back to the ocean, then continued through small villages and along a spectacular peninsular coastal road to Hue. Part of the trip involved transfer by ferry, and I was fortunate to catch the captain in the middle of his pre-launch preparations.

In the evening, we dined on the river to the strains of a local "folk" group, who delighted us with a series of instrumental and sung music while we noshed. At the end of the evening we sent our prayer floats off on the river.

Vietnam Cycle Challenge Day 7 - Sunday 25 March 2007

... and on the seventh day, they rested!


Today was a rest day, with time at the beach and in the markets (and trying to find somewhere to do internet *grins*). Tony and I have been getting around on the back of motorbikes (pretty much the local transportation and walking about where we need to. Been to the tailor for the obligatory suit and shirts, as well as some souvenir buying.

Tony has been doing really well with the riding and has shown the benefits of his more extended period of training for the ride. I have struggled on some of the parts but still not bad for only about 6 weeks of intermittent training (certainly could not do this without training). The group has been very supportive and we have worked for each other pretty well - it is reaffirming to be part of this kind of group rather than some of the groups I have worked with in the past.

Vietnam Cycle Challenge Day 6 - Saturday 24 March 2007

Voting day for the NSW State Election in Australia, but here in Vietnam it's day 6 of our riding. After a visit to the My Lai museum and memorial (which was very sad indeed), we visited a local school and passed on a series of gifts (pens, rulers, notebooks, and stuff) to the kids. They sang their national anthem, we sang ours and we sang the "Vietnam Ho Chi Minh" song together. After playing with the kids for a while, we rode for about 36km, during which time I had my first flat tyre, which Huy (one of our local guides) sorted out quick smart.

We stopped for a break in a field and saw an old lady digging in the field. Turned out she had been given money by the government to build a house - she had enough for the bricks, etc, but not to hire the labour, so she was doing it herself. We all chipped in to do some digging and in about 45 minutes had saved her about 2-3 days worth of her digging.

We got to Hoi An and had dinner followed by a trip to a local bar where we let our hair down (knowing that Sunday would be a rest day) and Tony and I won the pool table for the group, so we showed them the "old blokes" still had it. Later we went to a salsa bar but To and Thuy couldn't stand the pace.

Vietnam Cycle Challenge Day 5 - Friday 23 March 2007

On Friday we left early, transferring the first 30 km by bus. This was a chance to get away from the main highway to follow the railway line as it looped through a quiet agricultural area where rice gave way to sugar cane. The railway gently climbed beside us and the road undulated through unspoilt villages. Of the 60km ride, about 40 km was off road (well it was supposed to be road but was mostly graded dirt). It was a lot of fun as well as hard work, with 3 mums wanting to get me to kiss their babies for luck because they see me as the "laughing Buddha" with the big tummy (I'm now referring to myself as "Buddha" ;-) ). A hot day compared to the previous days.

Just before the town of Dieu Tri we hopped back into the support vehicle for the 156km transfer to our hotel in Quang Ngai, a convenient spot for continuing to My Lai the next day. Stayed at the local government hotel and after dinner all the lads went to karaoke - I decided 11pm was a good time to clear off but most of the others stayed until 2 or 3 in the morning (and there were some very sore heads the next day, I can tell you).

Vietnam Cycle Challenge Day 4 - Thursday 22 March 2007

Thursday and another full day of riding from Nha Trang to Tuy Hoa, but this time mostly flat until the afternoon when we went up more hills (including a 9km uphill stretch). We set off early in the morning for the ride to the beautiful fishing village of Dai Lanh.

We spent lunch with a swim at the beach and cycled through some villages along the way (taking plenty of photos by the way and we're all going to share). Today though, by the time we'd done the early cycling (about 60km all up, and down), Tony and I decided to get on the bus - we've had a few bus conductors but it's all in good spirit.

Hugh was the star of the show today, staying on the road the whole way to the hotel, another 55 km, with the seasoned bike riders in the group. We all had taken a wrong turn at the top of the uphill stretch (well we actually didn't take a turn at all) and had finished up at the bottom of the hill on the other side before the bus caught up with us. Hugh hung in with the others, even when the distance seemed interminable. We arrived at Tuy Hoa well after dark and had dinner at the beach, staying in the local Trade Union Hotel.

Vietnam Cycle Challenge Day 3 - Wednesday 21 March 2007

Wednesday - the first full day of riding, from Dalat to the Po Klong Garai Cham Towers, near the coastal town of Phan Rang. While the itinerary said the ride would be predominantly downhill, we began with a 40 km climb, before we descended nearly 1,500 metres through pine forests and paddy fields over another 45km. The total ride was about 110km, but Tony and I got to the 85 km mark before the bus "swept" us up. We all met and walked up to inspect this memorial (just what you need after an 85km ride!). Tony and I were pleased with our effort as it was the furthest we have ridden by about 20km and we had so much up hill riding to do.

The four brick towers that constitute the Po Klong Garai Cham Towers are among some of the best-preserved in Vietnam; they were built in the 13th century, during the reign of the Cham monarch Jaya Simhavarman III, as Shiva (Hindu) temples. After visiting the temples we drove to Nha Trang (120km). Nha Trang beach is idyllic, with swaying palms, golden sands and the beautiful deep blue water of the South China Sea (although we didn't get to see much, arriving after dark).

The pictures show Tony and I at the top of one of the hills we climbed and then later at the local butcher shop in one of the villages we passed through. The last picture shows Don working in the rice field with some of the locals (he's the one wearing the cycling knicks).

Vietnam Cycle Challenge Day 2 - Tuesday 20 March 2007

After breakfast we drove 250km out of Ho Chi Minh City to the mountain town of Dalat in the Central Highlands. Dalat is a pleasant hill station, formerly known as Le Petit Paris, and has been described as the most beautiful town in Vietnam. Dalat was favoured by the French for its climate, and is now a popular honeymoon resort for the Vietnamese.

When we arrived, before we checked into the hotel where we stayed overnight (in the Novotel Dalat), we went for a 32km ride looping around Dalat in the rain. It was bitterly cold (being 1,500 metres above sea level) but it was great to get on the bikes and shake out the cobwebs (as well as getting some hill climbing practice in).

Showered and refreshed, we headed off to dinner at the restaurant across the road and then into the market area of Dalat for a wander through the stalls (not very helpful for "larger" chaps like myself, but interesting nonetheless). Part of the walk back to the hotel was retracing steps we had taken by bike earlier in the day and when we arrived back at the hotel it was off to bed to get ready for the big day the next day.

In the photo above you see the "3 Amigos", Tony, Hugh Perrottet and myself (someone, I think it was Tony, unkindly suggested the "3 Stooges") are ready to ride. We're all wearing our Parramatta Eels shirts, kindly donated by Parramatta Leagues.

Vietnam Cycle Challenge Day 1 - Monday 19 March 2007

And we're off!!

First my apologies to all those who thought they would be reading a day by day account. Unfortunately, the internet in Vietnam is such that I could not log on to the blog until today (Wednesday 28th March) so I've got a lot of catching up to do. I will also fill in with photos over the coming days as well.

After meeting at the "Big Frog" at 8.30am, we checked in together and departed Sydney International Airport this morning at 11.30am and flew into Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam at 4.00pm on VN782. The flight over was the same old same old, but good from the point of view of getting to know some of the folks we were going to be cycling with .

We met up with the Don, Hobbo and the lads who had headed over a day early. We were originally scheduled to wander about in a local park to get our bike allocation and make sure the bike was properly set up and we were properly kitted out, but this didn't happen so we were at liberty apart from dinner in the evening.

After checking into the hotel we had some free time to explore this fascinating city, formerly known as Saigon. Hobbo and the lads found a bar where we sat for a few hours drinking some beers and taking in the night life, then it was a walk back through the markets to the hotel and so to bed.

We stayed overnight in the Au Lac Hotel.

VCT Day minus 1

One more sleep to go and then we are away!

Had a great ride yesterday with Tony, Lee and Katie. We did the Bay to Bay run and Katie got to try out her new bike - even Lee got to have a bit of a spin on it. All this and "Rocky" too! No, not Rocky II; Rocky as well - at the end of the ride yesterday we rode to the top of the hill Tony and I had christened "Rocky" (after the movies of the same name), with singing out the movie theme music when we got to the top - a real sense of achievement after scooting along to keep up with the girls (no bus conductors yesterday).

A quiet night and a few glasses of red and white wine to wash down some yummy prawns with my good mate David White while Kerry worked night duty and we arrive at today and packing time. I've spent most of the day in front of the computer screen though, finalising last minute emails and such to tide over until Friday week. The combination of items to be dragged over to Vietnam are strewn about the lounge room, so I'd better go pack them away.

VCT Day minus 3

Yeehah! Tony and I are going to Vietnam! After the dramas of the last couple of days, we wondered if we were fated not to go, but we now both have brand new passports with Vietnamese entry visas pasted in, as of 11.30am this morning.

Last night, I sat in front of the screen, hoping that all would be well tomorrow, and that we could pick up the passports on time and get over to the Vietnamese Consulate before the visa office closed. I can say that we have indeed closed the door on this "interesting" part of the experience ... oh, except for one thing .... I arrived home this afternoon to be presented with the express envelope, re-addressed from Caringbah 2150 to Carlingford 2118, containing our travelling passports! After all that, Australia Post had come through and delivered the mail!

In the meantime, Tony and I decided to make the best of the process and so I drove over to his place this morning, from where we rode back to my place for a quick shower before the taxi picked us up for the tour of APO and the Vietnamese Consulate. When we got back from our international traveller duties, it was back on the bike for the ride to his place and the day was complete. One more big hit out tomorrow with Katie and Lee and I think Tony and I are ready to take on Vietnam .... and we can too!

Thanks to John Chedid ($200), Tony and I have now got more than $12,500, so we're pretty pleased with that - thanks John!

VCT Day minus 4

What a roller coaster ride over the last couple of days!

After the fun of talking with Jeff and Vic over at 2CCR on Monday morning, Monday afternoon was taken up with work , a Board meeting with the Western Sydney Business Connection, and then a hitout on the exercise bike on Monday evening, while we waited for our passports and visas to arrive back from my travel agent.

Tuesday was spent meeting with my friend Trevor Oldfield, President of the Wenty Leagues Club (and then joining the Club - what an impressive array of refurbishments they're undertaking). Later in the day, I dropped Kerry and Fiona out at Macquarie Uni so Fi could attend her Tuesday evening class (she's doing Honours in Ancient History and this semester's class is on historiography). I did this while Tony and I continued to wait for our passports, them having not arrived on Monday or Tuesday and being the subject of some increasingly terse phone calls to the travel agent.

Wednesday was when we got to the top of the roller coaster and headed off down the steep slope. Tony and I went for a good 35km hitout from his place to Parramatta Park, a series of laps round the park (including seven times up the hill section) and then back to his place. We were feeling good enough to reward ourselves with a superb sirloin steak lunch (medium rare), served with a most delicious mushroom ragout and washed down with a very pleasant Margaret River cabernet shiraz. I dropped Tony home and when I arrived home, I was feeling very satisfied with the day. Then the phone call from the travel agent.

We'd already established that the passports had been sent to Caringbah 2150 instead of Carlingford 2118 and held out (vain) hopes that Australia Post would be able to track the passports through its bar coding system and get the passports to us, eventually, and better late than never. On Wednesday afternoon, we officially gave up hope of seeing those passports again, but decided to give one last try to the system (here we break into strains of the old Beatles song "I should have known better ..."). I alerted Tony and it was a restless night with two business days to go until we leave.

This morning we went to "Plan B" - new passports and visas! A series of frantic phone calls between the travel agent, Australian Passport Office (APO), Tony and me and by 2.30pm this afternoon we were being interviewed by a very pleasant gentleman at the APO who concluded by saying "Yes, that's all in order. Your passports will be ready to pick up on Monday". You can imagine our reaction and I'll leave out the curse words that floated through my consciousness at this point as I calmly explained that we needed the passports tomorrow morning at the latest so we can get the Vietnam visas sorted out at the Consulate, which is only open for visas between 9am and 12.30pm. A further examination of our flight tickets and some more enquiries and we're on a tentative promise for the passports to be ready to pick up tomorrow morning at 10am - thanks APO!

We know the passports are being worked on because our good mate Paul, who vouched for us and signed our photos, was rung by two different APO officers in turn to confirm he had indeed signed the forms for each of us in turn (we had been filling these out in the taxi on the way down to Sydney - time was short! - and so he had first hand knowledge of our processes).

In the meantime, we'd had a call from fellow Challenger, Hugh "The Player" Perrottet, to say that he had some Parra Eels polo shirts for us to pick up and wear during our time away. Being Parra supporters for over 40 years, we didn't have to be asked twice and I'm still wearing mine from this afternoon (Go the Eels!). A $200 donation from long time friend and former Macquarie Uni colleague, Richard Braddock, completed the day's activities on another high note.

So here I sit, hoping that all will be well tomorrow, that we can pick up the passports on time and get over to the Vietnamese Consulate before the visa office closes and so close the door on this "interesting" part of the experience. Whew!

VCT Day minus 7

Seven sleeps till we leave and it's all systems go! Tony and I went riding with Katie and her Bike North group yesterday, from Meadowbank Wharf to Brighton Le Sands and return, with bacon, eggs, tomato and toast for brunch along the way. We left at about 7.45am and returned at 1.40pm, having averaged about 16km per hour while riding - not bad for a group of about 50 riders with all sorts of different age ranges and abilities.

We learned some things about riding in groups and discovered a couple of nice variations on the ride that make it more pleasant and involves even less road riding than before. We're planning on having one more big hitout next Saturday, doing the Bay to Bay with Katie and Vietnam riding colleague Lee, who'll be coming down from the North Coast on Friday, and perhaps Hugh "The Player" Perrottet from Parramatta Leagues, if we can get him out of the Club long enough ;-). In the meantime, we're going to do some local rides and mix it up with more exercise bike riding for stamina and aerobic fitness.

We were pleased today to spend about half an hour with Vic Meli and Jeff Ruitenbach up at 2CCR FM (90.5 on your FM dial) talking on air about the ride, our fundraising efforts and what we hope to achieve for Northcott Disability Services along the way. That was a bit of fun and we got to listen to some good music while we were there too. Ah well, back to the work now.

VCT Day minus 9

The days are just flying past now and Tony and I are continuing to get out for a ride - yesterday I went over to Tony's place and then we rode to Parramatta Park for a series of laps and then back to his place, about a 30km ride (just a little one in light of our more recent efforts).

We're off tomorrow morning early with Katie's BikeNorth colleagues to do the Bay to Bay "Bacon Run", starting off at Meadowbank Wharf at 7.30am, so I've just spent time on the exercise bike today, getting a nice sweat going in the process. I'm looking forward to tomorrow because it will give us an opportunity to see what it's like to ride in a group along a familiar path. In the meantime, the work continues and the arrangements to be completed are getting packed closer together.

Matthew Wood from EMFD in Brussels has kindly added $150 to the kitty, so we're continuing to build the pot well past our target.

VCT Day minus 11

This week just keeps getting better! Not only have Tony and I cracked the $12,000 mark in our fundraising efforts (thanks again to all our fabulous supporters!) but a trip to the doctor's today gave me a clean bill of health as far as my, errr, "men's problem" is concerned. The doctor wants to do more tests (don't they all?) but he's in no rush and wished me well for the trip. Tony and I celebrated with a 35k ride round Parramatta and to our respective homes and will be out again tomorrow morning for a similar length ride round Parramatta Park.

A series of business functions so far this week had kept me off the road, but I had managed to pinch a half-hour here and there for time on the exercise bike and that appears to be keeping me in good stead. I made all the hills between Tony's and my place, including the incline from James Ruse Drive up to Pennant Hills Road (this has been my nemesis over the last 5 times I've tried). We're going to see if we can get Hugh Perrottet from Parra Leagues along for a few rides between now and Monday week (11 sleeps to go!).

VCT Day minus 14

Fourteen sleeps to go! The plane ticket arrived today and it's becoming increasingly real as the days go by - whew!

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of doing the Bay to Bay run with Katie ("The Boss") Camarena from Inspired Adventures and had a thoroughly enjoyable time, in spite of the heat and the crappy shoes I wore for the occasion (I got back from Wellington, New Zealand at 4.45pm on Saturday, but my bag, containing my usual riding shoes, didn't arrive back in Sydney until 7.45pm last night). Katie introduced me to the joys of 2nd gear and I was able to ride in the right gears for once (I had been riding in 3rd gear for most of the time in the past, and wondering why my knees screamed at me at the end of each ride) - hindsight's a wonderful thing.

The generous support for Northcott keeps coming in, with donations from Patrick Dawson ($100), Steven Boyd ($50), Denise O'Rourke ($20) and Martin Daniels ($20) - thanks to these good folk!

VCT Day minus 16

Writing from a hotel room in Wellington, New Zealand, after a very successful series of presentations to academic colleagues at Unitec (Auckland), Waiariki (Rotorua), Victoria University and Open Polytechnic (Wellington). Picked up a rental car in Auckland on Tuesday and then drove down through the centre of New Zealand between presentations - a wonderful series of scenes when I could check out the window.

Heading back to Sydney later today and looking forward to getting back on the bike for the ride with Katie tomorrow. Getting very close to the two week mark - only 16 sleeps to go!

VCT Day minus 19

Yee haa!!!!! Thanks to the wonderful Di Yerbury ($400), to my good friend from Singapore, Richard Ng ($100), and another great Emerald colleague, Keith Howard ($125), Tony and I have cracked the $10,000!!! We won't be stopping there though and will be building on this over the next three (errr two and a half) weeks.

Travelled to New Zealand on assignment yesterday and will be here until Saturday afternoon. In the meantime, I've arranged to go riding with "The Boss", Katie, on Sunday. She's going to do the Bay to Bay with me and I'm hoping that I'll pick up a few tips on how to ride a bike properly in the process.

VCT Day minus 22

What a great couple of days! On Friday night we got to meet some of our chums we'll be joining on the ride in Vietnam (see Gamza's new profile!), at the Non La restaurant in Surry Hills (yes of course it was Vietnamese). We got to hear from Ruth, one of the Northcott staff who do great things in regional NSW at Tamworth and surrounds, got to eat some great food and drink the wine we brought, and got to see Don's backside, the viewing of which was auctioned by his mate David for $350. We were reminded that there's nothing worn under a Scotman's kilt - it's all in good repair!

Not feeling at all the worse for wear, Tony and I did our "home to home" ride on Saturday - this is a 15 kilometre each way trip between our homes at Toongabbie and Carlingford, which we do in that order (all the hills in the first half of the ride, climbing from Parramatta up the hill to Carlo). With the hot weather about, we took a break at my place with a dip in the pool and a nice relaxing cuppa before we headed off back to Tony's place, doing the two way trip in about two elapsed hours. After being off the bike since the previous Thursday, I was pretty pleased with the effort.

Today, we did our now familiar Bay to Bay run, but with a difference. A south-easterly breeze meant we rode most of the way into the wind. Then, after a brunch of bacon and eggs, with a delicious coffee thrown in, we made our way back through persistent precipitation (my hat and gloves are still wet). I know Katie wanted us to get some experience of these different types of riding but I didn't think we'd get it all in one day. The better news is that we completed the 65km round trip in just over 4 elapsed hours. Our average speed into the wind was 15.1km/hr and on the way back, it was 16.5km/hr, for an overall average of 15.8km/hr, so we were pretty chuffed when we finished and checked the times.

VCT Day minus 24

End of the working week (ha! ha!) and I'm hoping to get on the bike for at least a little while this afternoon before we meet a bunch of the folks who are joining us on the ride. We're meeting together tonight at the Non La Vietnamese Restaurant in Surry Hills for a nosh and a "get to know a bit about you" session.

In the meantime, Tony and I are well into the $9,000 range with another generous $162 donation from Lynne Mitchell & Robyn Bowcock and all the folks from Granville Rehabilitation Service - thank you!

VCT Day minus 25

Good news is that things are "freeing up" and I should be back on the bike tomorrow. In the meantime, thanks to David Boxall ($100), Tony and I have just cracked the $9,000 mark in terms of donations and pledges, so we're delighted to be at this stage with several weeks to go.

VCT Day minus 26

Each time I fill in the title for the new blog I become increasingly excited at how quickly the time between now and when we get to ride the roads of Vietnam is reducing. At the same time, I'm getting increasingly nervous at how quickly the time between now and when we get to ride the roads of Vietnam is reducing!

Neither Tony nor I want to become known as the "bus conductor" and we're determined to ride all day, every day on the tour. That's possible if we can get out and do some more training, but this current setback means that it has been more than a week since I've been on a bike (didn't think I'd hear myself talking about how much I missed the exercise. Thanks to Lucy Brown from Northcott and our own Katie from Inspired Adventures for their kind wishes regarding my little, ahem, medical problem.

Meanwhile, some great people are continuing to support our efforts to get to that $10,000 mark, with Kathryn Thorne ($100), Jodie Sinclair ($100), Barbara Perry ($50), Pter Shelley ($50), and Jacqueline Bracey ($50) the latest to join the gang. With that $350, we are now up to (drum roll) $8,922.39! Not bad for a couple of old blokes, eh?

VCT Day minus 28

Four weeks to go!

A mixed day today as I continue with the frustration of another course of antibiotics and hope for the opportunity once more to get rid of my fluids as easily as I take them in.

On the other hand, Tony and I continue to be delighted by the generosity of our friends and colleagues - Weidong Liu ($150), Bob Ganley ($200), Greg Bamber ($100), Sara Dharmakumar ($100), Armen Gakavian ($20), Rebecca Sheriff ($50) , and, of course, Select Credit Union ($500) - thanks so much to all of you!

I'm hoping that the current setback will be short term and that I can get out on the bike again sooner rather than later. Tony's back at work after some long service leave, but is taking some more time off from March 8th, so we'll see that last stretch as an opportunity to do some more work without tiring ourselves out for the actual ride.

I wonder how our other riding partners who will join us in Vietnam are getting on?

VCT Day minus 29

What a last couple of days! Drove down to Wagga on Thursday to present a "Getting Published in Academic Journals" workshop at Charles Sturt University (which went very well), stayed overnight in Wagga and drove home on Friday. Since late Friday afternoon, I've been prostrate with my prostate (a bug that gave me chills, sweats, fever ... probably too much information). What it means is that I've spent the last 48 hours in a much weakened state and just recovering this afternoon - hopefully, I'll be ready for a ride tomorrow, if only on the exercise bike.

Four weeks to go now and so much to do - visas, postal votes (the NSW State election is on while we're away), immunisations, oh yeah and the day job (*grins*).

VCT Day minus 32

Thanks to all of you reading the blog and leaving so many comments ....... ah well, I can dream.

Anyway, hopped on the exercise bike on Tuesday evening for a half hour hill program - that got the blood pumping and the sweat pouring.

Yesterday was off to the physio to continue work on my left achilles, which continues to be frustrating in the old "two steps forward, one step back" as far as recovery is concerned. It's much better than it was but still not there yet. Using the physio as part of the training.

After the physio, it was into the city of Sydney for a couple of very positive work-related meetings and then back home to take our daughter, Fiona, off to see Little Britain at the Hordern Pavilion - what a hoot! Had a good laugh for a couple of hours at a very well produced live version of the TV show.

Today it's off to Wagga Wagga on an Emerald related author workshop for the folks at Charles Sturt University and back to Sydney tomorrow. Hope to get a bit of a ride in tomorrow afternoon, ahead of a Tony's place to my place ride on Saturday and the Bay to Bay on Sunday.

VCT Day minus 34

Where are the days going? Sunday was a rest day after the big ride out to Botany on Saturday (while I try to remember to ride in lower gears) and then Monday was taken up just enjoying a great downpouring of rain throughout the day. Into the final 5 weeks before we go and Tony and now are paid up for airfares and accommodation, so the reality is more and more settling in - we're off to Vietnam!

VCT Day minus 37

Tony and I did the Bay to Bay again today and, with a little bit of riding around, managed 61km on the ride, so we're quite pleased with our efforts. I finished with sore knees again (although not as bad as last week) and I think I've realised the problem - I'm riding too highly geared so I'm constantly subjecting the knees to stretching effort instead of letting the gears on the bike do more of the work. I'm going to keep experimenting with the gears and the combinations of them and see if I can work it out better.

VCT Day minus 38

Wow, what a great day!

Tony and I rode down to Parramatta Park from our respective homes to get a photo with Glenn Gardner, the CEO of Northcott, for the Parramatta Advertiser this morning. Just before I left, I got a phone call from Wayne Rhodes, the Metropolitan General Manager, Sydney North-West Region, Telstra Consumer & Marketing, to say that Telstra had responded to my flier about supporting Northcott to the tune of $1090 - yee haaa! With other monies that Tony has picked up, we're now well on the way to our combined total of $10,000.

After the photo op, Tony and I rode down to one of our favourite restaurants, Port Bar at the Charles Street wharf, for a very healthy salad and mineral water lunch before we headed off in different directions on the way home. I went out to Rosehill and back along James Ruse Drive, dreading a couple of the hills I had to face, but with the practice, greater familiarisation with the bike's gearing and a determination not to be called the "Bus Conductor" when we get to Vietnam, I got up hills I hadn't before and got further up the hills I'm still yet to conquer.

Tony and I will do the Bay to Bay run again tomorrow (we like that ride) and I'm hoping to get a ride on Sunday with one of Katie's riding groups. All in all, a great day!

VCT Day minus 39

Wow, this week has really gotten away from me! Spent Monday still in a state of some recovery from the Sunday ride. I think Tony and I might have got carried away with ourselves doing "Rocky" at the end of the ride - the adrenalin was pumping and we felt good straight afterwards, but the old bodies rebelled later.

I've broken the $5000 mark! Thanks to all my wonderful sponsors, especially my good friend in Hong Kong, Tommy Liu ($500), David Pring ($500), my mate from the Academy of Management, Professor Denise Rousseau ($300), and Julie Owens, MP ($250), we're doing great things for Northcott Disability Services. Please inspect the list of sponsors - these are great, generous people.

Tuesday and Wednesday flashed past in a blur as I try and keep up with my "day" jobs as well as getting organised for Vietnam. Margaret Dunne sent me an email to say she'd read the blog and thought that I'm managing the psychology of training for this event very well - that's as may be, but the body is still coming to terms with it! :-)

So to today, Thursday, and I will definitely get a ride in today (I'm going to ride down the "hill" from Carlingford to Northcott to drop in the latest range of cheques and credit card vouchers in for processing). Still plenty of other things to do, but the riding must be a constant. Less than 40 days to go!

VCT Day minus 43

Back in town after a couple of days away - business in Melbourne followed by enriching the soul yesterday. Kerry, Fiona, Jane (one of Fi's good friends) and I travelled down to Canberra on Friday night and then visited the National Gallery yesterday to see the Egyptian exhibit from the Louvre - not too much bike riding but a most rewarding experience nonetheless.

Tony and I went for our Bay to Bay ride again today and we're very happy with ourselves - a faster time and we rode up "Rocky" at the end! There's a hill in the middle of the Louise Sauvage pathway at Olympic Park that Tony and I call the "Rocky" hill - it's our test of how well we're doing in terms of hill climbing. Last Sunday when we did our ride, we could only ride past "Rocky" at the end. Today, we climbed that bugger and felt great about doing so. Stiffened up at the end of the ride though and I'm still hearing about it from my knees and other joints, but aerobically at least, we're good. With 6 weeks to go from tomorrow, we have to make every post a winner in our training but now, it's time for some celebratory Chinese dinner!

VCT Day minus 46

Well, I was reasonably good last night but a lousy sleeping night got in the way of a ride this morning. Hadn't anticipated blogging today, but found a few minutes before I head out to the airport, so I'll go ahead. The achilles is healing well and should only be another week in treatment; with the bike riding continuing and not aggravating it, that part of the body should be fine for Vietnam (not sure about the old bones though *grins*).

Got some nice photos of Sue and Marc Napoli, that I've added to the "rogues gallery" - one common theme I've noted with pleasure is that we all seem to like a drink or seven, so our celebrations should be good fun. Also got another $100 from my good friend Ross Free - thanks Ross!

Off to Melbourne now and looking forward to a good ride on Sunday when I'm back on deck.

VCT Day minus 47

Went for about a 30km run this morning, from Carlingford to Parramatta Park, round the park a couple of times (climbed the hill both times), then out to Rosehill and back to Carlingford along James Ruse Drive and Pennant Hills Road. Got further up the big hill on James Ruse Drive leading up to Pennant Hills Road than I did last time, but squibbed it on the hill leading up towards the King's School. Ah well, it's time in the saddle, as they say. Got back to receive a $30 donation from Paul Simpson at Youth Insearch - thanks Paul!

Work will take me to Melbourne for the next couple of days and then down to Canberra on Friday night for a look at the Egyptian antiquities from the Louvre: journey to the afterlife exhibition at the National Gallery, so I'll be off the air for a couple of days. Tony and I are going to do the Bay to Bay run again on Sunday, so that should get the blood pumping again. Off to Darling Harbour this afternoon for a work function so will try to be good so I can get a ride in tomorrow morning.

VCT Day minus 48

A mixed day is about the only way to describe today. Off to the physio this morning and good news on the achilles front - it's getting better all the time (as George Harrison told us on the Sgt Pepper's album). Off to the urologist this afternoon to try and work out why my PSA readings are up and down - 30% chance I have prostate cancer ....well! So off to the pharmacist to get some nuclear versions of antibiotics while I think about that and wait a month until we see what the next set of results is like. Didn't much feel like a ride this afternoon, but with the cooler weather anticipated, I'll probably go for a run in the morning. Roll on 19 March!

VCT Day minus 49

Seven weeks to go and the excitement continues to build, especially as we get in contact with more of our fellow travellers, the latest of whom is David Hobson, whose comment is attached. Marc & Sue Napoli already have their own website which people should visit as well www.marcnapoli.com.au/charitychallenge/ (see also URL in Links below).

Today was very much one of a catching up, getting organised, and resting day after the last three days. I was thinking about going for a short ride this afternoon to keep the muscles loose, but with all the action on the blog, I ran out of time (see the comments and photos from Lee and Jamie). More donations came in today - more than halfway there now!

VCT Day minus 50

Tony and I are quite chuffed at the moment, having completed the Bay to Bay run in both directions today (Homebush Bay to Botany Bay and return) 53 kilometres in all, over 3 and 1/2 hours riding at just under 16km per hour average speed. We headed off from Silverwater Bridge at 9.14am and got back to the starting point at 1.04pm, so we had about 20 minutes worth of breaks over the time. In between times we were up and down hills - long, steady climbs and short, steep slopes (which we got to ride down in the opposite direction). At one stage, I got the bike going at 48 kilometres an hour (downhill and not for long, of course).

We agreed we'd have a rest day tomorrow (Monday), but I might just go for a short run to shake out some of the cobwebs from today (I can still feel my knees and backside, as I'm typing)

VCT Day minus 51

What an interesting day for Tony and I as we rode from his place to my place and then back again over several hours! Basically, my place is uphill from Parramatta, while Tony's is more cross-country (with some hills along the way). We decided that, for the sake of "time in the saddle", we'd do the hard bit first. I drove over to Tony's place and then we rode back to mine, had a break (with some nice Oolong tea) and then rode to his place. The picture of "The Bros" was taken at the halfway point, after a rest.

It's taken me until I'm nearly 53, but I found out today what it is to get a "second wind". I just managed to get up the hill leading towards Pendle Hill station, but heading along the railway line from Pendle Hill to Toongabbie, I began to feel great and powered alon for the last couple of kilometres of the ride. By the time Tony and I got to his place, I think we were both ready to go again! We thought better of it tho' :-)

VCT Day minus 52

Well it really feels like it's going to happen now! Had our first "group" email from Inspired Adventure's Project Manager, Katie Camarena (see picture), yesterday (Thursday 25th) with a bunch of details about logistics, who's who and so on. Already got our first pictures up on the blog, with Katie and the cows and Hugh in the workplace at Parramatta Leagues ("The Place to Play!"). I guess the size and shape of the blog will grow and change over the coming weeks as we get more photos, comments and ideas about the trip.

A good friend, Peter Steane, has recommended Bobby Chinn's Restaurant in Hanoi and that might be where we have our farewell dinner at the end of the trip (funny to be talking about the end before we get to the "beginning", but we've all been in various stages of beginning for some months now, I suppose).

In the meantime, Tony has family commitments today so I headed off for a ride around the Parramatta area (about 30km). Not as much fun without the company though. Headed down to Parramatta Park but only did one circuit there - the Australia Day crowds were out and they are definitely no respecters of "space". I thought the folks from the Bay Run had brought their illiteracy problem to Parramatta Park, but I think it was a different crowd :-) Great riding to Parramatta (lots of downhill from Carlingford) but then I've got to get back up the hills heading home. Seem to be making inroads, where I'm walking less and riding more on the return journey.

VCT Day minus 53

A quieter day today. Tony is caught up in work-related stuff and I'm trying to catch up with work that didn't get done while we were cycling during the week. Went to the physiotherapist this morning for my achilles (he'll get his retirement fund from this injury!) and was pleased with the progress I'm making, especially after the long ride yesterday.

Two more cheques for $100 each arrived today - thanks so much to Melenna and Matthew Krenmayr and Truong Nguyen (long time friends from Macquarie University). The money continues to climb, although not in the same league as some of our fellow challengers, who are going great guns.

VCT Day minus 54

A much better day for riding today. Tony and I headed out to Olympic Park again and did 40km worth around the various trails. It was raining for the first hour and we managed to get ourselves nice and wet in the process - thought about wearing plastic ponchos but they become sweatboxes such that we would be just as wet with them on as without them. Discovered some really great new trails through the Park that we will certainly use again. I expect that it will be sometime over the next couple of weekends that we will try our luck on Sydney's M7 motorway. It's 42 km long so getting there and back should tell us if we can manage a day on the Vietnam trek.

VCT Day minus 55

Another hot day and Tony was caught up with work things so we weren't able to go for a ride together. I had a bunch of credit card donations and a cheque to deliver to Northcott so I took the opportunity to ride there and back (about 15km round trip). Getting there was the easy part - from Carlingford to Parramatta is mostly downhill or flat - but getting back was a bit of a struggle. I rode over to James Ruse Drive to follow the road up to Pennant Hills Road (trying to avoid the major hill up from Parramatta) but I think I would have been better off gritting teeth and going the more direct route. Anyway, it was a ride and it all helps at this stage.

VCT Day minus 56

Eight weeks to go until we all get on the plane to Ho Chi Minh City!

Tony and I have been out and about again today, riding around Sydney Olympic Park for about 3 and a half hours. We did some flat, some long hills, short slopes - a good mix of what we guess we can anticipate when we get to Vietnam.

I've been surprised at how quickly my legs and lungs have swung back into action - it's almost as if all that cycling and walking when we were growing up has meant the body saying "Oh yeah, I remember how to do this now". Got a bit cheeky and let go of the handlebars for a brief couple of moments ("Look ma, no hands!").

Things not so positive on the fundraising front - a slow process, but still about $2,000 raised; we'll get there!

VCT Day minus 57

In Sydney today it was hot! Damned hot! It was so hot I could cook eggs in my shorts! (with apologies to Robin Williams in Good Morning Vietnam). Anyway, it was 35-40 degrees centigrade for most of today so riding was out of the question (doing anything other than laying about as motionless as possible and drinking lots of water was basically out of the question). Tony and I are planning on riding around Sydney Olympic Park tomorrow morning before it gets too hot.

VCT Day minus 58

Tony and I got out to Iron Cove this morning and did a bunch of laps round the Bay Run. We both felt good aerobically and not too bad physically (apart from saddle sore bums) so we were both quite pleased with ourselves. We were only disappointed at the apparent lack of literacy among the denizens of the area - so many people who couldn't read "Bicycles Only", even when there was a picture of a bicycle as well! We were comforted though, by the fact that the lack of literacy didn't interfere with their sense of self and their determination to make their presence felt across as much space as they could manage. The rest of the day has been a quiet one recuperating and dealing with the heat.

VCT Day minus 59

Regular readers of this blog ..... (oops, sorry, I fell off my chair laughing at that one). Anyway, I've changed the look and feel of the blog to be about everyone's experience of the challenge, if they want to add bits and pieces to the site.

Tony and I both went riding today - bloody hot! I rode from Carlingford to Toongabbie via Westmead (about 15km) rested at his place and then back home again (another 15 km). Tony joined me between his place and Westmead and then did some circuits of Parramatta Park, while I headed home. Carlingford to Toongabbie is mostly downhill and flat so that was the easy part. It was a bit harder on the way back, I can tell you! By the time I got to Oatlands, I was ready to gulp 2 bottles of Gatorade real quick, and then take another as a roadie.

Pulled up OK though and so Tony and I are heading off early tomorrow morning to do the Bay Run around Iron Cove - it's great to be back on the bike!

VCT Day minus 60

Another day spent coughing and spluttering and not much to talk about. Had a very positive discussion with Lucy Brown at Northcott about what we are doing and what we hope to achieve.

Northcott Vietnam Cycle Trek: VCT Day-61!

I wonder what I did in a previous life? After getting a great head start and riding with Tony for three days straight, the last two days I have been laid up with a dreaded lurgy that means I wake up long enough to cough and splutter for a time then lower my head exhausted until the next coughing fit. Doing more of the same as I blog, but thought I'd at least get a couple of lines in here and maintain the discipline of blogging, if only to myself :). Michael Bargholz has kindly sent me $100 today and with David Chambers' $75, the sponsorship pot for Northcott is building nicely. Several other generous donations will be properly acknowledged when I can sit at the keyboard again for more than two minutes.

Northcott Vietnam Cycle Trek - VCT Day-63!

Woke up this morning to the realisation that there are 9 weeks (63 days) to go until we take off for Ho Chin Minh City to begin the bike rid of our lives!

Tony came over to my place just after midday and we rode over to his place at Toongabbie - not a huge ride (about 15 kilometres by the time we'd doubled back to Blackman's bike shop to investigate a wobbly back wheel and get the spoke cones tightened) but one done in the middle of the day (top temp about 30 degrees centigrade) and getting used to the conditions we'll cycle in when we get to Vietnam.

A good ride was had, and I have to confess it was more enjoyable than any other physical or emotional feeling (although the achilles twinged at the end and I've been ice packing since I got home).

More importantly, I got home to three fabulous emails, being donations to the Northcott cause: a $50 donation from Ian Pryer, who regularly works magic with my travel itineraries at Goldman Travel; Margaret Vickers, who I used to work with at the University of Western Sydney, sent me $100, and my good friend in China (and anywhere else in the world for that matter), Brendon Chen blew me away with a $1,000 donation!

Knowing I've got such great support will certainly keep me motivated over the next nine weeks and beyond, for sure.

Northcott Vietnam Cycle Trek - Back on Track!

I haven't received any comments about my blog prior to November 4 (my last entry) and nobody noticed that I haven't been around for a while, so I'm slipping back in to kickstart the process once more.

A series of travels, dramas, injuries (an achilles tendon that's now nearly better), Christmas and stuff represented a confluence of events that so little in the way of progress during the last two months, but I think I'm back on track now.

Had two rides this weekend with my brother Tony - the first for about 50 minutes on a variety of bike tracks around his home and then more than an hour today down at Parramatta Park (with a detour to the Port Bar Restaurant for coffee). Wheezing and puffing and blowing was, I guess, par for the course, but I'm determined that I will now get on with the job that I started and then let fall by the wayside over the last couple of months.

Off to the physio in the morning for continuing work on the achilles, although it's certainly a whole lot better than it had been during November and December.

Also got an extra $130 to put into the fundraising kitty, courtesy of my good friend David White, so I'm now up to $630 out of the $5,000 that I've got to raise in order to participate - gotta keep working the emails and phones, I guess.