Daily Stats
Distance 57kms
Time 4 hours 38 minutes
Elevation 1829meters
Speed 12.5 kph
Accumulated distance 340 kms
Daily Disasters
I was so tired last night. I talked to for a bit to my fellow Italian resident then at about 8 both of us went to bed. I really went to sleep immediately.
I woke as he was leaving at about 6am then got up and had breakfast at 8.
I was on the road and cycling by 8.15am
A shortish distance but a fair few meters of climbing. The first 20kms were flatish then the next 37 were climbing.
This really should have been a spectacular ride the route winding itself like a sinuous snake around the mountains, waterfalls cascading down, and lush verdant foilage encasing the mountain faces. As it was fog then mist then rain completely obliterated everything.
At one time I was hammering down a steep decline and every time I went over a bumpy patch I thought I could hear ducks quacking in my ear. Then as I hit the next inevitable incline a motorbike went past with hundreds of ducks stuffed into a basket on the back.
I just put my head down and worked slowly and deliberately. I did stop a few times, and when the gradient spiked a few times I certainly did have to work hard and then stop to recover. Eventually I stopped for an egg sandwich, checked the potential weather, saw it was going to rain all tomorrow so promptly booked another night at the hotel. At this point 15kms to go about 90mins at the pace I had been travelling, it’s a slow old grind going up hill.
Anyway as it happened it was a little shallower and I was finished within the hour.
Here are 2 short videos. Please draw your own conclusions as to what I think of Sa Pa.
A Couple of Days Ride Outta....... 