Riding the Ho Chi Minh Trail
The ride from Da Nang to Khe Sanh had been an incredibly satisfying journey, but the most anticipated part of my tour was still to come: The Ho Chi Minh Trail. My plan for the Trail would cover three days… Read More
Travel
Vietnam: The Road to Khe Sanh
Sometimes when I travel I go out of my way to visit places that some would say have a limited tourist appeal. My visit to Khe Sanh during my recent Vietnam cycle trip was just such a stop. If you… Read More
Riding the Hello Highway: A Vietnam Cycle Story
I had been barreling through Da Nang as fast as morning traffic and red lights would allow when the north end suburban expanse ended with the suddenness of an equatorial sunset. To the right was the oily brine of the… Read More
Tet Festival: Celebrating the New Year in Vietnam
On January 30, 1968, just a little more than three weeks after my birth, large numbers of Viet-Cong soldiers, South Vietnamese loyal to the North, with well placed support form the North Vietnamese Regular Army, orchestrated a sweeping series of… Read More
Setting Forth: On the Road to Sanming
Setting Forth. It is the title of a song by Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam that he wrote for the soundtrack to the movie, Into the Wild. Setting forth in the universe, it says. It’s a song that always sets… Read More
May I Take Your Photo? Handling the Burden of Fame in China.
There seems to be a slight disturbance on the sidewalk in front of the busy shopping center. Men stare in bewilderment and slight astonishment, children walk into the legs of adults and nearby walls as they stare with a look… Read More
It’s the Little Things
When it comes right down to it, it’s the little things that matter. It’s the little things that make the difference. When it comes to life here in China there are plenty of big differences, but by and large they… Read More
Anping Park- Finding Solitude in the Busy City
One of the first things you notice about China is the noise. To say they use the horns on their vehicles liberally would be a gross understatement of the truth. I had only been here long enough to get to… Read More
VeloTramp T-Shirts – Now Available!
In a little more than 24 hours I’m going to be embarking on my next big adventure: teaching high school in China. Read about it here. There are times when I think about it that I get so excited that I… Read More
The Next Adventure: China
Today is August 4th and it marks one year since I have had a cigarette. Wow. I remember clearly pulling in behind the Tim Horton’s at Whitbourne and smoking three or four cigarettes over a cup of tea and deciding… Read More