THE 500km cycle tour through mountainous Vietnam as part of the Oncology Children’s Foundation 200tomorrows program is on the home stretch for OCF ambassador and former Sydney Swan, Jared Crouch, who is being supported on the trek by fellow OCF ambassador, Swans midfielder Ryan O’Keefe.
OCF, the Swans official charity partner, supports research into cures for childhood cancers and since its inception in 2008, the 200tomorrows challenges have raised more than $500,000.
Jared is not only supported by Ryan on the journey, but also by other cycling enthusiasts and adventure seekers on the 12-day trek.
Ryan was desperate to ride too, but he had groin troubles during the season and had to have an operation just after the Swans semi-final loss which thwarted his plans to cycle alongside his former team-mate.
The challenge started in Hanoi on Sunday, October 3, and they’ve already taken in the sights of Ha Giang, Tam Son, Yen Minh and Dong Van, to name a few.
Here is a look at their journey…
Day one saw the group enjoy the local hospitality and sights in Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, on an orientation walk.
The gruelling journey started on day two with a bus ride towards Ha Giang, which included cycling the last 40km late in the afternoon before they arrived at their basic accommodation for a well-earned rest.
Day three saw the group cycle 55km to Tam Son, with almost half the trek an uphill climb. The upward journey started just eight kilometres out of Ha Giang and lasted for a muscle burning 23kms.
Crouch was finally 1000 metres above sea level, before hurtling headlong towards Tam Son as they roared down the descent with only the occasional plateau.
Yen Minh was the destination at the end of day four - a popular stop for truckers and smugglers coming from the border. The cyclists were told that day four would be nothing short of spectacular as they cycled down into a valley and followed the river for 18km before they started the next climb. In total, day four saw Crouch and his companions cover 50km, allowing them enough time in the afternoon to rest up for day five.
Day five, a 68km journey from Yeh Minh to Dong Van, was the longest and most challenging ride to date on the trip. The steep climb had everything from spectacular views to volcanic rock, as well as glimpses of the local hill-tribe people going about their daily activities.
Pushing ahead to day six, the half-way point of their journey, the cyclists had to navigate another climb, then a descent down cobblestones as an added challenge. With the loop complete, they were back in Yeh Minh where they loaded their bikes into the van and drove for five hours through Ha Giang to an eco-resort called Pan Hou Resort where a rest day awaited them.
A break on day seven gave the group enough time to freshen up for day eight when they rode into a small town called Vinh Quang, in northern Vietnam.
Well and truly on the home straight, on Monday the group followed a river towards Xemen before they started a climb which showcased some breath-taking views over the valley. Traction was an issue that was highlighted prior to the start of the trek for this part of the journey, with many riders needing to walk sections due to the steepness of the 17km climb. From here, they cycled into Bac Ha, a 14km descent.
With the climbing officially complete, the journey is nearly over with only a 24km comfortable descent into Lao Cai to go. Once in Lao Cai, Jared and Ryan will board a sleeper train back to Hanoi, where they will spend the final two days of their journey before returning home on Thursday after their 500km Vietnam adventure.
