Bikepacking Adventure

East of VSIP1, in Thuận An / Dĩ An, along ĐT743 - showing the destruction of Chinese factories in this industrial area, following anti-China riots of the previous day and evening. Most notable in this area is the Asama factory. Following a confrontation between Chinese forces and Vietnamese fishermen in the South China Sea, anti-China sentiment erupts into riots. This sentiment comes from widespread mistreatment of Vietnamese workers by Chinese companies, and also a bit by Taiwanese and Korean companies. Vietnam, Bình Dương, Thuận An / Dĩ An, ĐT743

A time lapse of the ferry service at Bến đò Thủ Dầu Một. In this video, the tide is coming in, so the flow is away from the sea. There is also lots of water weed at this time of year, Late in the dry season, start of the wet season. Vietnam, Binh Duong, Thủ Dầu Một, Phú Cường.

An overhead look at the activities in the street. Vietnam, Bình Dương, Thủ Dầu Một, Chánh Nghĩa, Phường Chánh Nghĩa.

As the light fades, people come, stay and go, at this little shop - which is across the road from BECAMEX tower, a glass covered office building. Vietnam, Bình Dương, Thủ Dầu Một, Phú Hoà, Hẻm 84/41.

Following a confrontation between Chinese vessels and Vietnamese fishermen in the South China Sea, anti-China sentiment erupts into riots. This sentiment comes from widespread mistreatment of Vietnamese workers by Chinese companies, and also a bit by Taiwanese and Korean companies. Chinese and some Taiwanese businesses are vandalized in this industrial park. I heard of the VSIP1 action from a friend, so I went along in the evening on my bicycle to take a look. I may have been the only westerner there. Vietnam, Bình Dương, Thuận An, VSIP1 (Vietnam - Singapore Industrial Park)

Getting a front hub replacement, having my rear wheel rebuilt with the same spokes and rim. The wheel builder is the neighbor of the Le Hoang Probike Shop, where this video is taken. Vietnam, Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh, Phường 12, 283/64 Cách Mạng Tháng 8

Getting a rear hub replacement, having my rear wheel rebuilt with the same spokes and rim. The wheel builder is the neighbor of the Le Hoang Probike Shop, where this video is taken. Vietnam, Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh, Phường 12, 283/64 Cách Mạng Tháng 8

A cardboard collector packs cardboard and a huge bag onto her bike for recycling. Vietnam, Hồ Chí Minh, Gò Vấp, Phường 3, Nguyễn Kiệm (at Quang Trung)

Disabled old man gets around on a little bicycle. Vietnam, HCMC, Đông Thạnh, Lê Văn Khương

Looking west from 3 Tháng 2, Lái Thiêu, Thuận An, Bình Dương. The other side of the bridge connects to Hà Huy Giáp, Thạnh Lộc, Quận 12, Hồ Chí Minh.

Water pressure causes the hose end to whip around. No need to hold it, let fluid dynamics control the distribution. Vietnam, Hồ Chí Minh, Hóc Môn, Đông Thạnh, Đường Đặng Thúc Vịnh. On the other side of the fence is Green Tree Park.

Next to Ga Sai Gon, this little alley is one of so many in HCMC. Vietnam, Hồ Chí Minh, Quận 3, Phường 10, Hẻm 240 Cách Mạng Tháng Tám

Workers clean a stormwater drain with a giant vacuum cleaner truck, at Thu Dau Mot market. Vietnam, Bình Dương, Thủ Dầu Một, Phú Cường, Nguyễn Thái Học.

Crossing the Saigon River at Thủ Dầu Một ferry service (Bến đò Thủ Dầu Một), where a lot of water weed (water hyacinth, maybe) slightly interferes with ferry operations.

Cycling around farmland in Tân Uyên. First north along ĐT747, checking out a rubber tree plantation. The white sap of this kind of tree is the source of all natural rubber/latex. Then cycling west along unnamed dirt road from ĐT747 to the little ĐH409 for a little south, then west again along another unnamed dirt road to ĐT742, and south along that toward Bình Dương New City.

Cycling eastward over Cầu Phú Mỹ bridge, from Bình Thuận, District 7 - to Thanh My Loi, District 2, HCMC.

I felt like i was in bikepacking heaven, a little north from Cửa Lò town. Vietnam has some great backroads for cycling. Vietnam, Nghệ An, Nghi Lộc, Nghi Tiến, Quốc Phòng

Starting on Cầu Trường Đai, Gò Vấp, cycling south on Lê Đức Thọ, take a right into Đường Lê Văn Thọ and go south to Quang Trung, turn left and cycle east. Skip to the back lane Nguyễn Thông, Phường 10, Quận 3, cycling east and coming out at Ga Sài Gòn, Saigon railway terminal. Cycling south and taking a right turn into the small alley Hẻm 240 Cách Mạng Tháng Tám and go south to Đường Cách Mạng Tháng Tám and turn right. Keep going west and then skip to after a left turn into Tô Hiến Thành and cycling southwest until taking a right turn into Hem 116 Tô Hiến Thành, Phường 15, Quận 10, a residential area with tiny alleys. This is the budget accommodation center of inner Saigon. I once visited a room in a nearby area, where the ceiling was so low I couldnt stand up, i had to stoop or sit. The people living there were shorter than me and could stand up straight and laugh at me.

Some disabled people get enough help from their community for them to be kind of independent, which is better than being locked away in a care facility like a prisoner. Vietnam, HCMC, Đông Thạnh, Lê Văn Khương

A man uses a zebra crossing without waiting for the lights to stop the traffic. Location: Hai Bà Trưng, Tân Định, Quận 1, Hồ Chí Minh, Vietnam

Cycling from the south, going around the north part of Biên Hòa to avoid the trucks and traffic. Starts on Hẻm 370 Xa lộ Hà Nội, Hố Nai, TP Biên Hòa, Follows along westward, turn right into Hẻm Số 847, Tân Hiệp, Then take first left and follow the flow and come out onto Đường Nguyễn Ái Quốc, Tân Hiệp, just where there is a Dong Nai Supermarket / Siêu Thị Đồng Nai Follow that street west until it merges with QL1K, then follow along through Quang Vinh to the bridge over the Đồng Nai river, with a higher bridge under construction (Cầu Hóa An).

Cycling north from Bà Rịa city to Đồng Nai along a divided highway. The water buffalo may be in Tân Thành, Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu. Then passing through the province border checkpoint into Phước Bình, Long Thành, Đồng Nai. Then under the expressway and north toward Bien Hoa city.

Cycling southwest from Phan Thiết city, first on quiet fields in Hàm Thuận Nam, then salt pans in La Gi, then a wooden bridge which may be Cầu treo Tân, in Tân Hải, Hàm Tân district.

Cycling around Vũng Tàu, seeing some things. Vietnam, Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu

Cycling around Phan Thiết city, finding some alleys and back streets. Vietnam, Bình Thuận, Thành phố Phan Thiết