We had been contemplating how to get from Dalat to Nha Trang some 100km away on the coast as the crow flies; we were a bit tired of buses after two long slow trips and were toying with the possibility of hiring a car and driver, when we discovered that several tour companies, including Highland Holidays, with whom we did the 2-day trek, offer a mountain bike ride down a newly built road to the coast. It seemed the perfect solution - an interesting way of getting to our destination and a chance for some exercise and more close up views of magnificent Central Highlands scenery.
Thus, after one last superb breakfast at Madame Dung's Dreams hotel, we found ourselves heading out of Dalat in a van with a guide, Mr Cong, driver and a three bikes in the back. We drove the first part of the road to get past the heavy traffic of Dalat, a buddhist funeral procession, the roadworks on unfinished sections and the traffic police, who stopped us to collect a "fine" for the crime of carrying bikes in the car (no receipt needed) - all part of the experience!

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Now that is a breakfast!!!
After about and hour and thirty kilometres, we stopped, prepared the bikes and set off. At least I did with Cong; the fair Nello decided that, with a wonky knee, she would skip the early uphill sections and join us later. From where we started, we could look back over the green pine-clad hills to Lang Bian Mountain and forward to the steeply curving asphalt road winding for 2km up the next hill. I suspect that the guides use this hill to assess the fitness/ability of their clients - anyway, I must have received the tacit seal of approval as we crested the hill and pedalled on.
The first ten kilometres traversed gently undulating hills lined with pines and crops of hill tribespeople. We rolled through the local village, just as the school was playing the Vietnamese national anthem - it was a good opportunity to stand up and give my backside a break from the saddle.
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