07/11/2024
Mark Hughes Foundation Vietnam/Cambodia Challenge
NOVEMBER 7, 2024
Men’s Trek – Bonding, Reflection and Remembrance
By Andrew (Shooter) Maguire
To Wayne Wetherall, thanks for everything you do. To not only organise but to guide us, feed us, house us and get us all home safe.
Well, trek number 8 started early this year for the MHF. Fundraisers were held in both Sydney and Newcastle and not only were they all huge successes in raising money for this great cause, but the Newcastle boys came down to Sydney and vice versa. It was the perfect way for all of us trekkers to meet each other before we set off on this amazing journey. Some of us had met before on previous treks and some were meeting for the first time. The connections were almost instant and I could tell how tight knit this group was going to be long before we boarded the plane.
October 9th arrived and we gathered at Sydney airport, I could just see it in the boys eyes that this one was going to be something special. A few beers were had, great banter and laughs before we set off for Vietnam ready to have a crack at this new challenge that our trek leader Wayne Wetherall, Hughesy and The Chief had set us knowing it wasn’t going to be a walk in the park going off previous treks so the anticipation was high.
We arrived in Ho Chi Minh City and we had a nice team dinner followed by a de-brief of what we were in for over the following 10 days. It was also a great opportunity for everyone to formally introduce themselves and share their reasons for being here. For some it was very personal and for others it was a chance for them to take themselves out of their comfort zone and challenge themselves to a mental and physical battle to honour not only the MHF but also our Australian Diggers who fought here in the Vietnam War.
Our first day in Ho Chi Minh was a visit to the War Museum and the Cu Chi Tunnels, an underground system used by the Viet Cong to infiltrate the south of the country. Hundreds of miles of these intricate tunnels, b***y traps and up to 45,000 people underground at any one time. As Chief put it, “the Viet Cong were playing a home game that they couldn’t lose”. It would’ve been terrifying to fight an almost invisible enemy and sadly we lost some young Australian soldiers in these conditions. A very significant place and its importance is not lost on anyone.
Day 1 and it’s finally time to get the show on the road – our bikes are ready and so are we. After our safety debrief and equipment check we are on our way. We rode through some unbelievable scenery and plantations on our way to Long Tan as we followed the footsteps of our soldiers. Long Tan is a very significant place as we lost 18 young Australians, their ages ranging from 18-21 years. It’s a very sobering reminder of the sacrifices that were made by kids as young as our own. We had a service here and paid our respects. It was a very emotional place. 40 km’s of riding today, it’s hot and we know our days on the road are going to get longer from here so hydration is the key. We have the best corner man in the business in Sammy Mayer looking after us in that department – cold waters, hydrolytes and eskys full of ice at every break. We know he is going to be a Godsend to us on the long roads ahead.
As we make our way South along the Mekong Delta we traverse our way through tiny little towns with concrete paths through and around some beautiful rice paddies. Everyone pushed their bodies pretty hard today – 80 kms in total. Some long, hot days await us but the boys are up for the challenge and we can’t wait to get amongst it.
As we head further south to Can Tho I can’t help but be truly amazed at the beautiful scenery. It’s hard to explain when we cross these little rickety bridges, some so dodgy that we have to cross one by one with the fear of anymore, the bridge would collapse. Pulling up at a small boat ramp on the edge of the Mekong Delta, a tiny barge pulls up and we push our bikes on to cross to the other side of the river. So primitive yet so effective. They have been doing this for years, just probably not accommodating 22 big men with mountain bikes. Sometimes we had to do it in two trips, not much OH&S going on over here so we had to make a few executive decisions to make it across safely.
We spent the night in Can Tho. It’s our southernmost point before we head west across the country and make our way north into Cambodia. Our journey west across rural Vietnam is truly one of the most amazing things I have ever done. We are getting up to 80-90 kms per day now and as beautiful as the scenery is here many dangers present themselves and it is taking all of our focus to keep our minds on the job. The terrain here is a mixture of broken concrete paths, gravel, mud and very dodgy bridges. Throw heat into the mix and this is where the mental and physical barriers are tested. A few thrills and quite a few spills, some on the serious side and some on the funny side but everyone has each other’s back and this is where the comradery is really kicking in. It’s inspiring to know we are here to get this job done and we will all be finishing together in one piece – we ride on….
It’s funny sometimes how special moments happen and you can’t explain why or how but you just happen to be at the right place at the right time. It’s fate. On this particular day one of the boys went down with heat stroke so we had to make a forced stop. We were literally in the middle of nowhere. We hadn’t seen anyone for miles, but just as we pulled up and jumped off our bikes there was a huge wedding taking place. It was so bizarre to see this. They were literally under a huge tent, maybe 200 people singing and dancing and blaring speakers so loud that they could probably hear the music back in Ho Chi Minh City! We marvelled at the beautiful nature of these people. 22 sweaty men laying around on their special day, they could’ve been forgiven for moving us on but not only did they not do that, they came rushing out, some bringing us food and cold juices, others dragging us inside to dance whilst encouraging us to drink shots of their local rice wine with them. Probably not the ideal hydration methods for us but this was a special moment and we got right amongst the festivities with them. The sight of us sitting in the shade around their wedding tables eating, drinking and dancing with the bride and groom will stay with us forever. It was just one of those great special moments in life that none of us will ever forget. Oh, and the reason we were there in the first place, our man down with heat stroke, recovered well with some extra help from the locals – (not the rice wine!)
With the long days comes aching muscles so it’s great to have master trainer Johnny Gannon on board. After every long day on the bike JG warms us down with a series of stretching exercises and each morning some breathwork sessions and more stretching before we set out on our next phase of the trip. Everyone buys in and we all feel the benefits as we know we need all those 1%ers to get us to the finish line.
The food here on our journey across Vietnam has been magnificent. Every day at our lunch stops we have been welcomed by the most amazing locals who cater to our every need to keep us going although I reckon if big Dools (Brendan Dooley) doesn’t get his hands on a T-Bone steak soon there could be mayhem. We’ve promised him there will definitely be one waiting for him at the end of the road.
We finish heading west now with a huge 90km day through some of the most beautiful, off the beaten track places I’ve ever seen. It’s seeing the smiling faces of the local families, kids especially as we ride through their villages, that keeps us pushing through the tough conditions. We stopped in at a school where some of the boys handed out books, coloured pencils and some tennis balls and hats. We even signed some autographs even though these kids had no idea who we were. I gathered that when they ran past Chief and asked me to sign one (ha ha).
We head north now up towards Cambodia knowing tomorrow will be our toughest day. 100kms and a mountain challenge to top it off.
Over the course of the last 8 days Hughsey and Bedsy have been working on a team song. Its like a victory song and it will be not only used on this trek but for all future treks and the boys are all really looking forward to hearing it and singing it as one. It will be unveiled at the end of our toughest day.
When they said tough, they certainly didn’t disappoint. 96 kms in extreme conditions. It was a gruelling day, we got lost multiple times. We had men go down and when we got to the end, in fading light, there it was, a huge daunting mountain towering over us. “Who wants to be king of the mountain?”’ Wayne says. Not surprisingly with this group all hands go up and the challenge is accepted. Off we go, broken bodies, broken bikes and 2kms of narrow, winding steep dark mountain. Hughsey leads the charge and is never headed. It’s fitting that he is crowned King of the Mountain and he waits at the top as one by one every single rider makes it to the top. It’s getting dark by now but the elation we all feel can only be matched by the most breathtaking view from our highest point in Vietnam, right across the Delta to Cambodia which we can clearly see in the distance. We will be there tomorrow. Now is the perfect time to unveil the team song and it only takes us a couple of practice runs and we belt it out loud and proud. I reckon Cambodia can hear us coming already. Another great day.
Our Vietnam leg has now officially come to an end and we’ve now crossed into Cambodia. I never really knew the history of this place. The unimaginable horror that these beautiful people endured at the hands of the evil Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge brought tears to our eyes. We visited the War Museum in Phnom Penh and paid our respects. The country is slowly picking up the pieces and getting back on their feet again. You can’t help but admire their resilience. It’s a beautiful place, the people are so welcoming and friendly. A quiet night as we prepare for our last big ride of the trip from Phnom Penh down to Siem Reap.
WE’VE DONE IT…. 120 kms on the final day. Some said it was too much, too tough after the gruelling week that we’ve all had, but not this group of legends. If it wasn’t for us running out of light we could have done another 120 that’s how solid and committed this gang is. Most of us have never won a grand final before but being on that bus heading back to our hotel with the Chief, Bedsy and Hughesy as well as 19 other truly amazing human beings, we know now how it feels. If only we could bottle it. Cheers, beers, toats and sing a -longs and now it’s time to celebrate. I love these blokes, mates for life.
Our final day was supposed to be a nice luxurious coach ride from Siem Reap down to the ancient temples of Angkor Wat. The call went out to ride our bikes one last time and experience one of the 7 natural wonders of the ancient world. Built over 850 years ago by the Hindu and Buddhist Monks with 400-year-old trees growing on top and the massive roots hugging the ancient structures had to be seen to be believed. It’s almost impossible to describe the natural beauty of this place, just like the Pyramids of Egypt. How the hell did they build them? So glad we got to experience this. The 20km bike ride today was more of a victory lap than anything else.
Dinner on our final night and big Dools has his wish granted – we are at a Steakhouse and I reckon he’s ordered a cow. They say cows are sacred here but the most sacred thing on all MHF trips is the revered golden goblet. Since being discovered high in the Himalayas in 2017 this has brought good luck and fortune to anyone who has had the honour to receive it. The goblet is awarded to someone who the team believes has gone above and beyond and the voting this year was unanimous.
The great Brendan Dooley. Not only was he the highest single fund raiser for the trip, he also attended every fundraiser put on whether it be Sydney or Newcastle. He was inspirational on the trek, and always kept our spirits up. Last year’s winner Fordo (Darren Forward) spoke very emotionally about what it meant to him and I’m sure Dool’s will do it proud until he hands it over next year.
Everyone had a chance to speak over dinner and reflect on what this trip meant to them personally. I don’t think I have ever experienced such raw emotion and honesty and one by one every trekker spoke about their own physical and emotional journey, the mates they have made, the sacrifices and rewards. Hughesy then got up and spoke passionately about each and every one of the trekkers and just what this trip had meant not just to him but to the foundation. There wasn’t a dry house in the house especially when he announced that our trek had raised over 450K.
Dohie (Jarrod O’Doherty) then got up and read a poem that he had written summing up the trip, the trekkers and in his humorous way had us crying tears of laughter. Neeso (Kieran Neeson) then stood up and led us in the team song, it was fitting as the journey was a personal one for Keiran and he channelled every bit of his old man’s musical genius. We raised the roof with one booming rendition of the song. A great final night was had by us all, we sang, we laughed, we danced and we finished the night and the trip just how we started it – together as one. Mates for Life.
To Fordo, for his insightful interviews each night.
To Dohie, for keeping us in stitches each night with your refereeing genius and dubious decisions.
To Sam Mayer, for not only his generosity to the MHF, but everything he did for us on the trek to keep us all well hydrated and switched on.
And last but not least, Matt Kelson (Kelso) you followed us every step of the way, camera in hand, videos and drones. You took our trip and showed it to the eyes of the world. The amazing scenery, the pain of war, the beautiful people and the countries of Vietnam and Cambodia. Your vision and your work will always be there for us and our families and friends to remember one of the great MHF treks of all time.
And to all my fellow trekkers, thank you for a life changing experience, I would not want to do with anyone else. Mates for Life.
Danny Buderus, Dave Caldwell, Corey Dunn, Brendan Dooley, Mark Fisher, Darren Forward, John Gannon, Mark Hughes, Paul Harragon, Bob Hawes, Bryce Healy, Mick Hart, Todd Jaques, Matt Kelson, Frank Lawler, Sam Mayer, Andrew Maguire, Keiran Neeson, Jarrod O’Doherty, Tony Price, Wayne Roberts, Damian Sonego
Cheers, Shooter
STATS:
582km ridden
Average speed – 19km/hours
27 hours and 20 minutes total ridden
1470 vertical metres
