{"id":9306,"date":"2026-08-18T15:33:26","date_gmt":"2026-08-18T15:33:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/velomag.eu\/pedal-power-20000-km-from-dal-vietnam-to-brescia\/"},"modified":"2026-08-18T15:33:26","modified_gmt":"2026-08-18T15:33:26","slug":"pedal-power-20000-km-from-dal-vietnam-to-brescia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/velomag.eu\/nl\/pedal-power-20000-km-from-dal-vietnam-to-brescia\/","title":{"rendered":"Pedal Power: 20,000 km from Dal Vietnam to Brescia"},"content":{"rendered":"

From Vietnam to Brescia: A 20,000 km Cycling Odyssey<\/strong><\/p>\n

By Matteo Danesi<\/em><\/p>\n

Embarking on a 20,000 km cycling journey from Vietnam to Brescia was a monumental challenge, especially considering it was my first significant bike trip. The initial plan was straightforward: traverse Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam, aiming to reach China. However, upon reaching Hanoi, the journey took an unexpected turn.<\/p>\n

The Decision to Return<\/strong><\/p>\n

In Hanoi, a question kept resurfacing: “What if I returned home now?” This thought led me to change my course, not as an explorer but as someone heading home\u2014to Brescia. The journey transformed from exploration to a return, covering nearly 20,000 kilometers.<\/p>\n

Support Along the Way<\/strong><\/p>\n

I wasn’t truly alone. Along the route, I met numerous people, and many followed my journey from afar, sending messages and encouragements that made a significant difference during tough times. One father shared that his son, battling leukemia, eagerly awaited my updates daily, considering me his hero.<\/p>\n

A Tribute to My Father<\/strong><\/p>\n

I had set off on my father’s birthday, intending to return on the anniversary of his passing. This journey became a way to honor him, to close a circle through pedaling.<\/p>\n

Overcoming Challenges<\/strong><\/p>\n

There were moments when everything seemed overwhelming. In Vietnam, I cycled uphill for three consecutive days without respite, questioning my decision. Yet, there were unforgettable moments too. In Cambodia, exhausted and without water, I knocked on a villager’s door. Despite the language barrier, she welcomed me. Later, I learned her husband had passed away just hours before.<\/p>\n

Another time, in Laos, I collapsed on the roadside. A young man found me, took me to his home, offered me water, and let me rest without asking for anything in return.<\/p>\n

Belief in Myself<\/strong><\/p>\n

These experiences propelled me forward. Gradually, I began to believe not in the distance but in myself. Day by day, pedal stroke by pedal stroke, I realized I could go much further than I had imagined.<\/p>\n

Arrival in Brescia<\/strong><\/p>\n

Reaching Brescia was initially pure adrenaline\u2014the arrival, the people, the sense of accomplishment. But it was short-lived. When you stop, everything you had during the journey slowly fades. Days become the same, the rhythm changes, and that continuous energy starts to wane.<\/p>\n

Lessons Learned<\/strong><\/p>\n

The journey taught me a simple lesson: it’s not the distance that changes you; it’s the trust you learn to have in yourself along the way. And that, once back, is the hardest thing to find again.<\/p>\n

Matteo Danesi<\/em> <\/p>\n

Source link <\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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