Post # 67 Back in Hanoi

Day 80 1000 days to go. Distance: today 40km total 4670km. It’s 9.15pm Saturday the 18/2/2012 Still in Hanoi. Oh man!!!!!!!! So the short and curly of a long story is that Rubes rear axil pin has been bent and needed replacement. I didn’t realize the impact of this until we stopped for our first break today 20kms into it, and the rear axil that holds her trailer popped out when I parked. I put in back in place and it did it again so problems. We headed back to Hanoi to have access to shops and services to try and sort something out. The problem is that the trailer comes with it’s customized rear wheel pin and hooks that the trailer connects to. I had time to think about options on the ride back which went from finding a new axil pin to having to buy a new set up to having to go home. I went back to the hotel and took Rube apart to see what we needed. I went to the bike man to see if he had a axil pin that would do the trick. Luckily he had a large quick release pin that the trailer hooks fitted on. Back at the hotel I tried the trailer on but the quick release lever didn’t allow the hooks to go on by 2 millimeters max. I was on the footpath trying to work out how to make it fit and thought that if I could shave off the millimeters with an angle grinder that may work. This fella from next door came up and I explained to him my idea. Next thing he’s come back with an angle grinder and was into it. It fits so hoping hoping hoping it lasts under constant use and pressure we’ll see starting again tomorrow. It least we can start so we’ll see. Keep everything crossed for us. Another ‘helped by a local big time.’ How lovely and humbling and very lucky girls. For now it’s bed and back into it tomorrow. Talk soon hopefully on route to Haloing Bay. x