Day one would be training in the Dirt Town academy, and day 2 would be a fun drive out to Soc Son, where the local Hanoi riders aimed to impress Jarvis with the challenging local trails.
Lead up to the event
In the usual Vietnam style, the lead-up to the event was a bit messy. No real itinerary was planned, and for many, it looked like a dream too good to be true, with rumors spreading that the entire event was a scam.
However, as the hours drew closer to Graham Jarvis's arrival in Vietnam, eventually, we started to see pictures and videos of Graham himself landing in Hanoi airport and being collected by the local Hanoi riding team. The event was on!
We are told Graham Jarvis enjoyed local Hanoi food, and there are pictures of him sitting on plastic chairs, just like Barrack Obama!
Dirt town the night before the event
I guess Graham Jarvis wanted to scope out the venue of dirt town to make sure it was real, and rumors of his evening visit spread around the community.
There were, of course, a lot more than usual drivers at dirt town that night, patiently waiting for his arrival. We were all practicing in our usual way, crashing and stumbling over obstacles.
At around 6pm, in the true "silent assassin" style that Graham is known for, he showed up out of nowhere on a Honda Lead.
Everyone stopped riding their bikes, and for the entire time Graham Jarvis was in dirt town, no one person touched their motorbike. No one was brave enough to ride in front of him.
Selfies were taken, signatures were signed, and people had a gentle chit-chat with the man himself. Finally, as it became dark, Graham left the venue, popping a small wheelie on his Honda Lead on the way out.
I had a chat with Graham that day, and he told me the Husqvarna he was using was not working and that the locals were trying to fix it. I said to him "don't worry, this is normal in Vietnam".
Everyone went home.
The day of the Graham Jarvis training event
Eight AM is a very early start, especially for Vietnam, but to my surprise, the event started mostly on time. The spectators were pushed into a tent at the back, and it seemed we were not allowed near the show. Graham Jarvis gave a basic briefing on motorbike setup before unleashing his students on their first training exercise. They started from the beginning with a basic training exercise so that everyone could be involved. There was even one BMW GS at the event! As the minutes flew by, the event became relaxed and the spectators were allowed out of the prison cell in the corner of the event. Eventually, the riders and the spectators became one, as we all huddled together to learn from the master himself.
After each exercise, Graham gave a briefing on the next drill that the group would tackle. After each briefing, he gave us a circus act of unbelievable wheelies and motorbike demonstrations. It was fantastic!
Lunch was hosted and sponsored by the sandwichhouse in Hanoi. Offering British-style sandwiches with the authentic taste from back home. Graham Jarvis definitely appeared to enjoy this! A British sandwich on a dirt track in Vietnam, well, why not?
As the afternoon developed, the training drills progressively became more difficult, The BMW GS rider stepped down, and Graham Jarvis's stunts became more and more impressive. The more novice riders also took a step back and joined the spectators. We all enjoyed watching Graham Jarvis and the best riders in Vietnam battle it out over obstacles and a small race track. The atmosphere was amazing.
That night, Dirt Town hosted a BBQ party for everyone to enjoy.
Day 2 to Soc Son
Unfortunately, I had to fly back to Ho Chi Minh, so my story ends here. However, the Hanoi riding team took Graham Jarvis out into the hardest trails near the city. Here is a picture that captures the event. Thanks Flamingo travel for this picture.
Thank you's
Thank you to this event's organizers and the silent assassin himself for showing up in Vietnam!
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