WhiteGiant
Maximum Pace
- Nov 4, 2006
- 1,233
- 395
It's that time of year again, with enough days off in a row to head out on another multi-day bike tour, and/or make a general nuisance of oneself.
As I went over my list of rides around Japan, (beginning back in 2005), I realized that I'm slowly running out of coastal roads that I haven't been on:
Apr 2005, Tokyo to Kyoto – 560km: 4 days
Apr 2006, Kyoto to Shimonoseki – 580km: 4 days
Dec 2006, Around Kyushu – 980km: 8 days
May 2007, Tokyo to Aomori – 880km: 6 days
Sep 2009, Tokyo to Niigata – 358km: 19 hours
Dec 2010, Tokyo to Kameyama – 438km: 28 hours
Apr 2013, Tokyo to Kashiwazaki – 375km: 2 days
Apr 2014, Kanazawa to Toyama (Noto Hanto) – 380km: 2 days
Dec 2014, Osaka to Kameyama (Kii Hanto) – 600km: 4 days
Aug 2016, Niigata to Aomori – 580km: 3 days
As far as Honshu goes, there are only 3 long stretches of coastline that I haven't ridden yet – 1). Shimonoseki to Kanazawa along the Japan Sea coast, 2). Sendai to Choshi down the Pacific coast, and 3). Aomori to Sendai down the Pacific coast.
Shimonoseki to Kanazawa would take at least 6 days, plus an extra day to get to the starting point. The coastline south of Sendai is still aglow with the Fukushima radiation. So that just leaves the final option.
The plan is simple:
Day 1: 115km – Aomori to Hachinohe
I'll catch the shinkansen up to Shin-Aomori station on Saturday morning, arriving at about 11:20am. From there, I will ride leisurely to Hachinohe. About 115km, going the long way around.
Day 2: 165km – Hachinohe to Miyako
I hope to catch up with Kiwisimon while I'm there, and with any luck he will ride with me part of the way down the coast. I'll do my best to take the smaller roads that follow the coast, rather than the main roads this time – Expect some nice pictures before I'm through.
Day 3: 174km – Miyako to Kesennuma
I have a feeling that this one is gonna hurt. From the profile, there are a lot of ups & downs as it follows the coast. I'll do my best to leave a bit earlier to give myself some extra time. Again, probably a nice day for some beautiful scenery.
Day 4: 165km – Kesennuma to Sendai
Hopefully not as hilly as the day before, but my legs might be cooked by then anyway. The final day is usually pretty relaxed, and I imagine a nice easy-paced run in to the proverbial finish-line. My original plan was to meet some friends there and come back the next morning, but said friends will be out of town, so I can just come straight home that evening.
Looking forward to this ride.
As I went over my list of rides around Japan, (beginning back in 2005), I realized that I'm slowly running out of coastal roads that I haven't been on:
Apr 2005, Tokyo to Kyoto – 560km: 4 days
Apr 2006, Kyoto to Shimonoseki – 580km: 4 days
Dec 2006, Around Kyushu – 980km: 8 days
May 2007, Tokyo to Aomori – 880km: 6 days
Sep 2009, Tokyo to Niigata – 358km: 19 hours
Dec 2010, Tokyo to Kameyama – 438km: 28 hours
Apr 2013, Tokyo to Kashiwazaki – 375km: 2 days
Apr 2014, Kanazawa to Toyama (Noto Hanto) – 380km: 2 days
Dec 2014, Osaka to Kameyama (Kii Hanto) – 600km: 4 days
Aug 2016, Niigata to Aomori – 580km: 3 days
As far as Honshu goes, there are only 3 long stretches of coastline that I haven't ridden yet – 1). Shimonoseki to Kanazawa along the Japan Sea coast, 2). Sendai to Choshi down the Pacific coast, and 3). Aomori to Sendai down the Pacific coast.
Shimonoseki to Kanazawa would take at least 6 days, plus an extra day to get to the starting point. The coastline south of Sendai is still aglow with the Fukushima radiation. So that just leaves the final option.
The plan is simple:
Day 1: 115km – Aomori to Hachinohe
I'll catch the shinkansen up to Shin-Aomori station on Saturday morning, arriving at about 11:20am. From there, I will ride leisurely to Hachinohe. About 115km, going the long way around.
Day 2: 165km – Hachinohe to Miyako
I hope to catch up with Kiwisimon while I'm there, and with any luck he will ride with me part of the way down the coast. I'll do my best to take the smaller roads that follow the coast, rather than the main roads this time – Expect some nice pictures before I'm through.
Day 3: 174km – Miyako to Kesennuma
I have a feeling that this one is gonna hurt. From the profile, there are a lot of ups & downs as it follows the coast. I'll do my best to leave a bit earlier to give myself some extra time. Again, probably a nice day for some beautiful scenery.
Day 4: 165km – Kesennuma to Sendai
Hopefully not as hilly as the day before, but my legs might be cooked by then anyway. The final day is usually pretty relaxed, and I imagine a nice easy-paced run in to the proverbial finish-line. My original plan was to meet some friends there and come back the next morning, but said friends will be out of town, so I can just come straight home that evening.
Looking forward to this ride.