What's new

Today April 2023

Looks like essential hike a bike kit
Restrap-Hike-A-Bike-Harness-in-use-from-behind.jpeg

I think there is a flaw concerning it said for hiking.
 
On Saturday/Sunday I rode 230 km from Matsumoto in Nagano to Yoyogi koen/Tokyo (on Strava) in a six person group. Our team was one of several dozen doing a Flèche or Trace ride in the same AR Nihonbashi event. The ride formats are similar in that both have small groups riding together for the entire course, with time and distance requirements, but the Trace format is more generous (2-6 people, at least 200 km, 24-34h to finish vs. 3-5 people, at least 360 km, max. 24h).

AJFCJaUiZCT5E0MLupKGPkhqMPHuQrGgmxKsbOUmV8k99SDyAPbWzcN_POmANmCzTNvzN0IreNc66q9gR6ns0t6-_nV2-aYICdDbLwMOIQqIMF8LrFizdiReZ-pF17PfsJCDx34YJVuImSIqIrybC9Iw-YJ3wg=w1976-h1488-s-no


For three years the same team had attempted a Flèche from Aichi to Tokyo but it always ended in DNF (abandoning the ride), primarily due to sleep deprivation. This year we opted for the Trace format. This gave us more time to rest in the middle and also more time to enjoy interesting places and sit down meals along the way.

AJFCJaVcYKbPopKAGGhMchqtldPyrMcRJ_5u6IJeyJiFjQcTf2_IcX-CB7crPx-cQyGygPPRH3us1zuG9HT8ll9m1HAzBBVNBq4796ao4XEtBxpBbe5TyIsoWWspTiG6THqi7QmTsEMa2eDDrcgh2UKbUDxpYw=w1976-h1488-s-no


On Friday morning I picked up a rental car (Toyota Aqua) at Noborito/Kawasaki. In the afternoon I drove to Nagano with my bike in the back. It rained most of the way there but the weekend forecast was better. I cycled from the rental car drop-off place to my hotel wearing my rain gear in the cold rain. I let my bike dry in the hotel car park before I moved it to my hotel room for the night.

After breakfast I took a stroll around the city center before meeting up with the rest of the team. One AJ NishiTokyo member came on his MTB to see us off at the Familymart starting point.

After the 10:30 start we headed towards Shiojiri toge (塩尻峠, 1031 m), about 20 km away. There were a lot of rolling hills and the toge was about 435 m above the start. The higher pace early in the ride was the toughest part for me, especially with all the cold weather gear we were carrying for the part past midnight in the second half.

I had never cycled in Matsumoto, though on previous Norikura trips with Half-Fast Cycling we always returned from that station (shuttle bus from hotel to station). On the way to the toge we passed through Shiojiri where the Norikura adventures always started.

From Shiojiri toge we got a view of Suwa-ko, the nearby lake. In the morning it was very cloudy but I was happy it wasn't raining. After the descent down into Okaya we had lunch at a local restaurant. I felt much better after food and some rest.

AJFCJaWQu6_OWTZqgUPTJMV9rihsGGStAJlRB1ie-mOFOcp92Jr0L1IblXk7X5WeVMwUg4Lj8mbJyfetVEfL4Ba1BD7a-rmQdhmnAk2y8BwXE8LSrpOdqzLP-IMx1WdEl4jy70XzKJbyOmrOhfDHbmaO0vSV6w=w1330-h1772-s-no


We proceeded on the SW side of Suwa-ko where I had previously passed in the opposite direction on AJ NishiTokyo's 600 km brevet. We stopped at Suwa Taisha jinja, one of the three major shrines in the area around the lake, to pray for a safe ride or to enjoy the views and take pictures as the case may be.

AJFCJaX6EZ9tVlN7eQ6UG2COplhmE1FPFgx0erufCIBPOGsxpERd6yZsJqPEi1Oq6yolDPTQy3s8k4iOxvOo5t3oS7aw_fiUl0a-fEFMYyEJhATcOgqt2TV5iXmgu8pGZlCHI0KszJ2atq1GBp3nZ9kua0Kc_g=w1976-h1488-s-no


A bit over 30 km after the toge and 50 km from the start we stopped at our first PC (checkpoint). One of the requirements of the Trace format is PCs at least 50 km apart. This means the goal not only has to be 200 km from the start but also at least 50 km after wherever PC3 is if you have three PCs at roughly 50+, 100+ and 150+ km.

As the day progressed, the clouds disappeared and the sun came out more and more. The temperature climbed from around 8 deg C in the morning to around 13 deg C in the late afternoon. The route climbed again after the lake to reach Fujimi toge were you can see Mt Fuji (duh) on a clear day. The descent from there to the Yamanashi basin was a lot of fun: A lot of fast-paced downhill.

AJFCJaVNO_WQ_9RMhZs0fhcyk_50KLBwUmt3KJtRu2lNWzRAcJNEQR_dmlSXhjbxqoGcSmSIHSiDesdJp6_I4C9G0ky8CbCRx3MXBVPXdLpwlVU0Tnk4U05xszrXJtCBeM08gPfX5xsEw08C7PSftv8TIzPRaw=w1334-h1772-s-no


A little after 17:00 we reached our halfway stop at the Kenkoland in Fuefuki where we rested for almost 8 hours. We used the public bath before having dinner as a group and then catching a nap.

At 00:15 I got up again from the reclining chair where I had rested, changed back into my cycling wear and met up with the team. The Easter full moon was out and it was cold, about 6 deg C.

We all wore our winter gear now. I had changed from shorts into winter trousers but left off some layers because we were still climbing before the coldest part. PC2 was a convenience store near the bath. From here we climbed about 480 m vertical to Sasago tunnel. The first part was back roads, often past harvested vineyards, then we joined Rt20 (Kushukaido). The gradient there was mellow.

AJFCJaW3WtX7tuPK_Y5jTsVh5iPAjThXmkuCyUIDpznNcZflTTayNVWB_yW0NjntLGq8ylmOeAatEQ0w7srbTckfFFVjWwhdSKTU3lnerd0AfVuqXUUKL7qf-CAOU5umuhR1clXenKZoE6q5rb_36YO1g_GAOg=w1334-h1772-s-no


Just before the tunnel entrance was a Michi-no-eki that was already closed for the night. Here we put on the rest of our winter gear. I covered my neck and ears and wore 4 layers (base layer, LS jersey, wind breaker, rain jacket) plus the reflective vest. Sasago tunnel is about 3 km long. The coldest part of the ride would start at the tunnel exit and would last until just after sunrise. It was also very windy. Windy.com had predicted 0 deg C for the tunnel exit at 03:00 while the weather site used by Mr D., the ride leader had predicted 3 deg C. His site was spot on.

It was a loooong descent to Otsuki and on to Uenohara. There wasn't much traffic on Rt20 at night. I was dressed warm enough that I was feeling comfortable, except for the toes of my right foot that felt chilly at one point as I had skipped the shoe covers. I did use "ghetto bar mitts" (plastic bags over the drops secured with rubber bands) and never needed my full fingered gloves.

AJFCJaXw2ye62_-YqlL2K1MSW8r8pvesZeJTCu-0nZeP9N5KYRzjpwsfE8ULNEiwSkjssZa71C7vLaGCaHKbfUpnGG17KGodDqyvyS7uujEAokGy2bsXYBSRafU0pkYTbxJxQHVC-ijO59Wptzj_Z0BmWIeh7g=w1976-h1488-s-no


After Uenohara we turned off Rt20 and followed the same route in reverse that I had last done in October during the Momotaro brevet. The temperature dropped as low as 0 deg C near Sagami-ko before the morning sun reversed the trend. I took off some layers as we did some minor climbs towards Sagamihara.

We crossed Machida and passed Noborito where I had earlier picked up the car. I was almost at home now. We passed close to my home in Setagaya.

The plan was to have breakfast at a Gusto restaurant (217 km from Matsumoto) to get receipts to prove our goal time but after we had already ordered our food we were told they won't split bills on parties of 4 or more people (i.e. no receipts for 5 of the 6 of us) and they wouldn't budge on that. So we ate our food as quickly as we could and did a conbini purchase nearby just in time. Then we rode another 6 km to Yoyogi koen where the goal reception was (the "Naisu pureesu" = "nice place" in Japanese rando terms).

We met some other randonneuring friends who had participated.

AJFCJaU4WsO1QD8PvuC03Xa9opiuFBZm4xompEbF5ph7XlAskyZxKx7OWJKgUoKAb9fUhL1K-t5I13YUrYzpTJ0JpU2qZvB9TWnS_OHEzNJ292-oU0RvpOWvYAefh18SC_si4kk0kXXgCEuw21WfiWkdIJ9Q1g=w1976-h1488-s-no


After filling in and handing in our brevet cards along with the conbini receipts for proof we had our picture taken (see above). It felt good to have finished a team event for the first time in several years. It was a great route and a nice team and we had been very lucky with the weather. We split up there and rode home individually. I had only 7 km home. After a shower and fresh clothes I took a nap on the sofa for a couple of hours.

My legs were a bit sore for a few days but it wasn't all rest. On Monday I took a business partner who came to Japan to West Izu by car, including some hiking, on Tuesday we walked 10+ km in Kamakura together. Now I'm all ready for the next ride!

On Saturday/Sunday I rode 230 km from Matsumoto in Nagano to Yoyogi koen/Tokyo (on Strava) in a six person group. Our team was one of several dozen doing a Flèche or Trace ride in the same AR Nihonbashi event. The ride formats are similar in that both have small groups riding together for the entire course, with time and distance requirements, but the Trace format is more generous (2-6 people, at least 200 km, 24-34h to finish vs. 3-5 people, at least 360 km, max. 24h).

AJFCJaUiZCT5E0MLupKGPkhqMPHuQrGgmxKsbOUmV8k99SDyAPbWzcN_POmANmCzTNvzN0IreNc66q9gR6ns0t6-_nV2-aYICdDbLwMOIQqIMF8LrFizdiReZ-pF17PfsJCDx34YJVuImSIqIrybC9Iw-YJ3wg=w1976-h1488-s-no


For three years the same team had attempted a Flèche from Aichi to Tokyo but it always ended in DNF (abandoning the ride), primarily due to sleep deprivation. This year we opted for the Trace format. This gave us more time to rest in the middle and also more time to enjoy interesting places and sit down meals along the way.

AJFCJaVcYKbPopKAGGhMchqtldPyrMcRJ_5u6IJeyJiFjQcTf2_IcX-CB7crPx-cQyGygPPRH3us1zuG9HT8ll9m1HAzBBVNBq4796ao4XEtBxpBbe5TyIsoWWspTiG6THqi7QmTsEMa2eDDrcgh2UKbUDxpYw=w1976-h1488-s-no


On Friday morning I picked up a rental car (Toyota Aqua) at Noborito/Kawasaki. In the afternoon I drove to Nagano with my bike in the back. It rained most of the way there but the weekend forecast was better. I cycled from the rental car drop-off place to my hotel wearing my rain gear in the cold rain. I let my bike dry in the hotel car park before I moved it to my hotel room for the night.

After breakfast I took a stroll around the city center before meeting up with the rest of the team. One AJ NishiTokyo member came on his MTB to see us off at the Familymart starting point.

After the 10:30 start we headed towards Shiojiri toge (塩尻峠, 1031 m), about 20 km away. There were a lot of rolling hills and the toge was about 435 m above the start. The higher pace early in the ride was the toughest part for me, especially with all the cold weather gear we were carrying for the part past midnight in the second half.

I had never cycled in Matsumoto, though on previous Norikura trips with Half-Fast Cycling we always returned from that station (shuttle bus from hotel to station). On the way to the toge we passed through Shiojiri where the Norikura adventures always started.

From Shiojiri toge we got a view of Suwa-ko, the nearby lake. In the morning it was very cloudy but I was happy it wasn't raining. After the descent down into Okaya we had lunch at a local restaurant. I felt much better after food and some rest.

AJFCJaWQu6_OWTZqgUPTJMV9rihsGGStAJlRB1ie-mOFOcp92Jr0L1IblXk7X5WeVMwUg4Lj8mbJyfetVEfL4Ba1BD7a-rmQdhmnAk2y8BwXE8LSrpOdqzLP-IMx1WdEl4jy70XzKJbyOmrOhfDHbmaO0vSV6w=w1330-h1772-s-no


We proceeded on the SW side of Suwa-ko where I had previously passed in the opposite direction on AJ NishiTokyo's 600 km brevet. We stopped at Suwa Taisha jinja, one of the three major shrines in the area around the lake, to pray for a safe ride or to enjoy the views and take pictures as the case may be.

AJFCJaX6EZ9tVlN7eQ6UG2COplhmE1FPFgx0erufCIBPOGsxpERd6yZsJqPEi1Oq6yolDPTQy3s8k4iOxvOo5t3oS7aw_fiUl0a-fEFMYyEJhATcOgqt2TV5iXmgu8pGZlCHI0KszJ2atq1GBp3nZ9kua0Kc_g=w1976-h1488-s-no


A bit over 30 km after the toge and 50 km from the start we stopped at our first PC (checkpoint). One of the requirements of the Trace format is PCs at least 50 km apart. This means the goal not only has to be 200 km from the start but also at least 50 km after wherever PC3 is if you have three PCs at roughly 50+, 100+ and 150+ km.

As the day progressed, the clouds disappeared and the sun came out more and more. The temperature climbed from around 8 deg C in the morning to around 13 deg C in the late afternoon. The route climbed again after the lake to reach Fujimi toge were you can see Mt Fuji (duh) on a clear day. The descent from there to the Yamanashi basin was a lot of fun: A lot of fast-paced downhill.

AJFCJaVNO_WQ_9RMhZs0fhcyk_50KLBwUmt3KJtRu2lNWzRAcJNEQR_dmlSXhjbxqoGcSmSIHSiDesdJp6_I4C9G0ky8CbCRx3MXBVPXdLpwlVU0Tnk4U05xszrXJtCBeM08gPfX5xsEw08C7PSftv8TIzPRaw=w1334-h1772-s-no


A little after 17:00 we reached our halfway stop at the Kenkoland in Fuefuki where we rested for almost 8 hours. We used the public bath before having dinner as a group and then catching a nap.

At 00:15 I got up again from the reclining chair where I had rested, changed back into my cycling wear and met up with the team. The Easter full moon was out and it was cold, about 6 deg C.

We all wore our winter gear now. I had changed from shorts into winter trousers but left off some layers because we were still climbing before the coldest part. PC2 was a convenience store near the bath. From here we climbed about 480 m vertical to Sasago tunnel. The first part was back roads, often past harvested vineyards, then we joined Rt20 (Kushukaido). The gradient there was mellow.

AJFCJaW3WtX7tuPK_Y5jTsVh5iPAjThXmkuCyUIDpznNcZflTTayNVWB_yW0NjntLGq8ylmOeAatEQ0w7srbTckfFFVjWwhdSKTU3lnerd0AfVuqXUUKL7qf-CAOU5umuhR1clXenKZoE6q5rb_36YO1g_GAOg=w1334-h1772-s-no


Just before the tunnel entrance was a Michi-no-eki that was already closed for the night. Here we put on the rest of our winter gear. I covered my neck and ears and wore 4 layers (base layer, LS jersey, wind breaker, rain jacket) plus the reflective vest. Sasago tunnel is about 3 km long. The coldest part of the ride would start at the tunnel exit and would last until just after sunrise. It was also very windy. Windy.com had predicted 0 deg C for the tunnel exit at 03:00 while the weather site used by Mr D., the ride leader had predicted 3 deg C. His site was spot on.

It was a loooong descent to Otsuki and on to Uenohara. There wasn't much traffic on Rt20 at night. I was dressed warm enough that I was feeling comfortable, except for the toes of my right foot that felt chilly at one point as I had skipped the shoe covers. I did use "ghetto bar mitts" (plastic bags over the drops secured with rubber bands) and never needed my full fingered gloves.

AJFCJaXw2ye62_-YqlL2K1MSW8r8pvesZeJTCu-0nZeP9N5KYRzjpwsfE8ULNEiwSkjssZa71C7vLaGCaHKbfUpnGG17KGodDqyvyS7uujEAokGy2bsXYBSRafU0pkYTbxJxQHVC-ijO59Wptzj_Z0BmWIeh7g=w1976-h1488-s-no


After Uenohara we turned off Rt20 and followed the same route in reverse that I had last done in October during the Momotaro brevet. The temperature dropped as low as 0 deg C near Sagami-ko before the morning sun reversed the trend. I took off some layers as we did some minor climbs towards Sagamihara.

We crossed Machida and passed Noborito where I had earlier picked up the car. I was almost at home now. We passed close to my home in Setagaya.

The plan was to have breakfast at a Gusto restaurant (217 km from Matsumoto) to get receipts to prove our goal time but after we had already ordered our food we were told they won't split bills on parties of 4 or more people (i.e. no receipts for 5 of the 6 of us) and they wouldn't budge on that. So we ate our food as quickly as we could and did a conbini purchase nearby just in time. Then we rode another 6 km to Yoyogi koen where the goal reception was (the "Naisu pureesu" = "nice place" in Japanese rando terms).

We met some other randonneuring friends who had participated.

AJFCJaU4WsO1QD8PvuC03Xa9opiuFBZm4xompEbF5ph7XlAskyZxKx7OWJKgUoKAb9fUhL1K-t5I13YUrYzpTJ0JpU2qZvB9TWnS_OHEzNJ292-oU0RvpOWvYAefh18SC_si4kk0kXXgCEuw21WfiWkdIJ9Q1g=w1976-h1488-s-no


After filling in and handing in our brevet cards along with the conbini receipts for proof we had our picture taken (see above). It felt good to have finished a team event for the first time in several years. It was a great route and a nice team and we had been very lucky with the weather. We split up there and rode home individually. I had only 7 km home. After a shower and fresh clothes I took a nap on the sofa for a couple of hours.

My legs were a bit sore for a few days but it wasn't all rest. On Monday I took a business partner who came to Japan to West Izu by car, including some hiking, on Tuesday we walked 10+ km in Kamakura together. Now I'm all ready for the next ride!
That's a very nice painting you have on your wall.
 
@microcord Thanks for the reply.
I would love to go on some group rides in Tokyo, if you know of any please let me know :)

I will be doing a little tour of Kyushu with some friends I met riding across South Korea last year, and we're meeting once again to tour the lovely and sunny Kyushu island.
It will be a 700km ride zig-zagging the whole island from top to bottom – I cannot wait for it !!

Any recommendations of places to see in Kyushu are also welcomed. :cool:

You should visit Mojiko in Fukuoka. There's a beer and restaurant at bridge there. Good pizza 🍕 and home brew. A bit expensive though, but many bicyclist stop in there. Just ask around for the pizza 🍕 place.
 
You should visit Mojiko in Fukuoka. There's a beer and restaurant at bridge there. Good pizza 🍕 and home brew. A bit expensive though, but many bicyclist stop in there. Just ask around for the pizza 🍕 place.
Fukuoka Craft Brewing is the place to go - fantastic mexican food and locally brewed beer.
Also if you can, check out Stephen Lyman on Twitter. He's a local who lives in the area - top all round geezer, and big proponent of shochu and local food.
 
Which company did you rent the car from? (I've been under the impression, very likely quite mistaken, that returning a car a long way from where one rented it incurs an alarmingly high surcharge.)
Toyota Rent-a-Car. It was more than 10,000 extra for the one way rental, but at least it was possible (from selected rental stations to selected rental stations only, which is why I cycled the last 2 km to Matsumoto station and didn't go directly to the closest car rental base). The train would have been less than 1/4 the price of how much I spent in total on the surcharge + rental fee + etc toll + fuel (in decreasing order of cost).

Having said that, I didn't have any good alternative: I can't rinko my NFE for the train and it was too far to either ask my wife to drive back (if we took our car there) or for me to cycle there during the work week.
 
Last edited:
New pumptrack!

 
I really liked Yufuin, an onsen town in Oita prefecture. It is really one of the prettiest onsen towns I have been to. You also have lots of options for easy hikes.

I passed it on a trip with a local tour guide, Eric, who wanted some company. So he took me along for essentially free (I needed to pay for my own rooms and all).
I was just having a look at Yufuin Floral Village on Google, it looks amazing! Thanks for the recommendation :)
 
Any recommendations of places to see in Kyushu are also welcomed. :cool:
Some of my Kyushu favourites:
Mt Aso - imo the best views are just near the Hakoishi Pass. Also Daikanbo no Mori has a killer climb and there's great views back over it from あそBOー food stand.

The Yamanami Highway through Kuju is a great road, and there's a nice little cobbled climb in Yunohira onsen.

If you go to Yufuin, on the climb up Mt Yufu on the Yamanami Highway, there's a small road that turns off on the right about 500m before the pass. Head up there for some good photo spots. In Yufuin, the beef tendon croquettes at Yufuin Kinsho Croquettes are tremendous.

Kirikabu in Kusu is a decent spot - looks like the mountain from Close Encounters and there's an ice cream place at the top.

On Route 387 just into Usa, Machu Picchu USA is a nice viewpoint.

If you like stone bridges, Ajimu and Innai in Usa are worth a visit.

Yabakei is another great area.

Onta pottery village in Hita is worth a visit, and from there you could head to Iwaya rice terraces, over the pass and down into Soeda for Mt Hiko.

Hiraodai in Kitakyushu has some superb views. Just down from Hiraodai in Yukuhashi, there's a decent pizza place called Giorgio's - the owner is a cyclist and it's very cycling friendly.

Nagashima in Kagoshima is another great area for riding.
 
Thank you so much for all this recommendations @Winston Leg-Thigh .
In the middle of May I will go on a little tour of Kyushu with some friends (hope we don't catch too much rain, as I read that May can be quite wet around there)

This is our route so far: https://www.komoot.com/collection/1990643/-kyushu-tour?ref=undefined

Yufin, Mt Aso, Beppu and Oita are places I'm really looking forward to visit for a while. I will see if we can do some detours and visit some of the places you've recommended.

You have so much knowledge about Japan, thank you for sharing
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: jdd
Thank you so much for all this recommendations @Winston Leg-Thigh .
In the middle of May I will go on a little tour of Kyushu with some friends (hope we don't catch too much rain, as I read that May can be quite wet around there)

This is our route so far: https://www.komoot.com/collection/1990643/-kyushu-tour?ref=undefined

Yufin, Mt Aso, Beppu and Oita are places I'm really looking forward to visit for a while. I will see if we can do some detours and visit some of the places you've recommended.

You have so much knowledge about Japan, thank you for sharing
Looks like a great route!! The picture at the top is the Daikanbo no Mori climb! You'll get some rain, but generally May is pretty good. Hot but not the ridiculous heat of July and August.
On your route between Hita and Yufuin, after you pass Bungo Mori (the Roundhouse there is worth a stop), instead of staying on Route 210, there are some really nice back roads with zero traffic that I much prefer to route 210. Similarly, going down into Yufuin from the Mizuwake Pass, the old route 11 is a much nicer road into town - narrow and windy, but zero traffic. This route has the section through Yufuin and Kusu (but I was going the other way), and this one has another way through the same area but with a bit of gravel thrown in.
On leg 2, your route takes you into Aso on route 11. There are nice views from Shirayama view point, but if you you skip that and go along the Milk Road to route 57, a few farm roads to Hakoishi Pass lookout, and down route 265 into Miyaji, you won't be disappointed! This route has the section from the Yamanami Highway down Hakoishi and into Aso.
 
Last edited:
April has been a good month for me so far. And I hope it will continue like that.
I started something I've never done before. I recorded my commute on a digital device. Up to now, I only recorded sporty rides, which had cycling as the main purpose. But due to the need of checking the time every now and then on my commute, I dug out my Polar. And when a friend form Germany asked me about my commute here in Japan, I pushed the start button to show him. Out of curiosity how much I cycle per week, I recorded most of commutes of the past week. I was happy to learn that I cycled around 200km commuting plus some unrecorded km with my wife and running errands in the last week only. That made feel that I'm still kind of a cyclist, even though I recorded only a 3 digit number of (sporty) km per year for the last few years.
Next, I want to fix a few issues with my road bike and restart cycling my old playground Miura and a long the coastline again.
 
April has been a good month for me so far. And I hope it will continue like that.
I started something I've never done before. I recorded my commute on a digital device. Up to now, I only recorded sporty rides, which had cycling as the main purpose. But due to the need of checking the time every now and then on my commute, I dug out my Polar. And when a friend form Germany asked me about my commute here in Japan, I pushed the start button to show him. Out of curiosity how much I cycle per week, I recorded most of commutes of the past week. I was happy to learn that I cycled around 200km commuting plus some unrecorded km with my wife and running errands in the last week only. That made feel that I'm still kind of a cyclist, even though I recorded only a 3 digit number of (sporty) km per year for the last few years.
Next, I want to fix a few issues with my road bike and restart cycling my old playground Miura and a long the coastline again.
Looking forward to us getting together again!
 
Looking forward to us getting together again!
Actually, I was wondering to trade some beer for your expertise and tools at some point. But I read about your busy schedule, and I feel, we maybe should use our little time rolling.
So, I'll try do get my bike ready to go as much as possible by myself (and asap). It's mostly small things (new cables for brakes and shifters and basic maintenance).
 
Actually, I was wondering to trade some beer for your expertise and tools at some point. But I read about your busy schedule, and I feel, we maybe should use our little time rolling.
So, I'll try do get my bike ready to go as much as possible by myself (and asap). It's mostly small things (new cables for brakes and shifters and basic maintenance).
We can still work something out. The closer to home, the better. My youngest and I will be hanging out tomorrow.
 
10-52 Cassette with a 30T up front and used every bit of it.
I used to make this climb with an 11-42 cassette and a 32T ring.
And when I was in top shape, I managed on a 33x22 SS.

Ultimately age has taken its toll and this is how I roll.
Roots, inconsistent soil/rocks/etc... my legs just can muscle through it all anymore.
The flip-side - my head isn't pounding by the top and I am not short of breath...

342530815_948845229674922_6880642998338825956_n.jpg
 
There are certainly train aficionados here, I suppose when you (perversely?) cross that with cycling, you get this:



Click on that, and then go to the link/map.
 
10-52 Cassette with a 30T up front and used every bit of it.
I used to make this climb with an 11-42 cassette and a 32T ring.
And when I was in top shape, I managed on a 33x22 SS.
You are not your gearing :)
It sounds as if your bike is more versatile than before, and more enjoyable to ride.
 
s800.jpg

On Saturday I headed for the mountains. I had no clear ride plan when I left home at 8:00, much later than intended but first rode up the Tamagawa and then to Musashitsukaichi.

s800.jpg

It was the last of campaigning for the local elections. Loudspeaker cars and election staff were out in full force. I came across 3 or 4 campaign vehicles in Hinohara and saw several of the candidates speak or shake hands with villagers. Half the village seemed to be involved in some way. It was like a competition who could be the nicest. Personally, I am no longer able to vote anywhere on this planet: I am not a citizen where I live and have not lived for too long where I'm a citizen.

s800.jpg

Azaleas (tsutsuji) are in bloom everywhere along the road.

s800.jpg

I stopped for a conbini lunch at Akiruno before I headed up the Akigawa valley, still undecided whether to head to Tsuru toge via Rt33, Tomin no Mori, Kazahari rindo or Nokogiri. In the end Tomin no Mori won.

s800.jpg

I had coffee and frozen yoghurt soft ice at the Tomin no Mori trailhead. When I continued towards the toge, I heard the siren of a police car which soon passed me. Quite a while later, a fire truck and an ambulance followed. I caught up with them after the toge: By then a motorcyclist was already in the back of the ambulance while police and the ambulance crew were taking down details from his ride mates. I wonder how many of these rescues there are on a typical weekend on this mountain.

s800.jpg

At one of the car parks on the way down to the lake a cherry tree was in full bloom, about a month after the ohanami season had peaked in Tokyo. What a difference 1000 m of elevation make!

s800.jpg

For the descent I was wearing my rain jacket against the wind. I was riding in shorts all day but up at this elevation it was definitely on the chilly side. I kept my eyes open for monkeys which I often see on the metal fence that is meant to catch falling rocks, but didn't see any. However, when I finally got down to the lake, I saw a few of them cross the road and disappear into the forest. As I stopped for the traffic light at the t-junction, I noticed a monkey family sitting on a wall.

Macaques live in Asia, from Japan to India, as well as in Northwest Africa (in the Atlas mountains in Morocco and Algeria) and in one corner of Europe (Gibraltar). Northern Honshu is their northernmost habitat worldwide.

s800.jpg

On the descent to Okutama I saw some Japanese serow (kamoshika) cross the road. I think this was my first ever sighting of these animals. I didn't manage to snatch a picture, but the visitor center at Okutama has a painting on the outside so they must be common in the area.

After Okutama it gradually got dark. I continued to Ome where I had my traditional curry dinner at Sherpa. After I passed Tachikawa it got warm enough to take off my jacket and only wear the light windbreaker on top of my LS jersey. The higher temperatures as one approaches Tokyo usually defeat the falling temperatures after sunset.

I got home around 23:00 (170 km on Strava). It was my second Century this month.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top Bottom