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Best of the West on September 10th (Saturday)

kpykc

Speeding Up
Jun 13, 2007
805
14
Hi all,

I plan to check out the best / toughest climbs in the mountains to the west of Tokyo on September 10th (or 11th depending on the weather and other circumstances). The ride features 6 "official" climbs (Ashigara, Mikuni, Dozaka, Suzu, Matsuhime, Kazahari) and almost no flat sections.

This is the route:
http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/22122094

It is a very hard ride - ~174 km long and ~3800 m of total ascent, so, it's not about racing every climb like crazy, it's about pacing and survival (but if you still have energy at the base of Kazahari, the last climb, well.. let the fireworks begin :D). I also plan to keep the stops at minimum, actually, only 2 stops are planned - km.42 (conbini next to Yamanaka-ko after Mikuni-toge) and km.92 (supermarket in Saruhashi, before Matsuhime-toge).

The start is at Shin-Matsuda station (south exit) at 6.30 am. I will take the train on Odakyu Odawara line from Noborito (at 5.12 am) with a transfer at Honatsugi. There is also a direct train without transfers, but it arrives to Shin-Matsuda at 6.50 am, which is not late, but it's better to start riding as early as possible, therefore, 6.30 is more preferable.

This should be a great wake up call for the climbing legs, and with Super Hill Climb in Odawara only 1 month away - it's almost a must for the participants :bike:

There are many options to bail out / take train (after every climb, actually), so you won't be lost.

Anyone interested, please, post here.
 
Hello Serguei,

this is such an amazing route! (almost terrifying :eek:)
I wish I could join, but I'll be in Maebashi/Gunma on Sep. 10-11 for the Mt.Akagi hill climb.
Looking forward to a next opportunity.

Eugen
 
This should be a great wake up call for the climbing legs

Or destroy them, one or the other... :eek::D

Sort of half-tempted to join you for at least part of this, but will have to figure out transportation and work, too... Will let you know.
 
I'm absolutely not confident about handling 3.800m of climbing after two and a half weeks off the bike, but I will try to join. Phil, if you need accomodation and a garage, let me know.
 
I would like to join this ride, but there doesn't appear to be any trains from central Tokyo that can make it to Shin-Matsuda by 6:30am. It appears that the first train from my station, Nezu, would get me there at 7:04am at the earliest. :(
 
This is stupid, so I am interested. Awfully early start, though, and I will almost definitely bail out before Kazahari.

Also, I detest Mikuni pass. Another good reason for going...

Strange sport. :bike:

Aaron
 
This is stupid, so I am interested.

Aaron, your presence is one more reason to join that lunacy. It's been too long. :)

Pete, perhaps we can convince Serguei to start an hour later.......... :warau:
 
Pete, there is a serious reason for such an early start - it is very important to finish with Mikuni (2nd climb) as early as possible - it's the worst place on our entire blue planet to ride with sun beating down at you.

There is a train leaving Shinjuku at 5.00 (Odakyu Odawara line), with a change in HonAtsugi, arriving to Shinmatsuda at 6.38 - could you try and come on this train?
 
This is so stupid that even im contemplating doing it and riding to the meeting and then home again.

need to get clearance with the VH.
 
Pete, there is a serious reason for such an early start - it is very important to finish with Mikuni (2nd climb) as early as possible - it's the worst place on our entire blue planet to ride with sun beating down at you.

There is a train leaving Shinjuku at 5.00 (Odakyu Odawara line), with a change in HonAtsugi, arriving to Shinmatsuda at 6.38 - could you try and come on this train?

Serguei, I did see that train. Comparing the two options:
1) Leave my house at 5:20am to be there at 7:04am via Nezu Station.
2) Leave my house at 4:15am to be there at 6:38am via Shinjuku Station.

So I'd have to leave home an hour and five minutes earlier in order to arrive there just 26 minutes earlier. Perhaps I need to HTFU, but unfortunately once you factor in the 30 minute ride to Shinjuku, packing the bike on the sidewalk, and working my way through a huge station wearing cycling shoes, that option really doesn't make sense for me.

No worries, I don't want to hold your ride up. If it's too late, it's too late. I'll catch you on another ride. :)
 
Serguei, I did see that train. Comparing the two options:
1) Leave my house at 5:20am to be there at 7:04am via Nezu Station.
2) Leave my house at 4:15am to be there at 6:38am via Shinjuku Station.

So I'd have to leave home an hour and five minutes earlier in order to arrive there just 26 minutes earlier. Perhaps I need to HTFU, but unfortunately once you factor in the 30 minute ride to Shinjuku, packing the bike on the sidewalk, and working my way through a huge station wearing cycling shoes, that option really doesn't make sense for me.

No worries, I don't want to hold your ride up. If it's too late, it's too late. I'll catch you on another ride. :)

Pete, I have pretty much the same schedule - need to leave my house at 4:20 am, ride from Fuchu to Noborito (~30 min ride), pack my bike and take train from Noborito at 5:12am. I am not a big fan of early starts myself, but it's really necessary to kill this monster.

It would be nice to have you on this trip!
 
This is so stupid that even im contemplating doing it and riding to the meeting and then home again.

need to get clearance with the VH.

Riding out and back? James, it seems that you're ready to take it to the next level of madness :D
 
Serguei,

The starting point isn't too far and the finishing point is so far out of the way that it would take me a week to get the train back, so might as well either take route 16 home or down the Tamagawa.

Pete, you are more than welcome to crash at mine for the night and then we both head out toether in the morning.

Its madness as we all know I have an allegic reaction to hillclimbs..... I also noticed there are 5 Cat1 climbs on this ride!!! :confused:
 
guys make it? We got turned back on Hinohara kaido (3 km out from Musashi Itsukaichi); Nokogiri; and even Odarumi (Takao). Seemed like road closures and land slides everywhere we went. Hope you guys made it ok
 
Ok mate..... there is also the promise of a full English before we leave with my home made pork bangers :cool:
 
guys make it? We got turned back on Hinohara kaido (3 km out from Musashi Itsukaichi); Nokogiri; and even Odarumi (Takao). Seemed like road closures and land slides everywhere we went. Hope you guys made it ok

We didn't.. unless somebody went on a recon ride in the midst of typhoon - would be quite an adventure :rolleyes: The ride is scheduled for the 10th (next week) - hopefully the roads will be passable.
 
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