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Official Ride Fireworks - Tour de Hanabi (17th TCC Tour)

Room for one more?

Never ridden in a group larger than 2, but this ride is basically where I bop around all the time so I'd like to tag along. Will be at the starting point at 10:15 am, unless we're already at critical mass requiring a police permit.

David
 
Update!

The numbers have picked up, which is great!
So far, the people meeting in front of Tokyo Palace at 10:15 are:

Arai-san
Elvis
Newton
SHIBAGON
Shinobu
Travis (YellowGiant)
Truffleseater "David"
Yoko Ibe
Motionid(?)

For the exact meeting location, click on the route-map below and zoom in to the "green arrow" - it's pretty accurate!
http://www.mapmyrun.com/run/japan/tokyo/684716640

The rest of the course hasn't changed, so we'll be meeting Imai-san (if his schedule permits) at "Gas-Bashi" at 11:30.
>Phil Harris: What's happening with you? If you can make it, can you come to Gas-bashi as well, and wait with Imai-san? (He's posted a detailed map of where he'll be).

Then we'll meet "kpykc" at 12:00 on the corner of Kampachi-dori and Rte.246.
It should take about an hour from there to the Arakawa-cycling-road. If we're on schedule, we can have about a 30-minute break there (We'll start rolling along Arakawa right on 1:30).

Once we're all on Arakawa, along the way we'll be meeting with Nobu-chan, Alcyone & Sarah – locations and times still need to be worked out for those guys - probably about 2pm.

It's pretty much straight from there down to Kasai-rinkai-koen, where we'll have something to eat & drink – we should have about an hour (between 3-4pm) to replenish the carbohydrates.
At around 4:00-4:30, we'll head towards Harumi-futo-koen, where we'll watch the fireworks.
I will bring a ground-sheet (tarpaulin) for everyone to sit on – and we can get cardboard boxes from the food-stalls(屋台)to put underneath it.

>新井さん、しのぶさん、柴山さん、今井さん、伊部さん:よろしく~!
皆、参加してくれてありがとう。楽しみにしています。
>今井さん:ガス橋に来れるかどうか?教えてくださいね!
>しのぶ、柴山:もし良ければ、ちょうど10時に14号線(京葉道路・靖国通)と江戸通の角を通りますので、皇居まで一緒に行こうか?
>伊部さん:早めに来てね!それとも、10時にしのぶさんと柴山さんと一緒に、、、
>新井さん:貴方も来てくれて安心しました(一緒にコーディネートしようかと思ってて、、、)。皇居の前でお会いしましょうね!T

See you all on Saturday!
Travis
 
hi there.
i have been visiting your website many times but never actually participated in any of your rides. usually i head into the mountains with a group of other riders, but sometimes i go with Don and his half-fast cyclists. to cut it short, if its ok with you guys, i would like to join this saturdays ride !? .. i live right by futako-tamagawa and would therefore join you guys there if thats ok.
i am looking forward to meeting you on saturday !
thanks, marek
 
Futago-Tamagawa...

Hello Marek,
I've been on one of Don's Half-fast rides as well.
You're most welcome to join us this Saturday. If you can ride up to the corner of Rte.246 & Kampachi-dori at 12:00, you can wait there with "kpykc".

Also, if everyone turns up for the ride, that will make you rider#15 (maybe #16)!
Thomas sent me a PM, and has agreed to make this an "Official" tour, which means that all the participants will get points for coming along.

So far (in alphabetical order):

Alcyone
Arai-san
David "TrufflesEater"
Elvis
Imai-san
kpykc
Marek "Livestrong"
Motionid (maybe?)
Newton
Nobu-chan
Phil Harris (maybe?)
Sarah
Shibayama-san "SHIBAGON"
Shinobu
Travis "YellowGiant" (me)
Yoko Ibe

Hope to see you all there!
T
 
荒川サイクリングロードで合流させていただきまぁ~す:bike3:
皆様宜しくお願いします。
 
tora-san
明日は参加OKです:D
予定通り【ガス橋(東京側)11:30】に行きます。
明日楽しみにしてます〜:greets:
 
84km is difficult by Mountain bike! With a road bike your distance and comfort would increase greatly!
You should buy ours, as we are leaving soon!

I rode the Arakawa course on a folding bike. It took 8 hours for only a short distance!


I am planning to attend, and I will try to map out the meeting point tomorrow on a practice run.

How far from Abiko is the meeting point under Mito Kaido (rte 6)?
which station is close?
I will try to map tonight!
 
ok. i will be waiting at the Seven 11 on the corner of Kampachi dori and 246 (Tamagawa dori) from 12pm... see you guys tomorrow !!
 
Last call!

Is everyone ready?

Alcyone
Arai-san
David "TrufflesEater"
Elvis
Imai-san
kpykc
Marek "Livestrong"
Motionid (maybe?)
Newton
Nobu-chan
Phil Harris
Sarah
Shibayama-san "SHIBAGON"
Shinobu
Travis "YellowGiant"
Yoko Ibe

I think everyone pretty much knows their respective meeting times & places…

10:15 in front of Tokyo Palace; 10:30 roll out:

Arai-san
David "TrufflesEater"
Elvis
Newton
Shibayama- SHIBAGON
Shinobu
Travis "YellowGiant"
Yoko Ibe

>Motionid: What's happening with you?

>Phil Harris: Are you going to be at "Gas-bashi" with Imai-san, or on "Route 15", (on the Tokyo side)? Rte.15, at 11:20, or Gas-bashi at 11:30.

>"kpykc" & Marek "livestrong", see you on the corner of 246 & Kampachi at 12:00!

>Alcyone / Sarah: Underneath Mito-Kaido (Rte.6) is no problem – about 2pm please. From Kashiwa, it's about 24-25km to Arakawa - maybe an extra 5-6km from Abiko (30km, in total) - from there, we'll roll down the river to meet …

>Nobu: Underneath the "Kuramaebashi-dori" bridge at about 2:15.

Minna-san, yoroshiku!

Travis
 
about to leave! I feel hot and sweaty now, leaving! Today is nice weather compared to yesterday.
see you in 2 hours!
 
Summer in the City

A big "Thank You" to Travis for leading this tour. It was good fun -- good hot fun.
I raised a glass of Ozzie Shiraz Cabernet to him at dinner tonight.

It was a pleasure for me to meet and talk with several of the other riders. And to to those
whom I didn't get a chance to talk to, I can say I look forward to doing
so on our next ride together.

Today was my first group ride, so I beg your indulgence for what I'm sure were several breaches
of etiquette/protocol (such as leading everyone off in the wrong direction). Today was also my first extended ride
on a new bike, so if you heard me muttering and cursing under my breath, it was probably aimed
at the front derailleur (which failed to downshift about half the time).

For those of you who missed the ride and want a little "flavor":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8HsEbb-9sA&mode=related&search=

P.S. Sorry for cutting out and heading home before the fireworks. Had to feed the cat
and water the garden.
 
fantastic ride today! It was a bit far from Abiko without rinko, but it was really relaxing to roll back in to home at midnight!

Big thanks to Travis-san, Nobu-san and everyone who helped put this together! I'll put pictures up soon!

It's too bad my sunglasses were stolen today close to Edogawa. I guess it's a good excuse to buy a new pair!

I was fond of my old ones though.

-Milin
 
Hanabi tour without Hanabi

Due to the unuasual heat, this was another tough tour to me. I was , honestly speaking, exhausted when I knocked the door to let my wife open the door. :mad:It was 9:00PM after 180Km ride.
However, "tough" always means FUN to some extent once it is over. :warau:

For this tour, I was really looking foward to riding downtown and this turned out very exciting. On the way back home, my GPS navigated me and guided the heart of Tokyo like Akasaka, Hibiya, Omotesando,,,,,. To a country boy, this city view at night was fascinating.:D

I really thank Travis for arranging this tour.

Minoru Arai

P.S. I posted a group picture, but it is somehow blurred. Setting was someting wrong. Sorry about that.
 
【tour de Hanabi】お疲れ様でした。
tora-sanありがとうございます。おかげで楽しかったです!
(霞ヶ浦に続き『夏合宿第2弾』って感じでしたが:p

また、最後は皆さんに色々ご心配&ご迷惑をお掛けしました。
軽くですがあの後の報告になります。
まず、事務所の方へ行きそちらで改めて話し合いを持ちました。
結論から言うと、まず自転車をショップへ持ち込み検査しても
らい、その結果に合わせて弁償してもらうことになりました。
なのでホイールだけになるか新車になるかは、ショップで検査
してもらわないとわかりませんが、とりあえず昨日話した状況
ではキチンとした対応をしてもらえそうです。
ぶつけた本人以外にも、最初にノブちゃんが言いにいってくれ
た方、さらにはあそこの所長も出て来たのでたぶん大丈夫だと
思います。(もちろん帰りはタクシーで輪行しました:cool:
それとシノブちゃんが言っていた謝罪ですが、これも事務所で
の話し合いの前に「今後の対応の話しをする前にまずは謝罪が
先でしょ」と言いキチンと謝ってもらいました。
せっかく楽しいツアーだったのに、最後にこんな事故が起きた
のはちょっと残念でしたが、まあ犯人もいてその後の対応もそ
れほど問題なさそうな感じなので取りあえずは一安心です。
 
Thank you

Tora-san,Nobu-san
楽しいツアーを企画してくれてありがとう。炎天下のもと走るのは大変だったけど
超楽しかったです。特に最後の花火:clap:あんな綺麗な花火は初めて見たかも。
Imai-san
愛車が事故に遭い残念でしたが、何とかなりそうで良かったですね。
"きっちり"直してもらってくださいね。
Thank you for everyone and I look forward to riding
with everyone soon:D
 
It was hot day and I was really exhausted :warau:
Thanks Travis for organizing this tour and thanks to Yoko-san who invited us all to great Hanabi party, just in front of Rainbow Bridge. :beer:

Newton
 
Hi, everyone!
Just wanted to thank you (all of you) for a great tour and a wonderful time. For me, beginner and amateur, this tour was a real challenge - i am still wondering why i am alive after this run :warau: But also I think, that it was great to meet you all - so different and interesting!! i hope it won't be for the last time :)
And of course the fireworks were damn cool!!

kpykc AKA crux AKA sergey :D
 
Full report!

Overview:
First of all, it wasn't a "perfect" ride – with a small route change, some miscommunication, and the HEAT – but in the end, it was a really great day, and the fireworks were spectacular!

Seven of us rolled out from Tokyo Palace at 10:30;
Arai-san
David "TrufflesEater"
Elvis
Newton
Shibayama- SHIBAGON
Shinobu
Travis "YellowGiant"

We were joined unexpectedly by an 8th rider – Randy – He heard about our ride on "Don's Half-Fast Cycling". (Thanks Don, for letting everybody know about it).

We had a short break just before we reached Tamagawa, but I noticed that we were falling slightly behind schedule. We met Imai-san at "Gas-Bashi" about 10-minutes late. After that we really had to hurry to get to the next meeting place – Kampachi-dori & Rte.246 – where we met:
Marek "livestrong"
Arndt
Sergey (Crux) "kpykc"

The now twelve of us started rolling up Kampachi-dori at 12:30 – a full 30 minutes late.
The ride up Kampachi was hellish, with all the extra traffic due to the Summer-Vacation rush. The ride up was also a bit further than I expected (I made a mistake with the maps & distances, which put us further behind – Sorry!)
One more thing - mentioned earlier – that made the day extremely tiring, was the HEAT!!! Absolutely terrible! It was also the cause of the breaks being longer than expected, and needing more of them than usual. It was really hard to ride even more than 10km without having at least a short break, and then waiting for the people behind.
By the time we started along the Arakawa-cycling-road at 2:20, we were really falling behind the original plan. The wind along Arakawa was also not very friendly – quite a fierce head-wind all the way down.
The biggest worry by then, was meeting our last 3 riders after falling so far behind:
Alcyone
Sarah
Nobu-chan

Luckily, I was able to call Nobu, and tell her to ride up the river to meet Alcyone & Sarah and ask them to wait for us.

By the time we all arrived at our last scheduled meeting place, we were a full 90 minutes behind the original schedule – as well as being almost completely knackered from the wind and heat. But they told us afterwards, that they were grateful for the extra waiting time, so it kind of worked out well in the end.

We needed to get to the fireworks early to get a seat, so we decided to skip Kasai-rinkai-koen and head straight to Harumi to see the fireworks.
There was a small mix-up which caused a further delay, and we had to wait at "Shin-Kiba" station for an extra 20 minutes, but once we were all back together, we rolled into Harumi at about 5:20.
I wanted to get there at least an hour earlier than that – the place was already packed with people, and there were still 100's of thousands of people on their way in…

Then we had a saviour, in "Yoko Ibe"!
Her friend owns a warehouse building in Tsukishima, and she received an invitation to a roof-party for up to 16 people!
She called us several times, and we finally found the location.
It was really great, and all the credit goes to Yoko for that.
Thank you so much, Yoko!

Once we were all there though (minus Arai-san, Dave "TrufflesEater", Elvis, and Randy; who all had to get home early), the rest of us (12 people) went to the roof-top to watch the fireworks:

Alcyone, Arndt, Imai-san, Sergey Crux "kpykc", Marek "Livestrong", Newton, Nobu-chan, Sarah, Shibayama-san "SHIBAGON", Shinobu, Travis "YellowGiant", and Yoko Ibe.

And just a small note to make everyone else jealous…… They were serving "FREE BEER"!

The fireworks were great!

Apart from the smaller problems – Heat, etc. – in getting there, Imai-san's bike was hit by a car when parked downstairs in the warehouse. This caused all of us to leave quite a bit later than expected, but we found the guy who did it, and everything should be covered by his insurance.

After that, we all rode through Ginza to make sure everyone found their appropriate roads home, and then Nobu & I rode with Alcyone and Sarah up to Kanamachi, so they could get back to their place.

All in all, I really am glad everyone had a great time!
In future though, I will make sure that when riding in mid-summer, we should add extra time for breaks etc. so that the pace doesn't need to be so high.

And a special thanks to all the guys who came on a "TCC" ride for the first time:

>Arndt,
>Dave "TrufflesEater",
>Elvis,
>Marek "livestrong",
>Randy,
>Sergey "kpykc".

It really was great fun riding with you all for the first time (>Alcyone & Sarah: not your first TCC-ride, but the first time riding with me), and I'm glad you all enjoyed it.

Take care, and RUBBER DOWN!
Travis
 
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