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Ride VeloViewer tiling in Japan

Today I went for a ride on my bike and collected 13 new tiles. I could end the story there, but I'm not gonna because there's a story that's dying to be told.


My route was based heavily on @Karl's ride, "Gravel galore" from July 2019, so I had a good idea what I was in for. Gravel = yay! However, I prefer the gravel to be at street level, whatever that might be for the time being, rather than towering over my head.

My plan was to park my van at Lake Tanzawa then head west, picking off dead-end rindō and their associated tiles as I go, before returning via a long, gravelly downhill ride.

The new leaves are so verdant. Really beautiful scenery all day.

1 green.jpg

The first rindō excursion was tough and long but uneventful. On the way upriver to the next, turning a corner, I found what looked from afar like a serious deal-breaker.

2 landslide 1.jpg

Oooooh shit.

Based on Karl having been able to spin through this spot without stopping, in contrast to my four-minute dithering, I conclude this is a new problem; perhaps from last year's typhoon(s)? I was almost ready to turn back, but took a closer look just in case. It was very very sketchy loose rubble and rocks, and bits of trees. Many rocks succumbed to entropy, tumbling into the river bed below, as I scrambled across with my bike. But we made it.

3 landslide 2.jpg

Phew. There were several more landslides later on, but none as dodgy as this one.

Obviously no vehicles are getting into this area. As @sean-e noted above, this encourages the wildlife. I saw my first bear in the wild! Only a little one, mind. If its mom had been around, I could have been in real trouble.

5 bearcub.jpg

And this girl, not long after...

6 goat.jpg

Some of the rindō made for very dodgy cycling, even without landslides. Plenty of dismounts to push on the way up this one (the 'road' is on the right), but a lot less on the way down thanks to my sure-footed Niner.

7 crappy road.jpg

As I said, my plan was to do the rindō and then roll back down to the van. The landslides - and a construction site that entailed 500 m of hike-a-bike to circumvent - had made me reconsider this. My turnaround point was to be the junction of gravel-land and route 147. I reasoned that it would be easier and safer to just hit the road and ride back a slightly longer way 'round. I could even get a couple of extra tiles!

Here's the gate - the exit from Narnia:

8 gate.jpg

So, some of us - notably @luka and @joewein and maybe others were discussing this gate a while ago - maybe here on TCC or on Facebook - wondering whether the road goes through from R147 to Tanzawa-ko, as a potential springboard for a r76 adventure up-and-over the increasingly-sketchy Inugoeji. As noted above, the landslides make this a very dodgy proposition at the moment; although most of it is nice, hard-packed gravel or dirt, there are short sections that could result in a slow, painful death.

I enjoyed the long, steep downhill, and didn't mind the climb back up to the lake at all. Much safer and more sensible than trying to retrace my steps.

9 fujisan.jpg

And here's the result... 13 new tiles, and cluster expanded by 9. Some gaps to fill in, soon.

10 tanzawa.gif
 
exit from Narnia

ehm, Gnarlia?

man, that first landslide would probably have me turn around! and bears!! but good to hear it does connect to 147. I'd still be up for this provided a long dry window of weather allows it to reasonably dry off, and this pandemic allows us to group at least 3-4 people (to be able to fight off at least the small bears, and hunt down one of those kamoshikas for a gulash)
 
@Half-Fast Mike Looks like fun..in a demented sort of way. ;) The route took a lot of damage from when I did it. I don't remember any washouts. I do remember there being a whole lotta deer up there when I did it but I have yet to see a bear. It is a really nice ride and probably just perfect for that Niner.

I'm clutching the few remaining Golden Tiles in that area much closer to my chest. :cry: Not much left that doesn't involve some hiking though, so maybe they are protected for a bit longer.🙏
 
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BEARS?! I'm outta here!:eek:

I thought it was BEERS you were riding for! :D

That is seriously high on the adrenaline scale. I'm glad you made it back in one piece!

(And I am still up for a Rt76 repeat)
 
ehm, Gnarlia?
I see what you did there. But it was Gnarlier.
Not much left that doesn't involve some hiking
A lot of hiking, for Tanzawa. I actually really want to get up to Gunma & Tochigi to work on my Maxsquare, before it gets too hot. Just tricky finding the time for a multi-day ride at the moment.

With apologies for the portrait video, here's the bear cub.



If a cyclist shits himself at the sight of a bear in the woods, but there is no one around to hear...
 
I see what you did there. But it was Gnarlier.

A lot of hiking, for Tanzawa. I actually really want to get up to Gunma & Tochigi to work on my Maxsquare, before it gets too hot. Just tricky finding the time for a multi-day ride at the moment.

With apologies for the portrait video, here's the bear cub.



If a cyclist shits himself at the sight of a bear in the woods, but there is no one around to hear...

Unbearable
 
Hey, I'm looking to get into this tile business.
Is there a routing tool that overlays your discovered tiles? It's kind of hard having to use 2 separate maps, one with the routing and one with the tiles.
 
Is there a routing tool that overlays your discovered tiles
There was, until two days ago, when Strava's new Route Builder build broke VeloViewer's Chrome extension. It's possible that that functionality will be restored at some point, but for the time-being we have to flip between screens.

Welcome to this tile business. (Business or pleasure...?)
 
There was, until two days ago, when Strava's new Route Builder build broke VeloViewer's Chrome extension. It's possible that that functionality will be restored at some point, but for the time-being we have to flip between screens.

Welcome to this tile business. (Business or pleasure...?)
Ah so it is an extension, got it, the thing is I'd need to pay now for both Strava AND Veloviewer. Cool.
Thanks!
 
Strava's new Route Builder build broke VeloViewer's Chrome extension
And... the VeloViewer Chrome extension for Strava Route Builder is back, better than ever. (More than I can say for Route Builder itself, with light grey roads on a slightly lighter grey background...)
 
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And... the VeloViewer Chrome extension for Strava Route Builder is back, better than ever. (More than I can say for Route Builder itself, with light grey roads on a slightly lighter grey background...)

Looking at my Strava routes. When I toggle 'on' the VV tiles, they are yellow filled and they obscure the tile edge lines. Not a fan. Haven't found a way to play with the color selections.
 
Haven't found a way to play with the color selections
Colors are set on the Routes page in VV, and same colors show up in Strava Route Builder. Tile border lines don't show in SRB just yet - I think they'll come, but VV dev Ben doesn't want to add them if they slow the whole page down.

The yellow 'new tile fill' seems to be popular. I find it quite satisfying when drawing a new route, and it almost obviates the need for the border lines. (I'd prefer to have both, for those (ahem) borderline cases.)

Google ChromeSnap 001.png
 
@Half-Fast Mike Thanks for that. I'll have to play around with the colors a bit. I do miss the lines though. Otherwise, hard to know just how far over the line I have to go to score a tile. I prefer the lines to the blinking on of a tile. I can live without it but hope it shows up again.

BTW... did this ride yesterday and scored 23 brand new bright and shiny tiles. It was a pretty nice route. No cars. Fair amount of gravel on the climbing parts. Nice long descent on good paved mountain road from Gora to Odawara.

 
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@Half-Fast Mike "Did you get a lift?"

Nope. Operator headspace error. Loaded the ride but forgot to start the ride on my Garmin. :oops:
 
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As things stand now, I think this ride is on for Saturday, mood and weather dependent. Starting at Gotemba station around 9-ish. It is about collecting tiles and getting up in the mountains. Speed is not my forte. Any interested parties who are interested to join the fun silliness are welcome.

 
Colors are set on the Routes page in VV, and same colors show up in Strava Route Builder. Tile border lines don't show in SRB just yet - I think they'll come, but VV dev Ben doesn't want to add them if they slow the whole page down.

Thanks for the tip on the Strava extension to change maps. I was bummed that the Strava route builder didn't show train stations.
 
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