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Hello from Hiroshima

Emily

Warming-Up
Jul 1, 2014
4
1
Konichiwa! My name is Emily and I am a visiting researcher at Hiroshima University in Higashihiroshima, Hiroshima Prefecture. I am from the United States (California) and I brought my travel cyclocross bike with me (Ritchey Breakaway). I will be in Japan until mid August. I am traveling to Tsukuba and Sapporo during my stay but will mostly be around Hiroshima.

I wanted to introduce myself and see if anyone rides in my area or has recommendations for riding in Tsukuba or Sapporo. Please let me know if you have any advice! Thank you!

-Emily

PS- here is my strava profile: http://www.strava.com/athletes/275562
 

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Hi Emily!

Do you prefer flat or mountain riding? There's plenty of both around Tsukuba. I've never cycled in Sapporo so can't offer any help there.

Please let us know about any nice rides you find in the Hiroshima area.
 
I enjoy climbing. I am a bit slow, but a good slog doesn't discourage me.

I will be in Sapporo for a week for work. Not a lot of time so I'll be looking for rides under 30 miles.
 
How's your Japanese Emily?
WTH are you doing in your avatar? Water divining?
 
Hi Emily,

I suggest you try the Shimanami Kaido from Onomichi to Imabari. Not much climbing, but an amazing cycling route.
 
Japanese is not so great. My arm-waving is excellent. My avatar is me doing fieldwork. I am a geologist so I do science with a hammer!

I would like to try the Shimanami Kaido this weekend. Two days with a friend from Onomichi to Imabari. I am having trouble finding out a way to get me and my bike back from Imabari to Onomichi quickly. It doesn't seem like the bus will take bikes. Anyone have info on this?
 
That's an interesting coincidence. I have a geologist on my Half-Fast crew at the moment. He talks about these strange "mile" things as well. Incomprehensible. Please see Rule 24.

The Shimanami-kaido is great. Easily do-able in a day. The last time we did it it was over two days to explore the various islands, and we stayed in a lodge on Ikuchijima. I hope you don't use the same one because it was dreadful.

To be avoided:
Ikkyu 0845-27-1019 ¥7,400
http://leo9ball.kt.fc2.com/index.html
広島県尾道市瀬戸戸田町中野408-39​

A quick Bing suggests that getting back from a one-way trip across the Inland Sea with your own bikes is indeed problematic. If you're rich, a taxi could work.
 
Ah, "the rules." Excellent reference.

I have designed a pretty convoluted route for coming back to the mainland. Ferry, ride, ferry, ride home! It will be an adventure, but that's what it's all about!
 
I would like to try the Shimanami Kaido this weekend. Two days with a friend from Onomichi to Imabari. I am having trouble finding out a way to get me and my bike back from Imabari to Onomichi quickly. It doesn't seem like the bus will take bikes. Anyone have info on this?

One solution. Leave your bike at Onomichi and pick up a rental bike, then drop said rental bike off at Imabari when you`ve finished and catch the bus back. I imagine that would be possible, but don`t know for sure, so don`t quote me on it.
 
You can catch the train to Onomichi from Higashi-Hiroshima on the Sanyo-honsen line. You change trains at Mihara/Itozaki (should be waiting for you when you arrive) and should only take you an hour. If you don't have one, you will need to buy a rinkobukuro at your local bike store, so you can put the bike in a bag on the train. No surcharge for taking your bike. Once you get to Onomichi, exit the train station to the south and cross the road. You should see a small ferry stop, this will take you across to Mukaishima where the Shimanami-kaido starts. The ferry is about 200ish yen and a person will come around to collect it once you have boarded. Once you are on the cycle route, there is great signage and a blue line drawn,

I have ridden on the Tobishima-kaido on the map that Half-Fast mike posted, which is a nice run, but getting there by public transport might be a bit of a pain. You can get close to where the ferry leaves on the Kure-sen, but it's a pretty time consuming run. If you are aware of the departure times, hopping between islands on a ferry is also an option. You can take your bike as is that way and plan your trip so you can ride back to the mainland on one of the main routes or catch the ferry back. You will need to purchase a separate ticket for your bike in a lot of cases (not the Onomichi one though)

Also, Etajima is proactive in getting cyclists to the island, it is connected by bridges to Kure, and there are a number of accommodation facilities that allow you to park your bike in the main lobby as is. I think one lap of the island is about 70 kms.
 
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