Hello from the Zushi Area

[BaileyPh]

Hello,

My name is Philip (I know there's another out there) and I am new to the forum. I have been here in Japan for 6 years and am finally, sadly, getting out to meet others in the bicycling community. I, along with my family, are from the United States - the Michigan/Ohio area.

I rode quite a bit in my late teens and early 20s. Now that I am in my forties I am back in the saddle doing quite a bit of riding in and around the Miura penisula doing about 6000km each year. I ride a Red Fuji Roubaix that I just recently upgraded to Ultegra drive-train.

I ride because I like the freedom the bicycle provides. I love the speed of the road. I am interested in doing a few races each year, but am having difficulty finding out when and where they are...I do not speak/read Japanese. (I am a teacher at the navy base nearby and rarely get the chance to speak much.) Part of my reason for branching out in my riding is to force opportunities to use my tiny amount of Nihongo.

Can anyone give me some heads up about races this fall...I wlll be in the states for 5 weeks this summer and then will be coaching cross-country at the high school this fall. But come November/December....I would like to try some racing.

BaileyPh

 

[Edogawakikkoman]

Hi, and welcomme.

Let me know what kind of races you're interested in and I'll point you in the right direction.
Look at any race thread in the general forum and that may give you some idea.
The second Sunday in November is my favorite race. Lke Saiko near Mt. Fuji. (laps around the 10km lake).

There are almost no English sites for race information. You'll have to rely on somebody telling you or if I or somebody else has some time to translate some of the race schedues into English... (something I say I'll do but never get around to).

Find some local groups to ride with and they are likely to have some people who will test their English on as well as your Japanese. Once you know what the yearly race schedule is and have tried a few of them it all falls into place.

I've never done a hill climb so don't look for them. Flatish, shortish with few sharp corners are what I look for.

I'll always post about races I'm going to enter as soon as I know about them...
Just keep on coming back here often.

Thomas & Sora et al may want to consider opening a race only forum...? Pin the races in date order and un pin them as they are completed. (like a calendar?)

 

[Phil Harris]

Yokoso!

Welcome Philip! My name is Phil. Do you teach at the high school on base Yokosuka? I graduated from Yohi class of `81.

Let me know if you get some time - perhaps we could bike to Chiba via the Kurihama-Hamakanaya ferry, Enoshima, or something.

 

[Ash]

hi

Hi and welcome,

I like your riding philosophy, very close to my own. I look forward very much to being able to ride and organise some trips with you.

We ride because we love the bike, and because we love the bike we ride...

lets roll soon

Ash