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Hokkaido 'training camp'

xDOMx

Maximum Pace
Nov 21, 2014
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Evenin' all.

I am off to Hokkaido on a sort of training camp/holiday/escape from brutal Tokyo weather trip at the end of the month.

I am just wondering if anyone has been up there, has any routes, etc.

I am there 19 to 24 August (riding 19th to 23rd).
 
Is this an organised thing, and if so, where is it being held?

If not, where are you planning on going in Hokkaido?
 
How are you going up there? Do you want to base yourself in one place or do some touring type training? I have ridden up there a bit but usually loaded up touring.
 
Other than flying to and from Chitose, there's no limit to where I can go (other than that imposed by my own legs/body).

My plan is to book ryokan and send anything I need (other than bidon, phone charger, phone, small pump, wallet, etc) to those places in advance (and just send it back from there etc - it's cheap, easy and reliable here).

I don't need much at all as I'll be on my tod most of the time.

So, more of a touring type thing without being loaded up.

The only element of organisation is my organisation - I'm currently planning to go on my own and have flights as such.

Places I want to go...I've never been so I'm just researching on t'internet about lakes, passes, etc.
 
@xDOMx great idea, too bad I need to work. I recently went there for the rapha prestige ride. We stayed at this hotel in Niseko: http://www.grand-hirafu.jp/hotel_niseko-alpen/ From there you can start a lot of nice rides. You can send your bike beforehand but I would recommend you to rent a car for those days. Access from the airport isn´t that easy in summer so a car helps for sure.

This was the ride:


The area around km 100 is amazing and you should definitely check it out. Skip the gravel part, except you like changing tires...
 
Day I idea - New Chitose Airport to Niseko via Lakes Shikotsu and Toya.

Around 165km, around 1,800m of up.

DAY1
 
That sounds like a good day depending on when your flight arrives. If I were you I would base myself in Niseko for a few days and just do day trips from there. No hassles with sending stuff on and you have your own room to look forward to. You can take naps with no check out or check in hassles and when you get a couple of courses sorted you can push yourself on them as a training component. Check this out and see if it suits, (I have no idea who these guys are) http://www.niseko-cycle.com/eng/.
If you want some very untraveled road riding try route 229 on the extreme Eastern edge of Hokkaido about 40kms from Niseko, heading North from Iwanai you can follow the coast up a bit before looping back to Niseko or you can go to Otaru on the way to Sapporo. Wish I could go up there this year. Sounds fun.
 
I had thought of that and it still seems doable.

I had thought:

Day I - Chitose (arrive 09:30) to Niseko via the lakes
Day II - Niseko Rapha Prestige ride
Day III - Niseko to Furano
Day IV - Furano/Biei loop
Day V - fly home
 
I have a friend in Niseko who I just got in contact with today. He is touting the cycling as he has just gotten into it himself.
He says that right now it's in the mid twenties and a little humid for Hokkaido but nothing compared to Tokyo (he lived here for about ten years before moving north).

I am very jealous and really want to go but it'll have to wait. The Rapha Presige was on a weekend I couldn't get away but I know quite a few people who did it and they're gagging to get back there soon.
 
Roads are lovely up there, be careful, it may put you off riding in Kanto ever again. I have had some great adventures up there. Never cycled near Niseko though. Looking forward to seeing some pics. Are you flying up with the bike, or sending it by courier?
 
So the time is almost here for my trip and I am pretty stoked on the escape to the North.

I had actually messed up and thought I had one less day than I actually do.

  • Day I: New Chitose airport to Niseko via Lakes Shikotsu and Toya - DAY1 [approx. 165km, 1,800m^]
  • Day II: Rapha Prestige ride, Niseko (minus the gravel bits) - DAY2 [approx. 100km, 2,000m^]
  • Day III: Niseko to Takikawa (then to Furano by train) - DAY3 [approx. 170km, 1,100m^]
  • Day IV: Furano earth ride - DAY4 [approx. 110km, 1,100m^]
  • Day V: Furano to Takikawa (then to Sapporo by train for a restful PM) - DAY5 [approx. 50km, 500m^]
  • Day VI: Sapporo rest day & return to Haneda (PM)
I'll be just putting the bike on the plane in a standard bike bag as per peoples' experiences on here (and elsewhere) and living out of a small Fairweather saddle bag in which I will only carry a spare jersey, a set of spare socks, some lightweight shorts, a t shirt, a set of underwear, some flip flops and some charging equipment (I will have the opportunity to leave this at the hotel on days 2 and 4).
 
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