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Kawaguchi-ko Ride

doubletrouble

Speeding Up
Jan 14, 2008
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On Saturday 11th August imkejo50, his wife Makiko and myself will be riding from Otsuki Station to and around Kawaguchi-ko before returning to Otsuki Station. In total the ride is a little over 73.7km with an ascent of 688m. From Kawaguchi-ko there should be some good views of Fuji-san. The route is as follows:

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/113782063

Anyone is free to join this ride. The pace will not be fast so should be fine for beginners. Upto Kawaguchiko there is a long ascent but it's not overly steep. Bear in mind I have not yet ridden this route before myself so I'm just going by the data on mapmyride.

Meeting place: Otsuki Station 出入り口
Time: 8am

It is going to be hot so please make sure that you are well prepared for this - two bottles, sun lotion etc.
 
Good luck on your ride. Would highly recommend that you stop and have lunch at a small family run italian restaurant on kawaguchi-ko (north east shore area - about at KM 35 mark on your ride). The place is called Provence (0555 82 2780), and its my family's favorite Italian restaurant for pasta, pizza and salads. I go for their pastas, but my wife thinks their dressing for ceaser salad is the best she's had in Japan... Prices are reasonable and there's patio dining facing the lake.

If weather is clear, there are some stunning photo ops of the lake and Fuji between Km 36-39.

BTW- rt 139 climb is a bit boring and parts of Kawaguchiko can be crowded (western and about 1/2 of southern shore). A loop of lake saiko is also very nice, and would recommend extending your loop.
 
Penny,

Tempted, but have commitments this coming Sat.
I've missed your Takao ride (was that June?), and now this...hopefully, we can hook up for a ride in the near future.

Nice to know that Kevin is back on wheels, though!
Have a good ride.

Chikako
 
Penny,

Tempted, but have commitments this coming Sat.
I've missed your Takao ride (was that June?), and now this...hopefully, we can hook up for a ride in the near future.

Nice to know that Kevin is back on wheels, though!
Have a good ride.

Chikako

Chikako, I am not 100%, more like 80%, but I am able to ride. And thanks to Tim, I no longer have gearing trouble; shifting is smooth as silk!

I hope to join you on a ride soon:bike:


Indeed, and I'll try to make it to this ride if I can get a rinko bag before then.

Josh

Josh, I hope that you can join us. I am looking forward to seeing those new wheels up close and personal.
 
I don't know why you wouldn't be able to get a rinko. Bic Camera have them, and they can be had on-line as well.
 
GS Astuto sells the Tioga 'Cocoon' which is very inexpensive.
 
This is like de ja vu. I think there was a conversation not long ago where Tim said the newer versions he had were not as accomodating as the previous models. Anyway, it shouldn't be too hard to get a bike bag if you want one Josh. Best of luck.

Anyone else going? Looks like a nice ride. I will likely be in Chiba then though. Have fun.
 
Good luck on your ride. Would highly recommend that you stop and have lunch at a small family run italian restaurant on kawaguchi-ko (north east shore area - about at KM 35 mark on your ride). The place is called Provence (0555 82 2780), and its my family's favorite Italian restaurant for pasta, pizza and salads. I go for their pastas, but my wife thinks their dressing for ceaser salad is the best she's had in Japan... Prices are reasonable and there's patio dining facing the lake.

If weather is clear, there are some stunning photo ops of the lake and Fuji between Km 36-39.

BTW- rt 139 climb is a bit boring and parts of Kawaguchiko can be crowded (western and about 1/2 of southern shore). A loop of lake saiko is also very nice, and would recommend extending your loop.

Thanks for the recommendation Trad. Will try and check it out.

Penny,

Tempted, but have commitments this coming Sat.
I've missed your Takao ride (was that June?), and now this...hopefully, we can hook up for a ride in the near future.

Nice to know that Kevin is back on wheels, though!
Have a good ride.

Chikako

I did have my fingers crossed that you could make this one. Hopefully next time:D

Indeed, and I'll try to make it to this ride if I can get a rinko bag before then.

Josh

Like the others have said it's quite easy to get a rinko bag so you've got no excuse not to come. See you on the 11th.
 
This is like de ja vu. I think there was a conversation not long ago where Tim said the newer versions he had were not as accomodating as the previous models. Anyway, it shouldn't be too hard to get a bike bag if you want one Josh. Best of luck.
.

I know what you mean. This topic sounded familiar to me too. All I can say is I bought mine in March. That & I wish I could join the ride. However I am home in the UK. Nevermind, I'm starting to think of my next visit :)
 
Done, I picked up a cocoon from Tim and Eric yesterday.
As I mentioned in another thread, while I was at the lab Tim, Eric, and me were talking about the possibility of a GS Astuto version that would also be larger to fit the big boy bikes (57+cm etc.)

Penny, do you know what time you plan to be back at Otsuki?
 
FYI, Tioga is now selling Cocoons for 29ers. Gotta think this is a larger volume back and better a accomodating larger bikes.
 
Penny, do you know what time you plan to be back at Otsuki?

I have no set plans as there is nothing that I need to do in the afternoon. I would imagine finishing early afternoon depending on the heat, breaks and so on. Was thinking of trying the Italian restaurant for lunch. If you did need to rush back for anything then you are free to go on ahead.
 
Since it has been recommended that we should extend the route to include Sai-ko I have mapped the following route to include Saiko:

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/121110151

This would add an extra 13km to the ride. Extending the route will be entirely on how everyone is feeling at the time. It is going to be hot so we may feel that it would be too much.

I was planning on going round Kawaguchi-ko clockwise, but what I plan now is to go anti-clockwise to stop at the Italian restaurant for lunch:

http://tabelog.com/yamanashi/A1903/A190303/19006570/

Here we will decide whether to extend the ride to include Sai-ko.
 
New route suggestion

Hey Penny,

Take a look at this route, if you are all interested then let's give it a run.

http://ridewithgps.com/routes/1552580

It's about 10km longer but there is a station right at Kawaguchiko, and the majority of the ride should be relatively protected from the sun, and there is a nice climb that ends around another lake. The other route was in a wide open valley so it will be hot, if it doesn't rain.
 
Hey Penny,

Take a look at this route, if you are all interested then let's give it a run.

http://ridewithgps.com/routes/1552580

It's about 10km longer but there is a station right at Kawaguchiko, and the majority of the ride should be relatively protected from the sun, and there is a nice climb that ends around another lake. The other route was in a wide open valley so it will be hot, if it doesn't rain.

Guys and girls: That ^^^^ is a fairly long draggy climb. You'll be looking at almost 40km of unrelenting uphill. Fine if that's what you want but more fun in the other direction!
 
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