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KitaKyushu-Yokohama

Phil Harris

Speeding Up
Nov 9, 2006
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Just received approval for my holiday! Will embark the Tokyo ferry for KitaKyushu Saturday and bike back to Yokohama from there. My planned route is along the Sea of Japan coast to Wakasa Bay, then turn south inland to lake Biwa and Hikone castle town. Haven`t decided what route to take toYokohama from there.

Would be great to meet up with anyone along the way.

Tomorrow a busy schedule fitting out and making preps!
 
Departure

Hittin` the (rather wet) road at 1400 for the Tokyo ferry terminal. The ferry for Kita Kyushu departs at 1900 tonight and arrives in Kyushu on the morning of the 27th after a stop in Tokushima. I`ll plan my trip details while aboard.
 
ride safe and we expect a full report with pictures when you get back. tail winds!
 
May 1st

I`m in Tottori at a business hotel, yesterday my left knee blew out and today I had to call it quits after 36kms. Too bad one cannot change out a knee like an inner tube. ;)

The ride to the Tokyo ferry terminal from Yokohama sssssucked - rain and wind. Had a little bit of rain when I arrived in Moji, but it soon cleared and the weather has been totally awesome since despite strong head winds yesterday.
Schedule thus far:
25 April: embarked ferry in Tokyo for KitaKyushu
27 April: arrived Kita Kyushu (Moji) crossed Shimonoseki and biked to Hagi along Sea of Japan
28 April: Hagi to Hamada
29 April: Hamada to Idzumo Daisha - stayed at a beautiful Kokuminshukusha just outside the shrine.
30 April: Idzumo Daisha - Lake Togo. Fortunately, mountains were off to the right at some distance and I enjoyed flat roads all the way to Lake Togo, but my knee commenced giving me trouble.
01 May: Lake Togo - Tottori - a mere 36 Kms. I had intended to stop at a campsite at Amanohashidate about another 80kms along the coast.

Tomorrow I`ll decide whether or not to continue to Hikone on Lake Biwa at a reduced daily km rate or disassemble the horse and ride the train home.
 
Knees

That's too bad Phil. I am also nursing a sore knee at the moment and it is just so frustrating not being able to ride and getting fatter and more fed up by the day !

I know how you feel....

Anyway perhaps a few beers tonight might help to ease it up a little ? There are very few things that beer cannot fix you know :D

chazzer
 
Also sorry to hear about the knee Phil...I'd been looking forward to reports and pics of akachochins up and down the Japan Sea coast...

Like Charles says, injuries like that can be incredibly frustrating. My knee went wonky at the end of last year and it kept me from doing big rides for a while, but with rest it did heal up. Take care of it and don't force things.
 
Back in Yokohama

Rather than stay three days in Tottori, I went ahead and bought a bike bag and took the trains home. It was no problem getting a reserved seat on the shinkansen; the Golden Week rush had apparently already surged. I`ll post pics soon.
 
First Day Pics

I`ve uploaded the first day of pics; this was from disembarking the ferry at 0540ish to arrival Hagi about 1500. Distance was 120kms along coastal terrain much of it inland away from the coast - reminded me of the ride to Shimoda along Izu`s east coast, but route 191 was a bit more time spent with the Sea of Japan out of site on the other side of mountains. I arrived in Hagi wishing I had commuted to work at least a few times prior to commencing holiday!:eek:uch: I had figured the first two to three days would be spent getting back in shape.
 
Hagi to Tottori

Second day was another 120kms or so from Hagi to Hamada along route 191 and route 9. My plan was to stay at a kokuminshukusha just north of the city, or if full, at the campsite a little further along the coast. I got a good room with a sea view and there was a nearby small supermarket from which I purchased "refueling beverages." I sat watching the bay and the surfers until dark, and then went out in search for akachouchins :beer1: successfully.

Next day, I hit the road intending to stop in Matsue 松江, but remembering my wife making mention of the shrine at Idzumo (出雲大社)、I decided to point the horse north off route 9 to 431 and check out the shrine. It was a beautiful place, and a lovely kokuminshukusha (Takenoya - 竹野屋) was right in front of the shrine entrance, so I stayed there. Days distance a little over 100kms.

From Idzumo, I proceeded along the north of lake Shishidoko 宍道湖 on route 431 at a brisk pace to push as far along the coast as possible so the following day I could make Amanohashidate without arriving late. I decided to skip the campsites and stay on Lake Togo`s eastern shore at the kokuminshukusha. Day`s distance was approx 125kms on relatively flat roads with big mountains (snow on peaks) a comfortable distance to the south. Despite the lack of climbs, the left knee started acting up for the last hour of the run. Lake Togo 東郷 was nice with a conbini near the kokuminshukusha. Whilst I "refueled," I watch fish jump on the lake and silly-sounding ducks swim by my window - silly because rather than quacking like conventional ducks or...say, Donald Duck, they made chittering noises such as one would expect from a beaver or woodchuck or groundhog or....fruit bat.

From Lake Togo, knee was trouble all the way and a climb to about 100metres without dismounting was at less than walking speed. Reviewing my maps, I elected to stay at Tottori to rest and should the knee not improve, and there were trains from Tottori south to Osaka. Day`s distance approx 36kms.

Two days spent in Tottori. The knee was no trouble walking, but pushing down on the pedal wasn`t going to happen in mountain passes between the Sea of Japan and Yokohama. Purchased a bike bag and a reserved ticket to Osaka.

Will post more pics.
 
thanks for the report Phil and I hope the knee recovers with plenty of rest and lots of shipu to ward of colds and vampires as well. Go to the doctor and ask for a great supply as they are really cheap on the public health and seem to work almost as well as the most expensive ones. that or Tiger Balm. You might want to give some thought as to why your left knee played up, history? lack of base, or another cause. No matter what, you got to see some cool sights and have something left to aim for on your next sojourn. take care. KS
 
Phil


I am realll sorry for your knee trouble.:eek:uch:

But I enjoyoed your photos. They are all great and beautiful. Reading your report, I reassured a bike is a great tool to move ourselves far away.


Minoru Arai
 
Many Thanks

Many thanks for the kind words. Will see Amanohashidate next time!
 
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