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Lap Around Izu

Phil Harris

Phil Harris

Speeding Up
Nov 9, 2006
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I`ve been looking at Mapple and Google Earth planning an Izu ride; this is likely what I`ll do:

Day 1 - Yokohama to Odawara. A short run on flat roads. I`m thinking of stopping here so the next day`s objective can be met.
Day2 - Odawara to Shimoda
Day 3 - Shimoda to Numazu (yes, most ambitious :eek:uch: )
Day 4 - Numazu to as far as I can go east after slugging through the mountains around Hakone via Route 1 (東海道) :( .
Day 5 - Return Yokohama.

Comments most welcome. I can see this will not be an easy ride, but I think I`m up to it after biking through Iwate and Miyagi. Has anyone been on Route 1 between Tsuruga Bay and Odawara?
 
Phil Harris said:
I`ve been looking at Mapple and Google Earth planning an Izu ride; this is likely what I`ll do:

Day 1 - Yokohama to Odawara. A short run on flat roads. I`m thinking of stopping here so the next day`s objective can be met.
Day2 - Odawara to Shimoda
Day 3 - Shimoda to Numazu (yes, most ambitious :eek:uch: )
Day 4 - Numazu to as far as I can go east after slugging through the mountains around Hakone via Route 1 (東海道) :( .
Day 5 - Return Yokohama.

Comments most welcome. I can see this will not be an easy ride, but I think I`m up to it after biking through Iwate and Miyagi. Has anyone been on Route 1 between Tsuruga Bay and Odawara?
Click to expand...
Hi Phil-san,

looks like interesting route!.:D
And also it might be hard run(I ran there once). Izu is one of the hardest route in Japan.
I think you can come back to Yokohama in Day 4.
I don't know Tsuruga Bay but after Kamakura Route 134 is recomended.:)
 
Izu

Sora-San,

Victor Mike Tango!

Perhaps 4 days.

I did a Yokohama-Ajiro Onsen run some years back. This is why I think it`s a better idea to start at Odawara for the Shimoda run.

From Numazu to Sagami Bay looks pretty intimidating - a huge climb over mountains of Hakone and a steady LLLLONG climb vice short steep ones like those in Iwate and Miyagi.
 
Phil Harris said:
Sora-San,

Victor Mike Tango!

Perhaps 4 days.

I did a Yokohama-Ajiro Onsen run some years back. This is why I think it`s a better idea to start at Odawara for the Shimoda run.

From Numazu to Sagami Bay looks pretty intimidating - a huge climb over mountains of Hakone and a steady LLLLONG climb vice short steep ones like those in Iwate and Miyagi.
Click to expand...
Year,

Hakone is steep (I could not climb on my bike 3 times.:warau:), but not so long over all distance as Sanriku. Not up and down. Just one climb and down.
Sanriku is endless up and down as you know.:D
 
Hey Phil,
This is Travis.
I've only been cycling in Izu twice - The first time was from Odawara to Atami, which is only 20km, and it's all up & down.
The second time was from Shimoda to Shuzenji (along the west side) - That was all up & down too, but the last part was a long (25+km) climb up to "Nishina-toge".... Nasty! (About 135km in total)!
But just from those two rides, and also looking at the map, you can be pretty sure that there are absolutely no flat areas anywhere around Izu.
If you take Sora-san's advice, and start at Odawara, you could be in Numazu in 2 days - Day one; down the eastern side to Shimoda.
And day two; up the western side to Numazu.
But, as long as you don't venture into the middle hilly section (meaning Hakone, as well), it is a really nice undulating ride with great scenery.
However, if you have those 4-5 days open, Yokohama - Yokohama should be no problem either.
My personal opinion though, would be to strap on the "bike bag", and do the Odawara-Numazu route. And THEN, if you still feel the need for a hill-climb, go up and over Hakone, and ride back to Yokohama on the third day. - (By the way, I've never been on Route 1 over Hakone, but my friends have told me that there's a lot of traffic).
Anyway, should you decide to do the 2 day "Odawara - Numazu" ride over a Sat/Sun weekend, I wouldn't mind joining you.
Hope that's OK!
Rubber down! T
 
Izu Ride

I woudn`t mind company! I haven`t set a start date yet, but anticipate doing the ride this month. Thanks for the pointers.
 
Return From Trip

Trip complete! There was some tough riding; fortunately I arrived home ahead of the rain!

I decided to hit the road Monday and stopped in Kamonomiya (one train stop from Odawara) at a cheap business hotel - this run was relatively easy and made the Shimoda run doable.

Second day - made Shimoda along the east coast. There were several excursions to sea-level followed by climbs to high altitudes. In Shimoda, I chatted with the proprietor of an Izakaya (named ハリスの館) about my plan to bike to Numazu via the Izu west coast. He advised against such an endeavor and recommended Route 412 up the middle of the peninsula. This route resulted in a 2 hour 15 minute climb to the Amagi-San Pass, but was all down hill from there.

From Numazu I returned to Yokohama along Route 1 through Hakone. It was a brutal climb to the Hakone Pass with another short climb after the lake, but then a long down hill ride with lots of sharp turns.

I`ll post pictures in an album soon.:bike:
 
phil,

that looks like an awesome trip man, some steep bits in there!

well done!

Ash
 
Great pictures. I think you had a wonderful trip.:)


I especially liked the ones of the Shimodaya izakaya and the Roop.
 
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