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SAT, OCT 27th - Nichitsu Autumn Leaves

Yamabushi

Maximum Pace
Jun 1, 2010
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Aron, Chikako, Josh and I will be doing an autumn leaves viewing Nichitsu ride Saturday, October 27th. This should be a particularly scenic, nice ride!

We'll be riding up the Arakawa, out #463, up over Yamabushi-toge, descending down into Chichibu where we'll grab some food. From there we'll be heading out the southwest side of Chichibu climbing up to the abandoned mining town, Nichitsu. Nichitsu at an altitude of a little over 1000m was mostly abandoned in 1978 with the last few stragglers leaving in the early to mid 80's. See HERE for a 10 minute video about the ghost town, and HERE for Tom's ride report from a previous trip there. From Nichitsu we'll climb another 200m before eventually descending back down to #299 and the top of Shigasaka-toge. Once reaching #299 we'll continue with a long descent back to Chichibu to Seibu-Chichibu Station where we'll hop a train back to Tokyo.

This is a reasonably hefty ride with minimal bailout points and not so many stops, so pacing yourself will be important. All climbs will be wait at the top (WATT). There'll be plenty of climbing, descending, greenery, countless miles of beautiful rindos, and an eerie ghost town to really make it special! If you are capable and interested please, join us!

INFO:
Meet Time: 6:30am
Meet Place: Family Mart (HERE)
Climbing: 2200-2500m
Distance: 170-175km
Route: HERE

This should be a pretty amazing ride with some stuff you definitely don't see every day!! I hope to see you Saturday morning!

Additionally, for anyone coming from farther south that is interested in joining us, a good and simple route from Oume is located HERE. This will take you to the Chichibu Mecca Plaza where we will be making a stop for food before heading out into the wilderness. I estimate we'll arrive there about 10:45am plus or minus 15 minutes.
 
I'm awfully tempted by this one. The timing couldn't be better for the views, with the autumn leaves turning.

Though I'm still not a fast climber, at least I've done Tomin no Mori 5 times so far. Looking at your Nichitsu ride from May, the pace was about 3 hours (including breaks and WATT) for the 50 km from Chichibu to the toge above Nichitsu and about 1:30 for the 40 km mostly downhill from there back to the station.

It was as 18 C when you got to Chichibu around 11:00 and a minimum of 7 C at 1280 m, the highest elevation. That suggests it should also be a bit chilly at the top now.
 
Good point about the temperature changes, I will dress and prepare appropriately.
 
Sounds like a great ride. Would have liked to have joined but I'll be on a plane to the states on Saturday. Hope you have a good ride.
 
Hey Pete,

I have route here that takes me to km marker 44.4 on your route, where the 195 meets up with the 193, so I will meet you there if that is ok.

http://ridewithgps.com/routes/1836866

let me know if the link does not work.

Josh

The best place to meet would be at the Family Mart just a little bit after that point, located HERE. GPS coordinates: 35.837872, 139.282714
 
It was as 18 C when you got to Chichibu around 11:00 and a minimum of 7 C at 1280 m, the highest elevation. That suggests it should also be a bit chilly at the top now.

Let me tell you, it was god damn cold in that tunnel at the top! The 7C temperature doesn't tell the whole story. We had a serious wind chill going through there!
 
Let me tell you, it was god damn cold in that tunnel at the top!

Ah, a tunnel! That explains one mystery: I had been wondering why some Nichitsu ride logs listed the top of the climb at 1280 m and others at around 1500. One was probably barometric altitude inside the tunnel, the other "corrected elevation" from the RWGPS topology database that had you at the surface above.
 
Ah, a tunnel! That explains one mystery: I had been wondering why some Nichitsu ride logs listed the top of the climb at 1280 m and others at around 1500. One was probably barometric altitude inside the tunnel, the other "corrected elevation" from the RWGPS topology database that had you at the surface above.

Yep, that's exactly it!
 
Thank you Pete, I'll try to join this.
If I oversleep, I might head towards Ome/Hanno directly to catch you.
 
Would you guys estimate the temp's to fluctuate between 18 and 8 degrees, not counting windchill?
 
P1030031.jpg


This made the entire trip worth it last time...
 
Kuba took the picture, I was too busy catching my breath. This is just after the tunnel I believe. I was my first trip into the mountains since I moved here. I come from flat land, so it was tough. We rode all the way back to Kawasaki - so I was hurting by the time I got home. My legs we rubbery.

If anyone is interested, I got some video - but then my camera messed up, but went ahead an just put what I had on youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KiQG7jtr3E


If anyone has not done this ride it was beautiful. The waterfalls, trees, clouds, etc.. Absolutely beautiful.

I need to check with my wife if I am free. I would love to do the ride again, but what is the expected pace? I am more of a tourist on a bicycle right now than a racer - if I were holding up the pack, it would ruin the trip for me since I would be worried I was ruining everyone else's ride.
 
Regarding pace, in the flats barring excessive wind we usually cruise about 30-32km/hr. Climbs are WATT.

And, yes that photo is just after the tunnel at the top.
 
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