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Shibu toge at August 20

araim1

Speeding Up
Jan 7, 2007
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I have been indulged in running for the last over one year, riding a bike once in a while.Here is my summer ride plan. I welcome anyone who wants to join.

Date: August 20
Venue: Take Nagano shinkansen , Asama 501 from Tokyo at 6:24, arriving at Karuizawa at 7:32
Route: Karuizawa-Manza Kazawaguchi-Kusatsu-Shirane san-Shibu toge-Shiga kogen-Toyono st. see http://yj.pn/gCNTNE

Distance: 110Km
Aggregated elevation:2154m

Shibu toge is famous as the highest point of national road and should give you panorama view
Manza Kazawaguchi - Kusatsu - Shirane san is the familiar route for Tour de Kusatsu race.
I am not a hill climber but just a bicycle tourist. Then speed will be moderate.

If anyone is interested, I will meet you at Karuizawa st.

Minoru Arai
 
This is a route with one of the most stunning scenery in Japan. Highly recommended.

BTW, you could take up the toll road from Karuizawa to the pass. It's free for bicycles and far less traffic than route 146. There is also a very impressive waterfall just off the road. Not one of the usual types, and really worth seeing.

Expect a lot of car and motorbike traffic on all main roads - but the scenery will compensate for their nuisance.
 
This is a route with one of the most stunning scenery in Japan. Highly recommended.

BTW, you could take up the toll road from Karuizawa to the pass. It's free for bicycles and far less traffic than route 146. There is also a very impressive waterfall just off the road. Not one of the usual types, and really worth seeing.

Expect a lot of car and motorbike traffic on all main roads - but the scenery will compensate for their nuisance.

Thank you for the information. I try to stay away from 146 anyway.

Traffic, maybe better than Tokyo.:)

Minoru Arai
 
Home work, complete

This plan has been put off due to unfavorable weather forecast and the following business trip to Sydney. But have done this this week.

As scheduled, took a sinkansen to Karuizawa in early morning. It was 13 degree there. The sky was completely blue.

Down to Naka-Karuizawa and then headed north to Kita Karuizawa. This is the first 400m climb. As Ludwig warned, rt 146 is busy. I took a detour to the area where many cabins are. This route is difficult to find but really nice cool route down to Manza-Kazawa guchi st.

The route from Manza-Kazawa guchi st to Kusatu is familiar to all Tour de Kusatu freaks. It was one hour climb to Kusatu. No need to mention about the climb from Kusatu to Shirane-san. It was new for me to see green and brown mountains around since it was always snowy in April when the tour de Kusatu takes place.

Taking a rest at the top, I ,going down once, had to climb another 200m to reach Shibu toge, the highest point of national high way in Japan, 2172m.

From Shibu toge, all I should do is jut to stay on the saddle all the way to Iiyama city. Enjoyable 40 Km down hill all the way.

I stayed at a ryokan in Iiyama city.

In the following day, I rode along the Chikuma river, Iida JR line on rt 408 or 117. This 408 route is just quite and nice, enjoyed ride in a country side. This area is really snowy area where over 2 m snow all the time in winter remains, and Iiyama JR line often stops due to heavy snow.

Good point of this route is to go down all the time to Ojiya city which is my destination of the day. This is true since the route is along the river going down to Niigata pre. It is always good idea to ride along the river down. Normally a train runs along the river and you can take a train if you are tired on the way.

Some photos are in my blog if you are interested.

http://araim1.main.jp/wordpress/?p=1262
http://araim1.main.jp/wordpress/?p=1264
 
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