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Sora's travelBlog (LIVE!) for TCC

Sora

Basho's companion
Nov 2, 2005
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Hi everyone,

this is the thread for travelogue of my solo tour. Yes, I write it in e-WADACHI.com, but live report is not in English. So here I try to wirte in English as possible as I can.
Any comments will be welcome but my reply may be late, because I'm not sure when I can access internet!:warau:
 
Tour in Golden Week, 2006: Day 1

DSCN1550.0.jpg

Seeing weather forecast, I got on Shinkansen "Nozomi" Super Express from Shin-yokohama. I got off at Kyoto.
When I was setting my bike in front of Kyoto Sta. couple from Holland talked to me, "Can you speak English?". They are interested in my Rinko-bukuro, "Where can I buy it?". As I thought, it is hard to get Rinko-bukuro in overseas. I wrote "Rinko-bukuro" in Japanese on a piece of paper and handed it to them. They said, "Thank you" and left.:)

The keyword of this tour is "follow wind". How far I can run and where I can reach?, I'm not sure.:warau: Only the sun and the clouds know.

Day 1(April 30, 2006)::bike:
[Yokohama -(Shinkansen)- Kyoto --(Route 1)-- Kusatsu(Shiga)]
(横浜-(新幹線)-京都-草津)

Just after Kyoto, it is a little climb but not so hard.

Distance: 40.53km
Time: 2h 33m 28s
Average: 15.8km/h
Max.: unknown
Difference of altitude: 120m
drink at a bar in Kusatsu untill 2:00AM.:beer1:
 
Tour in Golden Week, 2006: Day 2,3 and 4

DSCN1797.jpg

Hi,

after 3 days run, now I am in Matsumoto (Nagano).
Yesterday I climbed up to Shiojiri from Nakatugawa.
The trafic was so crowded but there were few trucks because of Golden Week.
The mountain scenery was beautiful, I ran with comfort.
In the day time, here high land is warm as Tokyo. But after sunset it is very cold, in the hotel there was a heater.

Today I head for Ueda. It is also mountain route.
I have to go now.

Bye.


Day 2(May 1, 2006)::bike:
[Kusatsu(Shiga) --(Route 8)-- Maibara --(Route 21)-- Sekigahara --(Route 21)-- Gifu]
(草津-米原-関が原-岐阜)

Very flat road and you can run fast. Just around Sekigahara was a short climb (about 200m hight), but not so hard.

Distance: 113.24km
Time: 5h 24m 27s
Average: 20.9km/h
Max.: 49.2km
Difference of altitude: 180m
drink at a bar in Gifu untill 3:00AM.:beer1:

Day 3(May 2, 2006)::bike:
[Gifu --(Route 156)-- Seki --(Route248, 21, 19)-- Nakatsugawa(Gifu)]
(岐阜-関-中津川)

Road to Seki is hill climb. In fact I headed for Shiraka-go(白川郷), but I found it is a hard way. I gave up to go there. The way to Nakatsugawa was a gradual climb up slope.

Distance: 107.42km
Time: 5h 56m 45s
Average: 18.0km/h
Max.: 43.3km
Difference of altitude: 225m
drink at a bar in Nakatsugawa untill 1:00AM.:beer1:

Day 4(May 3, 2006)::bike:
[Nakatsugawa(Gifu) --(Route 19)-- Tsumago --(Route 19)-- Shiojiri(Nagano)]
(中津川-妻籠-塩尻)

All roads were climb up little by little. It got over 900m hight, so you need getting warm.

Distance: 119.50km
Time: 8h 03m 06s
Average: 14.8km/h
Max.: 37.9km
Difference of altitude: 660m
drink at a bar in Shiojiri untill 1:00AM.:beer1:
 
Tour in Golden Week, 2006: Day 5 and 6

romantic_road.0.jpg

Hi,

I'm already home. All was over.
The last part of the tour was the Japanese Romantic Road (Japanische Romantische Strasse 日本ロマンチック街道). It is the road connecting between Utsunomiya(宇都宮) in Tochigi and Ueda(上田) in Nagano. I have already run from Nakanojo(中之条) to Utsunomiya in 2004. So this time I ran from Ueda to Nakanojo to complete the Romantic Road.

Day 5(May 4, 2006)::bike:
[Sjiojiri(Nagano) --(Route 19)-- Matsumoto --(Route254)-- Kakeyu --(Route254,152)-- Ueda(Nagano)]
(塩尻-松本-鹿教湯-上田)

From Matsumoto to Kakeyu there was a Misayama tunnel(三才山トンネル) . It was over 2,500m long. In spite of it is a toll tunnel (50 yen), it didn't have bike lane or pedestrian road. It was most dangerous time for me in this tour. The way to the tunnel was terrible steep slope, all the way is 8% slope. I don't recommend you to go the way.:warau:

Distance: 79.02km
Time: 5h 20m 44s
Average: 14.7km/h
Max.: 35.8km
Difference of altitude: 625m
drink at a bar in Ueda untill 11:00PM.:beer1:

Day 6(May 5, 2006)::bike:
[Ueda(Nagano) --(Route 144)-- Torii Pass --(Route 44)-- Haneo --(Route 145) Nkanojo(Gunma) --(JR train)-- Toritsu-daigaku(Tokyo) -- Yokohama(Kanagawa)]
(上田-鳥居峠-羽根尾-中之条-(JR)-都立大学-横浜)

The road to Torii Pass(altitude 1362m) was very steep slope. I climbed up little by little.
At Agatsuma(吾妻), very close to Nakanojo, I saw a sign of Japanese Romantic Road. Gee! I found that the track I ran from Ueda to Tsumagoi(嬬恋) was not the route of Romantic Road. :eek: I was so exhausted that I could not go back.
I have to run one more time to complete the Japanese Romantic Road.:warau:

Distance: 82.45km + 18.89km = 101.34km
(because my cyclecomputer was broken at Toritsu-daigaku, the below data is for first 82.45km)
Time: 5h 24m 21s
Average: 15.2km/h
Max.: 48.7km
Difference of altitude: 1045m
drink at a bar in Jiyugaoka untill 2:00AM.:beer1:


TOTAL DATA::bike:
Date: April 30 - May 5, 2006
Distance: 561.05km
[Yokohama(Kanagawa) -(train)- Kyoto(Kyoto) - Kusatsu(Shiga) - Gifu(Gifu) - Nakatsugawa(Gifu) - Shiojiri(Nagano) - Ueda(Nagano) - Nakanojo(Gunma) -(train)- Toritsu-daigaku(Tokyo) - Yokohama(Kanagawa)]
(横浜-(鉄道)-京都-草津-岐阜-中津川-塩尻-上田-中之条-(鉄道)-都立大学-横浜)
tr204mape.gif


The detail travelogue is here in e-WADACHI.com. (uploaded on June 2nd)
 
Very impressive tour, Sora-san. Thanks for sharing it with us! :)

Very sorry to hear about your cycle computer though. :eek:uch:

Many thanks for the pictures as well. You still haven't told us the secret of that magic hat you were wearing on the tour... :p
 
thomas said:
Very impressive tour, Sora-san. Thanks for sharing it with us! :)

Very sorry to hear about your cycle computer though. :eek:uch:

Many thanks for the pictures as well. You still haven't told us the secret of that magic hat you were wearing on the tour... :p
Okay, I write about my magic hat.
It is not only for a monk but for outdoor people in old days in Japan, like farmers, fishers, travelers, etc..
kawakudari_fuyu.jpg

I had been wishing to try to wear one in my bike tour and I found it at Tsumago post town(妻籠宿). Two women were making the hats.
View attachment 14
I bought it as soon as I found it. It had so good ventilation that good for outdoor activities. Will you want to try?
No, I don't recommend you when you wear it on bike, because the resistance of wind is terrible.:warau:
 
Tour in summer: Day1 to 5

RIMG0325.JPG

Hi,

after 5 days run, now I am in Furukawa (Miyagi).
This time I have had too many things to see and to do, so I ran very slowly.

Tomorrow I will head for Naruko Onsen (鳴子温泉).
See you!

Bye.


Day 1(Aug. 5, 2006):
just move from Yokohama to Sendai by Shinkansen.

Day 2(Aug. 6, 2006)::bike:
[Sendai (Miyagi) --(Pref. Road 8)-- Iwakiri --(Pref. Road 35)-- Tagajo --(Route 45)-- Shiogama (Miyagi)]
(仙台-岩切-多賀城-塩釜)

It was a very hard run because of hangover. In fact I had a very long nap at Yakushido (薬師堂) in Sendai.

Distance: 39.39km
Time: 2h 53m 48s
Average: 13.5km/h
Max.: 34.2km
Difference of altitude: 55m
drink at a bar in Shiogama untill 1:00AM.:beer1:

Day 3(Aug. 7, 2006)::bike:
[Shiogama --(boat)-- Matsushima --(Route 45, Pref. Road 27)-- Ishinomaki --(Route 45, 342)-- Ichinoseki (Iwate)]
(塩釜-松島-石巻-一関)

If you have a chance to go to Matsushima from Sendai. I recommend you to take a boat from Shiogama. Of course, you can ride with your bike.

Distance: 107.42km
Time: 5h 56m 45s
Average: 18.0km/h
Max.: 43.3km
Difference of altitude: 225m
drink at a bar in Ichinoseki untill 2:00AM.:beer1:

Day 4(Aug. 8, 2006)::bike:
[Ichinoseki (Iwate) --(Pref. Road 19)-- Hiraizumi --(Pref. Road 19)-- Ichinoseki (Miyagi)]
(一関-平泉-一関)

In fact I was in Shinkansen for Tokyo for job. I went and back from Kanto.Today, I had a very little time to run.

Distance: 52.55km
Time: 2h 50m 36s
Average: 18.4km/h
Max.: 43.1km
Difference of altitude: unmeasured
drink at a bar in Ichinoseki untill ?????.:beer1:

Day 5(Aug. 9, 2006)::bike:
[Ichinoseki (Iwate) --(Pref. Road 19)-- Hiraizumi --(Pref. Road 19)-- Ichinoseki --(Route 47, 108)-- Furukawa(Miyagi)]
(一関-平泉-一関-岩が崎ー岩出川-古川)


Distance: 95.93km
Time: 5h 26m 42s
Average: 17.6km/h
Max.: 43.6km
Difference of altitude: 100m
drink at a bar in Furukawa untill 1:30AM.:beer1:
 
Tour in summer: Day6 to 9

Hi,

I am back to Yokohama. As I wrote in the before post, it was a very slow run.


Day 6(Aug. 10, 2006)::bike:
[Furukawa (Miyagi) --(Route 108, 47)-- Iwadeyama --(Route 47)-- Naruko --(Route 47, Pref. Road 28)-- Natagiri-Pass --(Pref. Road 28)-- Obanazawa (Miyagi)]
(古川-岩出山-鳴子-山刀伐峠-尾花沢)

Northern side of Natagiri Pass was under construction because of landslide.

Distance: 100.71km
Time: 6h 34m 23s
Average: 15.3km/h
Max.: 44.3km
Difference of altitude: 505m
drink at a bar in Obanazawa untill 11:00PM.:beer1:

Day 7(Aug. 11, 2006)::bike:
[Obanazawa --(Route 13, Pref. Road 279, 111, 24)-- Yamadera --(Pref. Road 111)-- Tendo --(Pref. Road 22)-- Yamagata (Yamagata)]
(尾花沢-山寺-天童-山形)

Yamadera has over 1000 of steps.

Distance: 81.78km
Time: 5h 08m 12s
Average: 15.9km/h
Max.: 44.0km
Difference of altitude: unmeasured
drink at a bar in Ichinoseki untill 3:15AM.:beer1:

Day 8(Aug. 12, 2006)::bike:
[Yamagata (Yamagata) ---- Ooishida ---- Shinjo (Yamagata)]
(山形-大石田-新庄)

terrible rain from 12:00PM to 2:00PM.

Distance: 80.26km
Time: 4h 57m 48s
Average: 16.1km/h
Max.: (113.8km !!)
Difference of altitude: unmeasured
drink at a bar in Shinjo untill 12:00AM.:beer1:

Day 9(Aug. 13, 2006)::bike:
[Shinjo (Yamagata) ---- Furukuchi --(boat)-- Kusanagi --(bus)-- Furukuchi (Yamagata) --(Shinkansen)-- Tokyo -- Yokhama]
(新庄-古口-草薙-古口-東京-横浜)


Distance: 40.87km
Time: 2h 24m 25s
Average: 16.9km/h
Max.: 34.0km
Difference of altitude: unmeasured
drink at a bar in Tokyo untill 0:00AM.:beer1:

tr205mape.gif

Day 10(Aug. 14, 2006):
I found my bankbooks and stamp were stolen from my apartment.:(



The detail travelogue is here in e-WADACHI.com. (uploaded on April 28th, 2007)
 
Sora said:
Day 10(Aug. 14, 2006):
I found my bankbooks and stamp were stolen from my apartment.:(

First of all congratulations on accomplishing your tour successfully! :thumb:

I am very sorry to hear about the burglary! How did they enter, have they broken into your apartment? :eek:
 
thomas said:
First of all congratulations on accomplishing your tour successfully! :thumb:

I am very sorry to hear about the burglary! How did they enter, have they broken into your apartment? :eek:
Yes, they broke window and enter.

But fortunately, they could not draw my money.
 
Sora said:
But fortunately, they could not draw my money.

Blast! Good they couldn't get hold of your savings. :eek:uch:

And of your bikes, I assume... :warau:
 
Hi Sora-san,

hope the guy :ninja: couldn't get anything...next time prepare your :gun: (just joking)

Anyway, I have checked your blog and it seems was nice ride. :cool:

well, see you on saturday.
 
Winter scramble run 2007: Day 1 to 2 (summary)

Hi,

I got an info that steam locomotive D51(Degoichi) were running specially untill Feb. 12th in Chiba. Yes, there are many steam locomotive running regularly, but most of them are small locomotive. D51 is special. It was the most famous and popular locomotive in Japan. But it is too heavy and damage line, so many rail way company avoid to let it run. So this is the very rare chance for me to watch and listen the moving D51. I had to go in spite of how cold it was.
I left Yokohama scrambly.


Day 1(Feb. 10th, 2007)::bike:
[Yokohama (Kanagawa) --(Route 15)-- Kamata(Tokyo) --(Route 15)-- Nihonbashi(Tokyo) --(Route 14)-- Funabashi(Chiba) --(Route 357)-- Makuhari (Chiba) --(Route 357 & 16)-- Kisaradu(Chiba)]
(横浜-蒲田-日本橋-船橋-幕張-木更津)
RIMG0089.jpg

Road from Funabashi to Kisaradu (Route 357 & 16) is wide and flat, just like an express way. Very comfortable run!

Distance: 119.25km
Time: 5h 52m 11s
Average: 20.3km/h
Max.: 42.1km
Difference of altitude: 165m
drink at a bar in Kisaradu untill 1:30AM.:beer1:


Day 2(Feb. 11, 2007)::bike:
[Kisaradu(Chiba) --(Route 16, 357...)-- Chichibu-no-miya Rugby Stadium(Tokyo) --(???)-- Toritsu-daigaku(Tokyo) --(???)-- Yokohama(Kanagawa)]
(木更津-秩父宮ラグビー場-都立大学-横浜)
DSCN2150.jpg

Almost same road as Day 1, but endless head wind bother me.

Distance: 112.05km
Time: 5h 46m 32s
Average: 19.3km/h
Max.: 39.5km
Difference of altitude: 80m


いやー、今日はいろいろ書いたなぁ~。うーん、達成感。
tr206_mape.gif


The detail travelogue is here in e-WADACHI.com. (uploaded on Feb. 23rd)
 
next, me!

Nobu-chan, Tora-san and Thomas-san had already left for Tour de Tohoku.
It is the time I depart! First I will ride on a train for Kusatsu.:cool:

Everyone, enjoy your Golden Week!

では、いってきまーす。:happy:
 
you too Sora!

Yasuhiro and I will be putting in a few miles! Hope the good weather holds!

Ash
 
Golden Week 2007

Hi,

after 4 days run + , now I am in Takayama (高山 : Gifu Pref.).
I started Naganohara-Kusatuguchi Sta. (長野原草津口駅) and headed for west.
All the way is mountains.:mad:

Tomorrow I head for Mino-Kamo. It is also mountain route.


Day 1(April 29, 2007):
[Yokohama(Kanagawa) --(TRAIN)-- Naganohara-Kusatsu Sta.(Gunma) -- Kita-Karuizawa -- Karuizawa -- Ueda(Nagano)]
(横浜-(電車)-長野原草津口駅-北軽井沢-軽井沢-上田)

The route is part of Japanese Romantic Road. But in this part main 2 toll roads don't accept bike.:mad:
After climbing up to Kitakaruizawa all route are decending. Route 19:Kitakaruizawa to Ueda is 40km long decending.:)
2007gw_01.jpg

Distance: 99.16km
Time: 6h 00m 15s
Average: 16.5km/h
Max.: 48.1km
Difference of altitude: 970m(?)
drink at a bar in Gifu untill 1:30AM.:beer1:

Day 2(April 30, 2007):
[Ueda -- Matsumoto(Nagano)]
(上田-松本)

I drop in a museum in Ueda. So it is very short run, but run over one pass.

Distance: 60.84km
Time: 3h 52m 54s
Average: 15.6km/h
Max.: 53.2km
Difference of altitude: 590m(?)
drink at a bar in Matsumoto untill 12:30AM.:beer1:

Day 3(May 1, 2007):
[Matsumoto(Nagano) -- Shin-shimashima --(BUS!?)-- Takayama(Gifu)]
(松本-新島-(バス)-高山)

I wanted to run over Abo-Toge Pass (安房峠). But it is closed untill May 18th. I intended to run near Abo-Toge, it start raining terribly. When I bought a bus ticket, the rain becomes weaker. Life is such a thing.:warau:
In the bus, I find the road to Abo-Toge is terrible. There are many tunnels and they are really narrow. And there are too many trafic. Cars cannot overtake bikes. It means bike must run as same speed as car. If you want to run here I recommend you to run from Takayama to Matsumoto. (The road of Takayama side is not terrible. In the case of decending you can run in same speed as car. (Sorry I cannnot.:warau: )
2007gw_02.JPG

Distance: 28.73km
Time: 1h 51m 30s
Average: 15.3km/h
Max.: 31.0km
Difference of altitude: 910m(?)
drink at Minshuku in Takayama untill 12:00AM(?).:beer1:

Day 4(May 2, 2007):
[Takayama(Gifu) -- Shirakayago --(BUS!?)-- Takayama(Gifu)]
(高山-白川郷-(バス)-高山)

to be continued....
 
Hi,

I am back from Golden Week tour.


Day 4(May 2, 2007):
[Takayama(Gifu) -- Shirakayago --(BUS!?)-- Takayama(Gifu)]
(高山-白川郷-(バス)-高山)

After over 2 pass, road to Shirakawago is decending.

Distance: 90.12km
Time: 5h 34m 03s
Average: 16.1km/h
Max.: 42.8km
Difference of altitude:640m(?)
drink at a izakaya in Nakatsugawa untill 11:30PM.:beer1:

Day 5(May 3, 2007):
[Takayama(Gifu) -- Gero -- Nakatsugawa(Gifu)]
(高山-下呂-中津川)

Gero Onsen is great! I recommend you!.

Distance: 110.83km
Time: 6h 25m 05s
Average: 17.2km/h
Max.: 45.0km
Difference of altitude: 805m(?)
drink at a izakaya in Nakatsugawa untill 12:45AM.:beer1:

Day 5(May 4, 2007):
[Nakatsugawa(Gifu) -- Iida(Nagano)]
(中津川-飯田)

Terrible 2 hill climbs....

Distance: 63.22km
Time: 5h 49m 45s
Average: 10.8km/h
Max.: 40.0km
Difference of altitude: 760m(?)
drink at a bar in Iida untill 1:00AM.:beer1:

Day 4(May 2, 2007):
[Iida(Nagano) --(TRAIN)-- Yokohama(Kanagawa)]
(飯田-(電車)-横浜)

just come back to Yokohama.

Distance: 5.08km
Time: 0h 23m 49s
Average: 12.8km/h
Max.: 26.2km


tr207mape.gif


The detail travelogue is here in e-WADACHI.com.
 
Narrow Road to the Interior - Stage 3

Hi,

I am back from annual solo summer tour.


Day 1(Aug 10th, 2007):
[Yokohama(Kanagawa) --(train)-- Tokyo --(train)-- Shinjo(Yamagata) -- Takaya(Yamataga) -- Turuoka(Yamagata)]
(横浜-(電車)-東京-(電車)-新庄-(電車)-高屋-鶴岡)

just moved to Tsuruoka

Distance: 44.97km
Time: 2h 32m 33s
Average: 17.6km/h
Max.: 29.8km
Difference of altitude: not measured
flat tire: 2 times

just 2 glasses of beer at ramen shop.

Day 2(Aug. 11th, 2007):
[Tsuruoka(Yamagata) -- Mt. Haguro -- Tsuruoka(Yamagata)]
(鶴岡--羽黒山--鶴岡)

Distance: 51.29km
Time: 2h 46m 01s
Average: 18.5km/h
Max.: 38.5km
Difference of altitude: 385m(including mountain climbing on foot)
flat tire: 1 time

just 2 glasses of beer at izakaya.

Day 3(Aug. 12th, 2007):
[Tsuruoka(Yamagata) -- 8th station of Mt. Gassan(Yamagata) -- (climbing on foot) -- 9th station of Mt. Gassan]
(鶴岡--月山八合目-(登山)-月山九合目)
RIMG0181.jpg
Distance: 39.16km
Time: 2h 47m 38s
Average: 14.0km/h
Max.: 35.4km
Difference of altitude: 1410m(including mountain climbing on foot)
a few cans of beer at hut

Day 4(Aug. 13th, 2007):
[9th station of Mt. Gassan(Yamagata) --(on foot)-- top of Mt. Gassan -- Yudonosan --(on foot)-- top of Mt. Gassan --(on foot)-- 8th station of Mt. Gassan -- Tsuruoka(Yamagata)]
(月山九合目-(登山)-月山山頂-(登山)-湯殿山-(登山)-月山山頂-登山)-月山八合目--鶴岡)

day of Mt. Gassan
RIMG0247.jpg
Distance: 40.16km
Time: 4h 06m 15s
Average: 9.7km/h
Max.: 34.4km
Difference of altitude: 1545m(including mountain climbing on foot)
break both knee because of mountain climbing.:eek:uch:

Day 5(Aug 14th, 2007):
[Tsuruoka(Yamagata) -- Sakata -- Kisakata(Akita)]
(鶴岡-酒田-象潟)

moved to Kisakata
RIMG0359.jpg
Distance: 72.99km
Time: 4h 02m 30s
Average: 18.0km/h
Max.: 41.4km
Difference of altitude: 85m

drink at a bar untill 4:30 AM.:beer1:

Day 6(Aug. 15h, 2007):
[in the town of Kisakata]
(象潟内)

day off
RIMG0455.jpg
Distance: 23.31km
Time: 2h 00m 42s
Average: 11.5km/h
Max.: 24.4km
Difference of altitude: not measured

drink at a bar untill 3:30 AM.:beer1:

Day 7(Aug. 16th, 2007):
[Kisakata(Akita)--Sakata--Tsuruoka(Yamagata)]
(象潟-酒田-鶴岡)

I cannot be apart from Tsuruoka....

Distance: 85.96km
Time: 5h 41m 20s
Average: 15.0km/h
Max.: 38.9km
Difference of altitude: not measured

drink at a bar untill 1:00 AM.

Day 8(Aug. 17th, 2007):
[Tsuruoka(Yamagata) -- Murakami -- Niigata(Niigata)]
(鶴岡-村上-新潟)

Distance: 159.84km
Time: 8h 47m 59s
Average: 18.1km/h
Max.: 41.1km
Difference of altitude: 160m

drink at a bar untill 5:00 AM.:beer1:

Day 9(Aug. 18th, 2007):
[Niigata(Niigata)--Yahiko--Teradomari--Izumosaki--Kashiwazaki(Niigata)]
(新潟-弥彦-寺泊-出雲崎-柏崎)

Distance: 109.52km
Time: 6h 24m 10s
Average: 17.1km/h
Max.: 73.4km(???)
Difference of altitude: 70m
drink at a bar untill 2:00 AM.:beer1:

Day 10(Aug. 19th, 2007):
[Kashiwazaki(Niigata) --(train)-- Tokyo -- Yokohama(Kanagawa)]
(柏崎-(電車)-東京-横浜)

day of destroying warehouse.

Distance: 30.77km
Time: 1h 42m 18s+???
Average: ???
Max.: ???
Difference of altitude: ???
drink at cafe "malle" untill 1:00 AM.
 
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