Summary Inland Sea trip

[Stormy]

Hi All,

am just back from my trip to Shimanamikaido, Miyajima, Hiroshima and Himeji (probably around 675km of riding).

It was great sightriding and a good kick off for my 2014 bike season. Despite my heavy backpack I did well and definitely want to go back.

Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4

Here a few learnings:
- Shimanamikaido, as beautiful as it is, is close to modern piracy as every bridge commands a toll of 50 to 200 yen
- Shikoku is definitely a place I want to go back and see more off.
- The Honshu-side of the Inland Sea along the cost is cycling friendly only at times. Particularly, north of Fukuyama and all the way up to Osaka can be a disaster. Highway 250 North of Okayama seems to be an excellent alternative. I unfortunately spent too much time on Route 2, which is an absolute No Go for the most part. Learning: if you wanna ride urban, why not stay in Tokyo...
- I always tend to pack too heavy, no matter how much I leave behind.

Next trips on the list are: Nara Peninsula, Kyusho and Shikoku. Company welcome.

Cheers,
Norm

 

[stanc]

Thanks for this. It's exactly where I am ride planning for at the moment. I tend to use Google streetview quite a bit to try to guage what the roads are like. These days it comes as an unwelcome surprise if they are not covered. Also, so that's what the automated voices on the shimanami kaido were on about. This is the first mention I have heard of tolls so I just blithely rode through, naughty me.

 

[dgl2]

so that's what the automated voices on the shimanami kaido were on about. This is the first mention I have heard of tolls so I just blithely rode through, naughty me.

The automated voices are indeed annoying, and not effective as you ride through at any decent pace. When I rode a Brevet around Setonaikai this January ( http://positivo-espresso.blogspot.jp/2013/01/2013-first-brevet.html ), we were instructed to buy a book of toll tickets before setting off on the Shimanami Kaido bridges ... but I also forgot to deposit most of my tolls, and just dumped the remainder of the book in the toll box at the last bridge.

This must be the most expensive cycling route in the world, by an order of magnitude, so some toll is to be expected!

Route 2 -- not a road for cycling.

 

[stanc]

This must be the most expensive cycling route in the world, by an order of magnitude, so some toll is to be expected!

Route 2 -- not a road for cycling.

I would have paid if I had known, I dont even remember seeing toll boxes. Thanks for the note about route 2

 

[Ji10sya]

Looks like a great ride. Well done. I know what you mean about the tolls on the shimanikaido having ridden it for the first time this September. I'm heading back there in two weeks but without my bike. For anyone who is planning to do the shimanamikaido and doesn't have a bike with them they should checkout the Giant shop at Imabari Station. They have a good selection at reasonable prices.