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Tanzawa-ko & R76

Philip

Speeding Up
Feb 15, 2007
765
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Has anyone cycled past Tanzawa-ko and north along route 76???

The road is closed to cars as it passes over a mountain range reaching 1129 meters. The elevation map shows it is a steep climb. On the other side it descends to an intersection with R413. It looks fantastic!

I mapped it. Tanzawa-ko and R76 is on the far left:

http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/japan/tokyo/509306324

If you have cycled on R76 what are your thoughts?

Cheers,

Philip
 
That ride you have mapped out. How far would that be starting from the palace? and how how do you think it would take?

I rode down to Mt Fuji last weekend and loved it. I'm ready to go long again.

Paul
P.S Sorry can't help you with R76, but I am looking for a good 180k ride with hills. Any tips?
 
Haven't done it Philip, but I have been tempted to try it from 413. If you came over Yabitsu Toge and continued on your usual Tour de Christophe route, onto 518 and instead of continuing onto 35, went onto 76 and headed down towards Tanzawa ko, I reckon it would be a great ride. That mountain pass looks pretty challenging! If I can get over my stiffness from the Hotaka race I will be keen to try it.
 
Hi Paul . . .

I mapped from my house - 206KM. My house to Imperial Palace & back - +20KM. Palace out and back is therefore 226KM.

I saw on your blog that you used R20 to get to Fuji-san. I did that with with Thomas a few weeks ago - the traffic lights out of Tokyo are a real bitch! However, the ride down into Sagamiko is superb :D

Cheers,

Philip
 
Hi Mike . . .

Should we ride clockwise or anti-clockwise? Can't really answer that until we have done it! However, I would prefer to get the long drag up R246 out of the way first, i.e., clockwise.

Cheers,

Philip
 
Hey Christoph . . .

What do you think? Do you want to give it a try this Saturday?

Cheers,

Philip
 
:clap::clap::clap:
hey philip

looks pretty nice!!! saturady is fine for me - sunday i'am already abroad!!
when do you want to start? 7am at eda?

see you
christoph

What do you think? Do you want to give it a try this Saturday?

Cheers,

Philip
 
Would love to join you guys but I just don't think my legs are ready for it after the Hotaka last weekend. Count me in next time.

Mike
 
Hi Mike . . .

Understood and will keep you posted. Congratulations on a great performance in the Hotaka last week.

Cheers,

Philip
 
Hi Mike . . .

Stayed at home due to the weather. Went to the cinema and an obscenely expensive restaurant instead. I did run 30k in the morning as an excuse for being a coward.

Cheers,

Philip
 
Tanzawa Cyclocross

Today Christoph and I "attacked" Route 76 and Tanzawa-ko. We met unusually late at Eda Sta., around 8:20am and headed towards Gotenba reaching R76 after a bit more than an hour (we had breakfast along the road). R76 actually runs parallel to R246 crossing it many times, so make sure you turn into R76 at Yamakita Sta.


The climb itself is not that spectacular, but the landscape definitely is. R76 forks further up the hill, the left fork ending at a closed gate. As Christoph had dashed ahead I tried the left fork first, couldn't find him, turned back and climbed up the right fork. No Christoph in sight, I passed the closed gate and climbed up the peak. I was joined by three Japanese cyclists who didn't follow me into the tunnel.


I should have followed their example! :eek:uch:


Thinking that Christoph was ahead (no keitai connectivity) I embarked on the ride down the dirtroad that lay behind the gate. Pebbles, boulders, twigs and creeks over a steep forest road. I carried my bike most of the time, panicking as the road - devoid of any signs of civilization - just wouldn't end. After an hour of would-be cyclocrossing I finally set foot, or rather wheel on a paved road: the continuation of R76. Following that road I reached R413 and headed back to Tokyo. With the keitai working again, I found out that at that time Christoph was still on the other side of the hills, riding back along R246.

An interesting ride, a beautiful day, but R76: won't happen again! :D
 
Sounds like an adventure, Thomas! A great day for a little cyclocross action.

I noticed from your photos that you didn't bring your Panasonic -- I hope this doesn't mean you're already tired of it!
 
Hmmm... definitely an adventure. I hate that feeling of not knowing where the road is!

Sounds like might have to give R76 a miss for a while. Its a ghost road!
 
end of the road - not end of the world

hello thomas

yes that was a little bit woerse timing of us, especailly while we have done it both first time. as closed gates normally are no reason for us to turn around I climbed on untill I stood on a similar street like you later....
after waiting a while (I did not know how many fotos you wanted to make and defintly waited to long:) I turned and rolled down, first to the gate and later the fork.
then i tried the same like you, meet a groud of japanes riders in the tunnel, so i could not recognize what kind of bike they had been riding (must be mtb's). rolling down i was surprised about the very good road condictions untill after a curve a just was rolling into a kind of nothing. i tried it about one km or so but then decided to not trying the end of the world trip :)

but as thomas mentioned, the tanazawa valley and climb is really gorgeous!!
if there wouldn not be the long 246 part (from atsugi to yamakita) i would do it again for that valley!

see you

christoph
 
Thank you Thomas & Christoph . . .

Thomas, you deserve a medal for dedication to research! Having read your report, I felt terribly guilty being the person who suggested an attempt on the route. Just as well I was not there with you - I can imagine all the complaints I would have suffered :D

On the other hand - you did laugh at my mama chari :p

Cheers,

Philip
 
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