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Tanzawa reconnaissance!

WhiteGiant

Maximum Pace
Nov 4, 2006
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This following map is the "worst case scenario!"
http://www.mapmyrun.com/run/japan/atsugi/1140417049

It's a start from Atsugi, straight down Rte.246 until the start of the climb up Rte.710 as far as possible, then possibly having to come back down to 246 again.
Continuing on (along Rte.246) to Rte.147 and then climbing up again - "worst case scenario"; having to come back down that as well, and then ride all the way back to Hon-Atsugi station.... Which is still a century-ride, but...

Normally, someone like Aaron (Pucci) would have been up there several years before us to check things out, but this time, I reckon we're looking at "virgin-roads" here.
Sometimes, that can mean "nightmare-ish" rides for us all - newbies, semi-experienced, and others just visiting the area for the first time!
BUT, sometimes it can mean finding one of the nicest cycling roads in the whole country just by chance - possibly a road that everyone's forgotten about except for those who wish to ride on it.

Back to to the worst-case-scenario map - I've drawn it as though we could never make it through, and would have to double-back. However the possibility of these roads (both of them) being extremely good for cyclist still remains, so... I think we owe it to ourselves to clip-in, head out there, and check out these roads for what they really are!

Whaddya think?
T
 
I'm down, brother! That's the old American pioneering spirit. Wait, where are you from again...:)

But seriously, I like the idea of going out to see what can be found.
 
Count me in. Thanks for the map T.

I think we should be able to get through as all those roads are labeled as 林道 on my Super Mapple:). Depending on the conditions, we may have to cyclocross a bit though.

Are you planning on returning via R413, if we make it to Yamanakako?

What time are you thinking of rolling out Travis?

P.S I just checked out the satellite image up close and personal of the 'no mans land' rindou from the 710 thru to Tanzawako. Apart from the first few hundred meters along the road up the river and over the bridge, it all looks like sealed road in good nick! Looks really interesting terrain. Yeeeaaaah!!!!
 
Best Case Scenario...

Here's the map, and in my humble opinion, it looks ABSOLUTELY F#@KING AWESOME...
http://www.mapmyrun.com/run/japan/atsugi/272570106
....that we all head up into the unknown wilderness, expecting the worst. Yet we come across a pristine paradise of cycling-roads untouched by man since the dawn of the Pre-Nippon-engineering-excellence-in-road-technologitoric age 20,000,000 days ago - Totally preserved, without so much as a twig, rock, branch or even crack in the road surface. Heading upwards with an average gradient of at least 7%, the four (5? 6? 7?) of us become so enchanted by the magical surroundings that we completely forget the lactic acid in our legs. Our power output increases exponentially, as we ride up and up ever faster; not so much as a hint of wind, all we can hear is purr of our tires on the immaculate tarmac, when we realize that even our breathing has become effortless, and......

ZZZZZZzzzzz........ Oh! Sorry, did you say it was time to get up now?

Back to the real world:
It's 140km even. A perfect loop from Atsugi. And yes Mike; if we make it Yamanaka-ko, we'll definitely come back via Rte.413 & R64/60.
Also, the same as last weekend; PREPARE for the cold - The top elevation is 1,170m - considering that we only went up to 600m last weekend, we can expect it to be at least 5 degrees colder.
As for the starting time & place, I think Hon-Atsugi station is perfect. But if we can all get there by 7:45 so that we can be rolling right on 8:00, it would be better given the uncertainty of the course.
>Deej: Thanks for you pioneering spirit as well. Will you have your new bike by then, or will you still be on your friend's?

So far, 4 definites (alphabetically):
Dave (Deej),
Mike,
Thomas,
Travis (me).
*Christoph (cinelli) will as usual, let us know the night before.
*Marek, can you get up for this one?

Anyone else?

T
 
>Deej: Thanks for you pioneering spirit as well. Will you have your new bike by then, or will you still be on your friend's?

It's a little hard to say at this point, as Ys was vague on what day my bike would be ready this week. Also, after I pick it up, I would like to take it to Zunow East (way over in Chiba) to put the new wheels on. I may simply ride my bike with the old wheels, but I would love the psychological boost the red spokes on the Ksyriums would give me.:)

One more thing: From your original post, I wasn't able to tell when exactly this ride would be, and I chimed in thinking we would establish a date later. Saturday should be fine, but I am on kid duty that night (wife has a bonenkai) and will have to be home by around 5 or 6. If I rinko it back, should that be doable?

Also, looking at the weather forecast, Sunday is shaping up to be a little sunnier (thus perhaps warmer) than Saturday. Is Sunday out of the question for this ride?

D
 
That map has given me a woody mate! Hopefully us Aussies will only understand this, otherwise I night be in trouble!

I think we should def include a victory lap around Yamanakako upon arrival! What do you think?
 
this sounds like a ride no cyclist should miss ...i am down for it !!! (will try to return home early friday night) ... just to confirm - the ride is this coming saturday - 8th - starting from Hon-Atsugi !?
 
Maybe

A definite maybe from me. 8:00 start is orfully early though...
 
Unfortunately Pucci, I think we need to leave at that time because of the unknowns i.e. can we get through on those roads, or will we have to backtrack? Anything could happen.
 
Hi Travis . . .

I will join you in Hon-Atsugi before 8:00AM. I will be coming on the back of the Christoph Express down the R246 :D

Cheers,

Philip
 
Christoph, Philip, David (TrufflesEater) and I will ride out to Hon-Atsugi. Jumping aboard the Christoph ICE (Deutsche Bahn - Intercity Express) at Eda Sta., we expect to arrive there before 8:00am. :D

Update: the guys at my LBS told me today that R710/729 is most definitely a dead end road. They also told me that R76 used to be completely paved, thus connecting R246 and R413, but had eventually become impassable during this year's typhoon season.
 
C'est la Vie . . .

Update: the guys at my LBS told me today that R710/729 is most definitely a dead end road. They also told me that R76 used to be completely paved, thus connecting R246 and R413, but had eventually become impassable during this year's typhoon season.

Now I know how Captain Scott felt when he reached the South Pole and discovered Amundsen had already been and gone :(
 
Thomas, I checked out that whole road from the end of 710 to 729 (Tanzawako) by satellite imagery with my 007 skills, and it looked pretty good to me. O fcourse it all depends on when the photos were taken, but it looks pretty dry, so I'm guessing last winter?

Could be famous last words for me, but I reckon it'll be fine.
 
Thomas, I checked out that whole road from the end of 710 to 729 (Tanzawako) by satellite imagery with my 007 skills, and it looked pretty good to me. O fcourse it all depends on when the photos were taken, but it looks pretty dry, so I'm guessing last winter?

Could be famous last words for me, but I reckon it'll be fine.

If by "satellite imagery" you mean Google Earth/Goggle Maps or sites that use those
images, most of central Tokyo is several years old, closer to 5 years old than "last
winter." I would guess the boonies may be even older, and certainly not any more
recent.
 
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