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Today - October 2010

Half-Fast Mike

Lanterne Rouge-et-vert
May 22, 2007
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I didn't start a 'Today - October' thread yet because nothing particularly notable happened.

However, yesterday I saw a motorist driving in a sensible road position, with his lights on at dusk, and not using his mobile phone. I was so surprised I nearly fell off my bike.

Had some speedy competition on my morning commute today. Just a kilometer from the start some local dude on a colorful mountain bike seemed determined to stay ahead of me through the cars and buses. Wronnggg, although I had to pull a couple of tricks out of the bag that I really didn't want to use on a tired Friday morning. He then brazenly and unnecessarily shoaled me at the level crossing. Left him for dust at the next light.

Then I got shoaled by a fat hairy bloke on a mamachari at Nanpeidai. Kudos to him for dragging his fat hairy ass up that hill on such a vehicle. But then he skims up my offside and turns 90 degrees straight across my front wheel to steal the piece of kerbstone in front of me. I was spitting teeth.

Also saw the least effective hand signal ever, from a tall, fast guy on a CAAD9. I don't see any reason why this is too much to ask...

handsignals.jpg


The guy I saw this morning, bless him for trying, looked like he wasn't sure whether to scratch his ass or had a broken wrist. Awwww. Something like this, but even less demonstrative.

coolhands.jpg


If we're going to signal our intentions to other road users, give them something to look at!

Here's what I consider a good example:

signalaltright168x162.jpg


Lovely form. Arm out level with the shoulder. Fingers parallel, showing the maximum surface area to the driver behind. No doubt what she plans to do.

This one is less perfect:

signalleft168x162.jpg


Why? Look at his fingers. He could be pointing out a scenic spot or rare bird to his friends. No reason not to hold one's hand out flat, properly.

</rant>

Searching for illustrations for this post, I learned that several countries and most US states stipulate an "L" shape with the left arm, for turning right. This makes sense in a left-hand-drive car, I suppose. But on a bike?! I've certainly never seen anyone signal this way... have you?

--HF Mike--
 
Like an articulated lorry (I think Americans say semai ) without the articulation, or with virtual articulation. Great idea... until the first accident. Then who do you prosecute? The 'driver' was already 100 past the accident site.

I wonder if their sensors are sensitive enough to detect a bike and rider drafting inbetween rigs. Not that I'm encouraging such dangerous behaviour.

--HF Mike--
 
Just waiting for somebody to create the October thread.

Had a nice 150k+ ride out yesterday
Tamagawa, Onekan, the dregs, Miyagaseko and finally Doushi Michi.
Anybody has recommendation on how to avoid the urban sprawl best when going towards Doushi?

I really hope the weather stays this way for a while and I can keep my single armwarmer in the closet for a while.
 
天高肥馬 for the last couple days, but cloudy now and rain coming for the weekend.
 
Tamagawa, Onekan, the dregs, Miyagaseko and finally Doushi Michi.
Anybody has recommendation on how to avoid the urban sprawl best when going towards Doushi?

Which is the part you don't like? Onekan is normally a pretty neat road to take. Yaen Kaido is not that bad either. Or of course you can go up the Asakawa to the very end and then cross over to Hashimoto or go over Odarumi towards Doshi (there are many possibilities).
 
Which is the part you don't like?
I think Gunjira means getting between the end of Onekan and the start of the nice part of Doshimichi, or otherwise getting through/past Hashimoto without going miles out of one's way.

I have the same frustration. But Ludwig I know you know the area well. A recommended route???

Gunjira - you can start threads yourself. Don't wait for someone. I never asked permission!

--HF Mike--
 
I think Gunjira means getting between the end of Onekan and the start of the nice part of Doshimichi, or otherwise getting through/past Hashimoto without going miles out of one's way.

I have the same frustration. But Ludwig I know you know the area well. A recommended route???

I mapped out my recommendation:

http://www.mapmyride.com/route/jp/kanto/895128652801413165

Positivo Espressos call the first part "the tank road". It's a car-free road leading through a long part, which was apparently used by MHI to test tanks a long time ago.

From close to Hashimoto station, there is a somewhat less busy road running parallel to route 413. If you don't turn off as indicated, not a problem either as it leads you back to route 413 which you ultimately can't avoid anyhow, for a bit.

Then there is the road around the backside of Tsuiko, also patented by PE riders. The first part can be a bit busy on weekday mornings (because locals like it to short-cut the damn bridge), but otherwise it is very quiet and scenic.

Altogether it's not the fastest way, but so pleasant that the ride itself is enjoyable and reaching the goal is no longer the only objective.

Cheers, Ludwig
 
I think Gunjira means getting between the end of Onekan and the start of the nice part of Doshimichi, or otherwise getting through/past Hashimoto without going miles out of one's way.

That's exactly what I meant. I looked around a bit and this seems to be a little better, avoiding Machida R and part of 413. Next time I will probably go via Takao and Odarumi.

One more funny story from the ride though. So, we are totally last in suburban nowhere and at a red light we come up to a Japanese roadie complete with team kit, di2 and all. I ask him where he is going. He just says: "Hamburg". I laugh, thinking he obviously must have done some riding already.
Then my domestique enlightens me, there is a climb called Hanabara. We decided to follow, but even before getting there, he totally smokes us (with the help of some dump trucks).
 
Then my domestique enlightens me, there is a climb called Hanabara.

Maybe Hanbara (半原)? That's along route 412 towards Atsugi, close to Miyagaseko. It's not a climb per se, but a town, though the area is quite hilly, and popular with serious cyclists for their training.
 
I bet you've ridden the closed section of r515 as well, haven't you!? I've been to both ends, but didn't climb over the (really rather forbidding) gates.

Sure thing! There are no closed roads or trails for me :)

Actually, I have done this with MOB on our road bikes. The "road" is in really poor condition with debries all over it and there are many landslides. Everything is passable, but the landslides require dismounting. A cyclocross or mountain bike would make little difference.
 
Responding to a 6am call for a quick jaunt up the Arakawa roused myself and headed to the rendevous point. Only 1 other person showed, the ride leader still in the sack , duffed from the rain. The rain was really nothing , so we made the ride. (Rule 9) A nice quick pace up and down the 'kawa then back home. One semi almost killed us trying to make a lefty at the last instant of the signal. Grrrr ... I want an RPG option for my next bike.
 
After three weeks of hardly touching my bike (stupid crazy work + badly timed rain) I got out for part of the day on the little country roads parallel to rt20 between takao and otsuki.

It was good to be out in this lovely weather and good to feel stronger than when I first road these rolling hills in the spring... But frusterating to lack the energy and power I was building a month or two ago.

What a beautiful day!
 
22 degrees Kazuhari, 32 degrees Odarumi toge !
One last heatwave, shame I wasnt in Nagano for the wonderful weather but instead on a recovery ride over my favourite toges of Tokyo and Yamanashi. It was an easy decision to postpone the tour, as I came down with a heavy cold on Friday after a few days of sore throat, so a 3 day tour would have killed me.

So many cyclists out today, enjoying the weather. Nice to meet Simon on the slopes of kazahari, we were a similar pace today so look forward to more rides in the future.

Witnessed some road rage for the first time in Japan on in the mean streets of Hachioji on the return, a group of cyclists ahead of me were riding completely legitimately on the left, the right lane was slow moving and so we were speeding along. A car was trying to get past them but they quite rightly wouldnt move, so the car was sounding the horn and getting close to them. Coming up to a crossroads the car moved to their side, and made a swerve into them. The last guy pulled back, the rest of the group cycled on and as the car turned left at the lights, a skin head guy jumped out and really looked like he was going to punch the cyclist, but it came to just shouting some obscenities as the cyclist looked really scared.

Just some angry yobs, no fault of the cyclists at all. Just didnt expect to see it in Hachioji!
 
Wow, that must be a first for Odarumi. Otarumi easily gets that hot, but Odarumi at 2,400m? :)

.....I thought that climb was taking much longer than usual yesterday.

Talking of Otarumi - now that the route 20 tunnel is open, and soon the other tunnels will follow, does this affect the official starting point for the climb of Otarumi east? Theres a fair amount of traffic using this already, and you cant guarantee sailing through the red lights without at least slowing down.
 
Had a great day out yesterday. Rode out from Shinjuku to Takao and looped around over a few climbs and rode back again via Takao.Total 130km's.
Blue skies and a lot of other people out on their bikes :bike:

I now have around 100hours of training since July. Starting to feel better going uphill but I still suck at it (judged from how many people that pass me on the climbs)

Just wish my windproof jersey would arrive from Wiggle.....going down the hills are getting cold.
 
Did a ride out to Takao, Odarumi, Wada West loop to Takao station today.
I did not feel too well on the bike somehow rarely pushing it over 35 in the flats, but the heavens were smiling on me. Almost no traffic in my line wherever I was riding, although in the opposite lane things often came to a standstill. Nice.

It was my third time up Wada from the West side and since I put on a cycling computer last week in preparation for Tokyo Enduro I was excited to time myself. Problem is that I thought the start was at the last bus stop, but it seems that amongst TCCers it is the 521/522 split. Anyways my time was 17:56, but as always pacing myself proved impossible. Speeds on top of the Fuji viewing bench dropping considerably.

One thing annoying are my look keo pedals. Whenever I have spent some time in the saddle they start squealing.
 
To all commuters: is it traffic safety week yet again?

During the past few days I noticed an increased police presence in the streets of Tokyo. The cops chased me off Hibiya-dori two days ago when they set up a checkpoint and asked me to ride on the sidewalk. Yesterday, as I was about to cross Shinohashibashi (as I do hundreds of times a year) an agitated omawari-san came waving and shouting at me. Must be my red jersey... :rolleyes:

I hope their attention will soon focus on more important issues, such as mamachari registrations.
 
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