Route : Fuchu -> Hashimoto -> Mt. Minamiyama Forest Road -> Miyagase Lake -> Yabitsu Pass -> Miyagase Lake -> Hashimoto -> Fuchu
Distance : 123km
In the morning for a late start, a friend joined me from central Tokyo (to meeting place by bicycle).
Last weekend I rode my bike up to Yabitsu pass (between Miyagase Lake and Hadano Town in Kanagawa Pref.). The ride out ot Miyagase was really nice and a friend and I passed over the (closed) Mt. Minamiyama Forest Road (peak 488m) and down into the Miyagase Lake area. From there the very slow (low grade) climb upto Yabitsu Pass began. The road is very narrow for almost the entire length and in the narrow canyon the views are quite nice. However, as we climbed higher and higher it got colder and colder up to a peak of about 700m where it was about 0C. When climbing, one’s body is generating heat so its not too bad, but the long fast descent was harsh because there is now wind and I was not doing any work so I got quite cold quite quickly. For about 20-25 minutes I was unable to feel my feet at all especially as the sun got hidden behind cloud cover.
Overall, I recommend this route (especially Yabitsu Pass) but due the decreasing temperatures in the winter and that most of the road is a single lane road (on the Miyagase Lake side) with tree cover, the chances of ice forming on the road, especially in the morning, seem very high. Due to the cover, I would recommend it as a hot summer route because of the tree cover.
Photos from Nakata-san here.
I’m back from my trip to see the leaves in Gunma, Tochigi and Nagano prefectures. Although it didn’t really go as originally planned. I never actually made it to nagano.
Nikko and Oku-Nikko were both so beautiful that I decided to stick it out there and only wound up riding about 300km in all. Everything was beautiful shades of yellow. Especially in the high elevations (around 1700-2000m) the boreal (pine) forests’ needles were changing shades of green to yellow which looked so beautiful on the mountain side.
However, I did wind up cutting it short because it looking like it was going to (and actually did) rain no Friday and Saturday and possibly Sunday. It was pretty drizzly on Friday and - back in Tokyo - was a downpour all day Saturday
Photos to come.
After getting sick this week, I decided to delay my depature for a day and will leave midday today. A bit later than I had wanted, but its probably best to make sure that I am healty before I go. I will probably be riding for 6 or 7 days starting in Maebashi. I have not decide where I will finish, either Matsumoto or possibily riding out to see a bicycle race at Fuji Speedway where a bunch of my friends are riding.
Well, I am off on my bicycle again. I took a week off from work and will be leaving the week after next (most likely on the 20th) for a tour through the mountains north of Tokyo and through to Nagano. The route isn’t really cut into stone yet, but the plan is to cover Nikko, Minakami and Karuizawa.
It is going to be quite a bit colder than the previous tour that I did so I have to get out this week and buy a better sleeping bag (probably good to -3C) as well as some clothes.
I figure the low end of the tempertaures will be in the 0C range at night which is a bit on the chilly side. However it is right in the middle of the “turning of the leaves” season here in Japan, so hopefully I am in for some spectacular scenery.
For the first time I went to see Keirin, Japanese bicycle racing, for the first time since I got to Japan. There is stadium just near my house (15 minutes by train).
It works just like horse racing in terms of betting. I didn’t win anything, but on of my friends, Taka, won 850 on 100 yen. But unfortunately that didn’t even cover the other tickets and beer that he bought!
The photo is not very clear as it was night and pouring with rain. Next time I will bring the good camera.
