Me and my Bike

Out late last night looking for a coin laundry. Got up at 4 am to catch the ferry to Sado Island. The ride is just over 2.5 hours, and is quite comfortable on the Tokiwa Maru ferry (Sado Kisen Line). Even a full cafe on board. Sado is incredibly beautiful. Quiet and peaceful too. I am staying in at the Green Village Patio house, about 10 km inland from Ryotsu Port. They sell freshly baked bread as well, and it seems like many visitors that stop by as well. Got my race packet. Did a little 35 km tour of some sights, and the starting zone. Looks like it will be nice riding, if the weather stays the same. There should be about 3,000 people total attending this event. Sado seems to be great for riding, with smooth roads, good climbs and descents and beautiful scenery. Temple pictured is Myosenji. Sado is full of Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples. Had dinner with my host, Chikako-san at a conveyor belt sushi place. Communicating in broken english and japanese we were making ramen brot...

Day 3 Quite rough the past few days. Rain had been ongoing after Utsunomiya. I biked up to the World Heritage site at Nikko (see post before) and from there tackled route 169. I regret taking that way. It was 8% to 10% grade climbs for almost 15 km. Switchbacks everywhere, and at that elevation visibility became poor and rain quite heavy. After suffering up the climb I began the descent, with wet roads and caked brakes I had to be careful. The descent ended at Osawa Farm and Rest Stop. Filled up with some curry and I changed plans. My knees suffered quite a bit on the 169 climb so I decided to cross over more north of where I intended. The Bandai highway (route 49) runs from Aizuwakamatsu all the way to Niigata. Ended my ride at Kawajiyumoto station. The rain let up but would pick up again later. 2.5 hour train ride later I got to AizuWakamatsu. Day 4 Started strong the next day, covered about 35 km when the rain kicked back in again. 80 km till Niigata. The rain was pretty pow...

Long day....but feeling pretty good. Went from Honno Station in Chiba to Utsunomiya in Tochigi. About 170 km in the books. Rode about 60 km in the rain which was a nice reason to check it into a cheap hotel and dry off and relax. Went through 4 different prefectures today - Chiba, Saitama, Ibaraki, and Tochigi. Tomorrow the climbing begins as I tackle the mountains in central japan to get to the other side. 7/11 is my hero. Warm food, cold drinks, and nice bathrooms. Routes used today - 128, 126, 16, 4, farm roads. Too tired to write anymore. Tomorrow will go through the city of Nikko.

Went over to Y's Road in Shinjuku today for the mandatory bicycle inspection for the upcoming event in Sado Island. All went well, except for the discovery of a bent derailluer hanger. I was happy about everything else being good as I was curious about my own assembly skills. The inspection and hanger change came out to around $40 (pricey!). Nice 60km ride from Shinjuku into Chiba, the home of Saizeriya! Took route 302 from Shinjuku to route 14. Little bit of trouble at Edo River, but found the way back onto the Chiba Highway (14). This will take you all the way to Chiba City.

Here is a little post of what I'm packing in back. I want to be as light as possible, but still comfortable. Japan offers lots of conveniences especially with vending machines and convenience stores everywhere. I don't have to worry about carrying food with me or cooking equipment. Everything I need....hopefully Some descriptions:(Left to Right) - Rear bag cover for when it rains - Rinko Bag - these are a must have in Japan. You can not take your bicycle onto a train without one. I picked this one up at Cycle Base Asahi in Kyoto last year. Costs around 3500 yen. This is the Tioga Cocoon .  You can place your bike in this by taking off the front wheel and strapping it to the frame. Tested it out last year on the bus from New York to Montreal. Got off the bus, wheel and pedals back on, and I was back on the road. - Tools and Spare tubes - I've opted out of using a multi tool, as I'm sick of the allen keys short reach. Instead I'll bring full siz...

First day in Tokyo. It was a long flight from Montreal and its time to get some rest. If the weather is good I will be taking my bike to the store to fill out the required checks to participate in the Sado Island event. Check in with a bike on Delta airlines was $150 CAD. I haven't had a chance to open the box yet, but I found my bike waiting nicely for me on a cart in Narita when I got to baggage claim, so I assume it was treated well. Looking forward to some city riding! Exciting!

Prepare, prepare, prepare. The weather has just gotten a lot better here in Montreal for the past two weeks, with temperatures approaching 20 degrees. Finals are going on, but my mind is elsewhere. Ive been working more to cover travel costs as well. Been preparing some gear for the past few weeks, all courtesy of my tax return. Backpack I went with a 30L Aquaquest Stylin'. Price is around $100 CAD. Fully waterproof, with one main compartment and a smaller one on the outside . Rain Gear I found an old and little Italian bike store near my house, called VB Cycles. The owner, Adam, is always fun to chat with. Went in last week and spotted this "Sorry" (Italian brand) rain set which really caught my eye. Hope I get a chance to test it out beforehand. Helmet Picked this one up from Aliepxress. I used the same model when I was biking in Beijing. It's saved my head after crashes, being hit by buses, cars, scooters, and people. Light, comfor...