Otarumi TT & Attack of Suzugane Tour

David, Marek and me met at David`s house at 8 AM and left for Sekidobashi, where we met Tom. We went first to Otarumi Toge and than decided how to proceed. Tom was pushing us very hard against the headwind. For some reasons there were many firemen matsuri along the road, with one big one just before Hachioji.
When we were resting at the 7-Eleven at Takao we saw a group of mixed Japanese riders; we greeted the girls and tried to ignore the guys as good as we could. They went ahead but made a rest halfway where we overtook them. But they had some strong riders, including one of the girls and they overtook at least me again and perhaps also Marek...(Tom's comment...don't worry; it happened to me too 3 years ago and I was devastated. This young tiny lady with ponytail going up and down overtook me and no matter how hard I tried I could not stay in her wheel. It was the biggest affront to my pride I ever suffered in my life and from that day I swore to myself I would never ever let it happen again!)
Nevertheless I set a new personal best for the way up despite the traffic jam and a crazy bus driver who was trying to kill Marek and me backwards.
After the descent to Sagamiko Station we decided to split: Tom and Marek rode on in direction Otsuki and David and me went back over Otarumi Toge. I decided to push it again and was very much faster than my previous first try.
Now we had a good tailwind and constantly rode in the 35 - 40 km/h bracket home. After a break at the Y-Park 7-Eleven we continued our way home and were pushed by a newcomer who wanted to keep up with us but, because he didn`t know the pecularities of the Tamagawa track, almost crashed into one of the chainlinks on the closed portion of the road.
Shortly before Futagotamagawa David and me accelerated and he had no power left to stay with us.
My first trip of the year 2008, I am feeling well with the newly positioned saddle by Nagai-San. Let's see, if the weather is good tomorrow and I am feeling ok, perhaps I will go for another ride.
Don't know now what happened to Tom and Marek but I am sure we will read on either of their blogs later.
Tom: As we were making headway along a Koshukaido with very little traffic (for a change!), it occured to me that I had taken Marek to the Tawa & Tsuru touges (originally planned destination of today) last Summer so I proposed the Suzugane/Hinazuru touges instead. Marek always open to challenge as he is, liked the idea and off we were going at a real strong pace taking turns. A deja-vu was waiting for me...at almost exactly the same spot where Michael suffered his puncture last month, I heard Marek behind me using plenty of four-letter words. "It's your back tire, right?" My intuition was right but I had already noticed during our approach to Takao that Marek's tire was pretty much deflated...a typical case of スローパンク. We took turns pumping up the new inner tube after Marek removed a metal splinter that had penetrated the tire some time ago. Ate a few sandwiches at the 7/11 near Saruhashi and then we took the left turn towards Tsuru City for the attack of Suzugane...this whole area is pretty much virgin land for cyclists I guess...never encountered another cyclist on this Rd 159! Near the summit, a middle-aged couple who had just hiked to Suzugane's peak took our picture. Hinazuru touge was cleared in no time and we soon found ourselves zooming our way down Rd 35 direction Akiyamamura - almost one straight descent ending at the wide Katsuragawa river. I had no power left to try a reverse Otarumi TT and it wouldn't have made sense as we encountered a traffic jam on our way up...car accident. Parted with Marek nearby Y's shop on the Tamagawa. Marek has made a lot of progress since last Spring...super cadence! Keep it up and you'll be Positivo Espresso's champ Marek! What!? I just checked my stopwatch 17:57....I did break the record after all!! When asked by Michael, I had the previous time of the reverse Otarumi TT in my mind and with disappointment in my voice, I replied "just made it under 18 minutes..." I feel exalted right now....got to update the record!
Marek : What a ride ... thanks Tom for dragging me all the way (and for waiting) .. Apologies if I slowed you down. Please find my side of the story in my newly updated blog.