Olympic road race course proposal revised

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20170618/k10011021711000.html

Start in Chofu near the Tamagawa ... and go to Mt. Fuji Speedway via Doshi and Yamanakako.

Much, much better!

New Stop along the Tamagawa Replaces 7-11 At Y's Road in Fuchu

A new stop along the Tamagawa. Highly recommended. Bicycle cafe and coffee roastery.
This was one of the best iced latte I can remember having, ever. Super smooth coffee.
The master wanted to speak English, so don't be shy. Next to Y's Road in Fuchu.

New Beauty in Marunouchi; Electric Monster in Azabu

Sometimes the bike parking lots are the most interesting parts of the commute!

Last week I had a lunch in Marunouchi and happened upon some mouth watering titanium from Merlin, ... in a small package. A mini-bike commuter. Very impressive.

Later in the week, a stop at another parking lot, a 500w electric bike - Ride Scoozy.  From what I can find, it has a 20MPH (32kph) top speed with the electric motor only ... and does not seem to have an automatic cut-out like the Japanese models. So not street legal!!!  Great unless you get stopped by the cops, or in an accident.

Beautiful June Day - Ride with Didi

 Didier was in town from Hong Kong this weekend, so I joined him for a "flat" ride on Saturday. We took his normal route to Hinode and back ... though we got separated a few times when he went someplace I was not expecting, and I stuck to my well-ridden roads or the path. It was a bit hot, but generally really nice weather for June. Later on, in the early evening, was incredible -- a cool breeze, dry air. Not Tokyo June! Of course, Sunday was much more sticky, and rain started after noon.

I felt lethargic, but I think that had more to do with the cold I got a week earlier than anything else. At least I got in 92kms and was not totally knackered. And good to catch up with another former Tokyoite returning to town. Seems to be a theme in recent weeks.

Still, I am not in the shape I was in 2015. I need to train!

Training for Velothon Berlin ... in Tokyo?!?

Fabian, one of MOB's close friends and a former Japan resident (for 3 years quite a long time back), was in town this weekend. He brought his cycling gear and got a pass from his wife and daughter so we could go for a ride, as we did the last time he was in Tokyo several years back (more years than I would like to admit).

Fabian said that MOB will come to Berlin next week from Bremen for the annual Velothon event. Some of you will remember reading about the massive Velothon event on this blog from 2011 or 2010. I think for more recent news, you can find reports on MOB's blog, "there is no "I" in cyclyng."

This was an important part of -- perhaps THE MOST important part of -- his training regimen. Seriously, Fabian does ride regularly, but said he tends to stick to short, after work rides, typically 35 kms.  Today we made it around 110 kms - the classic Otarumi/Tsukui loop. I promised him if he comes back again in the next few years, we will definitely put bikes in rinko bags and go to the countryside for something different and a bit more impressive. Still, for a return to Japan after many years, riding out along the river and through the sprawling suburbs may not be so bad.

Anyway, I have had a cold and am not yet fully recovered, but was happy to try to "ride through it" on this special occasion, as today was rare, remarkably decent cycling weather for June in Tokyo. Not too hot. Dry. Not too humid. Mostly overcast to keep the sun from being to harsh. A bit of a wind from the E/SE so a headwind on the return, but not as bad as sometimes.

Fabian borrowed the Renovo -- his first time on a wood frame, and first experience with Di2 and hydraulic disk brakes. All good.

I rode the sky blue Parlee.
I thought the color went very well with the blue hydrangeas along the Tank Road.

We went out Onekan, then took the tank road, the North side of Lake Tsukui, then up the west climb of Otarumi Pass, stopped at the ramen shop for ramen (me) and chahan (Fabian), then back via Takao and Hachioji.

Fabian Escobar outside the drug lord's house

Bikes welcome at the ramen shop near the top of Otarumi Pass. They treated us like kings, as usual.
Incredibly nice people running this shop, who are delighted at repeat visitors.

View from our garden table.

One stretch of path was closed off along the Asagawa east of Hachioji. It was easy to get over the barriers and ride along the nice new pavement. The other end was a bit more difficult.

I went around the fence first, then Fabiand handed over the bikes and joined me.

A tight fit for Fabian.

An even tighter fit for me!

A very successful outing.

Nice Article about Ken Bonner, the "relatively fast, old guy"

There is a nice article about Ken Bonner of the BC [British Columbia] Randonneurs here at Road Bike Rider.

As I have mentioned before I had the privilege to ride the first few hours of the 2012 Cascade 1200 with him, starting out with the fast group, but both of us eventually trailing off the back as, at one point, they powered ahead at an unsustainable pace. Then another half hour or so, we got to a short climb, and Ken kept going at the same pace, while I slowed!

Of course, that was the first morning of the 1200kms. He finished the event a day or more ahead of me.

I guess I really should be keeping track of my randonneuring mileage, if only to measure what fraction of events I have done compared with some of the giants of this type of event. ... Ken has now ridden 230,612 kms in 422 official events (as well as lots more "permanents". Of course, he also ran 173 marathons before calling it quits. That is 173 more than I have.