Cycling the Forbidden Rindos around Miyagase-ko on a Beautiful Autumn Day

 

Cyclist mimicks pictogram. 
At Ogurabashi on Route 510 in Sagamihara.

I have some work this weekend so took a ride in beautiful weather on Friday (again!), another spectacular Fall day.  I left home around 5:50am heading to meet Peter J. at "the toilets" (Komae shi Nishigawara Park). I had put the Gokiso wheels on the Parlee, but had not yet adjusted the carbon rim brake pads or other items. 

On the first downhill, a minute from my house, the brakes screeched loudly.  I stopped to adjust them, aiming the front brake shoes inward (pigeon toed). The rear ones ... could not be adjusted well, as the brake shoes I had picked were flat against the brake assembly arms. Oh well, at least I fixed the front screech, and 70-80% of braking force is applied to the front.

Anyway, that was the extent of problems with the bike. it was a lovely ride. 

At the rendezvous.

Dynamo hub cable and connector taped out of the way for the time being.
I will need them again soon.

Fall color already on the first climb of Onekansen Doro. Peter J. zooms ahead.

Peter and I took each other's photos here.

Peter J. went along as far as Route 412 around Hanbara/Sagamihara, then turned back for a late morning commitment. 

I continued on to Miyagase-ko.

But first I stopped to admire a temple and the lovely morning weather, a small river (the Kushigawa) running through the valley. It was one of many photo stops today.

Kushigawa below.

A temple en route. Kintokuyama Komyouji.

Then it was up through the hamlet of Toya and then to the north side of Miyagase-ko, where I turned right and immediately came up this signage.

Road closed!

The road is closed ... but not really. It suggests a closure ahead, but invites investigation. So I went on.  Just over the next rise, on a downhill before a long bridge, I came to this.

Not only was the fencing without any obvious gaps, but there were men working inside (on a Friday), and it seemed truly closed.  So I looked for a route around. This is what I found -- an 18km rindo detour.  I know that some others have taken and know well the rindos around Miyagase-ko, but i have not, and did not know them until scratching the surface today.

I passed some athletic facilities -- what looked like a field for horse competitions with adjacent stables, another for baseball -- and soon was at another road closed sign, this one for a rindo.

Road closed to vehicles due to fallen roads and slides -- there were none.

I continued along this road ... no problem at all passing and only a very few rocks in the road ... Eventually I got to the end of the closed section, where looking back I saw this sign.

No one except construction-related persons allowed!

That was clearer than a ban on cars/vehicles (is a bicycle a vehicle?).  Then after a short stretch of "allowed" road, I was at more signage. This indicated the the rest of the rindo around the lake was open only to "authorized" personnel vehicles. 

Yet another closed road. This one was unlocked ... although workers emerged after a few minutes and locked it behind them.

Bike leaning under momiji grove.

Big blue bridge (closed at the other end).

Bridge viewed from afar.

More momiji. Dappled sunshine all the way.

Glimpses of the closed "main" road at various points.

Finally I was back on the main road, just at the area where Miyagase-ko's restaurants and park are located. I pressed onward, only to pass a sign warning of the Yabitsu road closure.

That was no concern since I did not plan to take Route 70 today. Instead, I rode out over the lake and then down to the dam.

I have never seen Miyagase more beautiful than today.

Looking out toward Yokohama from the dam.

Looking back up the lake from the dam spillway toward mountains of Tanzawa.

The dam spillway.

Leaving the dam, I took the road that goes along the North side of the lake ... away from the lake and down the hill to the East, switching to smaller, local roads eventually and then joining Route 412, repeating a short segment covered earlier with Peter and continuing to Tsukui-ko and Zebra Coffee fo an early lunch.
 

After the Zebra stop, I went home via Yaen-Kaido and down the Tamagawa, well-traveled paths -- home shortly after 2PM, 136kms in total.

I stopped at RX Bike on Meguro Doro to look for a new front tire. Someone noticed my PBP Seattle Randonneurs jersey and asked me about brevets, and soon I was chatting with 3 people hanging out at the shop.  One of them told me he is a cycling illustrator and will hold an exhibition December 9-12 at a new exhibition space in Daikanyama/Ebisu area. Reminds me of, well, reminds me of life before Covid-19. Details below.