First Brevet of the 2025 Audax Year ... December 15, 2024?

For some years now, the “Audax year” has started on November 1 and finished on October 31. This I guess allows riders to meet qualification requirements (i.e. successfully ride shorter events) in time to register for grand randonées (i.e. 1000km or longer) events. Most famously, PBP is held in late August, but requires completion of 200, 300, 400, and 600km brevets by sometime in early June to perfect one’s registration.  This, and satisfying requirements for some earlier long events, can be a challenge for those of us who have jobs, families, and/or other hobbies, as well as for newly minted randonneurs.

Anyway, I did my first 200km ride of the new Audax year on Sunday, December 15, before my year-end Festive 500kms.  

Unusually for a winter 200km brevet, the ride went out the Akigawa and over Kobu Tunnel. The climb to Kobu can be ice-covered in winter,  especially on the north side of the mountain. At least the route would descend on the sunny south side where ice was unlikely.  And, of course, winter did not officially start for a few more days.

This brevet, sponsored by R-Tokyo, started at the large complex of athletic/park facilities in Todoroki, on the Kawasaki side of the Tamagawa.  I left home at 530AM and headed out Nakahara Kaido … so was around 5 minutes late to the start, still well within the 30-minute window, but arriving after all but one or two others were far ahead. 

So, I never saw the fastest riders in the event. 

Eventually, due in part to the many traffic signals on the first 15+ kms to Fuchu, I was able to catch and even pass a few groups of riders. 

Crossing the Tamagawa early in the course.

I saw more riders at the first checkpoint – a photo stop on the North Akigawa, just at the base of the climb to Tokisaka pass.  People were stripping a layer of clothing, preparing for the climb ahead.

Now came the hard part.  Sure, we had already reached 275 meters elevation and the ride up the valley was just more gradual climbing until the short (4-5kms) steeper ramp to Kobu Tunnel.  

Left turn to Kobu Tunnel

Finally on the sunny side of the hill

But the 55kms AFTER Kobu Tunnel would include pretty constant up-down sections (I counted 9 short climbs of 25-75 meters each). Then we were in a fairly vicious headwind, riding along a line of traffic, the next 15-20kms to the coast, then a bit more headwind along the coast toward the checkpoint/turn-around.  So this "middle" section of the event was by far the most difficult.

It was the section AFTER descending from Kobu Tunnel that was the hard part.

At the Shonan coastline

The final 65kms were easy, relatively. A bit of a tailwind along the coast, then rolling home via Yokohama.  The major challenge was … Sunday late-afternoon traffic.  

Kamakura Traffic!

Fuji from Zushi

Slog through southern Yokohama

And our route went through Minato Mirai, where the crowds of pedestrians were just incredible, nearly spilling out into the street as we rode by. More red lights. Long ones. Finally, the very-familiar ride along Rte 1 north from Yokohama, then a left turn just over the Tsurumi River and parallel to a train line past Shin-Kawasaki to finish at a random convenience store located South of Musashi Kosugi.  

More Yokohama traffic, on Route 16.

Minato Mirai -- I tried hard NOT to get people in the photo. The area behind me had thousands of them.

Sometimes a brevet “goal” does really seem like a random store, selected just because it clears the required distance but with no other redeeming qualities.  This was such a case. 

It was cold so I headed home, glad to finish the event without difficulty, and to ride some more in the hills than the typical winter brevet course and 225kms including the ride to/from the event.

I think it was the next time I visited Audax Japan’s home page that I saw an announcement that Audax is switching back to a calendar year from 2025. So this brevet would not count toward any 2025 achievements.  In the end, I am not really riding Audax for the “medals” and my planned long event this year does not require a specific SR 2/3/4/600 series for purposes of entry, so no problem there.

Kobu Pass (Kobu Tunnel) on one of the Hottest Days of this Summer

Peter J. and I decided to ride today, Friday August 27. We knew it would be hot, so planned a relatively early start, and a ride that at least had some options. I wanted to get to Kobu Tunnel and Uenohara area as I have done too many rides on the flats of Kanto or sticking to the Tokyo side of nearby hills recently. I left home at 6:07AM and met Peter at "the toilets" in Nishigawara Shizen Koen near Komae at 6:50. Today I rode the 2011 Canyon Ultimate CF. I plan to lend it to a friend this autumn, and wanted to do a shakedown trip now that I have got the Imezi wheels on it, a longer stem, new cassette, etc.

The Canyon reborn!

Within a few minutes of leaving home, my hands were dripping wet. The handlebars and brifters  on my bike were dripping wet, my skin was glistening in sweat, my iphone glass fogged -- 93% humidity before sunrise. Riding in a sauna essentially. Things eventually dried out, as they got hotter.

We made decent time until the base of the Akigawa, where we filled water bottles. It was a lot easier for both of us to ride together with me on a road bike, rather than the Pelso recumbent (which is too fast on the flats, too slow on the climbs, and no good for drafting). Just after we emerged onto the main road toward Musashi Itsukaichi, Peter realized he had forgotten his sunglasses where we filled the bottles. I pulled into a 7/11 and got a snack while waiting for him to retrieve the glasses and (after quite awhile, apparently not searching for sunglasses but searching for the right road) to find the way back.

Peter, at the spot where he left his sunglasses.

Meanwhile, a guy wearing an "ATF" t-shirt pulled into the 7/11 parking lot on a large motorcycle (Harley or wanna-be). In Japan, alcohol and tobacco are very common and he looked like a user of both, but I had to question the "firearms" part of it, assuming he knows what ATF stands for.

It felt hot waiting in front of the 7/11, even in the shade, and even though it was only 830AM!  Today was not like waiting in the shade for last month's Olympic road races. 

We pressed on toward Itsukaichi and then up the Akigawa Keikoku (gorge). As we approached the "T" intersection, Peter was in front of me and I hollered "Alright! We go to Uenohara!" since the sign at the crossing showed the left turn would take us there. (I had previously told him that to get to Kobu Tunnel, we turn "left at Musashi Itsukaichi, left at the T-intersection in front of Hinohara Town Office, and left at the traffic signal at just over 400m elevation another 10kms further up the road". Left, left, left.  

Peter turned right. ... for Kita Akigawa. I hollered "no, Left, Left". 

After looping around and passing me, he explained that he had heard my "alright" as "right". Fair enough. I was reminded that even though he has been in Tokyo over 30 years, raced bikes as a student, and in recent years since he started to ride again gets out several times a week, he has his own set routes and not explored these hills quite the way that Manfred, Jerome, or I have done, typically staying closer to town. This would be his first trip to Kobu Tunnel -- though he noted that he has been up to Tomin no Mori/Kazahari before. 

The lower Akigawa climb was very nice. It was hot, but not as hot as the Kanto plain. Still, I needed a breather to cool down before doing the short (4 km; 200m elev) climb to and through the tunnel). 

Turn left for Uenohara (and Kobu Tunnel -- or Kobu Pass)

Peter tells me that the tunnel is at "Kobu Pass", and we really should call the climb Kobu Pass, as some Japanese cycling resources do.  But as the winter photo below shows, if there is a pass, it is way, way up on the mountain. In my view, calling this "Kobu Pass" would be is as if one were to take the Sasago Tunnel on Route 20 (Koshu Kaido) and say that you climbed Sasago Pass. We know that indeed, there is Sasago Pass, but that is another 350m elev higher and 5-6 kms away from the Sasago Tunnel on Route 20 (or the parallel tunnel on the Chuo Expressway). 

Anyway, I was starting to fade on the climb in the heat, and Peter waited for me at the top. On Thursday I had been to the weight room for strength training, and I could feel weakness in my entire upper body -- shoulders especially -- on the climb. I guess it may be due to not only the weight room, but also spending so much time on the recumbent and so little on the road biek in recent months. This upper body weakness continued for the rest of the ride. 

It was a quick descent down the South side toward Uenohara. I had no interest in trying the Golf Course Hills in this heat, but we did enjoy taking the small road across the river from Rte 33 (on the East side) for the ride into Uenohara. We stopped again at a convenience store, where Peter took a work-related 11AM call. This store is now a Daily Yamazaki ... I could swear in the past it was something else, and I remember when it had a bench in front. No longer.

By the time the call finished it was 11:20, midday heat. I don't know how hot it actually was, but it got to 37 in Kofu to the west, and 36 in Hachioji to the East. And today (the following day) the forecast is for 36 degrees in Uenohara. For American reference that is a (humid) 96.8 degrees fahrenheit.

I was not going to enjoy riding in this heat. In fact, my speed had slowed pretty dramatically. Peter went ahead to Takao Coffee, while I crept up the climb toward Otarumi. I was only going 10-12kph on a relatively shallow, very easy climb, but my heartrate was near max at 160bpm. I stopped to rest twice on the way up, and arrived at Takao Coffee 15-20 minutes after Peter.  

After a delicious ice coffee and piece of chocolate cake, we headed west. ... except for me, Takao Station was as far as I was going. I hopped the train home and cooled down in a soaking tub. 

110kms and 1000m elev gain was plenty for this weather. At least I got to see the "green" of the Akigawa and upper Uenohara, to breath fresh(er) air, and some exercise.

Glorious "Jason Paul" Ride -- Important Nomenclature Update!

Cyclist heads up the Akigawa going for Tomin no Mori.

Last week I got an email from a student about an assignment. "Prof. David", it began. An unsolicited apology email came about 2 minutes later using my last name instead of first. After learning that Japanese almost never use first names with "san", nothing sounds less natural to me than "[first name]-san" as in "David-san". (well, I've been in Japan long enough so it sounds more natural now that it once did, but still ... only dogs, foreigners, and little girls get called "[first name]-san" in most settings.

A memorial in the Akigawa Keikoku (gorge) -- the flag reminds cyclists to obey traffic rules
And "manner up"!

A day later I needed to write a short recommendation letter for a student who wants to go on exchange from my university law school in Japan to one of our U.S. partner schools. Written in roman characters, the student's first and last names each is a common Chinese family name. And in Chinese and Japanese (and Korean) of course the common order is "family name" then "first name", no comma. I struggled a bit -- should I refer to the student as "Mr. XX", or XX-san, or just "YY" (the first name)? In the Subject line I used "XX, YY" with the comma the clue that family name came first, then in the body of the letter I first used "Mr. YY XX", then later on just used the first name XX -- more familiar and friendly -- to emphasize that I actually know the student.

On the western approach to Wada Pass.

This is a problem more widely for anyone whose first and last names are easily, perhaps intentionally, interchangeable -- family names like David, Duncan, Mason, Paul or many others (or, in recent decades countless girls' first names like Kennedy, Madigan, Monroe, Riley, Taylor ...). And don't forget the character from the book Catch 22, Major Major, who not surprisingly achieved the military rank of ... Major. And given the different ordering in Asia, the problem is far worse.

Ron Paul, the perennial libertarian party Presidential candidate, could just as well be Paul Ron. It is only due to his son, Rand Paul, becoming a Senator and then becoming even more famous by getting beaten up in a fight with his doctor neighbor over lawn mowing and other simmering neighbor feud issues, ending up with six broken ribs in the hospital, that we can remember "Paul" is the family name.

Only a hint of Mt Fuji's shoulder below the clouds looking bac on the climb to Wada Pass.

This brings to mind one of our favorite Positivo Expresso rides, the "Paul Jason", named after a mysterious visitor who joined us on one of our first attempts over this course on a sweltering day back in 2006 (or 2007). He is immortalized and given the honor of having the route named for him. The ride goes out Jinba Kaido, over Wada Pass, through the nasty short climbs of the Golf Course Hills of Uenohara (our name), then up Route 33 to the Kobu Tunnel, down the other side to the Akigawa and back toward town via Itsukaichi.

If you missed this weekend, you will need to wait until next year to see the sakura
 ... along the Tamagawa.

But we rarely ride the "Paul Jason". We enjoy far more the "Reverse Paul Jason". The East side of Wada is a miserable narrow and steep climb, plenty of 15-16%. It is terrible if you meet any traffic and must dismount. The west side is far better, if longer. Likewise, the Kobu Tunnel climb is short and manageable from the Akigawa to the North, but seems really long from the south.

So it was with these thoughts in mind that Jerome and I decided to do the ride yesterday. Why the "reverse Paul Jason", I asked? Why not just the "Jason Paul" ride? Jason could be the first and Paul the family name -- just like Ron and Rand! We took a vote and decided to implement the change immediately. Done.

Tachikawa, along the Tamagawa, still blossoms

Tachikawa. along the Tamagawa

Well, the actual ride took a bit longer before it was "done".  160km distance with 1750m of elevation gain for me.

We met at 810AM along Meguro Dori near Jerome's place, headed upriver and out to Itsukaichi. Jerome complained that his old Look bike was slow, and he was struggling. Something must have gone wrong with it after it bounced on the icy pavement repeatedly as he fell again and again while walking down upper Doshi Michi from Yamabushi Pass a few weeks ago. We raised the seat and made a few other minor changes, and it seemed better.

Random flowering hillside on the Akigawa

Where are the cars? Akigawa Keikoku

There are the cars -- stuck behind Jerome as he "owns his lane".

At the turnoff for the climb to Kobu Tunnel

More mokuren (magnolia) and nadarezakura (weeping sakura)

I felt quite strong riding out to Itsukaichi and up the hill from there. But I was weak by the time we got over the Kobu Tunnel. My stomach was bothering me (Maybe I should not have drank the full 500ml coffee/sugar drink at that Itsukaichi Family Mart?), and as the sugar wore off I was near bonking through the Golf Course Hills. Jerome gave me his "asa banana" spare supplies, and I ate my only energy bar ... enough power to get up the west side of Wada. Jerome again struggled on that climb, and at Wada I got a cup noodle dish and chatted with the only other cyclist up there while I waited.

On the descent of the Uenohara side of Kobu Tunnel

On the lower part of the Wada climb - sakura, tea plants, palms, and more!

It was all downhill from there, but with some gusty winds, sometimes headwinds, the trip was still hard. Anyway, a successful ride and good training for Jerome's attempt next week at the VCR Aoba "Super 400" brevet with its 6000m+ of climbing.

Jerome crests Wada

These nudes are holding up well -- here on Jimba Kaido since the first time I went up it in 2004.

The blue sheet and ropes are not lasting as well as the sculpture. She looks about to free her bonds. ...

Strava link is here.

The Perfect Paul Jason* Ride

Spectacular view of Mt Fuji from the west side of Jimba Kaido/Wada Pass

Satoyama bliss from the golf course hills of Uenohara

I love the lower stretch of the Wada climb via Daigo Rindo, beautiful stream, trees, traditional farm houses.

Today was just spectacular cycling weather. Cool enough to climb with ease, warm enough so I could descend without putting on a wind shell (though close at times). Clear blue sky, babbling brooks, like a dream sequence in a movie.

I did the Paul Jason* route -- out over Wada (but taking the Daigo Rindo - no traffic - route that climbs to the North and somewhat above Jinba Kaido, then the "golf course hills" of Uenohara, then Kobu Tunnel, and down the Akigawa. Since I rode out from Takanawa, I hopped the train back from Musashi Itsukaichi.

(gps track here)

I thought if I planned it right I might ride up the Tamagawa with the Tokyo Cranks, then catch a group that was leaving Takao at 8:15AM to do pretty much the same route. I was too late for the Cranks, and I think I passed the other group on the "golf course hills", as they took a longer (and flatter) route through Uenohara. I did meet two foreigners on road bikes as I approached Kobu Tunnel. They were named Paul and Jason. What luck!

Actually, they were named Alex (if I remember correctly) and Paul. They had been resting and photographing at a spot within a few hundred meters of the tunnel entrance, so I said my hellos and powered by as they started up. I did wait at the bottom of the descent from the tunnel and chatted a bit with Alex when he arrived. They were doing a "Half Fast" route, but said they were late to the start and on their own ... sounded familiar.

Crossing back over the Tamagawa just before hospital hill.

Crossing again at Prefectural Route 20 to take the Asagawa paths toward Hachioji.

The views of Mt. Fuji were so spectacular, I really thought that major companies should sponsor a photographic exhibit.

These would be some of the TEPCO (Tokyo Electric Company) sponsored viewpoints:

Sponsored by TEPCO -- they own the wires!

TEPCO - we obscure the whole horizon, not just Mt. Fuji!

And this one could be sponsored by the Keio Railway company:

Sponsored by Keio private railways -- that's our train in front of the mountaing!

And this and many other could be some of the Toyota ones:

Mt Fuji - Obscured by Toyota!

Anyway, not much more to say except that I felt good, did not push too hard, and loved every minute of the ride.  Yes, still too slow on the climbs, but better than during the brevet two weeks back, and the roads were so much better. The rest I'll tell with photos.

Baseball and fall cosmos flowers

Cosmos

At Wada Pass!

Hikers' guidepost.

After the golf courses, descending toward Yamanashi Rte 33.

On the Route 33 climb

Looking back down the Route 33 climb

This is actually the road angle ... but it is a side street off of Route 33.

*Positivo Espresso did this ride first as a group on a sweltering hot day back around 2006 or 2007, joined by a new Australian cyclist in town, Paul Jason. The climbs were brutal in the heat. He ended up horizontal in a shaded stairwell of an apartment building next to what is now the Lohas coffee roaster/cafe by Y's Road, at the time a 7-11. He did not come back to ride with us again, so we named the ride after him.

Some earlier reports of this route, from 2016, 2013, 2012, December 2010 and both summer 2009 and winter 2009.

Update. A few days after the ride, I moderated a presentation on Japan's energy policy by the editor / co-author of a new book on the topic. The cover photo was another "Mt. Fuji, Brought to you by TEPCO, We Own the Wires" photo. Laugh out loud, as they say!