Glorious Great Ginormous Gunma

Lake Haruna ... after our first 1000m elevation gain.

RAMAX ready to go. One bag on the frame, plus a rucksack with some light gear.

After my epic ride of the Fukushima SR600 and Covid-19 DNS at Cascade 1200, I wanted to try one more SR600 this year. Jerome said he would join, and we planned it for the week of Oct 10-14 when we would both be in town and hoped to have some time during the week, and I could celebrate my birthday. 

I suggested AJ-Gunma's new SR600 Joumou Sanzan course, because it is easy to get to/from, and while it goes through an area I am generally familiar with, I have done only small segments of the actual route, and only a couple of the 13 climbs.

The title of the ride is written in romanized characters, but Joumou is 上毛, a name for the area of Japan that makes up roughly modern day Gunma Prefecture. Sanzan is probably 散々 which has various meanings, but I guess here means "more than enough!"  "Sanzan" also might mean 三山 or "three mountains", or even "lots of mountains". Anyway, the ride covers a lot of Gunma and as an SR600 has well over 10,000 meters of climbing, so more than enough mountains.

Gunma has plenty of excellent riding territory, including most of this route. Gunma has beautiful onsen (hot springs), including famous ones such as Kusatsu, Ikaho, and Shima, all of which are along this route, and many other smaller onsen of all types -- ancient, rustic, luxury retreats, local day spas, and more!  Gunma has lots of mountains that jut up sharply at the top, exposed rock lumps as if stones had been turned on their side and stood upright on top of forested hills ... in a way vaguely reminiscent of, but smaller than and with more rounded and crumbled sides than, some of the Dolomites in Italy, or the mountains of Guilin in southern China. Gunma has dozens of ski areas. Gunma also is very convenient to Tokyo. Takasaki is less than an hour from Tokyo by shinkansen -- and all shinkansen going toward Niigata or Nagano/Kanazawa stop in Takasaki.  There are 2 other shinkansen stops in Gunma -- Annaka Haruna, between Takasaki and Karuizawa, and Joumou Kogen, near Minakami in the north of the Prefecture.

But I think Gunma has an image problem. First, what is Gunma? Some people will think of it as a distant part of the Kanto megalopolis, with low elevation areas of urban sprawl and rice cultivation around Takasaki, Maebashi, and Kiryu that are as hot in summer as adjacent Saitama, and do not have much in the way of physical separation from Tochigi or Saitama. Or is Gunma represented by the mountainous western and northern parts of the Prefecture, where only a small fraction of the population lives?

Gunma is landlocked. But unlike other big landlocked prefectures, it lacks one dominant headline attraction. Shiga Prefecture has Lake Biwa, a major landmark that dominates its landscape. Gifu Prefecture has Hida Takayama and Shirakawa village, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and major tourist destination. Yamanashi has, well, Mt. Fuji (at least the northern half of the mountain). It also has the southern side of Yatsugatake around Hokuto city, and a wealth of history including Takeda Shingen, pre-eminent feudal lord who struggled unsuccessfully to unite medieval Japan and many of whose innovations were eventually adopted by the victorious Tokugawa Ieyasu. Tochigi Prefecture has Nikko, a major tourist attraction, as well as Nasu Kogen, where the royal family has a guesthouse. And Utsunomiya, the gyoza capital of Japan.

Nagano Prefecture has so much, it is difficult to know where to begin. Nagano had its own winter Olympics, for goodness sake. It has its soba, its miso, its apples, its cultural monuments, it has served as the home to many distinguished personages, it some of Japan's best ski areas (Hakuba, to start, Nozawa Onsen to continue, and many others); it has the longest average lifespan in all Japan (recently exceeding Okinawa); it has the fanciest countryside resort towns (Karuizawa, Tateshina), the highest paved road in Japan (up Norikura), and much much more.  If people in Japan hear "Shinshu" or "Shinano" (two pre-modern terms for the Nagano area), they think of good things, cultured countryside, valued traditions and foods. Heck, the area around Lake Suwa in Nagano has evidence of some of the earliest (Jomon and pre-Jomon) human settlements in Japan. People in Japan poke fun at Saitama (and Chiba, and yes, Gunma), but no one, not even Tokyo nor Kyoto folk, makes jokes at the expense of Nagano!

Gunma? Well, Gunma has Konnyaku. Gunma produces more of it than any other prefecture in Japan. It also has the Konnyaku Park, a theme/amusement park about ... konnyaku. 

And Gunma has Gunma-chan.

Gunma-chan

Gunma has some major onsen towns ... Kusatsu, Ikaho, Shima, and plenty of others. Kusatsu is nationally famous ... almost as much so as Gero onsen in Gifu, or Beppu in Oita, or Atami and Hakone in Shizuoka.  In some surveys, Kusatsu comes in ranked as the #1 onsen in all of Japan. But just about every prefecture in Japan has onsen of which it is proud. Kusatsu may be in the current lead, but it is not a clear #1, and it is wedged in the NW corner of Gunma, far from the rest of the prefecture.

If more evidence were needed of Gunma's branding issue, our second big climb on the first day of our ride was from Kurabuchi west up to Nido-age Pass and the plateau in Gunma on the north side of Mt. Asama. Mt. Asama straddles the Nagano/Gunma border. Anyway, this plateau is called "Kita Karuizawa" or "North Karuizawa".  The Karuizawa (Nagano) brand is so strong that the neighboring area of Gunma piggybacks on the name, rather than trying to create its own brand. Sadly, Kita Karuizawa is a 45 minute drive, mostly up a mountainside, from the Karuizawa shinkansen station, quite remote. And while remoteness has its attractions, let's just say that it has not been quite as successful at developing the local economy, attracting celebrity Tokyoites' second homes, or boosting real estate prices as the main Karuizawa. 

After this climb, we descended National Route 146 toward Naganohara town.  What? NAGANO-hara? They really should rename the town something else. Why not call it "Lower Tsumagoi", or "Kusatsuguchi" (the name of its train station, as the train does not go up the hill to Kusatsu itself)? Why weaken your brand by using the same name as Nagano ... even if it has been called this for a thousand years?

The next day, I wanted to buy some fruit to send back to Tokyo after leaving our lodgings in Shima Onsen. I was told that the road back down the valley is called the "Ringo Kaido" (the "Apple Highway") and that there were stands where I could buy a box of apples and have them shipped back to Tokyo. We were even given coupons to cover the cost of a 10kg box of apples ... part of the government's support for tourism recovery post-pandemic. After consultation with a lady running the apple stand where I stopped, I decided on a box including 3 different types of apples that she guaranteed were excellent flavor for eating (as opposed to for use in apple pie). The varieties were Shinano Gold, Shinano Sweet, and Youkou. "Shinano" ... is another name for Nagano! Gunma is growing Nagano apples, and selling them even to tourists who are visiting Gunma to explore! Why not Joumou Sweet and Joumou Gold? Or better yet, Agatsuma Sweet and Agatsuma Gold?

Gunma-chan appears on the JA Agatsuma apple label and the Agatsuma "Gunma Quality" seal

 
Gunma can be the same apple tree, the same variety as the shinano brand ... but change the name to signify that they were grown in Gunma! Of course, the part of Nagano between Nakano and Iiyama is famous for its apples (as is the area of Aomori Prefecture around Mt. Iwaki and Hirosaki, which also has an "Apple Road" -- actually lined with apple orchards as far as the eye can see).  Maybe Gunma growers can sell for a higher price with the "Shinano" variety? Gunma ... is not really famous for its apples, and it definitely is not going to become famous for them as long as the apples are called "Shinano" ... though in fact the ones I ate were delicious.

I think Gunma needs a brand consultant. I would be happy to advise on this topic for a modest fee, slightly less than the 200 million yen that Takahashi-san, the Dentsu alum, charged four companies for "arranging" their Tokyo Olympic sponsorship opportunities. The payoff could be immense, for Gunma.

--------------------------------------------

Our plan to ride the SR600 fell apart even before we started.  I had suggested taking an early train to Takasaki for an 8AM start on the 12th. But Jerome needed to be back in Tokyo on the 14th during the day, so we decided on a 6AM (later switched to a 5AM) start, with hotel in Takasaki near the station. This meant planning to do the ride in around 48-50 hours, rather than the 55-60 hour plan I had made for the Fukushima SR600 a few months ago. It meant a very aggressive schedule the first day, with the early start and a ride of well over 6000 meters elevation gain and 260kms to get to Shima Onsen.  

(If I had been doing this on my own, I would have done a 55-60hr plan, with the 8AM start, and rested the first night at Kusatsu, after 185kms and 4300 meters elevation gain.)

On the 11th as we were heading out, Jerome said that he needed to be back in Tokyo sooner than expected, by Thursday afternoon, to prepare for his next international business trip - heading out on Saturday. I could see that he was just too busy to do this ride. I appreciated him trying to accommodate me -- a great birthday gift -- but his work seems busier than at any time since pre-pandemic, and he could not get enough time away to make it practical to really have a go at it.  He was doing a lot of business during the ride, taking phone calls and sending emails--which he can do because he rides faster than me. He is not in the shape of May/June, but he is still a beast climbing hills, grinding up in big gears faster than I can spin in my lighter ones. 

If I were to do this ride again with Jerome, I would get to Takasaki early enough to sleep by 830PM (instead of close to midnight), and start a couple hours ahead of him with the idea that he would catch me the first night after 18 hours or so on the road, and we could then ride together the second day. That is what we did on the 600km ride to Hamanako in April, and it worked well -- I started 2 hours ahead, he caught me after 450kms, and we rode together to the finish. Indeed, when we completed the SR600 Fuji back in 2015, I started 2 hours ahead and he and one other friend (Tanaka-san from Aichi) never caught up (except at the brief sleep stop in Ueda), but I was motivated the entire time, and we could celebrate together with breakfast at the finish.

Anyway, we got to Takasaki after 9PM, and by 930PM had checked into the Route Inn Takasaki Eki Nishiguchi (which is over 700 meters north of the actual station Nishiguchi). We went to the main drag looking for some good food ... but nearly every place was closed except bars that served only "tsumami" (snacks). We ended up settling for fried, somewhat greasy kushiyaki -- not ideal pre-ride nutrition.

We explore beautiful Takasaki

Back at the station for our 5AM start.

We were up before 430AM and at the start ready to go within a few minutes of our scheduled 5AM departure. The route started with a long climb, 25kms to Ihaho Onsen on the NE side of Mt. Haruna. I climbed slowly, warming up and knowing not to push hard because of what lay ahead. 

All these photos from the climb to Ikaho

What a great time of day to be up and about ... once up and about.

Finally, the checkpoint.

After the checkpoint at Ikaho, I expected a long descent into Annaka.  But actually Ikaho is around 800 meters elevation or a bit higher, while the top of the climb was at 1170 meters and at least 7-8kms ahead.  Still, it was a beautiful morning, low traffic, and nice views, so I was not in a mood to complain.

Nice views from above Ikaho

Up on top ... is this the crater?

After going across the flat crater of Mt. Haruna, then past Lake Haruna, we climbed briefly over the southern edge of the crater, then started a steep descent down to Annaka. We seemed to head SE for a long time, and all the signs said we were going toward Takasaki. And we did go through the Takasaki outer sections, but eventually turned SW and reached the second checkpoint, Annaka Station.

From there, we headed south toward Tomioka, then west toward Shimonita, the third checkpoint, climbing gradually.  This section of the ride was the most familiar, as we took roads I have traveled often, though usually heading to the NW or SE, rather than this time to the SW then West. For many sections around here, you take the same road across a valley whether your ultimate intention is SW or SE. 

Checkpoint.

Typical Gunma scene - konnyaku field, solar PV, power lines, road.

Checkpoint.

After Shimonita and a brief section to the west, we did our second real climb, over the shoulder of Mt. Myogi, with the top at Nakanotake Shrine, home to a 20m tall gold statue. This was a lovely climb up and a nice descent to the north, and I will definitely try it again when in the vicinity.

We did not actually climb Mt Myogi ... looks quite technical for rock climbers even.

Turned here onto the Myogi climb

At the top. Side profile of Jerome!

Cosmos (flowers) everywhere on this trip!

After dropping into the valley, between Yokogawa and Matsuida, we turned east on Route 18 and passed a hundred meters or so from GS Astuto's Gunma base, now including a rider's cafe and some overnight accommodations, perfect for a stop in the middle of a long ride ... but not at 1145AM after only 6 1/2 hours on the road. We said hi to Tim and Naoko Smith, the proprietors, filled our bottles and accepted some offered konnyaku jelly snacks, and continued on our way. Of course, the bicycle I was riding this trip was my RAMAX all road maximum adventure bike, which was designed by Tim.

Tim ... with riders' guest room to the rear.

Naoko, with the other guest room behind her.

Now serving.

By now it was painfully clear we were behind schedule, and had not a moment to lose.

We headed north on Gunma Route 33, the Shibukawa-Matsuida Line, went over another pass not quite as high as Mt. Myogi's shoulder, then descended again, to Kurabuchi. There we stopped for lunch at a cafeteria in front of the town hall. Now it was time for our second big climb, 22kms, with elevation gradually increasing from 400m to 1400m, ending at Nido-age Pass.  It was already well past 2PM as we started. I climbed until 3PM, then pulled over for some food and a 5-minute rest, flat on my back.

The road was well marked with indicators of the remaining distance to the pass, often every 100 meters or so.  8.5kms to Nidoage Pass, 8.4kms ..., 8.35kms, ... 8.1kms. Overkill. The markers crept by. Around 4.5kms from the top, I adjusted my seatpost, elevating it maybe 5mms. It had felt a bit on the low side, and well into this climb my left knee had started to develop an occasional twinge -- something that is not a normal part of my long ride experience. The slightly higher seat resolved it immediately, and I could kick myself for not having adjusted it hours earlier to get a bit more power and less pressure on the knee.

Only 0.8km to Nidoage Pass

From the pass looking toward enclouded Mt. Asama. Signage for Kitakaruizawa.

On the downhill to Naganohara.

I found Jerome waiting at a pull-out in the road, a bit below the pass. Jerome said he had been there quite awhile, not surprising given my pace and earlier rest, as well as the seat adjustment stop.  We went together the last few hundred meters to the top and planned our next move.

It was just 4PM, with perhaps another 80-90 minutes of daylight. We would descend nearly 25km and back down to 660m elevation, to Naganohara, reachable around 5PM.  From there, the route involved (1) a 600m climb (steep and with traffic) to Kusatsu, (2) an 800 meter climb on National Route 405 to Lake Nozori, (3) a 373 meter climb on Gunma Route 55, and (4) another 380 meter climb up to the dam above Shima Onsen. So realistically, with 600m up, an hour to stop for dinner around 7-8PM at Kusatsu, and nearly 80kms distance and 1600m of climbing after dinner, we were looking at at very, very late night.

Since we already knew that we would not complete the ride, there did not seem much point. We had already been riding for 11 hours and 3700m of climbing, and we started looking at more direct routes to our lodging.

We descended toward Naganohara, but took a short cut down the last part of the hill (near Furumori Golf Club) and then continued east on Route 145 to Nakanojo. There we ate a decent and well-deserved meal at a yakitori place. Then we did the gradual climb up to Shima onsen. It was only 20kms, and perhaps 350 meters of elevation gain as we would not go all the way to the top of the dam. My stomach was complaining as I rode up that hill right after dinner, so I took it easy. We arrived at our hotel before 9PM and could actually enjoy the onsen, get a decent night of sleep, and wake in time for a second trip to the onsen, a 730AM breakfast seating, and an 830AM departure.

Not bad -- includes entryway, rotenburo, breakfast, and coupons for shopping,
all for 7850 yen, or 3900 yen each. Go to Travel!

Well-rested and ready for day two

We could not see this landmark looming above us when we arrived at night!

Most of the town was closed on a weekday morning.

Descending the "ringo kaido".

Takebuchi ringo-en
(I was recommended to go to Saito ringo-en ...
which it turns out is another kilometer or so down the road.) 

Beautiful Gunma!

After riding back to Nakanojo, with a stop to purchase Nagano-branded apples, we did a gradual climb up to Lockheart Castle.

At the castle entrance

What is Lockheart Castle? It is a Scottish baronial mansion built in 1829 near Edinburgh ... that was disassembled brick-by-brick, shipped to Japan, and rebuilt on the top of a hill in Gunma in 1988 -- near the peak of the Japanese "bubble economy" when life was good, money was free, and Japan was going to party all night long and take over the world.  The castle charges admission for curious tourists, and allows Gunma couples from nearby Numata, Minakami, and Shibukawa the opportunity to get married in a Scottish mansion without leaving Gunma. We did not go inside.

From the official Gunma tourist guide - Gunma Excellence!

From Lockheart Castle, it was a steep descent to Numata, then we turned south for another 45 kms of very slight downhill to get back to Takasaki Station. 

Bet

Between Numata and Takasaki

The first day was a good, hard ride that was memorable, almost epic. And the second day we enjoyed an easy recovery ride. 

Now I need to go back and to the entire SR600. I won't have another chance before winter, but this is on my list for 2023. "More than enough" Gunma? No. Not enough Gunma!

Day 1 Strava track is here.
Day 2 Strava track is here.

Bikepacking, Japanese style - SR600 Joumou Sanzan

Bikepacking Japan style - I pack and ship a box, and ride my bike.

Today (Oct 10) is Sports Day, celebrated since 1964 on the opening day of the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. Except most weeks in recent years the holiday is shifted to the 2nd Monday in October, to allow a 3-day weekend. This year the calendar lines up with the original day ... which also happens to be my birthday.

As part of my birthday week, I want to try a second SR600 for the year -- the Fukushima SR600 back in May was such a memorable ride (Part 1 and Part 2 reports). I chose the Gunma "Joumou Sanzan" course, because, like the Fukushima one, it is easy to get to from Tokyo, and yet will involve plenty of roads that are new to me ... though it also has sections around Takasaki and Annaka that are very familiar. Jerome will also join ... though it looks as if work is getting in the way of him doing the entire ride and at this point he will do the first long day (260km+ and over 6000m of climbing), then head back to Tokyo at some point Thursday from either Joumou Kogen or Takasaki.

Not much flat riding on this 600kms. Don't want to carry extra gear!

How much gear will I need to take for a ride that starts 5AM Wednesday, ends sometime on Friday, between 50 and 60 hours later, involves mountain passes as high as 1600m elevation in autumn, as well as a not-insignificant chance of rain? Well, not so much.

We will stay in a business hotel Tuesday night near the start, and Wednesday night at the Itoen Hotel Shima (breakfast included) in a mountain onsen town in northern Gunma. I will send a small box with a change of clothing, extra Clif bars, some spare tubes, and a 10,000 mAh battery, to the hotel.  What does it cost to ship a box like that for next day delivery in northern Gunma via the premier delivery service, Yamato Express?  830 yen, or around $5.75.

When I get to the hotel to check in, they just hand me the box. I replace items I am wearing or have on the bike with me with what is in the box, and hand the box back to the hotel staff with the pre-filled mailing label that I put inside it when I sent it. That label is for 着払い - payment on receipt - so I don't need to fork over any cash at the hotel or worry if I leave before the front desk opens.

The hotel charge for a tatami room that sleeps 4 (but in this case will be used by the two of us), plus breakfast for two, is around 12,400 yen, or $86, $43 each. And comes with a lovely onsen.  Not bad.

So I will ride with one rear Rixen Kaul bag attached to my seatpost, and a small Deuter Race rucksack. I'll leave my rinko bag in a locker at Takasaki Station (another couple dollars equivalent) and travel light.

Much of the course is quite remote ... but start and finish sections are not.

SR600 Fukushima, A Ride in the Wild, Part 2

North of Aizu Wakamatsu, mountains of Bandai Asahi National Park in the distance

I woke up in my hotel in Aizu Wakamatsu at 830AM. I jumped in the shower, dressed, and went down to get the hotel breakfast and drop off my chaku-barai box of dirty clothes (I had sent a box of clean ones ahead so it had been waiting for me when I arrived, with some energy bars, spare tire tubes etc. in case I needed to replenish supplies, and now I sent the dirty laundry home). I was on the road by 9:15AM or so.

I had planned to sleep another hour or more, but when my eyes opened, I knew it was better to just go instead of lying in bed trying to get back to sleep. I had a long day ahead.

The first part of the ride was 20kms from Aizu up to Kitakata along a valley, almost flat and a good warm-up. I stopped at a convenience store in Kitakata to stock up for what looked like another lengthy no-convenience-store stretch to come, found the checkpoint (PC) memorial stone for a photo at a shrine, then started the long morning climbs of Day 2. 

I would go through Kita Shiobara and climb up to the Ura Bandai area around Lake Hibara, only a few kilometers (as the crow flies, across the lake) from the 7-11 I had stopped at last night, then turn north along the lake for a second climb up to the top of Shirafu Pass and the border between Fukushima and Yamagata. If you counted these two climbs as one big uphill with a nice respite in between, this was the second biggest climb of the entire event, with the high point around 1400m elev. 

My plan was to just push through these climbs the first half of my day, enjoy the long descent to Yonezawa, and then just tough it out for the remaining 180 kms to Iwaki. Sure, there was one more climb out of Yonezawa, but that started higher, and finished lower, than the morning climb, and after that I would enjoy 40kms of mostly downhill back to Fukushima city, then a long stretch in the lower hills without any big climbs, and another nice 40kms of mostly downhill into Iwaki. I hoped I would not arrive later than I had in Aizu ... but resolved to sleep in before doing a half-day ride to the finish on Saturday, well within the 60 hour limit.

I struggled up the first 600m elev. warm climb to the Lake Hibara area, still tired from yesterday and the short night of sleep. I could not help but think that if the first climb of the day was this tough ... it was going to be a long day. That's rando and ultra-endurance. I stopped a few times to rest and was quickly swarmed with gnats that did not seem to bite, but seemed attracted by my dripping sweat and were quite bothersome. They mostly dissipated when I remounted and got up to "speed". 

View from the Michi-no-Eki

An early lunch.

The pun in Japanese is in "kami-sama", with "kami" meaning either paper or spirit/god depending on the character used.  It does not translate.

Michi-no-eki = "stations on the road"?
Anyway, it is an annoying habit of some Japanese to refuse to use the last bit of toilet paper rolls but rather switch to a new roll. Bizarre and wasteful. Not eco-friendly.

No other cyclists here yet. One arrived before my departure.

Anyway, I decided to get some shio ramen at the michi no eki just over the small pass before Lake Hibara. I could sit outside in a breeze with a bit of a view of the lake. They had a bike rack, but mine was the only bike there on a Friday. Others arrived by car or motorcycle. The "michi no eki" is a Japanese institution -- a rest area that includes restaurant, sale of local produce and crafts, toilets, tourist information, sometimes even an onsen. Communities seem to take pride in these way-stations and they often include nice surprises ... such as the ability to sit outside in a breeze and look at a lake while eating. Salt (shio) is a traditional product of this area, and hence the shio ramen. 

My plan had been to eat something at the other end of the lake, another 10-15kms on, just before the next climb. I rested a bit longer than the meal required, then headed on. It was easy to make progress along the lake. The road (Aizu Wakamatsu-Urabandai Line - Route 64) was mostly shaded, there were some signs of human inhabitance -- a few houses (mostly boarded up) or summer camp-type facilities. There were a couple pairs of cyclists on rental bikes (dendo?) coming the other direction and one or two roadies as well. And there were tunnels so that the road had only modest ups and downs.

A quick stop before starting the Route 2 climb to Shirafu Pass.

That ended at a "T" intersection where I turned left/north, joined Route 2 (NishiAzuma Sky Valley) and started the next climb. The climb was hot due to lack of shade and my general overheating by this point.  The gnats were back, together with a few larger insects that buzzed a lot but did not seem to bite. There was not a lot of breeze now, and that encouraged the bugs. (Note to self: get bug spray in Yonezawa! and bring some on subsequent rides in case of emergency.) Eventually I got to a section marked as a kind of "nana-magari" (七曲がり), so I knew that the switchbacks would continue as the road climbed. I discovered that at as I rounded the eastern end curves, I got some breeze, then the breeze would disappear until the next eastern end curve ... just a bit more exposed given the wind direction. The bugs would keep their distance as long as I kept moving, and scatter completely at the eastern end. But the even the breeze was not strong enough to keep them off if I stopped at the eastern curve. I don't think I would have noticed the gnats if I had been well-rested and just climbing the hill normally.

Coming out on top of the climb. No bugs here.

Entering Yamagata and starting a long downhill

Anyway, eventually I got to a flatter section along the top of the ridge, and crossed over at the PC photo sign welcoming me to Yamagata. From there it was a quick and relatively steep descent over 25 kms to the next PC, another stone memorial outside the Uesugi Shrine and museum in Yonezawa. The steep part of this descent was not so much fun ... nothing like the delightful one yesterday afternoon into Fukushima, nor even the one into Aizu Wakamatsu.

Where had the time gone? It was already 4PM in the afternoon. I had hoped to be here by 2-230PM!  I still had 160-170kms to go to Iwaki.  Another convenience store, another pasta, more coffee, a purchase of some bug spray, some brief rest, and then I headed out. The next stretch was not as long a climb as either half of the Kitakata-Shirafu Pass segment I had already done today and, once up it, I could rest on the bike while descending to Fukushima. If I could get there by early evening, I would have done over half of the day's distance and all the big climbs, plus I had that long descent into Iwaki to look forward to, so I just needed to push through!

Soon after leaving Yonezawa, I found myself on Route 232 toward the East/Southeast, a lovely road for the early part of the climb up the west side of the mountains that separate Yonezawa from Fukushima city. Within a few kilometers there was very little traffic, then there was NO traffic as the road passed through only a few dilapidated collections of houses and the forests closed in. Then the road became a real forest road. At one point I heard what must have been an animal through some dense brush on the left side of the road. I did not stop to figure out what it was. If it was a bear or inoshishi, I did not want an encounter. If deer or kamoshika, my loss. 

After another 5-10 minutes, I stopped at a stream crossing, admiring the lovely surroundings.

Then the road turned up steeply. Wada Pass-like steep.

Then the surface deteriorated to a mix of potholes, gravel, and debris-covered concrete. Even though the surface was dry, and my Open Pave tires have good traction, my rear wheel slipped a few times on the debris -- I would need to stay seated and make sure not to make any sudden pushes.

I was in no condition to climb this after the last 30 hours of riding. I got off and walked long stretches, remounting when the surface was a bit better, the slope not quite as steep. I was not expecting this. What I had thought would be much easier than the day's climbs up to that point ... turned into a kind of Bataan death march. (I later went back and read some of the pre-ride reports and I did find warnings I had missed before. One rider specifically cautioned against trying this stretch at night or in the wet. Others used some pejorative descriptors about the slope). 

Steep + crappy road surface

Dense forest on these mountains - jungle!

Finally, out on top!

The "station in a shed" at Toge Eki

Anyway, after what seemed like forever, I got to the top. It was 6:25PM and the sun was setting in the west. There was another wind power project (the turbines marked "Ichigo"). At least I was on top and could descend to Fukushima. Hurrah! Next I needed to find the PC, which was "off course" at a place called Toge-Eki (the "Station at the Pass"). Okay, I was AT the pass, so the station could not be far, I thought. 

I was wrong. I followed the route some way down the eastern side of the hill and found the turn off to Toge Eki. ... I then needed to climb some back up to the ridgetop and over and way back down the west side, descending around 150 meters. One car came out of the road (a good sign, at this point), and at least it was paved and relatively clear. At one point the road split and there was a sign for 4 kms to Namegawa Onsen up a side road (I cannot imagine many places are more rustic or remote). I got down the last steep stretch of road to Toge Eki,  There was some kind of minshuku or inn, and another house, but I did not see any people around. The "station" itself was inside a huge shed (I guess this is all snowed in during the winter). It was deserted (it is an unmanned station, of course). It did seem to still have train tracks, but the idea of the trains stopping here ... well, who would get on or off? Only few hikers. 

It was 645PM and would be dark soon, and I needed to climb back up that hill again, so I did not dawdle. At least this time I had come down the slope that I would go up, so no surprises. I slogged up the hill and then back down to the "main" road. I could see what looked like a new, modern, and fancy house across the way back in the woods. Maybe they own the wind project? I started down the eastern side. There was still a bit of light in the sky, so I could see beyond my bike's headlamp. After a few minutes I saw a large collection of closed big white buildings on the left side below me. ... They must be keeping animals inside. Chickens? Pigs? ... no, I thought as I passed below and the stench hit me -- beef! Okay, that stench could have been pigs as well, but Yonezawa is famous for its beef.  It seems it must be the 村上畜産 板谷ファーム. On Google Maps I cannot see any buildings ... so they must be quite new.  Hard to find a location for this kind of factory farm in Japan -- you cannot site it near anyone since the stench and waste are difficult to bear. The animals are sealed away inside so I could only imagine what it must be like.

Phone booth in the middle of nowhere. Well, in the middle of Itaya.
Lots of these along this ride, and needed due to poor cell coverage?

The long, empty tunnel on Route 13 toward Fukushima city.

Anyway, I continued down the hill and soon passed the post office and station at Itaya, as well as what looked like a huge facility up on the hill (the zeolite quarry and processing plant).  After a short up and down stretch, I was back on National Route 13 and at the entrance to a 2.36km tunnel that would take me through the mountain and onto the real descent to Fukushima-shi. It was dark by now. The tunnel, however, was well-lit. I made it almost all the way through before a single truck passed heading the opposite direction. And then I was on the descent to Fukushima. 

The descent was fast and uneventful, and unmemorable. After I turned off of Route 13, I passed Jurokunuma Park. There was a soccer facility with artificial turf and a roof ... that was full of young people, both boys and girls, passing and kicking. The energy was palpable. There were coaches and parents standing around outside, watching the action, and a full parking lot. I felt a wee bit of hope for the future of Fukushima city. The park had other facilities as well, though none had the kind of Friday night frenzy of the soccer ground. 

I rolled into Fukushima city down the road that stretched from Jurokunuma Park all the way to the shinkansen track crossing at Soneda, just north of Fukushima station. I had planned for a sit-down meal here, ... but I was behind schedule. More convenience store pasta. More restock. Really, I could have called it a day and checked into a business hotel, slept 6 hours and then done the last 200km+ on Saturday. But I had a reservation in Iwaki and a box of clean clothes waiting for me. And there were no more big climbs ahead, so I pushed on.

The route would pass just south and west of the nuclear disaster "exclusion zone", through rural areas and rolling hills. It was night, but the areas near Fukushima city I sensed were prosperous farm country. Nothing like the run-down sense in some areas of rural Japan. I guess they have managed okay since the nuclear disaster, no doubt thanks in part to inflows of public money but mostly because this was a prosperous rural area to begin with. I was lucky to find the PCs (one post office, one train station) in the night and take my photos, but my pace was slow, twice I stopped for cat naps, lying near roadside, with a bit of protection from passing cars (not that there WERE passing cars).  By the time I got to the second PC between Fukushima and Iwaki, at Ohno, it was getting light again. Now I was on the eagerly awaited descent to Iwaki, which followed the Natsui-gawa through a gorge.  The road was wet in place from some rain during the night.

Nearing Ohno and the descent toward Iwaki.

I could not stay awake on the bicycle. There was some oncoming traffic and I was terrified that I would drift across to the other lane. I pulled off a few times. But I almost collapsed on top of the bicycle once. I was in a tight bit of gorge without much shoulder, but I found a place with a nice few steps in rock on my side of the road. I leaned my bike against the roadside wall and sat down on the steps and closed my eyes. When I awoke it 30-40 minutes had passed. I got back on the bike and was okay now, and made it the last 10kms to my hotel. 

It was a bit odd to check in after 7AM in the morning. Unlike the last Route Inn in Aizu, they did not allow my bike in the room. And they had a 10AM checkout, rather than 11AM. I ate breakfast and, when I passed the front desk, they told me I could stay until 11AM, at least.  I bathed, slept for nearly 3 hours and was back down at the front desk to hand in my box of chakubarai clothes and my room key a couple minutes after 11AM.

On the lower part of the Route 399 climb

Fuji flowering in trees all over this part of the country.

One of the flat sections of Route 399

It was slow getting going -- I stopped at 2 convenience stores on the way out of town, before the first climb. The climb would take me from just about sea level to over 800meters elevation, and would be the bulk of the day's work. My ride was under 100kms today. 

The climb was up National Route 399. On the lower stretches, it varied with some steep bits, a lot of 8%, and some flatter sections where recovery was possible. Then I got to the end of the "new road" and Route 399 turned into a billy goat's path up the mountainside.  At a few places, you could see the construction project to extend the new road all the way and replace what i was on. There were regular signs of waiting areas for trucks ... involved in the construction. Fortunately, they were not on the road this Saturday, as it was too narrow to be fun riding with a bunch of large earth moving construction trucks. But there were a few staff at the entrances to the construction project, waiting to direct non-existent traffic (and occupied by their smartphones). 

The construction zone, new road visible but not yet open.

The "old road" still in use here. Aaargh.

Again, there were some 15%+ bits. I got off and walked a few times. No shame in walking when I'm this tired. 

Is all this construction really necessary? Iwaki has an expressway that connects it with Ohno and Tamura/Miharu/Koriyama already. And it has another expressway up the coast. How many people will actually use this stretch of Route 399 when the new road is done? Very few, I guess. I suppose it is justified in case of another tsunami or earthquake -- redundancy. And it will certainly make cycling up this hillside easier. The thought of that was almost enough to make me apply to join the Route 399 (Iwaki-Fukushima Nanyo section) Improvement and Promotion Association, though I must say that standing around in groups in business suits holding up certificates seems to be their main activity, and that is not going to get any road built!

Unused park in Kawauchi Mura

PC - Abukuma Romantic Kaido commemorative stone!

The road turns up, again!

Nice countryside

After what seemed like an eternity, the scramble up the mountain ended, I rejoined "new" road and reached a short tunnel at the high point, and descended the other side toward a plateau at maybe 450m elevation. I was low on water now, and tried a tap outside a town office. ... it was dry. I found water from a tap in a park in Kawauchi, and then a convenience store. I missed the PC (memorial to the "Abukuma Romantic Kaido") and stopped to ask someone after I had gone another 2kms. He gave me good directions back to it -- was a local who seemed on the ball. Leaving Kawauchi on Prefectural Route 112, I started the last real climb of the event. Again, I hoped for a tunnel through the top of the hill, but there was none. I say "the last real climb", but there were plenty of 25, 50, and 75 meter climbs still ahead,  some nasty, some gradual, and a lot of nice Japanese countryside with well-tended farms.

Last PC before the goal

Finally, I arrived at a spot for viewing a massive shidare-sakura on a hillside outside of Koriyama. This was the last PC before the goal. Only another 10kms or so from here. The route went into another sakura park and over a bridge across a body of water, twisted and turned, and went up several more hills, before descending past the Koriyama City Museum of Art and into town. It was quite dark now, and I was descending, but the museum looked like an interesting building. Indeed, from what I read it has a small but interesting permanent collection, and the building, cafe, and grounds are worth a visit, if I ever have a few hours to kill in Koriyama.

Finally, I reached the Abukumagawa, crossed the bridge and rode through the flat area of the town under the shinkansen tracks and back to the "goal". Then proceeded to get a receipt at the same 7-11 where I had started, 55 hrs and 45 minutes previous.

I struggled to pack up my bike into the rinko bag and get to the train platfom ... but the shinkansen had me back in Tokyo in no time. I took a local train to Shinagawa and a taxi from there ... no strength to reassemble the bike and ride it even a few minutes home in a sudden rain shower. Thank you JR! (As usual, the two boxes of cycling clothes I had sent from my hotel were delivered to my door in Tokyo by 10AM Sunday, the charge for each under $8 equivalent. Thank you, Yamato! Japanese delivery services ROCK!!)

Was this easier or harder that SR600 Fuji? I don't know. It was not easy. It felt truly wild for much of the area in the mountains west of Koriyama and Fukushima city. I did myself no favors by starting at 1110AM. It is possible to take an early shinkansen from tokyo and start at 8AM. Or stay the night before and start at 5-6AM. That would make a stop in Aizu or Kitakata far easier. But the hard climbs were definitely "front loaded" into the first half of teh course (a good thing), the climb out of Iwaki being the only long/tough climb in the last 250kms. And the 60 hour time limit meant I could ride without the stress of worrying about a DNF due to missing the time cut off. And I could not really ask for better weather. All in all, it was a great, epic ride, and excellent conditioning for Cascade 1400 next month.

I really should be doing several of these each year instead of waiting another five years before trying the next one. There is an SR600 on the Kii Peninsula that is next on my list.