Just checked tomorrow's weather forecast in the Nishitama Hinohara region....cloudy and subzero temperatures!! 9 am: cloudy -3 degrees / 12 noon: cloudy 1 degree / 15:00: cloudy -1 degrees with snowfall in the late evening.
Perfect weather for a first challenge of Togebaka No.4 Who is joining? (forget about Sunday...rain + heavy wind all day). We meet at Sekidobashi, ride up to Itsukaichi and from there to the Honjuku T-Intersection where the TT starts up to Tomin-no-mura... Following the TT, I plan to double back and be home in the early afternoon.
Tom,
ReplyDeleteJust repaired my old bike, it should be ok to ride on it for a few more months until the new bike is ready. The new frae will already arrive fro Germany before the end of the year. Then I will ask Nagai-San to start assembly. Sorry, I have already other commitments on Saturday with my family. Sunday would have been ok but the weatehr doesn't look very promising.
Monday, Christmas eve is holiday, but would be ok to do a quick 5 hours ride early in the morning. Start 8 at Sekido and then to the Jerome Hill loop to add this one as Togebaka #5.
Understood about tomorrow. Will go by myself if nobody else wants brave the elements. Curious to see the new frame! Might ride on Monday too for the Jerome Bakatoge (this would also start from the Honjuku T-intersection, right?). Will confirm Sunday evening.
ReplyDeleteTom,
ReplyDeleteJerome Hill is the shortest regular ride I do from home, about 115 km. (so perhaps 40 km less for you). It is along the Tamagawa to Mutsumi-Bashi, then straight to Itsukaichi Station. Instead of turning left towards Kazahari, turn right and follow the road until a crossing called "Sakamoto / 坂本".
There turn left and climb up Jerome hill (only 100 m something elv. dif). This is a beautiful country road with a very nice landscape, probably the best landscape you can see so close from home.
By the way, the toge is called 梅ヶ谷峠. (Umegaya? Umegadani?)
Followed by a very nice and fast descent until a T junction. Turn right there and follow the road to the Wachi cycle shop, then turn left and cross the Tamagawa at Mannenbashi.
Normally it takes from my home 2 - 2.5 hours to go on top of the toge, then additional 2.5 hours to ride home. Not very challenging but a nice half day tour.
Tom:
ReplyDeleteI see that you left your note at 9AM,... but for some reason I did not see it on the blog page when I looked just before I added my note ... and then I did not see my own note when I tried the blog page again later on. Only when I hit 'refresh' on my browser did I finally get it. My apologies for clogging up the blog (again).
So anyway, I do not think I'm up for a sub-zero trip up to Tomin no mori, but just in case, let me know what time you plan to leave.
Michael,
ReplyDelete(1) Sorry I guess I posed my question wrongly...(I know the "Jerome Toge" extremely well)...I was only wondering about the startline of the TT. I propose the Honjuku (Honshuku) T-intersection.
(2) How about Monday?
David,
ReplyDeleteThat's OK. Let's see for tomorrow I'd like to leave a bit late, passing through Sekidobashi around 9:00...
I'm only going to do the No. 4Togebaka from Honjuku T-intersectin to Tomin-no-mura though and then double back.
Michael,
ReplyDeleteI checked the "Umegatani-touge" and found out I was wrong! I thought the "Jerome touge" was the one to the Kobu Tunnel (from Itsukaichi)...no wonder, all these toges they all resemble Jerome's breadbasket!! I think I did Umegatani only once before and if I remember correctly the road surface was in rather poor shape with plenty of potholes.
The road surface on Jerome's hill, which I think is umegatani, is very smooth ... Now I am confused.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.yamaiko.jp/bicycle/repo/20060604/sub01.htm
Tom,
ReplyDeleteI'll try to meet you at 9AM at Sekidobashi, but will call on cellphone to confirm if for any reason I'm not there by 9AM.
Best,
David
OK David....I'll be there 9:00. It will be very cold but no snow I hope.
ReplyDeleteTom,
ReplyDeletethe weather looks ok for tomorrow. I am ready to roll .... my bicycle as well. Shall we meet 8 AM at Sekidobashi then and make the short Jerome tour ?
SOUNDS GREAT MICHAEL...SURE 8:00 IS NOT TOO EARLY FOR YOU?
ReplyDelete