For tomorrow, we have scheduled a nice criss-cross ride through some well known areas of Chichibu, including medium climbs and some temples and shrines along the way:http://www.mapmyride.com/route/jp/chichibu/234126991531058203
Meeting Points are at 7 AM on the Komazawa Dori / Kanpachi Intersection and at 7.30 AM at Tamagawahara Bridge, Tokyo side (km 0).
From there on we will proceed along the Tamagawa towards Ome and have a second breakfast at Aurore bakery (km 32) where we need to pack enough food supplies for the climbs to come.
We will then follow the road to the holy foundation and start the first hill climb time trial up to Yamabushi Toge (participation optional). This will be followed by the short climb to Shomaru Toge and a fast downhill to road 299. From where we will start the second time trial to Karibazaka (again, optional). Eventually this will lead us to Takayama Temple and back to road 299, where we will turn North again and start to climb up to the famous Nennogon Temple (from the non-steep side).
A quick, pointless ride will lead some of us for the first time to Takedera. After everything hard is done, we will make a second rest stop (km 112) and continue back to the Tamagawa and ultimately home.
About 156 km of riding, covering app. 1.900 meter of elevation starting Tamagawahara Bashi.
So far Jerome, David, Dominic (tbc) and me have signed up. If anybody else is interested, please let us know, we can arrange further meeting points if convenient.
I'd much rather sit in the office all day. Honestly. I would. In fact, I will. So there.
ReplyDelete"So far Jerome, David, Dominic (tbc) and me have signed up"
ReplyDeleteDoes tbc stand for 'too big calves'?
Are we going in search of Colonel Kurtz?? The first photo looks like something out of Apocalypse Now!
ReplyDeleteWell, "tbc" can have a lot of meanings; to give you some ideas, plese check here:
ReplyDeletehttp://acronyms.thefreedictionary.com/TBC
And yes, we are on a journey into the heart of darkness. The last stop before getting swallowed by the impervious jungles of Chichibu will be Saigon aka Ome.
Top be more precise, Dominic will consider and this is Take Dera.
My wife will be proud of me, hanging out with such literary educated guys. Wow, Heart of Darkness and Apocalypse Now nicely linked on PE...
ReplyDeleteChichibustan was cold. We knew we had left civilization behind when we used the toilets at the Shomaru Toge restaurant -- outhouse-style holes in the floor, no running water.
ReplyDeleteMichael and Jerome completed the entire planned course, while Dominic headed down 299 toward Hanno, and I continued with the recommended route until taking a shortcut (Rte 395) over the last set of hills, rather than going to Nenogongen/Takedera.
This allowed me to return to civilization (the restaurant/brewery in Fussa) well ahead of Michael and Jerome. When I called upon arrival, they reported "we are in Oume", so I said I would wait, thinking they would roll in 15 minutes later. The liars showed up about 65 minutes later ... allowing me to consume plenty of food and a nice large-size Munich dark beer in the interim.
A successful ride, 175 km and 2000+ meters for me, closer to 200 km and another 200-300 meters of up/down for Michael and Jerome.
... off to work.
Perhaps "liars" was too harsh a word ... but cannot edit the "comments" on the blog as easily as a post. They did pay for my food and drink as penance, and Jerome (who had a much better head lamp) did lead the train home. ... an altogether enjoyable day.
ReplyDelete