Jerome got back from a family trip last night, so we planned a jet lag recovery (half day) ride today, with an 830AM start. It was already warm, and the forecast was for a high of 27 or 28 degrees -- more like late June or early July than Golden Week!
We decided to avoid GW traffic by riding the rindos (closed forest roads) from Itsukaichi over Iriyama Pass (Bonbori Rindo), and then up Wada (Daigo Rindo).
A good course -- 124 kms and almost 1200 meters of climbing, in hot weather, with very little to no traffic over the mid portion of the ride. Now THAT will help Jerome over jet lag.*
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| Daigo Rindo peaks at 750m elev, about 50 meters above Wada Pass |
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| I get out of the saddle as we enter the Muur de Tokura, entrance to Bonbori Rindo from Itsukaichi side |
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One of several barriers ... behind which we found a perfectly good, COMPLETED bridge and repaving job.
Why is the road shut? |
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| View from the ridge South of Iriyama Pass -- beautiful new green growth |
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| Exhausted I arrive at Iriyama. No breeze climbing on the back side of the mountain. |
Jerome was first up to Iriyama, but on the rindo climb to Wada I felt strong, and pulled away during the second half. It looked as if the heat was getting to him when he arrived at the pass, or maybe he was just taking it easy, still partly on vacation?
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| Jerome arrives at Wada, we approached via the Daigo Rindo -- paved except 200m of gravel/dirt at the end. |
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| We stopped for a pasta lunch at a new Family Mart at the entrance to Jimba Kaido, which had a nice flower garden (and bench) in the back. |
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| Caffeine -- the legal performance enhancing substance! |
We made good time back into town, despite a bit of a headwind.
*Jerome reports that he made it home and quickly fell asleep. He awoke around 9PM ... so perhaps our ride was not the perfect jet lag cure.
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