Yanagisawa Pass - First Adventure on the RAMAX

The RAMAX ... looking down at Enzan/Koshu

The sky bridges of Route 411 just SW of Yanagisawa Pass

Jerome and I had planned to join a 200km R-Tokyo brevet on Sunday March 13, part of our qualifying for Cascade 1400.  That was postponed when Kanagawa prefecture extended its "manenboshi" (prevent the spread) anti-Covid-19 measures. Different Audax clubs have different rules about Covid-19, including some rides that have been adjusted to allow a start at any point during a one week timeframe, avoiding any crowds or groups, and so can proceed during "manenboshi". But this R-Tokyo event was supposed to be a traditional brevet with everyone starting on Sunday morning 7AM (in waves 5 minutes apart). So it was postponed to a date TBD.

Jerome rode on Saturday ... so I headed out Sunday morning early with the goal to do a good training ride, at least as much work as the 200km R-Tokyo event (a mountain-free course full of short up/down sections along the eastern edge of the Saitama hills from Kawasaki to Yorii and back). Peter J. had recently ridden over Yanagisawa Pass ... which got me thinking that I had not do so in several years. It is one of the true long climbs in Kanto, to a peak at just under 1500 meters elevation and with lots of repeated up/down in between Okutama-ko and the beginning of the real climb just west of Tabayama. In summer, there are enough sun-exposed stretches that it can be unpleasant, but on a mid-March day, it would be perfect.

This was my first real ride on the RAMAX "(Randonneuring Adventure MAXimum") bike. I had the "loaner" wheels, including the very colorful rear rim, and had not yet changed the Challenge Gravel Grinder tires. They seemed to roll smoothly on my way back to Takasaki a few days earlier -- and they are excellent tires for their intended purpose! Based upon bicyclerollingresistance.com, however, it looked as of they would add 10-15 watts per wheel of rolling resistance riding on a smooth road, as compared to the types of "slick" wheels I would typically ride.  And each one weights 415 grams, plus tubes, so heavier as well. But, I thought, what if I have the energy for a rindo detour onto gravel -- perhaps they would come in handy? And I was not out to--nor in condition to--break any records, so did not mind the marginal loss.

The bike performed well. I like the handling as I climb, especially the neutral, solid feeling as I get off the seat and work the pedals (not quite "dancing on the pedals," but close). I tweaked the seat position -- a bit higher and farther back -- to get closer to ideal.  After the ride, I swapped out the 110mm stem for a 120mm one, moved the seat a wee bit forward, and now it is juuust right.

End of the Tamagawa Path - Hamura, Almost to Oume

It was an uneventful ride up the Tamagawa to the end of the path just before Oume. There was a large group of men standing in the river, some fishing, some watching. I don't recall seeing this kind of spectacle at this spot before. I continued on after filling my water bottles and consuming banana from my back pocket.

Curbside dining in Okutama Machi (in front of Daily Yamazaki)

I stopped again at Okutamamachi near the Station -- last convenience store until Enzan, if memory serves. I chatted briefly with another rider who I had been playing leap frog with. I got the only onigiri in the Daily Yamazaki store, heading out just before he came in.  An hour or more later, as I left Yakyutei at the far end of Lake Okutama after a bowl of udon, the same rider was again approaching.

Entrance to the Nokogiri Climb off Route 411.

The traditional food stop at west end of Lake Okutama

Hazy sunlight at the west end of Lake Okutama

I liked the mix of traditional house, laundry drying, and construction equipment here.

The weather by now was warm enough that I pulled down my arm warmers/covers -- just riding with short sleeve jersey and bib shorts, and changed to the half-finger gloves for the first time this year.  Tabayama was looking very relaxed, people eating lunch on the terrace overlooking the river, flags flapping in the breeze (that seemed, now, as if it might push me a wee bit up the hill). 

Tabayama Michi-no-Eki

Tabayama - onsen from michi-no-eki

Finally on the real climb

A short rest around 1150m elevation ... 

Then I was onto the climb - nearly 800 meters up from here.  There was ongoing highway work on each side of Yanagisawa Pass ever since I first climbed it nearly 15 years ago. I remember climbing Yanagisawa with Jerome in 2009, our last massive training ride before Transalp (we tacked on Odarumi -- nearly 2000 meters elevation gain from Enzan to the top AFTER Yanagisawa on that hot day). I remember riding Sasago/Kamihikawa/Yanagisawa Passes as a series in the other direction once while training for Transalp in 2009, and again in 2011. And I remember riding this pass in the first brevet I ever joined, a 400km Kanagawa Audax event in late 2009. Well, the last tunnels and skybridges are now done and the only work in progress is some minor curve/shoulder improvements that does not involve a tunnel or bridge.  There was at least one tunnel on each side of the pass I have not gone through before ... how many years since I took this route? At least 3 or 4 years. Too long. I should do it at least yearly. 

I climbed slowly. I need to do a lot more rides like this if I am going to be in shape for Cascade 1400. 

At the pass ... I did not stop for food here today, though we often do.

No view of Fuji today ... and a decidedly unfriendly sign warning that for non-customers
the parking (even for bicycles) requires payment. Reminiscent of Wada Pass in the old days.

The descent into Enzan was fun as always. Perhaps I went a bit slower than normal, cautious during my first long descent on the RAMAX. But I felt confident the entire time. I turned left to join a road that goes diagonally down to the "Fruit Line" and continued (up and down and up and down) on the Fruit Line past Katsunuma and to Route 20 (Koshu Kaido). Then I did another climb to the entrance of Sasago Tunnel. I thought about a side trip on the deserted old road over Sasago Pass, as when Jerome and I did this combination of passes in 2016 ... but prudence is the better part of valor. Through the tunnel, I made a fast descent to Otsuki, grabbed some tasty Family Mart "nama pasta", and went fast again to Uenohara. 

At 182 kms, I thought about continuing to Takao to clear 200 ... or riding home from Mitaka or similar to Takanawa, also to get an extra 20kms. But I noticed that somehow three spokes on the non-drive side of the loaner rear wheel had gotten so loose that the spoke nipples had dropped off and into the wheel well. The wheel still felt rock solid ... but there is a limit to the number of spokes you can lose without the wheel becoming dangerous!  I should have checked the wheel's spoke tension before riding it. But I had gotten AT LEAST as much work in as if I had done the 200km brevet course east of the mountains, so I was not going to sit in the dark, take the tire and rim tape off, try to fish out the spoke nipples and re-tension it. Instead I declared my mission accomplished, hopped the train home, and fixed the wheel the following day.