Upcoming Big Rides

Jerome and I plan to ride our 600km PBP qualifier this coming weekend. We have signed up for an Audax Kinki event -- clockwise from an area South of Osaka, through Nara, Ise, then down the Kumano coastline and around the Kii Peninsula, and back up through Wakayama Prefecture

It looks like a great course. Plenty of challenge, but no more than 1000m of elevation gain for each 100km of riding, so a typical day in the countryside for Japan.

Unfortunately, the weather forecast for Saturday is heavy rain, with only a modest let-up after noon, then more rain until evening.  In the evening at some point the rain should, it must, stop. At least it will be 10 degrees C (18 F) warmer than during the rain last month on the Chiba 400km to Shirakawa and back.

The weather forecast for Sunday, when we will be heading SW then NW along the coastline, often fully exposed to the wind ... is for stiff headwinds from the west. 

So this may be a difficult event to complete. We shall see.

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Separately, I am planning for my big Golden Week adventure. I have registered with the World Ultracycling Association to attempt a Honshu end-to-end ride, from Shimonoseki to Cape Oma in Aomori. This should be around 1650kms, and should take me 5 days or so. And I will be doing it on the Pelso, via the flattest route possible.

I have been tweaking the bike -- swapped in a new pair of Schwalbe One Pro TLR 700x30 tubeless tires a bit lighter and lower rolling resistance than the Schwalbe One version I have been using on the bike for the past 18 months. I've switched dynamo lights to a better/newer model and changed the mounting position so it does not protrude so much.

I wanted to get rid of the large mirror protruding from my right handlebar and get something a bit less of a sail. I ordered a set of two smaller cheap ones on Amazon ... but they are a bit clouded and not so nice. So I finally found one that is a good size, a clear mirror, and attaches close to my handlebars and so should have a wee bit less wind drag. Every little bit counts.

Left -- too big and protrudes into "clean air".
Right -- too small and cloudy.
Middle -- just right for the Pelso!