Nishi Izu 200km brevet on the RAMAX. Sakura paradise ... then rain, wind, and dark. And climbs.

A quick rest at Dogashima while heading south. The RAMAX rests.

Vista south of Matsuzaki, just before Ishibu Tanada viewpoint

In foul weather after Heda, looking down at Ita, on the return leg.

After a cancelled/postponed 300km brevet last weekend, on Saturday I finally got my first "points on the board" toward qualifying for Cascade1400 with a 200km brevet. The event was held by AJ Nishi Tokyo, whose rides usually start from Machida, at or near the Cherubim (hand made bicycle) shop. 

This 200km event was highlighted online months ago by Joe Wein, who regularly rides Nishi Tokyo events, who loves Nishi Izu, and who has done a similar event several times before. When I checked in before the start, I told the organizers I was very happy to ride a 200km brevet on a course that I LOVE to ride, even if there is not a brevet. I would rank this as one of the best road cycling routes IN THE WORLD and one that rivals iconic locations such as Cap Formentor or Sa Calobra on Mallorca, or passes like the Stelvio or Galibier in the Alps. I have ridden this coastline North to South many times. But I never have tried the full coastline North to South, then South to North, in a single day. 

I was expecting a crowd ... but there were only a handful of people at the start area when I exited the north side of Mishima Station. There were 2 ride choices -- a route that went south along the western spine/ridge of Izu (the "Daruma-san") route because it went via Mt Daruma -- and the Matsuzaki route, that went along the coast in both directions. I had chosen the Matsuzaki route because it had a later 8AM start time. The Daruma-san route had been listed initially with a 7AM start, too early to arrive by train from Tokyo, though I saw now it had been switched to a 730AM start.

The organizers had capped the two routes at 20 riders each. And at least half of those registered had reported "DNS" (did not start). Indeed, the weather forecast showed rain was expected from mid-day and get heavier and heavier. The tenki.jp website did not look too ominous -- only "weak rain" until evening. But the Apple iphone weather site suggested we might get rain as early as mid-morning. The TV weather report on Friday night warned of typhoon-like wind gusts and heavy rain across all of Japan (though the worst of it seemed on the Sea of Japan coastline), with two low pressure systems moving from west to east and bringing potentially severe weather. I guess people were scared off. 

Anyway, I arrived around 730am after the Daruma-san riders had left. Only 6 (or so) riders were at the briefing for the Matsuzaki ride. One, Yo Okumura, was one of the organizers, who I have ridden with before. Joe Wein was there as well, with his Elephant NFE. They let us start early -- the briefing done and all riders signed in or reporting DNF. 

I really appreciated even 10-15 minutes early start, given the weather forecast for later in the day. And I knew that this would be one of the hardest 200km brevets I had done, if not THE hardest. (The other one that comes to mind was also a Nishi Tokyo 200 -- in October 2014, up around Mt. Fuji. The typical Audax 200 in Japan I have done is in January ... around the Miura Peninsula, or to Atami and back, or from Numazu west along the Shizuoka Coast -- all with no more than 1000-1500m of elevation gain. 

On Saturday, we would never exceed 300m elevation, but were going up and down constantly, and my Wahoo GPS recorded nearly 2900m elevation gain by the end. (Strava "adjusted" data showed just over 2700m climbing. When uploaded to ridewithgps, the summary shows 3027m elevation gain. The ridewithgps "route", which does not reflect tunnels, shows over 4500m climbing. Thank you, tunnels!) 

Indeed, a Spring 2015 R-Tokyo 400km brevet that went from Tokyo to Minami Izu (arriving on the Nishi Izu coast at Toi and leaving at Matsuzaki to ascend Jaishi Pass, and returning the same way), was as close as I have ever gotten to hitting the 27hr time limit for a 400km brevet. 

On the path along the Kamogawa

On the path along the Kamogawa (2)

On the path along the Kamogawa (3)

We reach the coastline at San-no-ura

I liked the route the organizers had chosen leading from Mishima station to the Kamogawa and its cycling path. There is no perfect way through Mishima and western Numazu to the Izu coast, but this was a pretty good one, especially the first few kms from the station. I will use it again. We started with nice weather -- cool, cloudy, but still dry.  Four of us started together and I tried to push ahead. Joe caught me at a couple traffic signals along the way and we rode together some, until I pushed ahead as we got to the cycling path. I know that Joe usually starts out slower than me and does not push quite as much, and this day in particular I wanted to bank a lot of time early in the ride.  The RAMAX is well-balanced for a TT style solo effort, and I could make good time with fresh legs over the first segment. It also gives me plenty of confidence on the descents. 

The route left the cycling path to cross the Kamogawa and cut East to pass near a historical iron furnace from the 1860s, then continued South up the valley to Shuzenji. The checkpoint opened at 8:42AM, and I relaxed the last few kms as I saw that otherwise I might arrive before it opened. I got there at 8:43AM and my receipt shows 8:46AM. I was leaving at 8:52AM as Joe and another rider (Hirano-san) were pulling in. 

No Fuji today

Imagine the rest of the mountain ... or don't need to imagine. 

Riding under a canopy of flowering sakura trees!

The climbing starts ... at Osezaki

The route crossed the river again and looped back North to Izunokuni then climbed a short (~75m elev) slope to the West, through a tunnel, and down to the coastline at San-no-ura. From here we followed the coast all the way South to Matsuzaki. From San-no-Ura, after 10~15kms of mostly flat riding, the route climbs above Osezaki and then goes up and down along the hill before descending into Heda. From Heda it climbs again, with more up and down high on the hill, until it descends into Toi Onsen. From Toi Onsen there is a flat stretch of 3-4kms, then a more gradual but long uphill, then a swift descent with some tunnels down to Nishi Izu-shi. In between Nishi Izu and Matsuzaki, there are more tunnels and all the up and down is quite short. 

More sakura between Heda and Toi

Toi Onsen

RAMAX leaning, just south of Toi

The entire way it seemed there were sakura along the road, there was little traffic (especially Shizuoka Rte 17 north of Toi Onsen ... a bit more as always on National Rte 136 south of Toi), the temperature was ideal, and I felt as if I had better stamina than even a few weeks ago, the result of a hard one-day ride each weekend, supplemented by a few shorter mid-week morning rides. 

This route was all familiar territory for me, until the area South from Matsuzaki. We headed up the familiar road for Jaishi Pass, but quickly turned off and took a parallel local lane past the Iwashina School, a building from 1880 that blends western and Japanese elements in what was, at the time, a novel design, and that symbolizes Japanese architecture's westernization.

Then we crossed the road to Jaishi and headed up a hill on a mountain road. This road was steep at times, but led through some very nice countryside. Eventually, there was a lovely vista, and then a parking area with an observation deck and a signboard -- looking down at the Ishibu Tanada tiered rice patties. This was our 108km turn-around checkpoint -- a photo of the signboard with brevet card.

Flowering trees and yellow rapeseed outside of Matsuzaki

Iwashina School

Near the Ishibu Tanada

Matsuzaki Coastline, on the return.

Lots of these or similar sculptures at intervals 

After a short descent, the route turned right onto Rte 136. The descent continued ... and brought back memories of climbing this hill in the other direction long ago. You get to it just as your fatigue tops out, legs in pain with lactic acid. There was an AJ Nishi Tokyo rider resting at a bridge at the bottom of this hill. He said he had come via the Daruma-san course -- even more climbing. We leapfrogged each other a few times. (I saw only one other audax rider, who passed me on the big hill before the Heda checkpoint, where we met a second time. He also had done the Daruma-san course. He was at the finish as well.

But to get back to Matsuzaki, there were more short ups and downs, and ups and downs. The view was spectacular, but my legs were not. In Matsuzaki I stopped at a Family Mart to get a nama-pasta ... but the relevant shelf was bare. I guess their afternoon delivery had not yet arrived. Not to worry, I found what I was looking for at another Family Mart within five minutes to the North. The food and short rest was what I needed.

I could count on my hands the number of rain drops that fell on me before the Ishibu Tanada checkpoint. There the raindrops started to fall in earnest. I put on my thin Endura rain shell for the descent. In Matsuzaki while stopped to eat, I added my shoe covers. Later on I unfurled my "Rain Legs" rain chaps. Then I switched to my warmer, water proof (err, resistant) gloves. What had been a "light rain" had, by Toi, become a "steady rain".  After Heda, I would call it even a "hard rain" -- certainly as I approached the finish. There was water in the road, puddles in places. As it got dark, I saw a big frog sitting in the road, in my headlight's beam.  Ten minutes later, there was a medium-sized frog, hopping left to right.  And later, a small frog hopping energetically. There was even what looked like a little sand crab sliding across the road.  On the descent into Heda, there were even some pretty violent wind gusts ... just as the TV weather had predicted. I had images of the recent pro peletion crash during the Strade Bianca where a cross-wind gust had taken down one rider, sending all those behind him flying. Fortunately, the wind quieted a bit for the next section.

Ashi no yu (foot bath) at Toi Onsen. 

Tourist info at Toi Onen

RAMAX leaning. Up a hill just North of Toi

The nearly two hours from Heda were just a long wet slog. I felt okay, no serious fatigue or specific aches or pains. As I entered Mishima I started to bonk a bit, so pulled off where there was an awning to offer a bit of a shield from the rain, to eat an onigiri from my back pocket. Before I knew it, I was at the goal. Soaked through, I bought a nice bath towel at the 7/11 where I needed to get my last proof of passage, and then dried off a bit at the Toyoko Inn in front of the station where the organizers were checking us in. 

How many finished? I don't know, but I guess not that many. There were a few riders packing bikes in rinko bags when I got to the Toyoko Inn, including the rider from the Heda checkpoint. Okumura-san was there, with suspiciously dry cycling clothes. He told me he had just ridden part of the route and DNFed before the rain hit. Joe reported Sunday that he and Hirano-san missed the time cut off by a few minutes in Heda, and slogged back to Mishima in the dark and wet. Did anyone else complete the Matsuzaki course other than me? I'm not sure. Indeed, this is a hard 200km. But it was just what I needed, following my last two weekend hard rides of Yanagisawa Pass and Mitsumine Shrine. If I can keep this up, I will be ready for Cascade1400.

Miura 200km Brevet with fast bike and Gokiso wheels

I joined a Nishi Tokyo brevet today.  I want to get my 200, 300, 400 and 600km series done as soon as practical this year, since it is a prerequisite for PBP in August, and this was the first Tokyo area 200km in 2015 that I could register for that fit my schedule.  So I joined it even though the course, around the Miura Peninsula, would mean lots of traffic signals and plenty of traffic getting to Yokosuka and getting back from the coast and through town.

Mt. Fuji across the Sagami Bay from Miura, South of Hayama.

The start/goal is at the Konno Seisakusho/Cherubim shop in Machida.  For an early morning start (6AM today), train is not possible, and there is no free car park.  So in addition to the Brevet itself, I get to ride 50-55 kms round trip just getting to and from the event.  A 200 km brevet becomes 255-260km.  300km becomes 355km.  The Strava or ridewithGPS data is at the hyperlinks, and a map is below.

Today was a spectacular winter day. During the day it was warm, sunny and not very windy.  Wind surfers and sail boats were out.  Surfers as well ... in January!  Much nicer than December this year. But it was very cold in the morning at Machida (somewhere around -4 or -5 degrees C).

I made it to registration at Konno Seisakusho around 5:45AM, then on to the park a few blocks away for "bike inspection" and the start.  Of course, the 5:30AM "briefing" was long finished, and riders already were heading out onto the course, even as I went through registration. I saw my Kaminoge neighbor Kaz Tachikawa -- back on the bike after a 2013 injury that kept him out of London-Edinburgh-London and subsequent events -- and Joe Wein.

The rush to get to the start and then back onto the road had one benefit -- I was warmed up.  And I was on my fast bike -- the Canyon Shark with my Gokiso 38mm rimmed carbon clincher wheels, with the smoothest rolling hubs ... in the world, perhaps?  As a result, I ended up the 2nd finisher out of approximately 70 riders, even with a lunch stop and basically rolling home the last 75 kms of what one of the staffers correctly called a "beginners' course".

Less than one km from the start, on a downhill stretch, I zoomed past a group of 10-20 riders.  Then more.  Within 10 minutes I had moved from being one of the last starters (out of around 70), to being in the middle of the group.  After riding past more and more, I got stuck on the back of another 10 rider group, but there was too much traffic to pass.  So I bided my time until we turned North onto Tokyo Route 18.  Then, as the route bobbed up and down toward Onekansendoro then more hills, I passed everyone else within sight.  Hi Joe, and bye.  Bye Kaz.  As it turned out, by the time we got out along the Tamagawa and were headed down river, I had passed everyone except two riders at the front who I met at the first checkpoint.

Other than the nice weather, what was good about this event?

--The route through Yokohama was nicer than others I have taken, looping east of Yokohama Station and through Minato Mirai, then along the Yamashita Koen waterfront -- broad streets and very little traffic early on a weekend morning, with plenty of nice views.

Minato Mirai on a sunny Saturday morning

--South of central Yokohama, the route took the same Sangyo Doro as I rode with Eric and Seiichi last month ... but rejoined Route 16 much too soon, with its heavy traffic.  But once past Yokosuka, in southern Miura, we hugged the coast almost the entire way, which was beautiful.  And we rode through Misakiguchi and then on local roads, rejoining the main road (Route 27) only 6-7 kms later.

Along the coast!

Fast Gokiso wheels!

--"Magurodon" seafood lunch at Misakiguchi.

Organizers at the checkpoint in MIsakiguchi -- just across from 3 seafood restaurants.

--And after the milling crowds of Kamakura and Enoshima, and the broad coast road west to Chigasaki and beyond, the route North (from Samukawa through Ebina and then up to Sagamihara, took some very local, back roads.  The road surfaces were not great, but it was the lowest traffic, most interesting route I have taken through this area of sprawl.

The only negative was the trip down the Tamagawa, on the Kawasaki side road, together with plenty of trucks and impatient factory workers commuting in their big vans.

On the way back into town, I met Hara-san and [On]-san of Nihombashi Audax, doing a "test ride" for one of their upcoming events.  I rode with them all the way to the Tamagawa, chatting at each of the (many) traffic lights.  My next scheduled Brevet ... their 300km ride on February 21.  Looking forward to it.  楽しみにしています。

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Joe Wein's trip report is here.  His photos from the event are here -- more extensive than mine and some very nice ones.  Actual photos of other riders.

255 kms on a spectacular day -- Akiyama, Kawaguchiko, Ashigara

Mt. Fuji .. hidden when we were there at Noon, but visible now that we have made it back to Nakai/Hiratsuka.

About 50 riders joined the Nishi Tokyo 200 brevet on Saturday.  Originally scheduled for March but postponed due to snow on the passes, the weather was spectacular this time.

The morning was cool and chilly as I headed out to the start in Machida, just warm enough so that I left my arm warmers and full fingered gloves packed away in my saddle bag.  The Brevet route quickly headed into the mountains to the west, so that we were at Mt. Fuji Kawaguchiko area by mid-day.  It was still cool, the elevation and mountain climate offsetting the mid-day sun.  Even on the big descent from Kagosaka Pass (1130m elev) through Subashiri (800m elev) and down, down, down to Ashigara Station (370m elev), it was warm enough for me to not bother with arm warmers, cap.  By the time the sun set we were back in the sprawl of Kanagawa -- around Hiratsuka -- so there was only a modest evening chill.

We started near the Konno Seisakusho / Cherubim shop, and headed out through Sagamihara.  (Indeed, I saw at least 3 or 4 Cherubim handmade custom bikes among this group -- each one beautifully maintained and spotless).  I rode some at the start with a group that included Kojima-san, whom I met, but have not seen since, 2011 Paris-Brest-Paris when we struggled together to get back toward Lodeac on the return leg, both near sleep in the dark on the bikes.  He slept at Lodeac and I continued on--a mistake on my part.  He looked somehow different on a beautiful morning in October 2014.  Different clothes, helmet (no light) and vest.  Different eyeglasses, maybe?  But helpfully his vest had the lettering "Kojima" on the back, so that was a tip-off!

Anyway, I did not want to ride with the group through all the traffic signals of Sagamihara.  It is so much effort to start and stop repeatedly with a group of 6~8 persons.  So I worked hard to get off the front and get at least one signal between myself and the group.  That worked well and I was able to time my solo ride to catch more of the signals until out in the countryside.  Of course, most of these folks passed me on the first, or second hills.

Along Route 35 as we head through Akiyama toward Tsuru

Once past Lake Tsukui the route was spectacular, if familiar, for about 30 kms.  We took Rte 517 then Rte 35 through Magino and Akiyama and over Suzugane Pass (tunnel) to Tsuru.  This route goes through hilly countryside, up and down repeatedly, and eventually up to the tunnel at just under 700 meters elevation, then down past the Maglev test track station and to Tsuru.  Everything looking great with blue sky, cool air, persimmons ready to pick, tidy houses -- both traditional farms and modern, even a few contemporary homes.  There was clear running water over rocks in streams and rivers.  And almost no traffic.

Some of us stopped on the road to Suzugane at Hamazawa village in Akiyama to get (and consume) freshly cooked, piping hot manju, filled with sweet red beans.  I have heard about this for at least 6-7 years, from MOB and numerous others ... but had never actually experienced its wonders until Saturday.  You could see the wood-burning stove, flames bright and several little old ladies in their white baking clothes working away.  The seasonal flowers in front of the shop were glorious, and when I mentioned them to the woman serving customers, she told me they had been changed only yesterday.  Fall has arrived!

At the famous manju shop on Route 35

Fresh local autumn flowers next to the wood-fired oven room.

A small shrine just of Route 35 on the climb to Suzugane Pass

After a check point at a Tsuru 7-11, we slogged up Route 139 to Fuji Yoshida / Kawaguchiko area.  I hate this road, but must say that on Saturday morning the traffic was manageable, and with the perfect temperatures I did not suffer as much as usual.  I did not to stop and get some sunscreen, given the total lack of shade and the sun getting higher in the sky.

A temple just off the road as we near Kawaguchi-ko

Kawaguchiko was spectacular, as we stopped at O-ishi on the (scenic and less crowded) north shore for a checkpoint and view. Mt. Fuji was obscured in clouds, other than the lower slopes, but it was still a beautiful scene.   We next passed through the incredible congestion of Routes 139/138 through Fuji Yoshida and up the slope to Yamanaka-ko.  This hill is less than 150 meters over almost 5 kms, so only around 3-4%, but with heavy traffic, lines of cars creeping along and exhaust fumes, much of it is unpleasant.  The route left the main road (Route 138) and was quite pleasant through the areas of second homes and company facilities SW of Yamanakako, then climbed up to Kagosaka Pass.

Cosmos at Kawaguchi-ko

The park at Oo-ishi ("Big Rock"), on the North Shore of Kawaguchi ko.

I faded on the steep parts of the short climb from Yamanakako to Kagosaka Pass, and could barely turn over the pedals.  I started to think it had not been such a good idea to get to bed very late Friday night, up very early (only 3 hours sleep), and then to ride hard an extra 28 kms from my home to the start of the brevet instead of going by train.  Two American riders, David and Aaron, caught me near the top of this climb.  They would have left me far behind, but we soon reached the top.  The next leg, 20 kms of downhill to Ashigara Station, offered a good chance to recover on the bike, making excellent time with minimal effort.  And once we got off of route 138, the road (local route 150) was excellent -- low traffic volume, few signals and a long steady downhill.

The next checkpoint was at Hashimoto, a small grocery store within 100 meters of Ashigara Station.  The proprietors had several road bike racks out front (the kind where you hang the front of your saddle over a bar, rear tire off the ground) and some spare chainrings hanging in the window -- clear signs that cyclists are welcome.  In addition to the usual fare, I got some cucumbers.  When I asked at the register if they had some salt or miso for dipping, they quickly brought some as "service" (no charge).  They looked happy that I was very happy at this -- just the kind of experience that makes me want to come back again next time I am anywhere near Ashigara on my bike.

We climbed Route 78 to Ashigara Pass -- almost 400 meters of elevation gain, including some quite steep stretches.  It was a hard climb after many hours of riding.  Then it was part way down the even steeper SE side ... then another short but painful 60-70 meter climb up a side road to the barbeque area at 夕日の滝 (Yuu-hi no Taki -- maybe "twilight falls"?)  This was a delightful stop, manned by Nishi Tokyo and Kanagawa Audax staff serving charcoal grilled hot dogs, whole fish and yakitori (though only chicken skin -- a type of yakitori not favored by foreigners).  One of the leaders of Kanagawa Audax was supervising the bike parking area, and I asked him why there were so many Kanagawa Audax jerseyed staff on this Nishi Tokyo Brevet.  He said that both Nishi Tokyo and Aoba Randonneurs are Kanagawa Audax "spin offs".  This I had heard long ago, but it seems they still maintain close links and work together.

Maya Ide, volunteering at the Yuu-hi no Taki stop, talks with a rider.  She told me she did the Merselo-Verona 1200 this summer and was raving about riding the Arlsbergpass, then Reschenpass and into Italy via the Sud Tirol (Naturns, Bolzano)!  Some of the most beautiful summer cycling territory on the planet!

At the Yuu-hi no Taki rest stop.  The two riders on the left rode as a pair the entire ride.  They both have beautiful Cherubim bikes!  David and Aaron (right rear) also rode together, one or the other going ahead on climbs.  And the rider in the orange vest is, yes, wearing blue jeans.  He did the entire ride on a mountain bike with massive tubes, fat tires and, yes, in jeans, in about the same time as I did on and in, ostensibly, more appropriate gear.

Anyway, the rest of the descent from Ashigara was less technical, allowing very high speeds.  After some zigs and zags, and long lines of cars, we took Kanagawa Route 77 the rest of the way past Nakai and Hadano to Hiratsuka.

On the fast mid/lower part of the descent from Ashigara Pass

There was plenty of up and down on Route 77, but the traffic was not so bad until we emerged at Hiratsuka.  From there to the finish, it seemed like every signal we passed slowly by long lines of cars.  Urban sprawl and weekend congestion along Kanagawa Route 63, lasting even after dark and into the dinner hour.

My Garmin battery died somewhere in Atsugi along this sprawl of Route 63.  My chain also jammed under the chain-catcher as I tried to get back on the bike.  I hailed another rider -- the very Nishi Tokyo audax staff member who had done my bike inspection, Yamada-san (who was riding a Centurion frame and wearing a Team Telecom German national champion jersey, and said he lives in Machida.)  He helped with light as I managed to remount the chain, and I followed him most of the way to the goal so I could ride without fumbling with a cue sheet in the dark.  Thank you, Yamada-san.

Beautiful custom Cherubim bike with Rohloff rear hub, front dynamo hub (in matching red), and classic cloth/leather bags.  Leather bar tape, of course, and full fenders.  This rider did the Ise 1000 ride ... started and finished earlier than me, but I recognized photos of the bike!  Pedals for normal shoes!?

It was a glorious day for a ride, and even if the route included some stretches I would rather avoid, there were many other stretches that I love, and Ashigara Pass I climbed for the first time.  So all in all a very nice 200km Brevet.

Home to Start

Start to Atsugi ... where GPS battery died

Goal to home