Cycling
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I bought a bicycle from a local bicycle shop. It is a Schwinn Fastback road bike with 16 speeds and 700c wheels. It’s an entry level road bike that is faster than a regular bike but not as fast as a carbon fiber race bike. In America, over the years, I had a few triathlon bikes and was an avid cyclist from 2008 through 2013.

The local bicycle shop where I bought the bike promotes group rides on the weekends. I wanted to get back into cycling and meet people, so I joined a group ride on a Saturday morning. The people were friendly but a little shy, due to the language barrier. Despite the language barrier we had brief conversations in both English and Japanese. There were about six of us in the group. They all had really nice bikes that looked cool and fast.

We took off from the bike shop and went through town at an easy pace. I don’t know the area at all so I just followed the leader. We did the first hill climb and I kept pace with the group leader. Back in America in the state where I rode, the roads were flat with few hills; because I am not used to hill climb, it was a moderate challenge. The leader turned into a viewpoint next to a dam and I followed. The rest of the group caught up. We took a break, drank some water, took some pictures and caught our breath. I took a quick picture as the scenery was beautiful.

After stopping for a rest next to the dam, we rode through more hills and valleys into the country side. In America, I always rode alone and never did a “café stop” so I was surprised when we stopped at a place in the middle of the rice fields. The store provided a place for cyclists to hang their bikes which told me they cater to cyclists as customers. The English name of the store I read in katakana is “Flower Friend”. They sell many types of food such as bread, snacks, cakes and sweets; they provide free coffee and tables in the store so people can eat there and enjoy the food. I was surprised that there was such a nice shop in the middle of nowhere! I had blueberry cake and coffee over our conversations in broken English and Japanese.

After the break, we continued on. As we rode through the beautiful mountains and valleys I thought to myself, “Is this real? I’m lost somewhere in the mountains of Japan but it’s ok; it’s so beautiful and peaceful out here ” I was amazed with the scenery – being down in the valley feeling as if the mountains were towering over me. Eventually we made it out of the mountains and valley and stopped for a quick break and enjoyed the cherry blossoms. The blossoms were blooming.

We made a right turn in Yuu and started to ride next to the coast on Route 188. It was amazing! After riding a while we stopped at a seaside park and beach for a quick rest. The water was blue, clear and calm and the view of the Seto Inland Sea was amazing. We then headed back towards Yanai; the wind was at our backs and we rode at a good pace.

I enjoyed my first group ride. We road 57 kms and I hadn’t rode that far in many years. Despite not having rode in so long, I completed the ride comfortably. It was a great start to cycling in this area.

Today I went for a short ride in the afternoon. I rode along the Murotsu Peninsula on Route 72. It’s such a beautiful road to cycle. The crystal clear blue water was so beautiful that I just had to stop and take a picture. It reminded me of the bike ride I made many years ago in 2012 when I rode the Shimanami Kaido and saw crystal clear water.

Late in the afternoon, I went out for a second ride. I wanted to do some hill climb training to get stronger. I climbed a few hills and got some additional training in. When I was heading home, I stopped at the top of a hill. There, I snapped a picture of a beautiful sunset.

One Saturday, only one other person than me came to the group ride. Because of the coronavirus, the group ride was cancelled but not everyone knew about the cancellation. Despite the cancellation the two of us decided to go for a ride together. We headed off through Yanai and did a small hill climb up to the Yanai Wellness Park.

We parked our bikes and walked up some stairs to a viewpoint. It had a nice view and I took some pictures. The stair climb was additional training!

We then rode out towards Tabuse. I had never been there before. We stopped at a store and bought some snacks. Since the weather was good and the cherry blossoms were out, it was very busy! Mr. Nakagawa kindly bought me a donut and a mochi and I thanked him. We then rode over to a small river for a rest. On the bank of the river, we sat on a bench and enjoyed coffee and snacks. I ate half a donut and a unique mochi. In the middle of the mochi was a strawberry inside; it was the first time I ate strawberry mochi and it was very good and sweet! We sat there for a while, chatting in English and Japanese, enjoying the cherry blossoms.

On the way to the rest point, I saw some “metal birds.” I had first seen them in Ibaraki and Tochigi Prefectures back in 2013. I found them a nice, thoughtful touch. They are very cute. It’s very nice to live in a country and city where the government makes nice little touches for people to enjoy, relax and feel at peace; it’s one of the reasons why I love living here in Japan.

An employee at the bike shop recommend to me to ride around the Murotsu Peninsula. With the recommendation, I wanted to ride around it; I wanted to do an endurance and touring ride. Still not knowing the local terrain, I did not know how difficult it would be. The east side of the peninsula wasn’t too difficult; the road had a few easy hills and lots of flats. It was so beautiful that I could not stop looking at the clear blue water; I would find myself glancing out over the ocean often while trying to pay attention to the road.

Near the southern part of the peninsula, there were very steep hills. On the map below, I marked the section in a red box where the difficult hill was. Since I am still getting back into riding shape, big, steep hills are still a challenge. I got up about 90% of the hill and “ran out of steam”. A little frustrated and disappointed in myself, I had to get off my bike and push it the rest of the way to the top. But I cut myself some slack and told myself “Hey, you’ve not been riding seriously for over 6 years!”

After I got to the top next to a Shrine I rested for minute and then mounted the bike. It was mostly downhill from there and it was fun going downhill! Because I didn’t know the roads at all, I was cautious on the decent but still went fast; I gained a lot of speed on straightaways but when I came to a curve, I slowed down a lot.

When I got on the west side of the peninsula, the road was very flat but there was a steady headwind. I went through the small village of Kaminoseki, riding next to the Kaminoseki Straight. Once again I was amazed at the beauty of the area. Its so beautiful to ride with the clear blue ocean to your left and towering mountains to the right – and little islands dotting the sea ahead.

The Murotsu Peninsula was a tough ride for me because of that steep hill. Back in America where I did the majority of my training, there were no steep hills like the one on Murotsu Peninsula – and for that matter, in Japan. In America, I had triathlon bikes that were great for the flats but not good for hill climbing, therefore I am not a good hill climber.

Even though the hill climb was difficult and frustrating, the bike ride was rewarding. It’s still very much like a dream to me - riding next to the crystal blue waters with little islands in the distance in Japan is very surreal. Since this was both a training and touring ride, I stopped and took a few photos during the ride. I wanted to take a picture of white cherry blossoms against a blue sky and I was able to find that shot. I also wanted to get more pictures of crystal blue water and was able to get those shots, too.

In the morning I went to the bike shop but didn’t expect to see anyone since coronavirus is really getting bad now. Despite coronavirus, three others showed up.

Similar to the route I went on my first group ride, we went through the mountains and valleys. We didn’t stop at Flower Friends shop but rode through areas near it. I remembered some of the roads we went down during that first group ride. I also recognized some of the scenery, houses and buildings, too.

One portion of the ride had us going down narrow roads next to a winding stream; it’s a fun but challenging part as it’s a little narrow, shaded with choppy roads; it’s great for developing your technical riding skills. I still take that section a little slow as I am still not 100% confident on my bike.

After a small hill climb, we made a downhill decent; I and the leader took off on a downhill grind and left the others of the group behind. He and I got to the bottom the hill and stopped on a bridge to wait for the others. It was so beautiful being nestled in the valley, overlooking rice paddies, beautiful river next to tall mountains. The other members of the group caught up and rested. I heard “haiyai” which means fast.

What I like about Japan is the group culture. Despite being faster in this part of the ride, we stopped and waited for the rest of the group to catch up. Perhaps this is also part of cycling culture, too.

After winding our way through the mountains, we made it to Yuu. We stopped at a 7-11 and I made a “pit stop.” In English, a “pit stop” can also mean “toilet break. ” I wasn’t hungry but a little thirsty so I bought a Pocari Sweat and a chocolate crunch bar.

We then rode along the coast and we stopped at Yuu Beach. To my surprise, Mr. Nakagawa bought me a nikuman. I have not had a nikuman in over 6 years! I thanked him for it. It was pretty tasty!

After our break, we headed back for Yanai. The group upped its tempo and we rode pretty fast. One of the riders passed me and put quite a bit of distance between he and I. He was fast!

It was another great ride!

Today I went for a short recovery ride. I’ve been riding a lot lately as well as running, so I took it easy. At the beginning of the ride, I did my one and only hill climb. On this day, I mostly rode on flat roads. I didn’t push myself too hard as today’s goal was just to “stretch my legs” and “get the blood going.”

I rode around the Murotsu for the third time. Today’s goal was to make it up the big hill without stopping. On the east side, I paced myself, saving my energy for the hill climb ahead. As I turned south near the tip of the peninsula, the wind started blowing in my face; the wind was making the tree leaves and branches sway. The wind was funneled into my face in the tunnel just before the big hill. When the wind hit me in the face, I thought to myself, “great, this is all I need just before I attempt my hill climb.”

Despite the wind, I started the ascent and told myself “you got this!”… as I cursed the wind under my breath.

I got up to about the 60% point of the hill and started to get tired because of the harsh wind. I started to fatigue and briefly thought about getting of the bike but I told myself “no!”

Since I couldn’t take the hill head on because of the wind, I changed my strategy; I slowly zig-zagged back and forth across the road. I changed to the lowest gear and slowly made it up the hill, grinding my way up the hill and eventually standing up out of the saddle.

Since I was now familiar with the road, I knew when to throttle back as well as push with effort. I remember seeing road mirrors to know when I was getting close to the top. When I saw the road mirror just before the curve to the shrine, I was confident I was going to make it, even with the harsh wind. And when I turned to corner and saw the big Red Torri gate, I knew I was going to make it.

Once I got to the Torri Gate I yelled out “yatta” meaning “I did it!” I was happy I accomplished my goal.

At the top of the hill, I wondered how bad the wind was going to be on the west side. Unfortunately the wind was even worse! But I then remembered that yesterday a storm system had passed through and the winds were going to be strong.

After the decent, the winds started really whipping. I fought a brutal headwind all the way from Kaminoseki to Tanaoki. The winds blew me all over the road and I had to fight to stay straight at some points. The waves were high and had whitecaps. I saw some flags in the distance and when I got to them, I stopped to take a picture; the wind was so strong, it was causing the flags to stand on end.

This was a very satisfying ride; I achieved my goal of climbing the hill without getting off as well as fighting heavy headwinds on the west side of the peninsula.

I was told about Oshima Island and Michi no Eki by Mr. Inada so I wanted to go there and check it out.

I headed out for Obatake and wound my way up the road to Oshima Bridge. Oshima Bridge is famous in the area; it is pretty high and is over 1 kilometer long, from what the road sign says. The wind is pretty strong over the bridge. There are some really nice views from the bridge.

Eventually I made it to Michi no Eki. There were some shops and a restaurant. There were places to sit, relax and dine. At the back of the station, there was a nice place to sit and look at the sea.

It was a decent ride; there were some medium sized hills that were a challenge along with decent flats. There were some nice photo ops of the Seto Sea with the numerous islands in the distance.

I liked it but there were too many cars on the road so I didn’t like it as much as Murotsu Peninsula route. The ride isn’t bad, in my opinion, but sometimes I get nervous when climbing hills with cars when I am by myself; I don’t like it when I am slowly going up a hill and a car comes whizzing by me. It’s safer to ride in a group.

I’ve been setting news goals for myself as I get back into shape. Training for triathlons and a “100 miler,” I’ve been wanting to work on my long distance endurance riding. Today’s goal was to ride to at least Iwakuni Station if not further. Since distance training was the goal, I wanted to choose a route with fewer hills; I did not want to “burn myself out” with a lot of hill climbs so I chose Route 188. I had rode in a friend’s car on that route as well as seen the road as I rode on the train and knew the road would be ideal for distance training. When I got to Iwakuni Station and if I felt good, I would continue on to Miyajima Guchi Station.

I left around 8 o’clock in the morning. It was looking to be a good day for cycling; the winds were light at that time, the temperature was mild and there was no rain in the forecast. I knew that it was going to be a great day for a ride, though I did wonder about the wind later in the day.

Route 188 parallels the ocean which provides wonderful views of the sea. Moving along swiftly, I passed Obatake Bridge and it was beautiful. Obatake Bridge connects Oshima Island to the mainland. I noticed the swirling currents under the bridge. As I rode past the bridge, I wondered about the people who built that bridge and how long it took. I also caught glimpses of a few ships passing in the straight and eventually pulled over in order took a quick picture of one.

Near Fuju Station, traffic started to get heavy and there were more and more traffic lights. I had to stop frequently at these stop lights which broke my tempo but that was ok; I reminded myself that today’s goal was distance, not blazing speed.

Eventually I made it to Iwakuni proper. Riding through Iwakuni was slow because of all the stoplights. The ride thus far was easy; I didn’t feel tired at all nor was I thirsty. I knew that I had “a lot left in the gas tank”, so I decided to press on toward Miyajima Guchi Station. I felt pretty confident that I would make it there and that maybe that was about 25 miles.

After crossing over the bridge near Route 188 and Route 2, traffic once again got heavy. There was a lot of traffic on Route 2 near the Waku and Otake station areas. There were many heavy trucks in this area. Many of them passed by me closely as I rode as well as regular passenger cars. A few trucks and cars “buzzed” me, a “little too close for comfort” I felt. I could have easily reached out and touched them or even grabbed their bumper for a tow….but that would be cheating! As a cyclist, traffic and cars buzzing by you closely “comes with the territory” and is something you just have to get used to. Still, you have to be a careful and attentive rider, being aware of your surroundings as well as your position on the road. This area was a little dangerous and I was a little tense but it was manageable.

Around the Kuba station area, there were fewer heavy trucks and traffic lightened up a little. Miyajima Island was now right across from me and I was happy; I watched it from the corner of my eye as I cycled on. I was getting closer and closer to reaching my goal.

Time was going by pretty quickly because I was concentrating on traffic, the road and my cadence. I suddenly saw a sign that read “Miyajima Guchi Station” I was surprised that I was already at my goal and still felt very strong.

Miyajima Guchi Station is a nice place for me as it has a lot of memories for me. I had been to Miyajima 4 times in my life. Back in 2012 on Miyajima Island, I met some Japanese people who invited me to hang out; we took separate ferries and we met on the way back. I remember taking my dad to Miyajima and we took a ferry from there; I was so excited for him to see this wonderful place. Miyajima Guchi Station is symbolic and meaningful for me as it is the entry way to a very beautiful place and one of my favorite places in Japan. So for me, this was a meaningful goal.

I took a short break, riding and walking around taking some pictures.

Part of today’s goal was conditioning my body to work without drinking so much. I had a 500 ml bottle of diluted Pocari Sweat that was completely full; I hadn’t drank any of it. After I felt the salt on my face and tasting salt on my lips, I convinced myself that I should have a drink. I drank half the bottle of the watered-down Pocari Sweat to rehydrate. I wasn’t really that thirsty but my body needed the water and electrolytes.

After a quick break, it was time to do the second-half of the trip. The wind was now blowing in my face but it was manageable. Heading in the opposite direction, the traffic wasn’t as bad as before. Near Fuju Station, the winds started to really pick up. The wind started slowing me down as I pedaled against it. Also, my butt started to hurt on the sits bones as I don’t have a soft saddle or padded riding shorts. I would stand on my pedals for a moment to relieve the pressure as well as shift my weight left or right on the seat; this helped with the pain. Though this sounds painful, enduring this pain is part of my conditioning strategy; eventually when I buy riding shorts, I will be able to endure longer rides and go faster.

I stopped at a 7 – 11 in Yuu and took a break. By now, I was getting a little thirsty so I drank the rest of my cut-down Pocari Sweat. Even though I wasn’t terribly thirsty, I knew I needed to rehydrate. Around Tsuzu I got some sweat in my eye which stung as well as salt stinging my lips, so it I really needed to put some liquid in my body. Right after I finished my Pocari Sweat, I went inside the 7 – 11 and bought another Pocari Sweat.

On group rides, our group stopped at this 7 – 11 regularly. Since I had been here before, I knew roughly about how far Yanai was from here and I knew I would finish the ride.

Outside of Yuu the winds became very strong and really slowed down my cadence. The waves were bigger here in the straight than over in Iwakuni. I remember from other rides, the winds weren’t so strong but today was a different story. I struggled abit against the winds in this area and I noticed I was getting a little tired from around Kojiro station to Obatake. After Obatake, the winds settled down a little bit. Also, large concrete blocks blocked the wind and I was able to pick up the pace and gather some speed again. When I saw the large white gas tanks and the smokestack, I knew I was on the homestretch, so I picked up the pace a little more and finish strong.

I finally made it back to my apartment and it was about 1 pm. I really wanted to push myself a bit and still felt like I had some energy to give, so I decided to go for a slow run. I put my bike away, quickly ate a banana, drank some water and had a Multivitamin Jelly drink; I also washed my face with some water in the sink to wash off the dried, crusty feeling sweat. I then ran about 2.5 miles, walking a little bit here and there. By now, I was starting to get very tired. For the triathlon training, I wanted to see if my muscles would cramp in my legs after my long ride but they didn’t. I remembered during that Half-Iron Man race I did in 2011 my legs cramped as soon as I got off the bike, so I was doing pretty good today, even though I didn’t swim today. I could I have run further but I decided this was enough for today’s training.

When I got back to my apartment, I immediately took a cool shower, dried off and took nap.

It was quite a long day. This was the first time in a long time I had exercised so much. For me, triathlon training is tough but rewarding!

After my nap, I woke up and I wanted to see just how far I rode. I estimated that maybe I rode 50 miles. I went on to Google Maps to find out. I choose my apartment as the starting point and Miyajima Guchi Station as the end point. Google Maps automatically made a route but it wasn’t the same route I took. I adjusted the route to find the correct distance.

According to Google Maps, the distance from my apartment to Miyajima Guchi Station to be 53.3 kilometers. I was shocked! I thought it was only going to be about 40 kilometers or so. I then went to an online calculator to convert kilometers to miles; the converter read that 53.3 kilometers is equal to 33.11 miles. So the round trip distance from today’s ride was roughly 66 miles or 106 kilometers.

Up until this day, my longest bike ride was 56 miles. I rode 56 miles in 2011 when I did a Half-Iron man in Austin, Texas. I was pleased that I had rode so far, only having been riding for just about a month since I returned to Japan. Despite not training seriously for years, I’m still in pretty good shape… even though I am a few pounds heavier than in 2011. With time, I will eventually lose the weight. What’s even nicer is that now my longest ride I ever did is in Japan!

I already have another goal set for myself. After I was told about the Oshima Island course route, I knew that complete 1 full lap would be a goal someday. But reading about the terrain and riding to Michi no Eki, that ride is something I will need to train for. I’m still not a very good hill climber and hills take a lot out of me. So in coming weeks, I will work on hill climbing and continue distance training.

Yesterday’s ride to Miyajima Guchi Station wore me out and I was tired. Despite being tire I wanted to do a short ride recovery ride to stretch my legs. I headed out towards Hikari, which when translated means “light” in English.

I passed through Tabuse town. Not much was going on. I did see people working in the rice fields. I came to a bridge and looked over the river; there I saw turtles and koi in the river. The turtles were warming themselves on the rocks in the early morning sun and the koi were lazily swimming in the shallow water.

One of my hobbies are taking pictures of Yanai’s goldfish. I saw a sign that had a goldfish on it. I stopped and took a picture of it. I will add it to my collection

Sunday’s ride was a short ride but a good one.

One again, the weather was gorgeous! Blue skies, mild temperatures and calm winds meant another great day for cycling. For today’s training, I wanted to do some hill climbs as well as incorporate some distance training training. Since I knew that that the Murotsu Peninsula would provide some good hill climbs, I chose that route. I also wanted to see new places, so I also planned to head out towards Hikari, somewhere I hadn’t been yet.

On previous rides on the Murotsu Peninsula route, I noticed a sports car sitting in a car in a garage. I like sports cars and have owned some in America, so sports cars catch my eye when I see them. Today I stopped to take a picture of it and find out what it was; on past rides I caught glimpses of it and thought it was either a Lotus or Viper. When I stopped and took the picture and looked at it, I saw the Lotus emblem on the front so I confirmed that it was a Lotus. I am not sure of the model – it is most likely an Exige.

That person is living a dream I have – to live in the country, with a business, a modest house and a fast car in the garage!

I pressed onward…

I can tell that I am getting stronger week by week. The Murotsu Peninsula route was difficult for me a few weeks ago but now it is getting easier. Today I made it up to the Shrine without stopping and I didn’t have to use the “zig-zag” method to get up the hill; I attacked the hill head on. I’m pleased with the progress I am making. I can tell I am losing weight and a friend said that I looked like I was losing weight when we Skyped.

I passed through Hirao and continued on Route 23 towards Hikari. It was a new area for me and a good one; it had one long hill to climb as well as nice flats to gain some speed. I went near Iwata train station and took a right at the intersection of 23 and 68. In a beautiful valley, I stopped to take a picture of the Koi Nobori and the rice fields. I watched the farmers for a moment, working in the rice patties; I felt grateful for their work. It was peaceful scene.

Afterward, I went down a large hill; it was a 10% down – grade. I flew down the hill at break-neck speed. I was going so fast that when I pedaled, my feet had no resistance and I couldn’t make the bike go any faster. I basically “ran out of gear.” My big chainring on the bike I currently have has 50 teeth whereas the bikes I had in America had 52 tooth chainrings. Two extra teeth can make a difference on top-end speed and I would likely go even faster if I had a 52 tooth chainring. Nonetheless, I was going fast enough - the wind was really blowing in my face and my eyes watered to the point where my vision was blurry and was riding by my other senses. It was a blast!

I rode about 64 kilometers today, roughly 40 miles. It was a good ride and I didn’t feel tired after the ride. Later on in the afternoon, I wandered about Yanai on my “grocery getter” bike for a while, enjoying the day. I eventually stopped and had some Coolish ice cream as I sat by the Yanai River listening to the water pass over the rocks; it’s a good way to meditate and clear the mind.

As I continue to explore Yamaguchi Prefecture, I wanted to see new scenery today. The night before I looked at the map and decided I would ride to Kasado Island and Shunan. Getting dressed for the ride, I could tell that the weather was warm; I looked out of my balcony and saw that the sky was hazy. I could also feel that the humidity was up today. Recently, the farmers were burning fields and dead brush and I could smell it; it’s that time of year where farmers clear the fields and haze builds up.

Today I rode by the seaside on Route 188. The shore was rocky and I was reminded of the Oregon coast. The Oregon coast is very beautiful and I felt a little homesick; it reminded me of my dad and I visiting the coast and crabbing. Though I felt a little homesick, Japan is my home…for now. Nothing in life is certain anymore, so I just try to enjoy the moment.

Away from the city, traffic was light for the first part of the ride. However, passing through Hikairi and Kudamatsu, there was a lot of traffic. It was morning rush hour by now. Like my ride to Miyajima Guchi Station, I had to stop at many traffic lights in town, so I did not have a lot of speed through this section of the ride.

As I neared I Tokuyama station, I saw the Shinkansen pass by. The Shinkansen is amazing to me – it’s a technological marvel! I saw many shops near the station and the Ginza shopping mall. I saw some pretty interesting things, too. In front of a shop, which looked like it had an American theme, I saw an old Ford truck and a rusty motorcycle. I saw an interesting stone monument that caught my eye; it was a multi-colored, multi-layered rock shaped into a globe. It reminded me of a rock I found on the beach back in Oregon. I gave that rock to a friend as a gift. I also noticed a small shrine that had a few statues. When I got up next to the shrine, I saw that the statues were wearing face masks! It wasn’t expecting that at all! It made me laugh and chuckle and I thought it was funny! It was a mix of being serious, inspiring people to be cautious as well as humorous since statues don’t breathe. Japanese people have a good sense of humor.

Tokuyama Station was my halfway point for today’s trip and it was time to head back to Yanai. On the way back, I saw a massive petro-chemical distillation plant. Near some train station, I saw many bikes neatly parked side-by-side. I took a brief detour to see Kasado Island. Off in the distance, I saw a tall red bridge with an inclined road leading up to it. I thought I would have a nice photo opportunity from there. After the climbing up the hill, I stopped and pulled my bike onto the narrow walkway at the apex of the bridge. The view was a little hazy but still beautiful.

This morning, I carried my bike out of my apartment at 6:33 am. I got home right around 11:13 according to my laptop. I did a decent pace for today’s ride but right now, I am not too concerned with riding at a fast pace as I’m still in my initial condition phase. Today I rode 98.8 kilometers according to Google Map’s calculation. That’s about 61 miles.

Around 50 miles or so, my butt starts to hurt and arms and hands start to get numb. Eventually I need to buy some riding shorts and riding gloves.

It was a good ride even though it was warmer, more humid and hazy. A few weeks ago it was cool and clear, so I know the seasons are changing. I am doing a lot of condition in preparation for the summer heat and humidity – riding will get more challenging then.

I’ve had a dream that I have wanted to fulfill for a very long time. I’ve wanted to ride the entire length of the Shimanami Kaido since at least 2012, maybe even earlier. I finally was able to make that dream happen in 2020 on a four day weekend this September. This dream was over 8 years in the making.

Early in the morning, around 6am or so, I got up, had breakfast and went to the Port of Yanai to take the ferry to Matsuyama. I bought a ticket from the cashier and waited for the ferry. When the ferry arrived, I walked my bike onto the ferry and the attendant took my bike and tied it to the bulkhead. I then went up to the passenger cabin.

The ferry was interesting and had nice passenger accommodations and amenities. The passenger cabin had seats next to big, wide windows so people can see the beautiful Seto Inland Sea; in the center, it also had a tatami floor for people to lie on. I thought this was a very nice design idea for passengers; people could sit and enjoy the scenery as it slowly passed by or relax and take a quick nap en route to their destination. Of course, I wanted to enjoy the scenery, so I sat by the window and stared out upon the sea and mountains of Suo-Oshima.

It was a little cool in the morning but the temperature was going to be pleasant during the day. It would be a perfect day for cycling. September really is a great month for cycling in Japan as the oppressive heat and humidity of Japanese summer was just about over, which made riding this route doable without concern for heat stroke.

The ferry began its journey and I was excited. I was going to pass under the Oshima Bridge so I wanted to get a picture of it. I always crossed the bridge with the cycling group, so it was nice to see it from a different angle. As we passed under the bridge, I looked out upon the water and saw the turbulent currents under the bridge. It’s very interesting to see currents of water passing in two directions at different speeds, seeing one current’s surface relatively smooth and the other’s surface rough. I often wondered what it would be like to swim through those currents from the shore of yanai to Suo-Oshima island.

After passing under the bridge and snapping photos, I bought a coffee from the vending machine and I returned to my seat. The scenery from the ferry was beautiful as it slowly passed by. I sat back, relaxed and enjoyed the views.

After we made a rounding turn, I went to the observation deck to take some pictures of the Seto Inland Sea. I wanted to get a nice panoramic view of the islands that dotted the sea. I cannot say enough how the Seto Inland Sea is such a “hidden gem.” After admiring the beauty, I returned to my seat.

After a while, I heard the ferry’s horn. It was really loud. Then the ferry blew its horn again. It blew it again and again, longer and longer each time. I wondered what in the heck was going – were we about to run aground or hit something? So I got up and went to the stern of the boat. When I got to the stern, I saw that a bunch of fishing boats were in the way of the ferry! The ferry sounded its horn again as the fishing boats started their engines to move out of the way. I took a picture of them. I laughed – “there must have been a good catch for those fishermen to risk being hit by a ferry!”

I went back to my seat and enjoyed the rest of the ride.

Eventually I saw Matsuyama in the distance. I got up and went back to the stern, took some pictures and waited to dock. It had been over six years since I was last here. I recalled my first trip to Matsuyama from 2013. It was a blistering cold January day. I took the Hiroshima Super Jet ferry to Matsuyama and then took the train to Imabari. I remember that the train had purple seats, something I had never seen in Japan.

I got my bicycle and walked it off the ferry, crossing the ramp. I then rode to a nearby convenience store. I bought some snacks for the road and looked at the map on my phone to figure out how to get near a coastal road. The weather was now warm with clouds clearing away and a blue sky appearing. Also, the humidity was low and I didn’t feel any strong winds. I then saddled up and headed for Imabari.

I followed the coast and rode along Route 196. It was so beautiful. I would focus on the road and then take quick looks over my shoulder to admire the beauty of the sea. On my left was the blue, sparkling sea – to my right were towering green mountains. I was very happy - I was on my way to the Shimanami Kaido!

After an hour or so, I saw cranes in the distance and remembered them from my visit in January 2013. I realized I was getting close to Imabari and the cycling center. My goal was the cycling center and rest stop that I remembered. I had to stop and look at my map as I don’t know Imabari at all. I had to figure out how to get to the cycling center. I wandered through some residential roads and I eventually I saw the base of the towering bridge and headed for it. I just started at it and wondered about the engineering that went into that bridge.

I made it to the cycling center and I took a break at Sunrise Itoyama. I got a drink and then I took a picture of the Kurushima Bridge. I am truly amazed at how tall it is and how long it is! I was excited that I was about to cross that bridge again. There were a lot of people there and there was a long line of people waiting to rent a bike. It was a holiday and with good weather, I was not surprised – even with this Covid 19 situation.

After the photo, I headed for the bridge. I stopped and took a picture of the kilometer marker to Onomichi. It would be a nice memory.

I climbed the looping ramp up to the bridge. As I climbed the loop and gained height, the view became more and more impressive. Once I finally entered the bridge, many memories started flooding back to me from my 2013 experience. I remembered that I rented a bicycle from the cycling center. I remember how cold and windy it was. I remember that I stopped and marveled at how clean and clear the water was. I remembered how cold it was and that I was wearing just a thin jacket and blue jeans.

When I got to the same spot where I marveled at how clean and clear the water was, I stopped my bike and got off and looked at the water below. Nearly six-and-a-half years later, I stood in the same spot looking down at the same point – 6.5 years flew by and here I was again. I thought to myself “did I even really leave this place?”

After admiring the crystal clear water, the spectacular view and the quick passage of time, I set out once again.

When got to Oshima Island, and I remembered some of the places from my 2013 cycling. This time around, cycling was much easier because I had a road bike. The rental bike I had in 2013 was a cross-bike best used for getting groceries. It was so nice to be in the valley and hills, enjoying the scenery on a road bike this time. It was easier to climb hills and I did not have to get off and push a heavy cross bike. I wound through the hills and valleys, being one with the road and nature.

Eventually, I came to and crossed the Hakata-Oshima Bridge and then the Omishima Bridge. On the Omishima Bridge I saw the Tatara Bridge in the distance. I remembered the shape of that bridge from back in 2013. Of course, nothing changed since then. I did remember how I stopped to take a picture of that bridge back in 2013.

I remembered that near Tatara Bridge there was another rest area and a bus stop. It was there that I had to end my first cycling trip back in 2013. Since the days are so short in winter, I only had enough daylight to make it there. I was renting a rental bike at the time and the rental shops closed early, so I was forced to stop here on my 2013 trip. But now, I was on my own bike with lots of daylight left.

I made it to the “Cyclist Sanctuary” and took a break. I took a picture of the Tatara Bridge, once again recalling memories of 2013. It was very busy with many cyclists taking a break, having drinks and eating snacks. I walked around the little market to see what I could find. I didn’t find anything so I bought a Real Energy drink and a Pocari Sweat and then sat down to admire the view and the bridge. I also took a couple of pictures.

After a few minutes break, I continued on. I crossed the Tatara Bridge and I enjoyed going down the curved bike ramp. And I was so happy to see so many cyclists out and about, enjoying the same bridges, roads and views as I.

On Ikuchi Island, I rode the perimeter of the island, next to the ocean. Time flew by as I focused on my cadence and admired the scenery. I felt really good and very happy. After I got to Ikuchi Bridge, I once again followed the coastal route on Innoshima Island. It was so beautiful.

After I crossed Innoshimao Bridge I was on Mukaishima Island. By now, it was in the afternoon, maybe arounf 4:30 or so. More and more houses appeared aand traffic was getting heavier, so I realized I was getting into a city. After passing through a couple of traffic lights, I stopped in front of a supermarket to look at my map on my smartphone to see where I was. I needed to figure out how to get across to the other side of Onomichi and find a place to stay for the night. Looking at the map, I decided on a route to get over to the other side.

I crossed the Onomichio Bridge; it wasn’t the main bridge though. Since it was near rush hour, there was a lot of traffic.

I then headed for Shin-Onomichi station as it would be a good, measurable goal for stopping. I did not reserve a hotel before I left, so I figured that I would easily find one near Shin-Onomichi Station. I hoped to find a Toyoko Inn or hotel.

When I got to Shin-Onomich and saw there were no hotels nearby, I search for a hotel on my phone and could not find one. I searched for guest houses and found a few but they were all down by the waterfront. I told myself, “Next time you do this, you need to reserve a place to stay!”So I headed for the waterfront.

I rode around the waterfront area for a while and found a place to park my bike. I walked around the shopping arcade looking for a place to stay as well as a restaurant. I couldn’t find a hotel or room and all the restaurants were closing. I was a little surprised since it was only 5:30 or so in the afternoon! I figured this being the “end of the road” for a major tourist attraction, there would be more places to eat and sleep and that there would be more places to stay the night.

After some more searching on my phone, I found a dormitory-styled guest house! It was perfect! I headed over there and talked with the owner. I paid the night’s fee and he showed me around the place. It was cheap, clean, convenient and in a good spot. I kinda felt lucky I stumbled upon this place and that I got a bed for the night. I was relieved that I wasn’t going to have to sleep outside somewhere or take the Shinkansen to Okayama or something drastic.

Now, it was time to find some dinner!

By now the sun was setting and it was getting cool. I was hungry so I wanted to get some food and I thought okonomiyaki would be the best meal for this occasion. It was a little frustrating to find a place as many of the restaurants were closed or closing but I finally found an okonomiyake shop called “Poppoya.”

It was small and loud as there were a group of guys watching soccer and drinking beer. I was like, “ok, this will be fine – why not?” - It was a great atmosphere to celebrate. I ordered okonomiyaki and a Coke. I rarely drink soda but this was a special occasion and I had certainly burned many calories that day, so 1 Coke would not hurt.

I went back to the guest house and dropped off my bike. I walked to a convenience store and grabbed a snack and a drink for the night. It was really cool to walk around the back-allies of Onomichi – I felt like I was in some sort of anime!

When I got back to the guest house, I talked with a Japanese man and another foreigner for a few hours in the guest room. It was fun. I practiced using my Japanese and the Japanese man practiced using his English.

After the conversation, I took a nice warm shower and headed for bed.

I was a little tired but I was so happy! I fulfilled a dream – a very meaningful dream! For many years, since at least 2012, I have wanted to go the entire route of the Shimani Kaido and I finally did it! All that training during the spring paid off!

I also set a personal record by doing the route, too. This was, by far, my longest single-day ride ever. From Matsuyama to Shin-Onomich Station was 129km (80 miles) by Google Maps but the route I took was a little longer. Since I don’t have a bike computer or an app, I didn’t know the true distance but that was good enough for me. I rode over 80 miles in one day; my previous record was 66 miles when I went to Miyajima Guchi and back during the spring. I even road further than I ever did back in America when I was in “Triathlon shape.” So I was very happy about these things.

As I lay in bed trying to go to sleep, I started to think about the return trip. I wondered if I would wake up with very sore leg muscles or not. Or if my butt was going to be really saddle sore or not. I wondered if I should take a ferry back. Or if there was even a ferry? I told myself, “You have to ride back, there is no other way. It is only fitting if you do a return trip.”

I slept ok that night but tossed and turned due to people coming in and out at night, the thin mattress and creeping humidity. No matter - I’ve been through a helluva lot much worse.

In the morning I went to the convenience store to buy breakfast. I had breakfast in the tatami room of the guest house. I really love the smell of tatamai mats so I enjoyed having breakfast there. I had coffee, tea, onigiri, smoothie, and vegetable juice drink for breakfast. I also had a supplement jelly pack. I looked at the view of Onomichi from the balcony. It was nice.

I noticed that my legs were not sore at all nor were they stiff. This was good news! But I wondered if I was going to get any muscle cramps on the way back. Nonetheless, it was going to be another perfect day for cycling. The weather forecast called for clear skies, nice temperatures and low humidity.

I got onto the saddle of my bike and my butt was just fine. I started my ride back to Matsuyama. My legs weren’t tired but felt a little tight. However, after I rode for a few miles, they loosened up.

Retracing my route, I wound through the mountains, valleys, hills, twists and turns. On the way to Onomichi, I didn’t stop to take many pictures but decided that on the way back I would stop and take pictures. On the way back I stopped and took pictures of the bridges and the views from the bridges along the way. The Seto Inland Sea is so beautiful to me – it’s heaven – it truly is a “Cyclists Paradise.”

On the way to Onomichi I saw giant cranes and ships at a shipyard. I made a mental note to myself to stop and take pictures of that on the way back. So when I saw those giant cranes again, I stopped. There I took a picture of the shipyard. Both the ships and the cranes were huge! Once again I thought about the engineering that went into building those ships and cranes. I also thought about how Japan is tied to the sea as an import-export nation, and just how important the sea is to Japan.

I headed back out. Kilometers passed and I pedaled away. I thought about yesterday. I thought about the 2013 trip to Shimanami Kaido. I thought about all of my experiences in Japan. And I thought about “just being in the moment” – that there isn’t really a past, and there isn’t really a future – that in reality, all we have is “The Now.” I also thought how perfect this day was for cycling - perfect temperature, low humidity and light winds. My legs were not tired and I felt strong. It couldn’t have been better! The Gods favored me today.

When I got to Kurushima Bridge, I knew I was almost finished with the famous part of the Shimanami Kaido route. I stopped to take pictures. I was a little sad but I told myself I would ride this route next year – that perhaps I will ride this route every spring, summer and fall. I will make riding the Shimanami Kaido a “personal tradition.”

Once again I made it to Imabari I stopped at the rest center and took a break. I still had many miles ahead of me to get back to Matsuyama. My legs felt fine and I felt like I had “plenty of gas left in the tank.”

I started to Matsuyama, the finish line of my journey.

The day before, just outside of Imabari, I noticed people hitting golf balls into a pond. I was like, “What is that? A driving range into a pond?” I made a mental note to stop and take a picture of this novel thing. Once I saw the pond driving range, I stopped and took a picture. I wondered how they collected the balls. Do they have some sort of mechanized underwater collection system? Is it sloped so that the balls roll back? It is a mystery. I headed off once again. The kilometers rolled by; I was “lost in the beauty of the mountains and the sea.”

I made it back to Matsuyama. I was getting a little tired and hot and I ran out of sports drink, so I stopped at a convenience store. I checked my map and figured out roughly how to get back to the port. I felt a little sad that my journey was nearing its end.

I made my way through the streets of Matsuyama and made it to the ferry terminal. I missed the ferry by a few minutes and had to wait for the next ferry about an hour later. So I watched some sumo wrestling in the waiting room and relaxed. The air was getting cool and I noticed there was a cool breeze coming from the window. The ferry eventually came and it was time to board it.

After walking my bike onto the ferry and letting the attendant tie it to the bulkhead, I headed up to the passenger cabin. I was surprised to see paper goldfish hanging from the ceiling of the ferry. I smiled. The goldfish of Yanai are very popular in this area. I have grown to like these cute big-eyed goldfish dangling from overhangs and ceilings in Yanai City. I could not image Yanai City without their mascot.

I enjoyed the ferry ride back to Yanai. I had really good timing as I was going to catch a beautiful sunset over the Seto Inland Sea from the ferry. What a perfect way to end this adventure! I stood at the front of the ferry and watched the sunset; the wind was strong and cold but I didn’t mind it because I was witnessing a most beautiful sunset before my eyes. I took many pictures of the sunset until the sun dipped behind the distant horizon. Evening fell and it got darker and darker and the moon became brighter and brighter. I really did not want this day to end.

I finally made it back to Yanai and got off the ferry. I took a picture of the glowing letters of the ferry building to officially end my journey. I spent two long days on the bike, cycling hours on end though beautiful valleys, coastal roads and breathtaking vistas from the heights of colossal bridges. It was such an honor to ride this course, considering how much time, effort, planning and money went into building this course for the public to use. Japan is such a thoughtful place, creating such marvels and beautiful places and things for their citizens to enjoy – I feel really lucky that I can experience this.

Personally, I was so happy I was so fulfilled! This has been a major life goal I wanted to accomplish and I did it! I rode the entire Shimanami Kaido, twice! I rode the longest distance I ever have, twice. I saw many beautiful places and views and made memories I will have for the rest of my life. And I fulfilled a dream I have long had.