I liked riding bikes as a kid, even after I smashed up my chin and earned myself 12 stitches …Or that time I was dragged around the avenue by my head. The young me thought it smart to dilly dally in front of a jump and got Big Tee’s bike tyre to the face. I guess I haven’t changed much between then and now. But like then, once I get knocked down, I always get back up again “yes I am quoting five.”
Which is why I know that I have the mind set for a trip like this. I mean, when my chin was hanging open instead of running straight home. I picked up my bike and pushed it back, then when I got home...Well, I apologized to my parents for getting blood on my jumper. I remember them looking at me with open mouths and a look of horror on their face.
But bikes for kids is freedom… It gave us ruffians a way to embark on adventures and cause some mischief. Though the novelty of bikes did stray away once I went to high school. Things like underage drinking and boys seemed cooler. See I’m strong willed but not that bright! But I did start riding bikes again in my mid 20s as a way of commuting. I also coached beginner sessions at my time instructing for PGL.
Then Last summer I had some friends planning cycle touring trips. It’s something that I hadn’t considered myself but the idea of camping and cycling sounded very cool to me. I’ve camped lots on my travels so combining the two makes sense. Though I didn’t get the opportunity to do a big trip last year, I did buy a bike and get lots of cycling done. I also bought some basic gears for a few overnight cycling trips so amending my gear for this trip hasn’t been too costly.
Last year’s focus was mainly to use cycling as a fun way to lose weight and improve my fitness for skiing. Which I achieved, I’m currently over 10kg lighter than this time last year which I’m pretty proud of. I also wrote on my vision board last year that I have to get out and explore more of Japan so now my bike is a tool of transport for just that. When I was cycling here, I felt giddy! I know its cheesy but I just see five weeks of opportunity ahead. I’ll literally get out of this trip what I put into it, which is a really fun concept to me.
Though I know I’m in for a tough first week!
I’m not exactly cycle fit at the moment; I didn’t get out on the bike much this month. I was too pre-occupied with skiing when I wasn’t slaving. I even went for a little ski this morning which was a bit silly, I think. As a result, my hip-flexors were screaming at me when I was coming over the pass. I’m currently carrying 19 kg of extra weight; the cycle here was 67km with about 650m of elevation and I didn’t find it easy. I need to have a long ass stretch and make good use of the onsen on board. This week is definitely going to be a mind game while my body plays catch up!
For the first leg of the trip, I will hug the coast line to Kyushu. This should give my legs time to adjust as it shouldn’t be too hilly. After that I don’t have much of a plan, though I only have five weeks to make it back to Nagoya for the ferry return as that’s when rain season hits.
I plan to eat lots of different foods and visit onsen areas on the daily, then write up a weekly review of my favourite places. I went to a pretty cool restaurant just now the Stone and Iron in Otaru. I was pretty famished and ordered the Sakura cream salmon pasta, it was delightful! Good food makes me happy it’s a shame I have such basic cooking skills really. Maybe that’s something I can practice in my mess tin.
So, for my twenty pence today, rock out too five and get back up again! (I will definitely get slayed for this comment, Gina I’m sorry) Catch you guys soon wish me luck.