I was thinking about this day as I prep for my next Japanese Odyssey starting in three weeks or so. No, I am not prepped, I'm not fit, (not bike fit anyway and no-one ever said yoga makes all the difference with cardio) so I thought I would refresh my mind a little by reliving the day... by updating the article.
By the way CP means Checkpoint.
By the way CP means Checkpoint.
By the time I was off the ferry, done with breakfast, getting changed and moving again it was around 1pm - time flies when you are having fun eh? Not. Those faffing skills are developing well. But it was time to head for CP5. CP5 was, I dunno maybe 45kms from the ferry, not too far but the route meant (for me anyway) backtracking.
My plan for CP 5 was up to the top and then back down again - now this is how my mind works. After approx seven weeks of route planning it was only when I got to the start of the climb that I figured ‘wait... I can unload my bike... and ride without the 30lbs of gear... I am a genius...’ only seven weeks to figure out that simple solution.
So the gear came off and I flew up that hill... when I say hill it was a bit more. The segment itself was 10.1kms and 945m elevation gain, combined with brutally steep grades (30% in places) and brutal gravel (2cm-10cm chunks... I only fell off twice - once up and once down). But I had the perfect bike - 650b wheels, 47mm tires and a 40x46 drive train. I flew up the ‘hill’ at a phenomenal 6.2km/h... I know, but it felt fast... and I did get the KOM (yes… there were only two other recorded times... not the point, and please don’t share that info... we are sticking with KOM)... even though that KOM took 1h 38mins at an average of 200w - not bad after 6 long days in the saddle and riding through the night.
Anyhoo... It wasn’t because I was ‘trying’ to get a fast time, it was cos it was getting dark... and I was in a spooky forest... and I was feeling a bit nervous... and well... there are goats n stuff.
I got back down, loaded up the bike... mostly (couldn't see very well) and cruised into town... needing food. Five nights I had been riding, four nights under the stars and one riding through. And I had only had a couple of meals that were not from convenience stores (I know, you can say it... ‘aww... muffin...’ thanks, I feel better) I stopped outside this very nice looking restaurant called ‘Cafe on y va’ yes, French... somebody opened the door “Konnichiwa…!!!” somebody yelled.
I went in... (of course I did) now, this is day six, I have spent five nights roughing it, I have just raced up a terrifying mountain at 6.2kmh - saturating myself with body coolant... which worked far better than I wanted, especially on the way down... and I still had tons of coolant left (yes, freezing and still drenched in sweat). Think about it, six days hard (ish) riding, soaked... ever had durian...?
Anyway, beer was first on the list - obviously I had to replace lost coolant. “Food?” The 'yelling' somebody yelled? The somebody was a women.
“Yes... do you know any hotels close by?” I kinda whisper... I’m trying to set an appropriate decibel level example...
“Here!” Yelly woman er… yells. Obviously my example went unheeded...
Now, I gotta lot of info to cover here so I will try to do it succinctly...
Ready? Okay... bath - she heats her own hot water, from a wood burning boiler, with wood she cut down last year... tatami mats, shared with her mother, traditional Japanese style... washing machine for my ripe gear... no shoes, yes shoes, no shoes (very confusing) dry upstairs, dry downstairs, dry upstairs... do this, do that... coffee machine for morning, happy cows, happy chickens, sausage, beer, salad, beer, came here five years ago, studied in Toronto, endurance runner... coffee beans, chocolate cake... leaving early... sleep is overcoming me... and...
I retire to my immensely comfortable room, cool but the bed had a really thick down duvet - gonna snuggle up in this… sleep hits me hard - I’m out.
But, remember two nights before when I was dreaming of the hotel room… and got kicked out? This was even better than those dreams - laundry sir, dry clean cycling clothes, power, a real bed... Yes sir.
That was the end of the day. CP5 was brutal - thank god it was over...
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| Hmmm... real food. Salad, corn chowder, and 'Cinderella' beer - yum. There was more beer and more food... and more beer... |
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| Inside of 'Yelly woman's" Restaurant On Y Va |
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| Tatam mats... my first experience... they are just liker erm... mats. |
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| The best bed in the world. True story. |
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