• Daily Life - Strine Sports

    Oz Everywhere!

    Incredibly, just about everywhere I went, a little piece of Australia popped up in front of me. I left home on my bike not long after 6 a.m. to head out on an errand before having a regular, quarterly hospital check-up. I left the route up to my Wahoo Elemnt BOLT device, and next thing I knew, I was riding up a hill in Hachiojji where I could see eucalyptus trees. I had been looking up news about them only recently, so stopped off, took some photos and headed to the hospital. The doctor visit went well. He is very…

  • Strine Sports

    2023, A Japanese Odyssey

    A mate of mine has just accomplished a superhuman feat that filled me with admiration and maybe more than a little inspiration: a (barely) 10-day bicycle journey from the south of Kyushu to the northernmost part of Honshu as part of an event called the Japanese Odyssey. My mate, who I haven’t named because I haven’t sought permission to write about him and who I think is so humble he usually lets his actions speak for him, went on a trek of about 2,500 kilometers long and some 30,000-odd meters of elevation. And he finished this while only just into…

  • Daily Life - Strine Sports - Strine Tucker

    Tour de Gutsing

    Today was simply magnificent: stunning weather, delightful companions, fantastic bikes and serious gutsing of ourselves. Bromptons ruled the day and it was the common connection between us. Mechanicals slowed down our start, but also opened new doors. Following a slowdown caused by a flat, we got to eat at Hugsy Doughnut and then later rode on for pies, cakes and cuppas at Punk Doily.

  • Daily Life - Strine Sports

    Brommies More Than Just a Mere Bike

    Several years ago now, I was very fortunate to stumble into buying a Brompton folding bicycle that has fundamentally changed my life and continues to have countless unimaginable effects. I’d already shown signs of developing into an avid cyclist and was using a Dahon foldup bike to slice my then two-hour each way commute into thirds when a Brompton-riding co-worker inspired me to get a Brommie of my own. I didn’t realize that I should be caring for it and putting effort into maintenance, which is really dumb and naïve, but totally on brand. So, after finally getting gainful, permanent…

  • Daily Life - Strine Sports

    離婚ベント同士!

    Fate smiled broadly on me today as I finally dragged myself out on the recumbent (or the rikonbento as we’ve come to call it), and was rewarded by getting a meeting I had yearned for years. Following yesterday’s glorious weather and my most recent viewing of a weather forecast showing us to be in store for more of the same, I woke with high expectations. I was shattered, then, to see it had rained overnight and it was cool, overcast and bleak. We’d transplanted the carefully cultivated seedlings yesterday based on the weather reports only to go out and have…

  • Daily Life - Strine Sports

    Let There Be Light

    This morning I got an entire ride in the light for the first time this year. I still had lights on my bike, but they were the flashing type that enabled me to be seen instead of the high-lumen shiners that all me to see. It was lovely to be able to see the faces of people using the Tamagawa Cycling Road at the same time. We’ve only been silhouettes to each other for an interminably long time until now. There’s a chance to smile and greet instead of furtive glances while trying to stay safe in the dark. Today…

  • Daily Life - Strine Sports

    Get Off Of My Cloud!

    Riding today was like floating through the heavens at times, reminding me of one of my favorite songs by the world’s greatest rock band: The Rolling Stones‘ Get off My Cloud. I’d have loved to have been able to keep the scene for myself as I rode through the mists along the Tama River, sometimes staying above the clouds as I rode along the levy. Thoughts were a bit too cloudy for my liking, too, as I go through another character-building, growth stage, I guess. Wasn’t a great start to the day. Struggled to sleep again, as I have for…

  • Daily Life - Strine Sports

    The Rising Sun Just Stole My Heart Away

    With only mildly sincere apologies to perhaps the ultimate bogan band, Cold Chisel, this morning’s rising sun just stole my heart away. Although Jimmy Barnes and the Chisels had their girl stolen, I had mistakenly believed it was their heart. But the title was too good to throw away, so I had to tie them into this in some way. It’s been a somewhat lousy week, mainly because I have been flat out and it has stopped me from riding regularly. Mrs. Kangaeroo was on night shift last night. As always when alone, sleep didn’t come easily. I got to…

  • Strine Sports

    Sunrise of the Year (So Far!)

    Mother Nature turned on an absolute bloody ripper of a morning with the sunrise of the year so far, at least as far as I am concerned. The skies were simply glorious as light broke through, blended with the clouds and created a mix of vibrant colors crossing the spectrum. And the clouds played their part, too, creating swirls in the skies that shaped an otherworldly ambience. It’s the second consecutive fantastic sunrise I’ve seen and was simply breathtaking. I spent a lot of the ride voicing my thanks to Mother Nature for such a stunning start to the day.…

  • Strine Sports - Unknown Nichigo

    Up There, Kazari!

    Australian Sports Day was a fantastic event held at Komazawa Olympic Park yesterday, and I got to go and enjoy some of the proceedings that were a decorative display, (or should I say kazari?), of some of Down Under’s favorite pastimes. The day itself was a ripper, starting with explanations, demonstrations and games of cricket, moving on to games of footy and then ending with a netball exhibition, with sales of Aussie foods, wear and fare such as meat pies and banana bread and cuppas from Club Australia‘s Tad Watanabe and the Australia Cafe van. Needing to deal with duties…