Moving Mountains

This weekend was probably the last until the very end of the year where I would be able to do a decent amount of cycling, and timing presented the opportunity to return to mountain riding for the first time in over three years.

I got to ride through Takao first and see my physician for a regular check up. This allowed me to grab some time in Takao Komagino Teien, the gorgeous Japanese garden adjacent to my hospital.

I enjoyed a leisurely ride over Otarumi Pass, a popular ride for many cyclists in Tokyo, and was pleasantly surprised that the journey up the hill wasn’t as demanding as I had imagined it being, having gained 30kg since I last rode up here. I got to the top and was rewarded with a beautiful sight of Mount Fuji just after cresting, but the once almost unencumbered view from what had been a ramen restaurant is now obscured by a tree. Unfortunately, descending showed me why I haven’t been riding in the mountains much. My gripping power is almost gone and my hands are in agony. My eyesight has also deteriorate badly. I descended with the greatest possible care and doing speeds barely faster than those I had mustered climbing up. It was disheartening, as I think this ride showed me that group rides are now basically impossible for me. I present too great a liability for others. That doesn’t mean I will stop riding.

One of the reasons for that is the type of delight on offer at Zebra cafe feels less guilty. Many cyclists rave over Zebra, but I think it’s over-rated with many regular menu items selling out early, gross over-pricing and poor service. Nothing changed my opinion with this visit, but boy the croissant pudding and white mocha were good.

Apart from getting a photo from my favorite corner of Route 16, the ride home was uneventful.

Upon getting home, I mowed the lawn, played with the dinosaur and marveled over the grevillea, which continues its unabated 8-month bloom. Dinner and an early night followed.

Once again, the day started with a ride. I got on the Death Machine and flew down to Futako Tamagawa. The recumbent rode beautifully and it was an exquisite ride in the warm winter sun.

Returning home, I did some chores, one of which involved getting on my bike again. I took the opportunity to take the long road home, going past wankomania on the way. It’s not the type of establishment its name implies.

More shopping was needed when I returned, and I enjoyed walking through the park surrounding our estate and seeing the changing leaves. I don’t usually like this time of year, despite its beauty, because it suggests the onset of winter, but I loved seeing the colors today.

By the time I got home, it was dusk (just after 4 p.m!). I enjoyed a brief look at the lit-up garden as the dearth of sunlight hours does not power the solar batteries for long. And that was just about it. The weekebd, the first of the last month of the year, was over. (And it ended sadly with the news of the death of former Australian opener Ian Redpath, but that’s a story for a different day.)