Happy Riding In More Ways Than One

Every ride on a bike is a good one in my books (even those that have had wretched outcomes), but I had a few extra happy moments when I went out this morning.

Happy is the name of my mate’s pet beagle, and I got to meet them on their predawn constitutional for the first time in months.

It topped off a great ride with an otherworldly mist over the rivers I rode and the gradation of color in the skies as the sun began to rise, which was a pleasing sight, indeed.

Happy, the dog, barked like crazy, and I don’t think that’s because he enjoys my company.

But I am happy that I get the chance to get out on my bike and are chased by furious dogs….I’ve had way too long off the bike for the time being, and am happy , too, that I am slowly building up toward longer and more demanding cycling.

Cop A Gander At These Rippers Too...

  • |

    Tour de Got Lost, Ah, Stuff It, I’m Gunna Pig Out On Cake!

    Every February seems to toss up a fake spring day or two, and I reckon today was the first such day for us in 2026. With more warmth than is customary for mid-February, I chucked on the shorts and vowed to do a long-awaited Tokyo Toilet Tour. It was my first chance to ride downtown since crashing last November, so I was also a little more excited than I should have been. I had a map from a friend who’d done the tour, so threw it into my Wahoo Elemnt Bolt and proceeded to head into town. Today’s tour was to be based on The Tokyo Toilet project, which called…

  • Seeing the Light

    It’s getting darker in the mornings, already much more noticeably than before the equinox, which was still less than a month ago. But there is some sort of light on the horizon, literally and figuratively. Although we haven’t seen much of it this week, the sun shines over the horizon at certain photogenic points along the Tama River, enabling some pretty impressive photo opportunities. For an instant, too, it seemed like the long wait for new hope on the career front had finally arrived, too, but it doesn’t seem to have turned out how I had sought. But the rainy season is over in Tokyo. Already the skies are bluer,…

  • Tripping on the Tama River

    Kangaeroo cycles pretty much daily. Due to a number of time constraints, nearly all the rides are along or near the Tama River. This river is one of the main waterways in Tokyo and has been supplying the city with water for centuries. River-side cycling is on bike tracks and really isn’t demanding (except for the requirement to be constantly wary of pedestrians). But it’s still great fun. Being able to wake up, get on the bike and shake off the cobwebs and let life rip is a blessing for this old man. And Kangaeroo is even luckier by being able to ride the absolutely gorgeous La Cangura, who heads…

  • |

    豪キャブラリー: Shoot through

    Shoot through (打って通れば)を聞くと何となく「銃の引き金を引く」ような感覚を起こすかもしれないが、実際にオージー英語でこの表現を使えば一切そういうような意味がない。実は、「打つ」(shoot)と一切関係ない(だったら、なんで使うかと言いたくなるよね、、、)。「出ていく」とか「場を去る」などの意味。Shoot offも同様の意味として使う場合もある、「急いでいく」ような感覚があるが、shoot offのほとんどの使う時がshoot off your mouth(口を打つ!)になり、「しゃべり過ぎ」という意味のだ!

  • Mist-ical

    Nature conjured up a mystical morning as the warm air over the icy Tama River created a fabulous world of mist. It’s common around this time of year to have mist over the river. The effect creates a surrealistic atmosphere. It’s difficult cycling as visibility is greatly reduced, and my eyesight is already too poor for pre-dawn riding. But the upside of that is being presented with the opportunity to slowly pedal through the fantastic scenery. And the cold, dark early hour of my rides means that I pretty much get to have the sight to myself. Moments like this morning are sheer bliss. Moreover, now that I am not…

  • Big Red Bike Tour Stage 3: Dino’s Fabulous Flight

    Dino, our ailing rosy faced lovebird, went on the most fantastic flight of her life today, albeit courtesy of Kangaeroo pedal power rather than using her own wings. Dino traveled about 60 kilometers from home as the bird flies — or didn’t, in this case. I packed her in a cage covered in an insulated bag and stored in a pannier on the side of the Big Red bike. Then, on Stage 3 of the Big Red Bike Tour, we headed down to the Yokohama Bird Clinic for her checkup. All things considered, Dino is doing OK, and her bum is showing signs of healing even though she fiercely avoids…