cycling

  • Rounding Biwa, Japan’s Largest Lake

    Blessed with a long weekend and loads of motivation, Kangaeroo and Mrs. Kangaeroo got out the foldups and built up the resolve to circumnavigate Biwa, Japan’s largest lake. The 235-km shore length is not for the faint-hearted, though plenty make the trip in a single day, courtesy of the almost completely flat course. Nonetheless, it’s a demanding distance for irregular cyclists, so Kangaeroo had cause for concern regarding the missus, who admittedly cycles day, but does so on an e-bike and not an old foldup with no track record of triple-figure journeys. Anyway, putting aside the concerns, Mrs. Kangaeroo remained deeply confident of her abilities and plotted out the trip,…

  • Tour de Kagoshima-Kyoto Day 10: Nara to Kyoto

    Our tour has reached Kyoto, remarkably with only minor injuries and not a single puncture in the more than 11,000 kilometers the cyclists covered collectively since setting out from Izumi, Kagoshima Prefecture, on the morning of October 1. The group battled a barrage of rain on the most prominent of climbs on Mount Aso and Koyasan, but got through unscathed each time. The tour drew to a close in a journey between the two ancient capitals of Nara, where participants frolicked with the deer roaming freely through the city and saw its lauded Great Buddha at Todaiji, and Kyoto, where the group lunched at Inari Taisha Jinja. Only a farewell…

  • Tour de Kagoshima-Kyoto Day 8: Wakayama to Koyasan

    Japan, the land of the gods, threw everything at the Tour de Kagoshima-Kyoto on Day 8, but the riders came up trumps, scaling the queen stage unscathed. Despite persistent drizzle, the tour made it to the World Heritage List site Koyasan without injury or incident. The tour’s first flat even still remains unclaimed! Following the previous day’s travelling exertions, it was back on the bikes from Wakayama. Almost half of the day’s ride was occupied on a beautiful cycling track with barely anybody else using it. The track ran along the Kinokawa River and offered some nice views of the waterway, as well as distant mountains. Looming over cyclists, however,…

  • Tour de Kagoshima-Kyoto Day 6: Uchiko to Matsuyama

    Shikoku’s glorious mountains seemed less and less attractive at times while pounding the pedals to push on upward even higher, but a wonderful descent followed on the final day of riding on the smallest of Japan’s four main islands. Leaving Uchiko later than most starts, it was a steady climb upward for the remainder of the morning. The strenuous efforts of the climbs were rewarded by priceless views across seemingly endless mountain ranges, whose splendor was enhanced by the brilliant sunshine and cloudless skies. More climbing continued after lunch (the day would eventually top 1,100 meters of elevation). An exhilarating and lengthy descent followed, though, winding downward through mandarin patches…

  • Tour de Kagoshima-Kyoto Day 4: Kurokawa to Beppu

    Glorious weather greeted the tour today, paving the way for some amazing riding. The group set out from the gloriously quaint hot spring resort town of Kurokawa. Slowly but surely, the riders wound their way through forested areas, driving ever upward until reaching the Kuju ski ground, the highest point of the entire tour at 1,140 meters above sea level. Despite reaching the tour’s literal high point, it wasn’t all downhill from there. Travels along undulating roads followed over the next 30 or so kilometers along beautiful thoroughfares such as the Yamanami Kaido. The group inched ever downward, though, until reaching the hot spring town of Yufuin. Following a delicious…

  • Tour de Kagoshima-Kyoto Day 2: Hinagu to Ozu

    The tour’s drive into Kyushu moved northward on its second day of riding, and first when inclement weather came into play. Rain fell about halfway through the 72-km leg, drenching riders, but fortunately not resulting in any injuries or accidents. The trip was largely along the plains of Kyushu, following rivers and train tracks through to the industrial city of Yatsushiro. From there, it was a trip along similar terrain through the areas hit by the 2016 Kumamoto Earthquakes and onto Ozu. The tour next moves into the mountains with the long-awaited assault on Mount Aso. Brommie performed superbly, but will face bigger demands hitting the hills.

  • Tour de Kagoshima-Kyoto Day 1: Izumi to Hinagu

    The tour kicked off on the bikes with a ride through a samurai household neighborhood in Izumi and then moved its way through mandarin groves while heading toward the coast. Riders reached Minamata, which gave its name to one of the world’s best-known instances of industrial disease. Despite it’s bleak and tragic past, Minamata is quite quaint. From Minamata it was a trek around the glorious Ashikita Coast. Roads were almost traffic free and the journey was peaceful and quite with wonderful views of the seas and Amakusa Islands in the distance. The rode drew to a close with a tough climb and descent back down to the coast and…

  • Tour de Kagoshima-Kyoto Day 0: Izumi

    Participants rolled in, bike fittings are over, the briefing dinner is done and all are off to bed to ready themselves for the real ride, starting tomorrow. People assembled from across Australia, but mostly Sydney, to take part in the trip. The journey will start from Izumi, traverse Kyushu, head over and across Shikoku before meandering its way though the Kansai region to the ancient capital of Kyoto. Let’s have an awesome trip!

  • Tour de Kagoshima-Kyoto Day -1A: Tama Hills to Haneda

    Kangaeroo started a epic journey on the morning of September 29. Leaving the United States Air Force Tama Hills Recreation Reserve in Inagi, Kangaeroo hit the Tamagawa Cycling Road. The bike track follows the Tama River to its mouth at Tokyo Bay, leading directly to Haneda Airport. From Haneda, it was a several-hour wait before heading to Kagoshima on the wonderful Solaseed Air, which was cheap and efficient. Brommie was packed into a bag with an assortment of items and the trip ended safely.  The day started a Tama Hills Recreation Center, which had once been an arsenal for the Imperial Japanese Army. Covered by a canopy, the arsenal was…