Japan Biking

  • Ghost Town Gala: No Ride For Old Men

    Ever since the idea of cycling adventures popped into my mind almost decades ago now courtesy of Tokyo Cycling Club, I have wanted to do a ride to the Nitchitsu Mining Town, an abandoned ghost town in Saitama Prefecture, but never got around to it. I’d tried and failed a couple of times before, but even that was more than half a decade ago. Yesterday, I finally got to tick this off my bucket list. The ride was everything and more than I had expected, making for a truly memorable ride through the mountains of the Chichibu surrounds in Saitama Prefecture. Of course, it was the visit to the abandoned…

  • Catching Up with Some Old Mates

    From an early morning to a very late night, I got to spend a day filled with chances to catch up with old mates. Firstly, I raced out to Ueno Park and got to meet someone I originally met while being able to work as a guide for Japan Biking back in 2018. That trip for a group of touring Aussies allowed me to make some wonderful friends and the relationships have endured for many years. It was a delight to meet up and a delightful time ensued. An errand followed that finished up much earlier than expected, but I still had to stay downtown as I had a meeting…

  • Biking Beauty

    I’ve been alternating between busy and broken over the past few days, resulting in fewer posts and less cycling, but still lucky enough to catch some tremendous snapshots of the bike like the ones here. Work has been proceeding at a furious pace as we have not replaced people who have left and remain terribly understaffed. It’s hard to get motivated, too, as my employer tried to cut my wage just days after inking my current contract and doing nothing to reassure me that they will not try the same thing again this year: if, in fact, they even offer me a contract at all. A quick update. Friday night…