Turning North

Leaving Kyoto, I felt lighter. Not just because of the weight I was able to remove from my bike by sending it forward, but also because for the rest of the trip, I would be in places that I had never visited before.

From Kyoto, I had a short climb before arriving at the shores of Lake Biwa, where I rode for the day. This was a great day to ride. There wasn't much traffic, and even when there was, the sun was out, there was a slight tailwind, and I had mountains on my left and a lake on my right. It was beautiful.

Moving north, you could feel the scenery start to shift. The smells reminded me of northern Michigan, with the large lake helping this feeling. As the day went on, traffic grew less and less, and a feeling of calm returned. This was so welcome after the last three days of largely urban riding. The destination was a small inn at the northernmost edge of the lake. This had further strong "up north" vibes, facing a small beach and while busy at peak times, had likely seen its heyday pass by a while ago. A major difference, though, is that the dinner and breakfast that came with the room rate are a far cry from Michigan fare. There was no planked whitefish or a U.S. breakfast in sight.

The following day was the opposite in so many ways. It was, so far, my hardest day riding. The sun, while a nice change from the rain, was no longer warming my shoulders. Instead, it was beating down, zapping my strength. The lake on my right side was replaced by more mountains, which meant more climbing, and the tailwind had shifted, pushing my progress back from the front. It was not fun. For the first time on a climb, I stopped to gather my wits before continuing up an incline that never seemed to end. No amount of water seemed to be enough, and by the end of the ride, you could see the salt on my cycling kit where my sweat had evaporated.

I arrived, finally, in Fukui for the night. Perhaps looking for connections, this reminded me a bit of Grand Rapids, a smaller city that had a somewhat vibrant downtown area but was missing people. There was almost no one around despite staying right across from the central train station. I think this will be what I encounter more often as I move further north and away from the centers of population.

These two days were a yin and yang, representing the swings that are likely to come more frequently. It is all part of the challenge and the reason I am undertaking this ride. The sun rises the next day, and with it, I will be riding, uncertain if it will be one of those easier days where everything is smooth, or the days where I need to dig deep to find an extra gear, content simply to get to the end of the day.

Day 10

Distance (day) - 78 km

Distance (total) - 808 km

Climbing (day) - 364 m

Climbing (total) - 5702 m

Convenience Stores (day) - 1

Convenience Stores (total) - 15

Tunnels (day) - 0

Tunnels (total) - 44

Day 11

Distance (day) - 90 km

Distance (total) - 898 km

Climbing (day) - 747 m

Climbing (total) - 6449 m

Convenience Stores (day) - 2

Convenience Stores (total) - 17

Tunnels (day) - 6

Tunnels (total) - 50