What seemed like a last minute decision turned into a nice day for a hike. It was cold and much longer and strenuous than we had planned for, but a hike in Japan always produces spectacular scenery.
I hadn't realized how busy I've been since September. During the summer months it's as if time stands still. There's not much to do at work and the hot hot heat essentially forces me to stay indoors. But I guess at some point I must have decided that I was tired of staying indoors. I look back at my calendar and realize that I had done quite a bit of things in the months of September, October, and early November. Perhaps it was my trip to Shimonoseki that made me realize I should go out more and do things that I want to do. Although I do enjoy being at home, I thought, I can always be at home, but I can't always be in Japan. From when I was younger, I remembered seeing an informational pamphlet about Kyushu. One of the places listed was Takachiho Gorge. From the pictures, it looked absolutely gorgeous and I hoped one day I would be able to see it. However many years later, I got to see it. The drive was long but with good company, a long ride can be q
It only took me a little over 3 years, but I finally rode my first race in Japan. The race was up one of the highest mountains in Fukuoka (if not the most), Hikosan. Hikosan is a famous and well-known spot for hiking with a beautiful temple near the top. I've had the pleasure of hiking Hikosan twice and riding up once before. The race itself starts in Soeda town and runs approximately 9 miles (14km) with around 2,800 feet (850m) in elevation gain. Simply put, it wasn't a race for me. Anything that goes uphill is not a race for me. It was however the nearest race to my house and so I decided to finally hop on the saddle and go. I was surprised to find out that nearly 600 riders had entered. I looked at the results from 2016 and figured I could place well within the top 150. Unfortunately, I finished 156th. My time was a few minutes slower than I hoped. I was aiming for the 45 minute mark but came in at a disappointing 47:51. An insight int
While living in Japan, I always wondered which season I prefer. Summers temperatures can reach up to 90F+ with 95% humidity and winters can dip below freezing for a few weeks. Summer has bugs. Winter doesn't have proper heating. I used to think I preferred winter. Turns out. I was wrong. I prefer summer. While summer is far from pleasant, at least I'm still able to ride my bike. Sure, I could ride my bike in the winter, but it's far more painful when your hands, feet, and face freeze from the windchill. Of course winter riding gear exists, but those pieces of kit are expensive and still leave me feeling cold. Not to mention that putting on winter kit is quite the task. Then when it snows or gets icy, it's actually dangerous out there. Days are short. Many rides are done in the dark, when it's even colder. Simply put, riding in the winter is painful and depressing. And yet, it's still fun. But this is why I prefer summer. Because although
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