Japan

earlier sunrises. more riding. It's still a bit too cold here.  In the mornings when I wake up, the temperature is hovers around the low 40s.  It's not freezing cold by all means, but it's still cold enough to make the early morning rides a bit unbearable.  Especially considering that in the afternoon, the temperature is in the low to mid 60s.  On the bright side, the sun now rises just after 6, so I can look forward to longer rides and perhaps even starting my day even earlier.  I should enjoy the chilly weather while it lasts because before long, summer will have arrived. Great times and even better food was had in Chikugo City.  Here are some pictures of the wonderful meal prepared by a wonderful chef.  On the menu for this night: Kalua Pig, Salmon Poke, Lomi Salmon, Chicken Luau (using spinach), and chicken adobo.  For dessert: Guava Cake (my absolute favorite), chocolate haupia pie, pineapples (no apples or pens here), and cornbread.  It was delicious.  I

oh lovely sunrise kotake. (the pm2.5 air quality definitely helps make the sunrise look nice) I've been riding a lot and that's been a good thing.  It's kept me busy and also has made down time seem to go by faster.  I haven't taken as much pictures while out riding because I think I've gotten to the point where the sights around me have become mundane.  I have about 4 or 5 different routes that I'm willing to ride in the early mornings and they've all been ridden enough times where picture-worthy moments to stop don't come as often.  I also have my power meter in Japan now, so the focused training also prevents me from stopping. On the last weekend of February, the opportunity arose to go for a hike.  We chose a hike in Tagawa that would, we hoped, give us a good view of a mountain that had been completely chopped off for either coal or cement purposes. The drive there took us into deep Tagawa.  While not particularly far from civilization,