September 10, 7:30 am, Pension Birao, Teshikaga

Distance ridden yesterday: 89 miles. Weather: sunny, slight headwind.

Rode 89 miles yesterday, setting a new personal record for the second time in a week. Started in Rausu and rode down the coast for a couple hours. Several tunnels, one of which seemed especially dark until I realized I had forgotten to take off my sunglasses. Stopped at a market on the side of the road; they had white chocolate made with melons from Yubari. It tasted exactly like fresh melons.

Turned inland after the market, crossing flat farmland with mountains in the distance. Rode on small back roads between the fields with a slight headwind the whole way. Yana and I weren't putting enough effort into drafting tightly behind Piaw (it takes concentration to stay close enough). Once we dropped back it was too much work to catch him so we just trailed after him for many miles.

Found a nice inn in Teshikage where we left our bags before going back out to ride up to Lake Mashu, part of Akan National Park. When we were in the park a few days ago we skipped Lake Mashu because of poor weather; it was nice to get a second chance. The scenery was well worth the climb. The road goes up the ridge so we had great views; the farmland at the base of the mountain glowed from late afternoon sun streaming through the clouds. The lake is a deep blue color and lies in a volcanic crater, far below the road which runs along the crater rim. On the opposite side there was a steep set of cliffs with puffy clouds behind. It was cold up there, and the rapid descent was even colder.

Dinner was Western style, but with an unmistakable Japanese influence: many small, well-presented dishes. Delicious.

September 10, 10:00 pm, Ryokan in Ashoro

Distance: 60 miles. Weather: patchy clouds.

Omlettes for breakfast this morning. Very Japanese, with 10 different small dishes. Well prepared, just like last night.

Rode over two passes today. Cold at times, with a headwind. My bicycle saddle has become increasingly uncomfortable the last few days. I've been trying to stay seated on the bike since my fork started making an ominous popping noise last week but now I can only sit for about 10 minutes before I have to stand up and give my butt a break. On the first climb this morning I couldn't take it any more and stopped to make a simple adjustment: I tilted my saddle forward a few degrees. That made all the difference; no pain for the rest of the day. Funny how the angle was fine for the first week and suddenly became unbearable.

Saw Lake Akan briefly at lunch. That's the last of the three lakes in Akan Park. For lunch I ordered chicken gyoza, expecting dumplings with chicken inside. What actually arrived were chicken wings stuffed with gyoza filling. Meanwhile Yana ordered veggie tempurah, which turned out to be shrimp tempura served over vegetables. No matter, we're flexible and both dishes were good.

We've been passing lots of road construction. There is almost always a man standing at the front of the construction with a whistle, motioning to traffic to slow down. Today we passed a construction site where they had a robot doing this job. It had a whistle and waved its arm as we rode past.

Staying at a low-end minshuku tonight. It was billed as a ryokan, which is supposed to be a step up from a minshuku, but this is basically just a room in some family's house. The plumbing is questionable. We've now experienced the full range of toilet technology, from robotic toilets with digital control panels all the way down to squat toilets (both with and without plumbing)

Supper was sushi rice bowls at a restaurant in town. Piaw was still hungry afterwards, so we went to a second restaurant for another meal. Hard to satisfy cyclist appetites with Japanese portion sizes. Finally we stopped by Seicomart (a convenience store) and I got frozen mochi for dessert. We've tried almost every snack Seicomart carries, so we need to start looking for other places to purchase food.

Our convenience store ritual goes something like this: Find a snack that looks good. Is it small enough to fit in our luggage? Good. Pick it up to see how heavy it is. Heavy snacks are good. Light snacks are mostly air, put them back on the shelf. Next check the calories. More is better. Low-calorie snacks go back on the shelf. The ideal snack has a high calorie-to-cost ratio and is dense so it doesn't take up space in our luggage. Japanese snacks are usually over-packaged, with outer wrappers, inner wrappers, plastic trays, etc. After purchasing, throw away most of the packaging before leaving the store to reduce bulk.

September 11, 9:00 pm, Drumkan Minshuku, outside Shintoku

61 miles, partly cloudy, headwind.

Another headwind day, so more pacelining. Good weather still holding. Starting to feel like autumn with cool air but warm sun. Near the end of the day we stopped a few miles outside Shintoku and tried to find a minshuku that the Touring Mapple recommended. We couldn't find it. Couldn't even find the village that was supposed to be there. Finally gave up and decided to ride on to Shintoku. As we rolled away Piaw and I finally spotted the place but it just looked like a house so we kept riding.

Five miles to the info center in Shintoku where the lady at the counter called a few hotels for us. All full, due to a golf tournament that was in town (aside: we saw the people playing golf on the courses. It didn't look like the golf I'm used to. Instead it looked like a cross between croquet and mini-golf.) She tried hotels in the next town, same problem: all full. By now three other people behind the counter had joined the search, calling various hotels. Finally she found a place: the one we had ridden past. She was concerned that it was too far for us to ride back, but it really wasn't. When you've already ridden 56 miles another five isn't a problem, plus there was a tailwind.

The minshuku was run by two brothers. Front room filled with guitars (at least 10) and a drum set. Every inn makes you fill out an info slip with your name, address, etc. Here, though, one of the questions here was "what is your favorite song?" Music theme firmly established, the brothers drove us to an awesome onsen for an hour or two, then we returned to enjoy a meal of Jingisukan together.

After dinner one brother sat down at the drums, the other grabbed an electric guitar, and they played a short set for us. Surf rock, loud and good. They were having at least as much fun as we were, maybe more, smiling and laughing. Next they both grabbed acoustic guitars and sang folk songs with Piaw. Easily one of the best nights of the trip. If you're in the area, give them a call and you'll get a night you won't forget. Take musical instruments if you have any. Their web page is here and it has a contact form.

September 12, Noon, restaurant in Tomamu

Touring gives you funny food cravings. We daydream about food even while eating. So far I've wanted a good hamburger, milkshake, breakfast cereal (corn flakes, frosted flakes, corn puffs), donuts (especially apple fritters), pizza, burritos and all manner of American sweets.

September 12, 10:20 pm, Yubari Forest Youth Hostel

82 miles, good weather, no headwind.

Turned into another long day. Left Shintoku and rode along twisty roads winding through the mountains towards Shimukappo. Followed some train tracks through a narrow canyon for a while, then rode next to the Doto Expressway, an unfinished superhighway. We originally planned to stop in Shimukappo. Weather was still holding, though, and no headwind so we decided instead to push on to Yubari. Wanted to spend another night in the lovely hostel there.

Some very busy roads, tunnels with no sidewalks, mountain descents with large trucks. Glad we didn't have to do it in the rain. We kept leap-frogging a military convoy. They weren't much faster than us when driving so we would pass them when they stopped and then when we stopped they would pass us. They kept the traffic speed low.

Made it to the hostel by five so we had time to shower before dinner. They put us in the cute cabin next to the main building. Lightly raining now but we have a warm fire and dry beds.

Spending so much time on the bike that days are starting to blur together. Life consists of the three essentials: eat, sleep, ride.

September 13, 6:40 pm, Lapland Lodge, Shikotsu

55 miles, overcast.

This morning I was tired of riding. Tired of pedaling, tired of wind, tired of bugs hitting my face hard enough to hurt, tired of traffic, ready to put the bike in its box and not see it again for a long time.

Met a group of serious cyclists outside Chitose. The first group we've seen. They were getting ready for a ride in a parking lot. We pulled in and chatted with them, trading snacks.

We stopped for lunch in Chitose at a sushi-boat place. Dishes come around on a small conveyor belt. Fish, fried chicken, mini-burgers, dessert. Plates are color-coded to indicate price. At the end you pay based on the stack of plates you've accumulated. Small faucet at each seat dispenses hot tea. Enjoyed this place more than most sushi places because we could eat exactly what we wanted and nothing we didn't.

After eating my spirits were restored and I felt like continuing. Since we rode extra yesterday we had enough time to take a side trip to Shikotsu today. It is another National Park east of Chitose with a large lake. Found a bike path to take us most of the way there. The path was separated from the road and a little overgrown.

Shikotsu is hilariously touristy. Between the parking lot and the information center I counted seven ice cream stands. We arranged lodging, looked at the stores selling touristy junk, ate some snacks, looked around the museum. They have evacuation instructions in case one of the local volcanoes errupts.

We're staying at the Lapland Lodge near the shore of the lake, a short ride from the main village. On the way over there was one long straight section of road. Far behind us I heard a couple motorcycles start accelerating. Sport bikes, by the sound. They kept accelerating. Even knowing they were coming I still jumped when they flew past. I've never seen motorcycles go so fast.

Parked our bikes at the lodge, then the owner drove us to a nearby onsen (which happened to be right back by the information center we had just been at). After bathing, we returned to the lodge where the owner made Jingisukan for us. We enjoyed it along with the other guests.

September 14, 2:00 pm, Train to Sapporo

21 miles, sunny.

Gentle downhill ride to Chitose this morning, along the overgrown bike path most of the way. Perfect weather. Disassembled and packed our bikes in the lobby of the airport hotel. Took about two hours. Quick showers then down to the train station below the airport to catch a train to Sapporo. Glad the ride is over, glad it went so well, glad our gear worked and glad we saw so many amazing places and met, if only briefly, so many wonderful people.

September 14, 8:30 pm, Train to Chitose

In Sapporo we wandered through several shopping malls, including an underground one called Pole-Town. Purchased gifts for people back home. Found socks with separate pockets for the big toe so they can be worn with flip-flops.

After shopping, we took the ropeway up Mt. Moiwa to watch the susnset. Mt. Moiwa overlooks the city and at the top there is an observation deck and a gift shop (of course). It was crazy to look off across the plains to the distant mountains in the west and realize that Yubari was over there. It seemed impossibly far away but it had only taken us a single day to ride there.

Once it was dark we went back down to the city to get dinner. We'd already seen New Ramen Alley so decided to go to Old Ramen Alley. Very similar setup: narrow alley lined with ramen shops, all serving giant bowls of steaming noodles.

The food on this trip was fantastic. A lot of the places we stayed mentioned that much of the food they served was grown locally. Makes sense, as we rode through farmland most days. Some food was even homegrown, like the mushrooms and homemade bread in Shikotsu. We noticed that the salads and fresh vegetables all tasted amazing, especially the tomatoes. Hard to know how much of this was because they were high quality, and how much of it was because we were riding hard enough to get very good appetites.

September 15, Plane to San Francisco

We're done.

Checked in for our flight early today; found out it was cancelled but we were early enough that they were able to book us onto a different plane instead. Much apologizing and bowing from the ticket agents.

Our bike boxes were too big to fit through the x-ray scanner at the airport. Instead some ANA staff with white gloves had us open the boxes for manual inspection. More apologizing and bowing.

Enjoyed one last Japanese meal at Narita airport, then boarded our plane home. And yes, the plane was Pokemon-themed, inside and out.

Epilogue

Over three weeks we rode 952 miles, across Hokkaido and back again.

Even though I ate almost constantly, had ice cream at every opportunity, tried every snack at Seicomart, even forced myself to eat when not hungry on a few occasions, I still lost 10 pounds by the end of the trip.

The first week after returning to the US, Yana and I kept bowing to people. We bowed when someone held the door, when taking the receipt from a store clerk, or when saying goodby to someone. We must have looked ridiculous.

Not long after returning we got rid of our bed and replaced it with Japanese-style futon mattresses stuffed with cotton. They can be moved out of the way or stacked in the corner of the room when not needed. We find them more comfortable and are getting better sleep on them. They are very firm and there's absolutely zero motion transfer when the other person moves around.

Took most of a week to get around to putting the bikes back together. Went out and climbed Old La Honda (one of the classic Bay Area bicycle climbs) to set a personal record while we were still in peak shape. It was many weeks after that before I felt a desire to ride again.

I never heard the popping noise from my front fork again. The only explanation that makes sense is that the quick release wasn't quite tight enough and had a little bit of play.

Yana and I have traveled several times since this trip, but only rented a car once, finding that we prefer to tour by foot or bicycle now. Without a car we can really see and smell and hear a place, and get to know it in a way that drivers don't.

September 3, 8:00 am, Daisetsuzan Youth Hostel, Asahidake

Distance ridden yesterday: 35 miles. Weather: sunny, increasing clouds through day.

Yesterday morning fog covered Biei but burned off during breakfast. The Potato hostel in Biei served toast with breakfast. We had all been craving bread and ate almost a whole loaf during the meal, plus an entire jar of honey.

Left Biei after breakfast and rode across the valley, up the long gentle climb to Asahidake. Asahidake is the tallest mountain on Hokkaido, and like Tokachidake is part of Daisetsuzan National Park. There's a small ski town near the base of the peak with a nice hostel. After checking into the hostel we took the ropeway (gondola) up the mountain. It dropped us off by a small pond and a group of sulfur vents in the crater. From there, a trail headed straight up the rocky ridge to the cloud-covered peak. Loose volcanic rock, some dark and some yellow from sulfur. Above tree line the whole way. On the left side of the ridge the mountain dropped steeply down to the crater which was obscured by shifting clouds. On the right, it dropped down to alpine forests far below us.

The clouds cleared away from the peak for a while as we climbed, then returned. At a small shoulder just before the peak, we could look out above the cloud layer. When we reached the peak, the view down into the crater was blocked by clouds but we could see east across the park. Peaks and high hills extended that way for miles.

Met a backpacker at the top whom we had also seen on the trail at Tokachidaki two days before. While we had biked down to Biei and back up to this peak, he had hiked across the park to get here. Shared food and stories with him as we enjoyed the views from the peak.

To keep a light load on our three week trip I only brought two pairs of shoes: my cycling shoes and a lightweight pair of flip-flops. Cycling shoes are terrible for hiking so I wore the flip-flops on our hike. I wasn't sure how well they would work but I had done some training hikes with them back home to toughen my feet. Ended up being fine on the ascent, though they were amusing to the Japanese hikers we met. Most of them were well-equipped with sturdy boots, hydration packs, bear bells, trekking poles, etc. and they laughed when they saw my footwear.

On the steep descent the loose rock made for treacherous footing. With flip-flops, the trail required concentration to avoid slipping. Clouds started getting thicker as we descended. Soon the air blowing over the ridge was cold, gray, and damp.

When we got back to the hostel we were tired, dirty (especially my feet) and ready for the hot springs. The hostel's bath consists of an indoor hot pool and a beautiful outdoor pool formed out of lava rock with lush green plants growing all around. Very relaxing after a long hike.

At breakfast this morning we met a lady visiting from France. She works for the government and gets 10 weeks of vacation a year (sounded pretty nice to us). She wasn't enjoying the food in Japan, though, and ended up giving us some of her breakfast. We gladly accepted the extra calories. Portion sizes in Japan are healthy, not the ridiculously over-sized portions that American restaurants serve. This seems to be great for Japanese waistlines, as we have seen very few obese or even chubby people. Bicycle tourists, however, need massive numbers of calories every day so we are always on the lookout for extra food.

September 3, 8:00 pm, Tomato Minshuku, Biei

Distance: 49 miles. Weather: sunny.

This morning Brooks, Yana, and I took a side trip to Tenninkyo Gorge to see the waterfalls. A short gentle climb brought us to a small group of hotels nestled in a narrow canyon. Both sides of the canyon were cliffs of some kind of columnar basalt covered with trees and brush. Asked directions to the falls with my limited Japanese. A short trail brought us to the first one, Hagoromo-no-taki; smooth streams of water flowing down curved rock. We continued down the trail, along the edge of the river which flows through the canyon. The water had an odd blue color but was clear and cold. We soon reached the second falls, Shikishima-no-taki. Enjoyed the solitude for a while before heading back down to our bikes.

Daisetsuzan is a large park but only has a few roads approaching its edges, and none crossing it. The interior is only accessible by trail which concentrates visitors on the edges of the park and makes it feel like a small place. Yesterday on Asahidake we met the backpacker we saw at Takochidake. Today at Tenninkyo we met a mother/daughter pair whom we had talked to on the ropeway up to Asahidake.

After Tenninkyo we rode down to the information center in Biei. Talked to same helpful lady as before. She told us Piaw had already reserved lodging at a local minshuku (a sort of bed and breakfast) then she took our luggage, to be delivered to the minshuku. Service!

We headed out to lunch and the flower fields in Bibaushi. Rode along the "panoramic road" which offered wonderful views of the hills around Biei and the peaks of Daisetsuzan. Without heavy luggage the bicycles felt alive, snappy, full of energy. Ate lunch at a restaurant along the way then stopped at the ice cream stand next door. The lady running it seemed happy to see us and betwen her limited English and our limited Japanese we figured out what the flavors were and ordered.

The flower fields were filled with all types of flowers, arranged in bright stripes down the hill. They are at their prime in the spring but even in September the colors were beautiful. The whole operation was extremely touristy but I'm starting to expect that in Japan, where every scenic vista and tourist attraction has a gift shop next to it. Regardless, it was enjoyable to walk around among the flowers with mountain peaks rising in the background.

On the ride back to Biei we had our first flat tire of the trip. Caused by an old patch giving out and not road debris. Not surprising considering how clean the roads are here. The Japanese are either too polite to litter, or someone is doing an excellent job of picking it all up. Either way it leads to pleasant riding.

Went to a BBQ place for dinner. There was a small grill in the middle of the table, but it was so shiny and clean that we weren't sure whether we were supposed to put food directly on it on whether there was supposed to be a pan. Finally our waitress came over and demonstrated that we were in fact supposed to put the food directly on the grill.

September 4, 6:00 pm, Sounkyo Youth Hostel

61 miles, rain clearing to sun.

Left early this morning on our way to Akan National Park. This was our last time with Brooks as he has to fly home this weekend and opted to stay in Biei. It is sad riding on without him.

We left Biei and skirted the edge of Asahikawa on our way towards Sounkyo. Rained a bit so we were wearing our foul-weather gear. As we crossed the bridge over the river outside Asahikawa, Piaw noticed a bike path below us running along the edge of the river. It didn't show on our maps, but it looked quite nice and seemed to be headed the direction we wanted. Weren't sure it would take us to Sounkyo, but decided to try it so we left the road for the bike path.

Soon we saw a sign showing the distance to Sounkyo which reassured us that this path went where we wanted. Every kilometer we would pass another sign showing the decreasing distance to Sounkyo. The path was well built, looked new, and was mostly deserted. Unfortunately it turned out to be so new that it wasn't even finished yet. It ended abrubtly at a rest area, with a sign explaining that when the path was finished it would indeed go all the way to Sounkyo. Back to the road for us.

Arrived in Sounkyo at about 1:30. Lots of hotels nestled in the bottom of a river gorge, like Tenninkyo but larger. Ate lunch in the village then rode over to the waterfall viewing area.

There used to be a pedestrian/bicycle road through the bottom of the canyon, along the edge of the river. The road was closed after a landslide many years ago and never reopened. The gate across the road had various warning signs on it. We couldn't see any landslide and there was no one around so we went exploring. Weeds were growing through the pavement but the road was still in good condition. So much abandoned engineering back there: errosion-controlled steam beds, tunnels, bridges, all slowly getting overgrown. Found a second, taller gate across the road after maybe a mile, with a few large rocks in the road past the gate. This gate seemed harder to climb over so we rode back through the weeds to the gift shop and had ice cream.

Japan is in love with ice cream. You can buy soft-serve for 200-300 yen ($2-3) at every tourist stop, and there are tourist stops everywhere in Hokkaido. Every shop has a cute statue of an ice cream cone so it is easy to find the ice cream stands. We've been eating at least one ice cream cone every day. One of the benefits of touring by bicycle is that you need a lot of calories so you can eat pretty much anything you want.

Forgot to take off my outdoor slippers when I came back into the hostel after working on my bicycle. Very embarassing. Here's a quick rundown of the slipper system in Japan: There are three kinds of slippers: outdoor, indoor, and bathroom. Everywhere we've stayed has provided communal slippers for these purposes. You don't wear outdoor slippers indoors, you don't take indoor slippers outdoors, and obviously bathroom slippers stay in the bathroom. As an aside, you don't wear any slippers on tatami mats. This is all second nature to Japenese, but gaijin tend to screw it up and do shocking things like taking indoor slippers outside, or wearing bathroom slippers around the house.

Our hostel tonight doesn't have a bath so we paid to go to one of the fancy hotels to use their onsen. It was very nice with 2 different baths. One was on the 7th floor and had a great view of the gorge and surrounding mountains. The other was at ground level and overlooked a perfectly manicured lawn with lovely trees. Again Yana couldn't join us so we met up with her after.

September 5, 9:00 pm, Bihoro Youth Hostel

75 miles, rain in morning.

Long day: 75 miles. Longest ride Yana and I have ever done. Still feeling great too, so we must be in good shape. Piaw says it is common for riders to get stronger during a tour, assuming they are eating enough. Rain this morning as we climbed the pass. Started with a 3.4km tunnel through Sounkyo Gorge. It had a sidewalk and large ceiling-mounted blowers to move air through the tunnel. Emergency phone booths the whole way. We rode with earplugs to escape the noise from the cars and the blowers.

The descent was cold and wet through the mountain forest, then gradual downhill across farmland to the city of Kitami. Traffic was heavy near the city and the road was narrow. Not much fun. No English speakers at the tourist info center in Kitami so we decided to just ride on to Bihoro.

Couldn't find the youth hostel when we got to Bihoro. As we were riding around looking for it we stumbled onto a street fair. A security guard told us we had to park our bikes in the bike parking area. We asked if he knew where the hostel was, but he lives in another town so he didn't know either. We wandered through the fair and bought a few snacks. When we got back to our bikes the same guard ran up to us. He had asked around and obtained a hand-drawn map showing where the hostel was. We ran into this kind of helpfulness over and over while we were in Japan. It was amazing.

Checked in at the hostel, showered, did laundry, then went back to the fair for more food. We were quite the curiosity, attracting lots of attention. People would say hello to us in English and get excited when we said hi back, but their English wasn't practiced enough to have a conversation. Everyone was excited to sell us food. At one food stall, Yana asked for crepes with blueberry and banana. This must have been unusual because all the people working in the stall sounded amazed and the order was repeated several times to confirm, then everyone laughed. At one place I think we got free chicken skewers just for being gaijin (foreigners).

In the middle of this fair, we suddenly heard someone speaking perfect English. This seemed surprising, since we hadn't seen any other foreigners. It turned out to be an Indian man making naan in a tandoor oven. He was serving it with curry and it was really good.

September 6, 8:30 pm, Lake Kussharo

43 miles, foggy in morning, headwind.

Short ride today, over the hill to Akan National Park. Headwind most of the way; foggy on top of the mountain. Foggy enough that my arms were wet and we couldn't see the visitor center from the parking lot. While we ate a snack the fog cleared so we had a good descent to Lake Kussharo on a damp road. The lake is pretty with clouds and fog on all the surrounding hills. Very humid.

As we get farther from Sapporo and deeper into fall it keeps getting harder to get tourist info in English. Either the information staff doesn't speak English (and is without English brochures) or the information desk is closed for the season. More and more we find ourselves on our own. Fortunately there aren't a lot of other travelers so lodging is easy to get and there is less need for reservations. We've just been riding into town and looking for a place we like.

For tonight we found a lovely hotel with good food next to Kotan onsen, an outdoor hot spring. There's also an Ainu museum next door. The Ainu were the native people who lived here before the Japanese colonized the island. The museum is a recreation of an Ainu lodge, filled with smoke from a wood fire in the middle of the floor.

The hot spring was the first free public spring we've been in and the view was fantastic, right on the shore of the lake. Separate parts for men and women, but right next to each other so Yana didn't feel isolated. After soaking in the hot spring we still had time before dinner so we rode back along the lake to ride around the Wakoto Peninsula, which sticks out into the lake. The trail which goes around the peninsula turned out to be a narrow hiking trail so we ended up mountain biking on our road bikes.

My fork started making a popping noise yesterday. Every time I try to pedal while standing up it pops. Piaw is worried that it may be breaking so we are hoping it doesn't get worse before we find a bicycle shop with a fork for sale. Until then, I'm staying seated while pedaling since it doesn't make popping sounds when I'm seated. Fingers crossed.

September 7, 8:00 pm, Utoro Minshuku

61 miles, tail wind turning to headwind in the afternoon.

Today Yana and I got tired of having wet feet. Piaw's fenders keep his shoes fairly dry, but our feet are constantly getting sprayed with water from our front wheels. Tried taping plastic bags over our shoes to try to keep them dry. Mixed results; fenders would be better.

This morning, while photographing funny swan-shaped paddle boats at Lake Kussharo, a young lady approached me. She was studying English and was excited to be able to practice with some native speakers so we told her about our ride and had a short conversation.

Though Lake Kussharo is beautiful, Lake Mashu is what Akan is really know for. It sits in the crater at the top of a volcano. The tops of the mountains were in the clouds today though. Didn't seem worth climbing up the volcano since we wouldn't be able to see the lake anyway.

Instead we opted for another long ride to get us to Shiretoko. Fast tailwind for most of the ride; 20mph at one point. Made good time until the road turned and the tailwind became a stiff crosswind. To cope, our paceline had to spread across the lane in an echelon formation, but the traffic was light and drivers were polite so it wasn't a problem.

Stopped at one bicycle store along the way but they didn't have any forks for my bike. They mostly had casual/commuter bikes, not road bikes. I'll just keep babying the fork and hoping for the best.

Saw the ocean for the first time on the trip today, and now we're in a minshuku overlooking the Utoro harbor. On this northern part of the island, signs have started to be in Japanese and Russian.

Ate dinner at a fish market down by the water. Had a sashimi dish that consisted of carefully arranged salmon on a bowl of rice, topped with salmon roe. Very good. It was called "Mother and son."

September 8, 7:30 pm, Rausu Hotel

20 miles, rain & wind.

So wet today. Rain almost all day. Took the bus out from the Shiretoku nature center to Kamiuiwakka-no-taki, a hot spring waterfall. It was interesting to wade up the creek in the rain and not have cold feet but the trip was ultimately disappointing. The rangers didn't let us go all the way to the actual waterfall. The water where we were was tepid, not even warm.

After returning to town on the bus, we started our ride. The climb up Shiretokotoge pass was lonely, as we all rode at our own pace and were soon separated. I listened to the rain on the trees, watched drops of water form on my helmet brim, watched the water drip off my head and shoulders down past the bike, and watched the water run down the road into storm drains. I unzipped my jacket, trying to find a balance between getting sweaty with the jacket on or drenched with the jacket off. It didn't matter much, as I was wet all day anyway. Cars and buses drove past and it was like their drivers were in separate universes, speeding along in a little bubble of comfort, warm and dry. Once they disappeared in the rain I was alone again and still wet. At least the deer shared my universe, and understood what it was like to be drenched as they stood in the wet brush and watched me ride past.

Near the top I rode into the cloud and it felt like my universe got smaller. The wind picked up and occasional patches of lighter fog blew past. Soon the wind was racing past and I could see glimpses of blue sky over the pass, promising better weather on the other side. A false promise. At the top I let the wind push me into the parking lot. The road I had just climbed was hidden by a dense gray wall of cloud. Looking down the other side of the pass showed sunny hills and blue ocean below, with clear sky beyond. The wind whipped over the pass, pushing me around even as I stood. Yana and I dressed for the descent in the bathroom as drivers/passengers braved the cold for a few minutes to look over the edge. They would scurry back to their warm cars after snapping their photos, while we stood in the doorway of the bathroom, wet and cold and preparing ourselves for the descent.

The first few turns were ok, then the wind picked up. It shoved us around our lanes, threatening to push us off the road or into incoming traffic. It alternated between a tailwind, hurling us down the mountain faster than we wanted to go, and a gusting headwind trying to stall us and throw us to the ground. It was scary and beautiful. Around one corner the headwind was so strong I couldn't shift down fast enough to keep pedaling. I wobbled to an unsteady stop as the wind gusted into my face. Around another corner, a rainbow appeared over the green hills below me. By the time we reached the town of Rausu at the bottom we were all cold and mentally exhausted. We decided that was enough riding for the day, even though we had only gone 20 miles. Shiretokotoge in bad weather is not to be taken lightly.

Rausu gave us a view of Russia* and really felt like the end of the world. Tried four or five places looking to find lodging. They kept saying they were full. Never did figure out whether that was true or whether we looked so wet and bedragled that they decided we wouldn't make good guests. Finally ended up going to one of the more expensive looking hotels only to find it wasn't expensive after all. We have a view of the harbor from our room.

Dinner was sashimi across the street from our hotel. On this far end of the island there are no English menus, no picture menus, no wax models of the food. Piaw and the waitress ended up writing kanji on a napkin to communicate. Wonderful food and presentation. At the end of the meal we asked about dessert. After thinking about it the chef and the waitress decided they could serve potato mochi. It was fried and sweet, weird and delicious.

* The islands off the coast are currently under Russian control, though Japan claims them as part of their territory.

August 26, 1:20 pm, Flight to Tokyo

We’re finally on the plane to Japan. There are four of us: Piaw (the trip leader), Brooks, Yana, and myself. The plan is to spend three weeks riding around Hokkaido, the northern-most island of Japan. We’ve been preparing for this ride for months: buying supplies, preparing equipment, building new wheels, studying maps, learning a bit of Japanese, going on training rides. The last week has been a blur with time flying by constantly as we finished packing. Now there’s a sense of calm: we’re on the plane and there is nothing else to prepare. The trip has been set in motion and we’re just along for the ride.

Below us, in the cargo hold, our bicycles sit in their boxes. Above me I’ve stowed my two small carry-on bags. Bicycling forces you to travel light: those two bags are all I have for three weeks of riding. It is oddly liberating to not have a full suitcase of stuff to lug around and worry about.

August 27, 8:42 pm, Sapporo International Youth Hostel

Distance ridden today: 30 miles. Weather: rain, tail wind.

Flight landed at Chitose airport late last night. Piaw had arranged lodging at the airport hotel so we didn’t even have to leave the terminal. Retrieved our bulky bicycle boxes from baggage claim, loaded them onto luggage carts, and took the elevator up to the hotel. Went straight to sleep.

Assembled our bikes in the hotel room this morning. They had been packed, partially disassembled, in cardboard boxes for the flight. The airline (ANA) handled the boxes quite carefully; not a dent or scratch on them. Moved the furniture around in the small hotel room to get a space big enough to work in then built the bikes back up, piece by piece. Pedals back on. Chains back on. Handlebars reattached and adjusted. Front wheels attached. Rear derailleurs bolted back on. Luggage racks reattached. Quiet, cathartic work which reminded me of the book Off the Map: Bicycling Across Siberia by Mark Jenkins. After finishing with the bikes we droped the boxes at the hotel desk and got breakfast in the airport. We’ll be staying in the same hotel on the last night of the trip so they are willing to hold our empty boxes until we return.

When we took our bikes outside after breakfast, it was raining lightly with overcast clouds. Piaw had previously warned us about his route-finding. He likes to find obscure back roads, dirt roads, and trails whenever possible. Twenty minutes into our ride, with the airport still in sight, the side road we were on came to a dead-end and so we found ourselves climbing over a chain-link fence with our bikes in order to get back to the main highway. Piaw was pleased.

The gently rolling road cut through miles of forest as it headed northwest into Sapporo. Had a strong tail wind, making the riding easy. The rain continued off and on; not enough to be miserable but it kept the road wet so my rear tire was spraying water up onto my back. My shorts were soon wet and muddy, which was a little awkward when we stopped for lunch and I had to sit in a restaurant. I regret not bringing fenders.

Once in Sapporo, traffic was heavy enough that we decided to follow local custom and ride our bikes on the sidewalk instead of in the traffic lane. Still somewhat harrowing as we had to worry about pedestrians, other bicyclists, and various obstacles. There are bikes everywhere in Sapporo, all of the commuter variety with no road bikes in sight. Many riders were carrying umbrellas while riding with one hand. One enterprising young man was holding a clear plastic umbrella in front of him like a windshield.

Tonight we’re staying at the Sapporo International Youth Hostel. The accommodations are quite nice: small private rooms with tatami mat floors. There is a tiny entryway for removing shoes (wearing shoes on tatami is frowned upon) and hanging our wet rain jackets. In the middle of the room there is a low table with chairs; for sleeping the table folds up and stores in the closet so we can lay thin mattresses on the tatami. Downstairs there’s a Japanese-style bath and a dry garage for our bikes.

Washed my clothes in the shower (only brought two shirts so I’ll be doing laundry most days) then headed out for supper. Ended up in New Ramen Alley, an odd underground tunnel packed with ramen shops (there’s also an Old Ramen Alley). We picked one mostly at random, ducked inside, and were immediately enveloped by hot, humid air. The interior was dark and cramped. We took four seats at the counter and gave our order to the chef by pointing at the picture menu. He cooked the noodles right in front of us and served them in huge bowls. They were delicious.

August 28, 9:40 pm, Sapporo International Youth Hostel

Distance: 2 miles. Weather: some rain.

Woke early this morning and crossed the river to explore Nakajima park. It was green and beautiful. The clouds had lifted enough to offer views of the mountains at the edge of town. Saw a group of bicycle tourists preparing their breakfast on a small stove. They had spent the night camping in a gazebo in the park.

Ate our breakfast back at the hostel. Japanese breakfast consists of steamed rice, fish, miso soup, various vegetables (some pickled), and eggs. More rain forecast today. Instead of riding in the rain we decided to see the town. There was a subway station right next to the hostel so we got day passes and were off to explore. Brooks and Piaw wanted to explore the fish market while Yana and I went to the botanical gardens. The gardens were green and lush, likely owing to the recent rains. We walked along through the park in the damp air, enjoying the beautiful collection of plants.

Called Piaw and Brooks from our mobile phone and arranged to meet at the Sapporo beer museum. Had a hard time finding it. Tried asking a lady for directions but our Japanese is not good enough and we couldn’t explain where we wanted to go. Eventually spied its tall tower after wandering around some more.

Found Piaw and Brooks at one of the museum restaurants, where they had just finished lunch. We joined them for a tour of the museum, then headed back to downtown to spend the afternoon looking at sights and shopping.

As dinner time approached, Yana and I remembered how good the food at the beer museum had looked so we decided to return. When we arrived it was crowded, hot, and smoky from meat being grilled. We managed to order by pointing at the menu and using hand signals. The restaurant specializes in Jingisukan (sounds like Genghis Khan), a popular local dish. The food arrives raw: a huge plate of vegetables and meat. There is a domed skillet in the middle of the table on which you cook the food. Similar to Mongolian barbecue, only cooked at the table.

Back at the hostel we took advantage of their Japanese bath. The centerpiece is a large pool of hot water. There’s also an area with short stools, faucets, and buckets for washing before entering the pool (getting in the pool without washing is a major faux pas). After walking all day in flip-flops, my feet were sore but alternating between soaking them in a bucket of cold water and then hot water felt great. There are separate baths for men and women since everyone is nude. Not a problem for the three guys but Yana was lonely in the bath by herself.

August 29, 8:57 pm, Yubari Forest Youth Hostel

56 miles, sunny.

Long day of riding today, east across the plains and up to the mountain town of Yubari. We took a wrong turn leaving Sapporo but didn’t realize it for half an hour. Eventually we got suspicious when we re-crossed the river that had gone past the hostel and could still see downtown Sapporo on our left, where it should not have been. After some careful map checking we realized our mistake. By then it was easier to pick a new route than double back. Our map (the Touring Mapple) showed a trail through the nearby Nopporo forest park which went exactly where we wanted so we headed towards the park. In the town of Oasa, just outside the park, we happened across a bike store and showed him our map, asking about the trail. The owner told us that our plan wouldn’t work: we wouldn’t be able to bike across the trail with our road bikes.

A lesson soon learned when bike touring is that you can’t trust route advice. Drivers underestimate the size of hills, non-cyclists underestimate how far you are capable of riding, and casual cyclists assume you can’t ride off pavement. During our training we had specifically practiced riding over dirt roads with loaded bicycles (because we knew that Piaw would ride on dirt if possible), so we decided to ignore the shopkeeper’s warnings and check out the trail anyway.

The park was flatland forest. Some parts looked natural, others were obviously planted (with trees in rows). The trail turned out to be a dirt road which cut right through the middle of the forest. It was perfectly rideable except for one fallen tree that we had to carry our bikes over, which made two days of climbing over obstacles in two days of riding. Again, Piaw was pleased.

After the park, most of our day was spent riding past fields and farmland, headed east across the plains toward the mountains. The sun was warm when we stopped at a small restaurant for a late lunch. Had donburi, a rice bowl with egg on top followed by ice cream from the place next door.

The climb up to Yubari was gentle and not very long. Road was well-built, like all the roads here. Although it was out in the country it had a sidewalk wide enough to drive a car on. Even when the road went through a tunnel, it still had a wide sidewalk. At the top, Yubari sits nestled in a small valley. In the winter it is a ski town, but in August it sleeps, waiting for the snow to come.

Had some trouble finding the hostel. It is outside of town a bit and we were riding around the farms and hills looking for it. Stopped to ask a lady gardening if she knew where it was. She bowed to us, went inside and came back with her whole family. They decided we were on the right road and just had to keep riding. We thanked them, bowed quickly, and rode on.

There is a lot of bowing in Japan. Asking for help leads to lots of bowing. Every purchase involves bowing. Usually entering/leaving a store does too. Hold a door open for someone and you're likely to get a quick bow. We even had a lady riding a bicycle in the opposite direction to us bow as she rode past (I think she was worried she had inconvenienced us). It is a very polite society and very pleasant to visit.

The hostel is a beautiful wooden house that reminds me of a cozy ski lodge, complete with wood stove. Japanese-style bedding again, with sliding doors on the rooms. Back home, this place would be called a bed and breakfast, not a hostel. The dinner they served was amazing. 2 kinds of cooked fish, pickled tomatoes, figs for dessert. Best food of the trip so far.

August 30, 9:00 pm, Highland Onsen, Furano

65 miles, overcast.

I woke up early again and went for a ride before breakfast, looking for a spot to photograph the fog in the valley below us. Air was fresh and cold, with the smell of flowers and woodsmoke. A good, crisp, mountain morning.

Rode through the mountains today northeast towards Furano. Long gentle climbs and open, relaxed descents. The top of every climb ends with a tunnel. Most tunnels were short but one was 2.7 km. It had curves so you couldn't see the end. We turned on all our lights and rode in a tight group. The air was cold and smelled like exhaust; passing cars and motorcycles filled the whole tunnel with a roar that you couldn't escape.

There was no food or water along the route through the mountains so we brought snacks from a convenience store with us. Stopped by a lake to eat some and a beautiful red fox came begging for food. It was odd because it seemed like we were in the middle of nowhere but this fox obviously had seen enough people to be accustomed to handouts.

Later we stopped at Sandantaki, a pretty series of craggy waterfalls, and ate more snacks. Bicycle touring involves a lot of eating. After Sandantaki there was a long descent towards Furano. Brooks got up front and we all tucked into line behind him. He had to pedal but the rest of us could just coast, out of the wind as we drafted behind him.

Tonight we're staying at the Highland Onsen, a hot-springs resort perched on a hill above town. Furano is another ski town so there are mountains all around. Across the valley to the east rise the mountains of Daisetsuzan National Park. The onsen has large baths, with multiple pools: hot, cold, really hot, plus one outside that overlooks the valley. Separate men's and women's bath again, though the wall dividing them does not go all the way to the ceiling so Yana can hear our chatter as we all soak.

The dining room at the onsen overlooks the valley, and as we ate dinner we got to watch as the setting sun behind us painted the mountains of Daisetsuzan with brilliant red light.

Western-style beds tonight. A common concern among innkeepers is that we won't want Japanese-style meals or bedding. I can only assume that they have had bad experience with picky tourists before. Our Japanese is not good enough to explain that we are traveling to see something different and that if we wanted western-style food we could have just stayed home, so instead we just smile and reassure them that we find Japanese food delicious.

August 31, 9:32 pm, Kamihoro Onsen, Tokachidake

43 miles, overcast.

Glad I learned the kanji for "men" and "women", as this morning the bath I had enjoyed last night was labeled "women's" instead of "men's." Apparently they swap the rooms back and forth. The layout of the two baths is slightly different; I assume they rotate them so that guests can enjoy both.

Took a morning walk through the woods around Highland Onsen. Judging by the pictures in the lobby and the gift shop full of lavender products, the onsen's claim to fame is the lavender fields out front. Walked through the fields this morning but we're too late in the season and there is nothing to see this time of year but low-cut bushes.

After breakfast we rode down to the Furano Cheese Factory and had some really good samples of cheese: the creamiest brie I've ever had and a couple other varieties. Their cheese-making class was full so we attended an ice-cream making class instead. After putting on cow-print aprons, the teacher had us mix the various ingredients together, then we put the milk mixture into a freezer. While that was freezing she showed us how to make waffle-cone bowls and gave us the batter so we could make our own bowls. Being hungry cyclists, we ended up making a lot of waffle cones. Apparently the lady hadn't expected this, as when she saw us with more than four bowls she quickly came over and took the batter away. Oops. They were delicious, though.

After eating lunch at Furano Cheese Ramen, where they put slices of cheese on the noodles, we finally got around to the day's riding. Our goal was the Kamihoro Onsen on Tokachidake, one of the mountains on the other side of the valley. We took the long way, through Rokugo and the foothills. Along the way the light on my bike fell off and skittered into the road where it was promptly run over by a truck. The other drivers, having enough time to react, all politely slowed down and steered around the debris. At a break in the traffic I was able to retrieve the pieces. Slightly misshapen now, has to be held together with tape, but it still works. Good thing LED lights are durable.

The views back into the Furano valley were amazing: sweeping fields backed by big mountains. Rolled through the foothills and stopped at a natural spring to refill water bottles before starting the serious part of the climb. Volcanoes tend to get steeper the higher up you go. The closer we got to the onsen at the top of the road, the slower we were going. At 6 miles, we were going 6 miles per hour. 45 minutes later, we were going 3 miles an hour with 3 miles left. This carried on until we finally rolled up to the onsen at about 5 pm.

The Kamihoro Onsen is situated on the side of the mountain, with an amazing view of the valley. We briefly soaked in their outdoor bath looking at the land we had ridden over. Our room and the dining room also overlooked the valley so we got to continue enjoying the views while we ate. As the sun set it lit up the foothills below us in dozens of shades of orange.

Dinner was Jingisukan again. Smaller portions than the beer museum but more variety. One of the most tender pieces of meat I've ever had. Dining room was mostly empty, must not be a peak time for them.

After eating we retired to the baths for the second time to soak our sore muscles. This bath was built from rustic wood. They must not filter the hot spring water because it was somewhat murky and smelled like minerals. They have a fantastic cold pool and although the others couldn't take more than I quick dip I kept my legs submerged they were numb.

September 1, 8:00 pm, Potato Hostel, Biei

44 miles, heavy rain in morning then sunny.

Weather was unsettled this morning, with gusts of wind blowing through our open window when we woke up. It started raining before breakfast but we went on a hike anyway. Went up to the volcano crater. Weather got worse as we climbed, leaning into the wind, the rain stinging like hail. The crater was in a steep valley with sulfur steam vents. The weather was the perfect compliment to the location.

When we got back down to the onsen we were dripping wet. They kindly let us warm up in the hot water baths again. The rain quit while we were relaxing but the road surface was still wet so I attached a makeshift fender to my bike by cutting a plastic water bottle in half and bolting it to my fender. Between that and my front light which is now held together with electrical tape, my bike is starting to look like some kind of improvised contraption instead of a stately touring bicycle.

After our descent the sun came out and we rode through beautiful rolling farmland to Biei. At the visitor center in Biei we met the most helpful lady. She spoke excellent English and helped us get our lodging reservations for the next couple nights. Checked in at the hostel. There was some confusion with our reservation and they did not have dinner for us, and the local restaurants were already closed. After talking with the cook they decided they could provide food for us, but they must have seen how much bicycle tourists eat because they warned us that they wouldn't be able to provide large portions. We gladly accepted.

With dinner arranged we went out for a ride along the back roads of Biei before it got dark. On the way back I stopped to take a picture of a house while the others continued riding. I jumped back on the bike and rode hard to catch up with them, but couldn't manage to get them back in sight. After a while it dawned on me that I should have seen the hostel already. I had taken a wrong turn. Rather than go back, I decided to keep riding as up ahead there was a cross road that I could take to circle back to the hostel. When I reached the hostel, I saw only two bikes outside. Yana's bike was missing so back out I went, looking for Yana as she looked for me. Eventually we met up and returned to the hostel.