2024 - Our Rides in Words, Photos, Maps and Videos

[RabH]

Yet another beautiful day so I made the most of it with a lovely walk in the morning and a stunning ride in the afternoon, once again we had light winds (that is changing tomorrow) and although it was a frosty start to the day it was a nice 10C when I set off at midday! I decided to head NW and take on the Campsie Hills from the Lennoxtown end, the sun was shining brightly and this direction was perfect to keep the sun out of my eyes! I took the back roads down into Cumbernauld and stopped for this photo with the Campsies in the background bathed in sunshine!

I then headed out to Croy and down the descent towards Kilsyth where I turned SW towards Twechar alongside the canal all the way to Kirkintilloch, capturing this photo along the way!

At Kirkintilloch I headed NW for Milton of Campsie and on to Lennoxtown where I started the 4 mile climb up the Campsies, I was really looking forward to the descent down into the valley and grabbed some nice photos on the way down!

The mountains surrounding the Trossachs National Park were looking amazing on this stunning clear day!

The Campsies weren't being outdone!

Almost at the bottom of the descent now!

A cyclist just starting the climb in the opposite direction, right into the sun!

Once in the valley I was straight into a 2 mile climb up past the Carron Valley Reservoir!

Some of the road is pretty rough but some is super smooth like this!

This was part way up the climb looking back down the hill!

Almost at the top now!

I timed it nice for this shot passing the reservoir!

I just love riding this road!

The Carron Valley dam!

I then enjoyed some nice descents along the Carron Valley and had the awesome 4 mile descent down into Denny just ahead, the same road I enjoyed near the end of my 100 miler on Monday! It was just amazing once again and the road is in excellent condition all the way down! From Denny I turned south for Bonnybridge and crossed over the canal and I captured this cormorant on the hunt for fish, I watched it dive and surface for a few minutes!

At the other side of the canal the swans wanted in on the act!

On Monday I tackled the big climb up to Falkirk from Bonnybridge but today I decided to head for Castlecary and enjoy a much easier climb from Abronhill up towards Greengairs, another well maintained road!

I had a nice view of the Ochill Hills from this road also!

I was approaching the Fannyside lochs and was rewarded with this stunning shot of the almost setting sun!

At the end of the road I turned west for Greengairs where I had this stunning view of the Campsies!

From Greengairs I turned south for home, over the back roads and got home just after sunset with enough time to wash the bike before it got dark! What a fantastic day and possibly the last mild one for a while with wintry weather moving in from Sunday! With almost 4200ft of climbing I made the right decision not taking on the Falkirk climb today...

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I Could Have Ridden To The Beer Shop On My First Ride...

Following my several online purchases, I replaced the chain on my Vado 6.0. Then, I decided to take a ride to the pharmacy; as I am going on a Cross Country group ride on Saturday, I also wanted to test the neoprene shoe covers by Rogelli (that's a Dutch firm well established in Europe). The problem I had in the beginning was I could not figure out how you pulled the covers onto your shoes!

You take your shoes off first!

It was a usual ride to my borough town. After getting my medications, I also dropped in a convenience store for yet another St. Martin's Croissant.

The shoe covers worked perfectly! Despite cold weather, my feet were warm!

As soon as I got back home, I got a message from the local specialist beer shop: 'Sir, Hawkins Hops has arrived! Come along!' Sheesh... I could have ridden to that store just 20 minutes earlier! Trust me, I ate my croissant before the next ride!

A small, responsive store in Brwinów. They are really listening to your needs!

Birbant 'Hawkins Hops' is an Ultra IPA 8.6% abv. Technically speaking it is a Double West Coast IPA, which is hopped to the saturation during Boiling. The closest beer you may try in the United States is Stone Brewery 'Arrogant Bastard' only the American ale has a tad less alcohol (7.2%)

During my two rides on Vado 6.0, I noticed the new chain skipping on the smallest cassette sprockets...

So I replaced the Ritzel (it is the word in German, haha!) with new ones

23 km today.

 

[Readytoride]

@RabH - As always your photographs are sumptuous. This time, however, your photos of the Trossachs National Park rock strata ending up sending me down the internet's fascinating geological rabbit hole when I decided to find out on what page in earth's geological history book did the Campsies, and the local area, first make an appearance.

Amazing how much of a window into the past our planet gives us from time to time. And you not only see it daily as you sally past on your bike, but you are gracious to share those images with us as well.

I enjoyed about an hour happily wandering around the digital annals and collections of planetary prehistory learning all about the Campsies, thanks to you. I had a great time!

 

[RabH]

@RabH - As always your photographs are sumptuous. This time, however, your photos of the Trossachs National Park rock strata ending up sending me down the internet's fascinating geological rabbit hole when I decided to find out on what page in earth's geological history book did the Campsies, and the local area, first make an appearance.

Amazing how much of a window into the past our planet gives us from time to time. And you not only see it daily as you sally past on your bike, but you are gracious to share those images with us as well.

I enjoyed about an hour happily wandering around the digital annals and collections of planetary prehistory learning all about the Campsies, thanks to you. I had a great time!

Thank you Flora, you probably know more than me now...

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

@RabH - As always your photographs are sumptuous. This time, however, your photos of the Trossachs National Park rock strata ending up sending me down the internet's fascinating geological rabbit hole when I decided to find out on what page in earth's geological history book did the Campsies, and the local area, first make an appearance.

Amazing how much of a window into the past our planet gives us from time to time. And you not only see it daily as you sally past on your bike, but you are gracious to share those images with us as well.

I enjoyed about an hour happily wandering around the digital annals and collections of planetary prehistory learning all about the Campsies, thanks to you. I had a great time!

You're a rare bird. In my experience, most people have a nanosecond glaze-over time for anything geologic.

What did you learn?

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Or, when you in some mysterious way overtook all MTB group riders and got atop Meran Hill as the first one Riding a Vado SL!

 

[Prairie Dog]

A nagging chest cold that I received at the tail end of our journey has sidelined me for the past week and a half and I haven’t fully recovered yet. Not a good way to end an epic trip but I think that it’s a small price to pay. I can’t ever recall submitting a report this late in the game but here goes.

I resume our cycling adventure in Japan starting with the renowned Shimanami Kaido which would be the feature ride of our month-long stay. It’s an 80 km cycling road between the cities of Onomichi (Hiroshima Prefecture) and Imabari (Ehima Prefecture) involving the crossing of the Seto Inland Sea over seven state of the art bridges and six scenic islands. It’s notably the country’s most famous bikeway.

Oct 29 (Day One) - Runup to the Shimanami Kaido
We arrived in Onomichi the previous day via train along with our bikes broken down in mandatory Rinko bags. This is due to the fact that there is very little room on the regular trains to stow bikes behind seats. Bullet trains tend to offer slightly more space. The bags don’t offer much protection for the bikes but are more for cleanliness in case somebody was to come in contact with the chain or crankset and stain their clothing. The bags worked great but were not the most elegant method of carrying bikes from one train platform to the next and after many trips those narrow shoulder straps would become less helpful and more of a nemesis on our clavicles.

From the station we hopped onto a local bus and the driver was kind enough to unhinge and tilt up two bench seats providing us just enough room for our bikes. Much to our relief, the bus terminal where we were dropped off was only a five-minute walk to our hotel. What wasn’t expected was the bus driver’s weather prediction for the following day…rain and lots of it. We remained positive but could always break out the rain wear if things were to turn real nasty.

The hotel appeared to be a popular hangout for riders choosing either to rent bikes or bring their own like we did. The staff were very accommodating and even allowed us to assemble our bikes in the lobby no questions asked.

We went for a walk to the town center where there was a shopping arcade or ‘Shotengai’. This particular one had a neighborhood appeal about it and more of retro vibe compared to those in the larger cities. Plenty of tiny alleyways shooting off on either side where small family run businesses, trendy cafes, and boutiques all coexist happily alongside each other.

A former public bath house, is now a café and souvenir shop.

A vintage guitar shop aptly located in this artsy arcade with mid century ambience.

This Edo period building is currently home to the Onomichi Chamber of Commerce.

I found it hard to take my eyes away from this exquisite example of chalkboard art.

And since Onomichi is right near the start of the Shimanami Kaido, there was no shortage of bike rentals and sales.

We spotted the boarding area where a ferry would take us to the other side of the channel where we would start our ride.

It looked a bit dreary out having rained earlier on but we were confident that things would improve by morning.

A fleet of bikes most of which were reserved for upcoming rides. ‘Mamacharis’ would be one of the most popular and practical choices for those wishing to ride the Kaido with backpacks placed into the front baskets. I definitely couldn’t see myself on one of these for the entire trip as they were heavy and most sported only 6-7 speed gearing. It would be tough on the steep approaches leading up to the bridges.

ONOMICHI U2 is a seaside multiplex on the west side of JR Onomichi Station. It’s known especially for providing a full range of services for cyclists that are traveling along the Shimanami Kaido. The rooms provide hooks on the walls for hanging your bikes from and even offer a shared space if you need to do a quick tuneup. We felt that it was a bit posh for our liking and this was reflected in the room rates as well as the price tags on bike accessories and clothing inside the retail shops.

After our walk, we opted for a light dinner of tempura and sashimi.

 

[Prairie Dog]

(Day 2) The Ride – Shimanami Kaido (The Sea Road)

Despite the ominous forecast by one of the locals, we woke with the sun peeking through the clouds and felt assured that we would be in great shape. It looked to be a glorious day for a ride.

Waiting for the ferry, we were the only people with bikes crossing the short channel that morning. It cost us a measly 70 yen or about 60 cents per bike/rider which was an absolute bargain. Our goal for the next three days would eventually have us ride to Hiroshima City where we would stay our third night before leaving home by bullet train the following day. It was essential that we pack as minimal as possible bringing only essential clothing and gear with us as we would need to carry it along with our bikes on to the train. Sai was carrying two 5L mini panniers as well as a roomy 20L backpack. I found it hard to carry everything in a 22L roll top trunk back in addition to frame and top tube bags. I would have loved to take the drone along with me but there was absolutely not an inch of space to accommodate it.

I can’t recall how many other riders we passed but there were a lot. Many were riding practical but slow Mamacharis or some form of flat bar hybrid. Riding the route is a simple matter of following the blue line and arrows that point the way. Not that easy as we discovered along the way where we missed a couple of turns and had to back track.

The first bridge comes into view. At 770 meters in length, the two-tiered Innoshima Bridge connects Mukaishima island with Innoshima Island. The upper level is for cars and the lower for motorbikes, bikes and pedestrians.

Sai surges past more riders as we make our way up the approach to the first bridge.

You could hear vehicles speeding by above us and we couldn’t imagine a better way of crossing on foot or two wheels.

Our first stop shortly after was to pick up some snacks at a nearby confectionary shop.

Then again for a photo opp at Innoshima Park. Dino-mite!

Hassakun is the official mascot of Innoshima and represents the citrus fruit that the area is known for developing.

Bridge #2 - The Ikuchi Bridge links Innoshima with Ikuchi Island and spans 790 meters across. Quite a sight from afar.

At near level

And from above

Next stop. Dolce where hand made gelato is an irresistible treat for any cyclist who may pass by looking for a great way to cool down. Lemon and pistachio hit the spot for me on this warm afternoon.

We pushed on to Setoda Sunset Beach and checked out this 800-meter stretch of sandy real estate where there was absolutely no one around except for the guy prepping rental kayaks. It’s recognized as one of Japan’s finest swimming beaches but the water was likely too cold even on this warm fall day.

Nearby, more bikes at this rental terminal most or all were Giant branded.

On to bridge #3 - Tartara Bridge spanning 890 meters and the second longest span cable stayed bridge in the world. Impressive.

A great view looking south out towards Hakatajima Island which we will inevitably cross.

In the middle of the bridge is a line designating the division between the two prefectures.

Exiting the Tartara Bridge one can see the Cyclist’s Sanctuary below. We are now on Oshima Island. Some use this island as a stayover and finish the second half of the Kaido on the following day. The sanctuary is yet another rest stop for those wanting to have a snack, water or take in the excellent view of the bridge from below.

The stone monument was built to commemorate an international Shimanami cycling event 10 years ago and makes a prime spot for a photo opp.

Further up along the coastal seawall, a quick glance back and the Tartara bridge we crossed seems so far away.

Bridge #4 – Ohmishima Bridge. Spanning 328 meters in length linking Omishima and Hakatajima islands and is the only arch bridge on the route. Omishima is also the largest island along the Shimanami route.

 

[Prairie Dog]

Shimanami Kaido (Part II)

5km up the road is bridge #5 – The Hakata-Oshima Bridge spanning 325 over Michika Island and additional 840 meters to Oshima.

We leave this wonderful bridge and look at the massive structure from below.

Looking back at the Hakata-Oshima bridge as we push on.

A view of Taizaki Island with its lone shrine perched atop as we head towards the last two bridges along the route.

For me, the final two are the gems of the Shimanami Kaido. The Kurishima-Kaiko Bridges tower over Mushi/Komushi and Uma Islands and link the large island of Oshima and Ehime Prefecture. At 4km long it does take some time to cross but the views are awesome and stopping along the way is a must to admire the scenery from above.

We completed the route in 6 hours which included many breaks along the way. It wasn’t an overly difficult ride with only the steeper bridge approaches to deal with.

Another quick pitstop to rehydrate and then we were off to Imabari riding towards our lodging for the second night.

By the time we checked into the hotel, it was 2:30 pm much earlier than we expected to complete the ride let alone find our room ready to occupy. The front staff permitted us to store our bikes outside of our room.

As a follow up, the next day we would ride the Tobishima Kaido which would involve another crossing of the Seto Sea.

 

[DaveMatthews]

Fantastic tour and write up @Prairie Dog !
Welcome back!

 

[Twin Valley]

Shimanami Kaido (Part II)

5km up the road is bridge #5 – The Hakata-Oshima Bridge spanning 325 over Michika Island and additional 840 meters to Oshima.

View attachment 186097

We leave this wonderful bridge and look at the massive structure from below.

View attachment 186098

Looking back at the Hakata-Oshima bridge as we push on.

View attachment 186099

A view of Taizaki Island with its lone shrine perched atop as we head towards the last two bridges along the route.

View attachment 186100

For me, the final two are the gems of the Shimanami Kaido. The Kurishima-Kaiko Bridges tower over Mushi/Komushi and Uma Islands and link the large island of Oshima and Ehime Prefecture. At 4km long it does take some time to cross but the views are awesome and stopping along the way is a must to admire the scenery from above.

View attachment 186101View attachment 186102View attachment 186103View attachment 186104View attachment 186105View attachment 186106

We completed the route in 6 hours which included many breaks along the way. It wasn’t an overly difficult ride with only the steeper bridge approaches to deal with.

View attachment 186107

Another quick pitstop to rehydrate and then we were off to Imabari riding towards our lodging for the second night.

View attachment 186108
View attachment 186110
By the time we checked into the hotel, it was 2:30 pm much earlier than we expected to complete the ride let alone find our room ready to occupy. The front staff permitted us to store our bikes outside of our room.

View attachment 186109
View attachment 186112
View attachment 186111
View attachment 186113

As a follow up, the next day we would ride the Tobishima Kaido which would involve another crossing of the Seto Sea.

Great pictures and commentary Art, felt like I was there - Sai surging past more riders made me think all those central Alberta training rides put both of you in good stead on your epic rides in Japan - and those "bridge" pictures will be giving Stefan's bridge reports a run for his money . . .

 

[Prairie Dog]

Fantastic tour and write up @Prairie Dog !
Welcome back!

Thanks Dave. Not sure how if I can top that ride. The kindness, warmth and patience of family and friends there have left a permanent impression and I look forward to our next visit.

Great pictures and commentary Art, felt like I was there - Sai surging past more riders made me think all those central Alberta training rides put both of you in good stead on your epic rides in Japan - and those "bridge" pictures will be giving Stefan's bridge reports a run for his money . .

Much appreciated Bill. The training rides over the summer really paid dividends but there’s so much more climbing than I could ever ask for in and around Sai’s hometown. Not sure if the bridges along the Shimanami Kaido could rival many others but as a dedicated cycling route over a sea it might be tough to beat.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Why Fat Bikes Do Suck , or The Asylum & Mt. Meran XC Group Ride

The next expedition from the 'Fat Trails' started at 10:06 on Saturday in drizzle. 17 people total went on the group ride on that surprisingly warm (8 C or 46 F) day (any raining stopped soon!) Very early into the ride, we had the first (unexpected) stop.

We had two fat bikes on the ride, one ridden by Fat Man (the organizer and group leader). Turns out, he got flats in both his fat tyres!

Meanwhile, the last rider could catch up with the group. He rode Santa Cruz Heckler, the Shimano powered e-MTB endorsed by one Danny MacAskill

Fat Man was experimenting with lightweight TPU inner tubes. Then he had to patch them. Once the polyurethane tubes turned out to be totally unreliable, he switched to regular butyl tubes, which turned out to be as unreliable as the TPUs and so on

Another wretch with a flat tyre on a gravel section of a trail called "Upper Amazon" along the Vistula, the right bank. (Fortunately, the leader didn't take us to the scary "Lower Amazon"!)

On a technical singletrack along the Świder. I hate hate hate these singletracks! Obviously, I was left alone a way after the group! (As soon as the singletrack ended, I met the group with Fat Man repairing his wheels again!)

So we arrived to the ride mid-point, an abandoned 'Zofiówka' mental hospital in Otwock.

Zofiówka Sanitorium was an asylum for Jews established in early 1910s. You can read about the sad history of this place here. We think the place is haunted.

Urban exploration.

After the 5th flat on the fat-bike, I lost the count Some active riders said they would lead part of the group so we could reach the finish line before the sunset!

With no group leader, I sprinted ahead! If I encountered any bushes, I avoided them! Taking a single detour on asphalt was enough to get into the lead Using SL Turbo assistance and a low gear, I reached the top of Meran Hill well before the other riders and was able to photograph their climb!

A geographical and historical note:

As you already know, Warsaw is almost devoid of hills. However, we have a big number of long sand dunes. Wherever such a dune exists, the local community calls it a "mountain" There in Otwock, the community named a long multi-arm dune 'The Alpine Trail' with the highest hill (126 m a.s.l.) Mt Meran to honour the Alpine city of Merano in Italy

Group 1 atop Mt. Meran.

What happened next was quite funny. Of course, Group 1 disappeared at a distance while I patiently rode a technical singletrack on tree-roots and packed sand at my own speed. Past the location of Mlądz (what a name, haha), I missed the turn onto yet another Świder singletrack and made a short detour on asphalt. I was pursuing the Group 1! Yet, there was no trace of them! (Read on...)

Alone atop Aviators' Hill, the next long sand dune...

That was indeed an MTB technical singletrack! I was pedalling hard! Sometimes, my front wheel tended to slip on some wet tree roots but I was always able to regain the authority over my e-bike!

Tired, I stopped for a short rest after walking up the next trail section. And now... the whole group emerged from behind me! Just fancy the surprise of the riders! How come Stefan on his Vado SL got such a huge lead?! And was arrogantly waiting with a cigarette in his mouth!

The rest of the ride was uneventful. Only when we were climbing up the Southern Bridge of Warsaw, I sprinted forward in Turbo to shoot the video of the remaining group (13 people plus I) riding home.

New sand isles forming on the Vistula as the river is low. North view from the Southern Bridge.

It was the sunset. I vigorously pedalled the next 7 kilometres for delicious pizza at META (Finish Line) cycling restaurant. I was starving! (The META motto is: 'Dismount your bike. You are on the finish line!')

Ride map and metrics.

What -- in my opinion -- are fat bikes good for?

• Riding deep sand
• Riding through a morass
• Riding in deep snow
• Riding a frozen lake (studded tyres)

Apart, a fat bike has no single advantage compared to a full-suspension MTB, or even a slightly suspended gravel bike. The big tyres ensure less ride comfort than the suspension! A fat bike is hard to control, it is just the opposite of 'nimble' And yes, a traditional fat bike is slow. (One needs to understand the fat tyre is for traction not comfort).

And... well, try installing a fat tyre tubeless on a lightweight wide rim

Guys, I could ride the route on a flat handlebar gravel bike with Redshift. Where is the advantage of a fat-bike, anyone?

Just added. The only proof yours truly was on Mt. Meran!

 

[dodgeman]

Nice trip Prairie Dog, great pictures. Do you ever say “Toto I’ve got the felling we’re not in Canada anymore“. Hope you feel better soon.

 

[RabH]

Spectacular trip PD @Prairie Dog Your photos are just incredible feel better soon!

 

[Prairie Dog]

Nice trip Prairie Dog, great pictures. Do you ever say “Toto I’ve got the felling we’re not in Canada anymore“. Hope you feel better soon.

Spectacular trip PD @Prairie Dog Your photos are just incredible feel better soon!

Thanks for the get-well thoughts, boys. Still coughing but feeling much better.

@dodgeman – Absolutely love the land, the people, and the food every time I return. Then again, Red Deer is probably a lot like Kansas and we all know that there’s no place like home.

@RabH - It's still tough to beat the ones that you regularly post of in your own back yard.

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

I keep saying how dynamic the beaches are in north San Diego County — never the same from one visit to the next. Not just talking about the weather or even the surf here, but the sand and rock as well.

To illustrate what this really means, let me show you 3 different recent days at South Ponto Beach, a frequent ride stop about 3 miles from home.

Two weeks ago, I posted an unexpected low-tide ride on damp sand at South Ponto Beach. Note the broad expanse of uninterrupted sand between the base of the high cobble berm (upper left in upper photo) and the water. That's a lot of sand for late fall, when a good bit of it's usually already in winter storage in nearshore bars.

The high cobble berm's been a permanent feature at South Ponto since the early 2000s, but its height and the steepness of its seaward face are subject to daily change during winter storms.

Now fast-forward to today's ride at low tide. My bluff-top vantage is higher now, but the high cobble berm's still visible in the upper photo. However, much of the sand seaward of the berm in the earlier photos has now moved offshore, exposing patches of the underlying cobble that had been there all along.

Seaward sand migrations like this usually occur during major winter storms, but those have yet to start up again. Some also occur at other times of year for no reason I can see. The return migrations are usually much more gradual.

This latest seaward migration surrounded yesterday morning's king tide (+7.0 ft) — which happened to coincide with higher than normal surf. Locals come out to see king tides, and we were there at South Ponto, too. Waves overtopped the high gravel berm several times while we took in the drama. Left with wet pant legs.

Note that we've had the same fair weather the whole 2 weeks.

 

[BlackHand]

Fat Man was experimenting with lightweight TPU inner tubes. Then he had to patch them. Once the polyurethane tubes turned out to be totally unreliable, he switched to regular butyl tubes, which turned out to be as unreliable as the TPUs and so on

Ha, I have a 4 pack of those RideNow pink tubes waiting to swap into my Falcon. They apparently have had about 4 revisions in the last year or 2 but are supposed to be fairly reliable now. The advice is to buy 4-6 because you'll probably have at least 1 or 2 bad ones in any batch. Mostly issues around the valve stem. The newest ones have a pink metal threaded valve stem. Mine are the 'medium duty' 700c ones that weigh 36g instead of the 'race' versions that are only 19g

As you already know, Warsaw is almost devoid of hills. However, we have a big number of long sand dunes. Wherever such a dune exists, the local community calls it a "mountain" There in Otwock, the community named a long multi-arm dune 'The Alpine Trail' with the highest hill (126 m a.s.l.) Mt Meran to honour the Alpine city of Merano in Italy

So the biggest hill around is roughly a 25m climb? It's actually boggles my mind how different your riding environment is from anywhere I've lived.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Ha, I have a 4 pack of those RideNow pink tubes waiting to swap into my Falcon. They apparently have had about 4 revisions in the last year or 2 but are supposed to be fairly reliable now. The advice is to buy 4-6 because you'll probably have at least 1 or 2 bad ones in any batch. Mostly issues around the valve stem. The newest ones have a pink metal threaded valve stem. Mine are the 'medium duty' 700c ones that weigh 36g instead of the 'race' versions that are only 19g

I've passed this information to Fat Man, may it help! Thank you!

His answer: 'I think these tubes are very good. The issue are my tyres, which are lightweight, so very thin. They are terribly worn with many punctures, especially since my rides in Hungary. It were thorns that attacked my tyres on the latest ride!'

So the biggest hill around is roughly a 25m climb? It's actually boggles my mind how different your riding environment is from anywhere I've lived.

Absolutely true! The steepest hill around Warsaw is 11% grade, and the hill of the biggest elevation gain is just 60 m in the whole province of Mazovia! If one wants to climb, there are high mountains in the south of the country (Tatra, Beskidy, Bieszczady: all are the Carpathians; and the Sudety). For that reason, I and brother had some vacations in our (Polish, Slovak, Czech) mountains. Ukraine has high mountains too but I had no chance to ride there before the war.

Unfortunately, Strava only shows the biggest elevation gain for traditional bike rides but not for e-bike ones. I think my biggest single climb was 500 m (climbing one of the highest mountain passes of Poland from Trutnov in Czech Republic to Horni Mala Upa on the border, Sudety Mountains).

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

Shimanami Kaido (Part II)

5km up the road is bridge #5 – The Hakata-Oshima Bridge spanning 325 over Michika Island and additional 840 meters to Oshima.

View attachment 186097

We leave this wonderful bridge and look at the massive structure from below.

View attachment 186098

Looking back at the Hakata-Oshima bridge as we push on.

View attachment 186099

A view of Taizaki Island with its lone shrine perched atop as we head towards the last two bridges along the route.

View attachment 186100

For me, the final two are the gems of the Shimanami Kaido. The Kurishima-Kaiko Bridges tower over Mushi/Komushi and Uma Islands and link the large island of Oshima and Ehime Prefecture. At 4km long it does take some time to cross but the views are awesome and stopping along the way is a must to admire the scenery from above.

View attachment 186101View attachment 186102View attachment 186103View attachment 186104View attachment 186105View attachment 186106

We completed the route in 6 hours which included many breaks along the way. It wasn’t an overly difficult ride with only the steeper bridge approaches to deal with.

View attachment 186107

Another quick pitstop to rehydrate and then we were off to Imabari riding towards our lodging for the second night.

View attachment 186108
View attachment 186110
By the time we checked into the hotel, it was 2:30 pm much earlier than we expected to complete the ride let alone find our room ready to occupy. The front staff permitted us to store our bikes outside of our room.

View attachment 186109
View attachment 186112
View attachment 186111
View attachment 186113

As a follow up, the next day we would ride the Tobishima Kaido which would involve another crossing of the Seto Sea.

Boy, the Japanese really know how to make good-looking bridges! Gorgeous photos of a stunning place. I soooooo want to go there.