Japan is a country small enough where you can ride your bike
coast to coast in one weekend.
Thanks to Phil the Rhino, I learned that the half-fast group was making the cross-country trip, and after some coercion from Phil, I decided to make the journey.
Coast to coast in 2 days.
10 riders.
220 kilometers.
130 miles.
Lots of fun.
First stop: family time!
Dinner with my cousin Mayumi in 仙台市 Sendai:
真由美 and her 2 darlings
恭之介ヤスノスケ/帆奈ハンナ, Yasunosuke and Hanna.
They were very genki. Notice the resemblances? -_-
....The next day we began the bike tour in beautiful Matsushima on the Pacific Ocean,
about 20 clicks north of Sendai.......
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...."oh Matsushima, oh Matsuhima", we exclaimed as we gazed at
the mystic islands and Pacific Ocean beyond.
And so, we headed west to the Sea of Japan from Matsushima.....
..............It was actually an easy first day, with lots of shrines, temples to
see, local cuisine to taste, etc....................
....And don't forget the ponds....
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...koi koi koi...
...c'mon koi!
親父.
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...we stayed at a nice ryokan near Naruko onsen the first night...equipped with karaoke of course....
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My voice has a certain effect on people...especially drunk ones.........
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Sumie and Peter, the dynamic duo.
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.......Naruko Onsen 鳴子温泉...a view to a kill....
And the weather behaved...that blue in the background is the sky.
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They are called kaki... -_-
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Not to be confused with
kakikukeko...親父
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no shortage of cameras on this trip...
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...crossing the border from Miyagi Prefecture...
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....宮城県
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山形県
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....to Yamagata Prefecture...
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What's this? A flat?
Domo Brian!
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...Team "coast to coast" always points west....
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...nothing like the smell of swans in rice fields...
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We had some awesome scenery....
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...the final swan park takes the cake...
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We arrived on the Sea of Japan at a small city called Sakata.酒田
...and stayed with a monk in this temple持地院..
And yes, we did imbibe in the local sake (nihonshu).
I don't recall it being that great, but the monk's version
of "yesterday" was one of the most memorable karaoke songs
I have ever heard...
This is the route we took (more or less)
Many thanks to Leo for leading and organizing the whole trek.
Hat's off.
Great to meet the half-fast riders again.
And the rhino?... well, he didn't make it this time...
