01 May 2015

Golden Week Ride Number 1 ... on the Renovo Firewood

I took my first Golden Week ride today, Friday May 1.  Well, I did take a short spin on Wednesday, the first holiday of GW, and did ride 98 km yesterday going into town and out to Keio SFC, so I guess that also might be a GW ride, technically, even if in spirit it was a commute.  Or one could argue that GW does not really start this year until tomorrow, Saturday May 2, since next Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday are public holidays -- the "main" part of GW this year.

In any event, hard to worry about such definitional issues.  In spirit this was definitely a GW ride. Beautiful weather, new green growth on all the hillsides, hot sun, but cool breeze and nice in the shade.  Just heavenly.
The Tamagawa just South of Fussa
I stopped briefly in Fussa to look at the Ishikawa / Tama Jiman sake brewery and beer hut. There were pre-school kids getting a tour of the grounds.  Beautiful place ... but isn't this a bit like giving kids a tour of a cigarette factory in Kentucky?
Kids, this is where they make the really good stuff.




In Itsukaichi I stopped at the little onigiri and bento shop that Tom S. showed me awhile back.  The old man gladly filled my water bottle and posed for a photo.  Then he gave me a free can of tea --"service" as they say.  Now I will need to go back when I pass through.
No name onigiri shop.  Either 2 or 3 signals up the hill from Musashi Itsukaichi Station, on the right side.

Master of the shop.  Never seen him open his eyes further than this.

This morning's colorful foods.
I rode the Renovo Firewood.  It got lots of oohs and aahs from the group of cyclists who were resting at the Togura 7/11.  And it rode beautifully.  I felt really strong on the way back in ... I think because it is so good at absorbing shocks, yet plenty stiff when I accelerate -- even when out of the saddle.  The Di2 shifting is incredibly smooth, and the Shimano disk brakes are, well, even better than the Avid BB7 I have on the front of the Yamabushi, and great for the descent from Tokisaka Pass.

Also, I climbed well on the Renovo.  I might have set a personal record on Tokisaka Pass ... except I stopped several times for photos.  Hard not to stop on a day like this. The photos say it all:
The Akigawa

Approaching Motojuku
On the climb to Tokisaka Pass

Looking up the hill. Thatched house.
This short video gives an idea of the breeze on the hillside ... lost in a photo.

At the tea house.  Wood bicycle next to wooden bench.

Must be fed by spring water.

From just below the 7-11.
Simple out and back route

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