My trivial thinking

On a sunny day during the rainy season, when the humidity was slightly lower, cycling with my wife Distance 144.1km, Riding time 8:33:40. Elevation gain 2133m     

cycling from Lake Suwa to Tateshina with my wife      

This was my best ride of 2018. I cycled from Lake Suwa up to Utsukushigahara, passing through Wada Pass and the Venus Line in Nagano Prefecture. In the end, I continued on to Tateshina in the rain, riding through Kirigamine and around Lake Shirakaba. It was an unforgettable ride.   

This forest road runs alongside the Omine Okugake-michi, an ancient pilgrimage route on the Kii Peninsula, and I met several hikers there that day. Distance 188km, Riding time 10:12:17. Elevation gain 2,875m   The gate of Yoshino Jingu Kuro-mon of Kinpusenji Temple Kinpusenji Temple Syugyou-mon Crosses with the Omine Okugake-michi Trail the Gobanzeki Tunnel Dorogawa  

Happy New Year, 2018! 「福如雲」 written by Kazuyo, my wife. Happiness comes and goes, but it’s hard to hold on to.  It’s like a cloud drifting across the sky.     

I sometimes go cycling with my wife. She’s still a beginner and only 152 centimeters tall, but she has incredible fighting spirit. Long, steep climbs are still difficult for her, yet she started on flat courses and has gradually conquered tougher hills. This time, the route had many climbs and was quite challenging for a beginner, but she pushed through and completed the long course. Each time, I take her on a slightly harder route, and she always rises to the challenge. Cycling together as a couple in our 60s is truly wonderful. We’re already planning our next tour, and I hope we can keep enjoying these rides even after we turn 70. Distance: 48.08 km Average speed: 17.8 km/h Max speed: 49.1 km/h Pedal time: 2:42:08 Duration: 3:38:50    at Sobura at Sobura wonderful downhill Tawawa farm the last long uphill

Mount Koya, or Koya‑san (高野山, 800 m), is the center of Shingon Buddhism and one of the most important sacred sites in Japanese Buddhism. Kukai (774–835), widely known as Kobo‑Daishi , founded the Shingon sect. Last Sunday, I cycled alone from Osaka to Mount Koya. Route 371 was a demanding climb — narrow, steep, and running deep through a valley — and I had to cross the Routou Pass (狼頭峠). Koya‑san had a solemn, sacred atmosphere, and there were many foreign visitors. I ate a small bento from a convenience store early in the afternoon, then enjoyed the long downhill on Route 480 toward the Kinokawa River. The final challenge on the way back to Osaka was the Nabetani Pass (鍋谷峠). The whole tour turned out to be much harder than I expected. Distance: 119.58 km Average speed: 16.0 km/h Max speed: 58.9 km/h Pedal time: 7:26:27 Duration: 9:32:45 Elevation gain: 2,951 m   Daimon-Gate Route map Routou Pass A small tunnel suddenly appears. Koya-san Okunoi...