On Saturday, May 1 I did my first Century ride for the month (
on Strava with pictures). That brings my streak to 105 consecutive calendar months with at least one ride of 160.9 km or more.
Besides distance, another goal was to pick up a Veloviewer tile near the main road (Rt18) to Tsuru pass in Yamanashi prefecture.
I love the rural area near Tsuru pass.
Since Tokyo is under a State of Emergency to fight the pandemic while Yamanashi isn't, I passed through Yamanashi without stopping at any shops or restaurants there.
I started the ride late, getting up at 06:00 but not leaving home until 07:40. On the way to the Tamagawa river I was passed by Doug who told me he was on his way to Iriyama pass (between Wada and Akiruno). I had planned to get to Rt18 via Uenohara but thinking about his course reminded me of Musashiitsukaichi and Hinohara from where I could also cross into Yamanashi via Rt33 / Kobu tunnel. That would save me from having to ride Rt20 which isn't anybody's favourite road. So that's what I did.
At the Familymart after Musashiitsukaichi station I stopped for my second breakfast and stocked up for the ride through Yamanashi. I recently discovered some strawberry milk sold in small bottles at Familymart. Think strawberries and creamy milk put into a blender. Very decadent!
Hinohara was teeming with cyclists. I saw many purple flowers of wisteria (fuji) growing on trees in the forest (it clings to trees and can even strangle them). I climbed slowly to the Kobu tunnel. There were far fewer cyclists on the Uenohara side or on Rt18.
Riding towards Tsuru pass and Kosuge village is a bit like time travel. It's a world of old villages and farm houses, remote from the big city.
To collect the tile I had to stay on Rt18 over a local mountain before the pass and then detour to a village on the right. The last couple of times I had shortcut that local climb, staying closer to the river to cut down on climbing. At the village I came across a snake on the road.
After Tsuru pass I was close to the halfway point, but with almost all climbing done for the day. That's always a good feeling.
After Okutama (the end of the local railway line) it started to drizzle. The rain got stronger and I put on my rain gear which I had brought because the forecast had mentioned rain for the evening. At noon it had been around 23 deg C (73F) but in the rain it soon dropped to 13 deg C (55 F). I had not brought my shoe covers, so soon my socks were wet. But at least I was warm enough with the rain trousers and jacket as well as my windbreaker underneath.
The rain continued for about 2 1/2 hours, including my dinner break at Nepalese restaurant Sherpa in Ome.
8 3/4 years of Century a Month complete.