Day 1 - Tokyo から Gotemba
Total Distance - 103.7kms
Total moving time - 6hr47min
Day 1 was pleasant and a bit tiring because of the extreme incline which you have to cross. We started at 3am from Tokyo and reached Gotemba at 12pm.
Our plan was to book a hotel when we reach our goal destination everyday, because advance booking is not a good idea since it's difficult to know when you will stop.
We stayed in Route Inn, which had all the facilities you would want when travelling with limited clothes and being able to wash it before sleeping. They also allowed us to keep our cycles in the room, which was good to sleep without any worry.
Day 2 - Gotemba から Shimada
Total Distance - 106 kms
Total moving time - 6hr10min
Day 2 ride started after a heavy breakfast, at around 8am. First 20% of the ride was downhill and a straight path. 80% was simply flat, so we really enjoyed the ride.
Again the day ended with finding RouteInn in Shindada and we had to go buy food in yukata which was given by the hotel, because our clothes were put to washing, since we only had one pair.
Day 3 - Shimada から Okazaki
Total Distance - 117.99 kms
Total moving time - 7hr13min
The 3rd day was the toughest both physically and mentally. We had already done two days of regular cycling and the body was tired and the mind was battling with the long distance ahead. But this day particularly was the most beautiful weather and the view. I couldn’t believe my eyes watching so much of nature's beauty.
The night before I was looking for Watermelon in the supermarket, butt I couldn’t find it anywhere. Watermelon is tasty and is one of the best fruits when you are dehydrated.
Little did I know that the universe will surprise me. On our way, around 30km before reaching Okazaki, we stopped by this remote mountain area, at a vending machine, to drink water and take a break. An old lady came from the house behind the vending machine,which was not even visible to us and started talking to us. After 10min of chat, she on her own asked us if we would like to eat suica. I couldn’t even believe that out of all the fruits in Japan, she would offer something which I was craving to eat. How wonderful the attraction of the universe is.
This time we found another hotel before reaching and it was not RouteInn but similar style.
Day 4 - Okazaki から Mie
Total Distance - 81.78 kms
Total moving time - 5hr41min
4th day was the toughest for me, because since I had this new bike and my grip was different on this one, compared to my old bike, I had developed a severe back muscle pain. But I didn’t want to give up, so I kept moving forward. Overall a very beautiful path, but painfully difficult. Somehow we managed to reach our destination. Komono town in Mie prefecture.
This time we couldn’t find RouteInn or any other hotel. The only option to stay the night was this very dingy highway Love Hotel. Me and my friend were shocked by this experience, but had no other option to stay at. We slept as soon as possible and left this place 3am in the morning. Never staying in a love hotel with a guy.
Day 5 - Mie から Kyoto
Total Distance - 97.17 kms
Total moving time - 6hr06min
The last day was the most eventful day. It started with 15km of hiking with our bike. After Komono town there is a big mountain and we had no clue that this mountain is really high, that you can’t even cycle. So for the first 4 hours we kept walking up the mountain, where there wa sno person or car visible.
But after we started downhill, I saw the most beautiful path and nature spot. Our in between breaks turned out to be really peaceful with a scenic view of nature.
Because of this trip, my feeling towards cycling has completely changed. And I feel like whenever I have long holidays, I will always be going for a long cycling journey and exploring nature.
