This is a short one. Just too tired to write after 115Km. I tried using Google maps “walking” function which was much better than the “use car” one. There were 2 parts where it should have just left me on the main road, instead of saving 5 min (on bike) but overall great. It took me about 40km to leave the city scape and go to the country side again. And I loved being away from all the hustle and bustle and back in fresh air, fields, hills and then mountains.
I visited the Sandan Falls (thankfully just by the roadside) just after a stop in Mikasa, where I had my lunch - ice cream and a bottle of Pockary Sweat. As they had no rice balls, I thought I’d be ok with just bananas - and I was, all day on 4 bananas and breakfast. The ice cream lady was super nice and spoke good English. She told me about Mikasa and that it’s famous for fossils. I bought one for ¥200 / £1.40 (a snail shell), before heading off to Furano. She told me there will be no more food stations for the coming 60km. I’ve had 3 more small bananas and 1.5L of drink...should be ok.
Hitting the big mountains was good, much better than the smaller and more frequent ones on the coast. I loved being on the road and both, man and machine performing excellently. The rest in Sapporo was needed. I was on the bike for 8h and the average speed no longer moves a full point but just a decimal. I’m at 19.4km/h at the moment, up from 19.3 over last 7 days. That gives me a good indication how long it will take me to get places. I always want to be at the final destination by 4, latest 5 as it gets dark (and cold) by 6ish.
Ive seen more road kill today, a raccoon, which reminded me of Studio Ghibli’s “Pom Poko”, a lovely anime about magical raccoons who are fighting the destruction of their natural habitat with their ball sacks and all kinds of shenanigans. It’s a very critical film though about the advancement of people and the destruction of forests, right here in Japan (but also elsewhere). I’ve seen a few “watch out for bears” signs, and actually saw wild deer, like 6 of them just chilling out by the roadside.
Furano is famous for skiing and lavender. It’s too late in he season but I’ll visit a farm tomorrow, see what’s still available (am looking for honey especially). I couldn’t be bothered staying in a tent as the camp spot was another 6km away and it was already 4.45. booking.com sorted me with a really nice, cosy and affordable guest house, all the way up in Furano, right next to the ski lifts. After hitting the local area for food i went to the next biggest hotel to use their onsen, that felt good. My lower back is still sore, and probably will stay like that until I stop cycling. I got sunburn on my right hand side as it was super sunny all day and I had the sun blast me. My body is changing I noticed in the onsen. The belly is gone, my legs are stronger and my feet show more muscle mass. Neck, chest and shoulders seem to have added some extra muscle too. My weight is stabilising at 81Kg.
Tomorrow short (50km) cycle ride first to see the Blue Pond and then go back on myself and go to Biei. This should be too bad and give me enough time to find a good camping spot somewhere and an onsen. I am so happy to have made the decision to go and see central Hokkaido. I love being in the mountains as I’ve seen a lot of coast already, and there will be more...
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