October 22, 2024
Day 27: Tajimi to Ogaki
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Today was full of pleasant surprises. Not only did we have a good time, I also feel like a much better navigator/tour guide now than I was yesterday.
As part of the BBH chain of hotels (if you squint just right you can see a cardboard cutout of what I assume are its owners in the photo below), we ate a familiar breakfast. It still feels a little odd not eating pastries and instant coffee in the morning.
With a short day in front of us, we purposely dilly-dallied, getting out the door at 8:30. The air was already warming up. It was nice to dress lightly for the first time in a few days.
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We expected urban sprawl. What we got instead were some really nice roads. The first 20km were especially scenic. Even with some hills, we enjoyed every minute of it.
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We were cruising along happily, so I hesitated to bring up the idea of taking a break, but I knew it would be good for us. We had a snack at a konbini, and we joked about looking for a Daiso. One was right in front of us. It was so totally old-school, I didn't even notice it.
The scenery would start to feel a little city-like, but just as quickly, it would revert to town and even countryside.
The first attraction I had carefully planned for today was Inuyama Castle. We half-joked that if you've seen one Japanese castle, you've seen them all, but I figured we could at least check out the area. It had its own "old street" just like the other historic sites we've visited. You can tell when you're on an old street by looking for the dozens of big plastic ice cream cones dotted along the way. I'm a big dumb brainwashed American, so the big plastic ice cream cones and coffee cup logos and shop signs in English always capture my attention, but in the end I know it's simply a Pavlovian response.
In front of the castle stand not one, but two Shinto shrines. One is bright and flashy. The other is staid and stoic. She's a little bit country, he's a little bit rock 'n' roll.
Unlike Matsumoto, a ticket is required just to enter the grounds. In this case, the grounds aren't much to look at, but the castle itself is phenomenal. Correction: the view from the castle is phenomenal. The top floor has a widow's walk (I'm sure that's not what the Japanese would call it) that gives visitors a commanding view of the surrounding area.
Not only that, but the number of visitors was perfect. Too few, it feels like a ghost town. Too many, it's a distraction. All this loveliness on a Tuesday morning at a place I've never heard of.
Back on the road, the weather did a 180 on us very quickly. And to think I was just about to slather on some sunscreen! We followed a river road, which was noteworthy for its low traffic, long stretches without intersections, and proximity to parks.
A crisis developed as we allowed noon, and then 1pm to pass without finding a good place to grab lunch. It was almost 2pm before we found a konbini and then a place to enjoy our meal. In the end, we got our picnic table, which is a splendid thing.
The last 15km were more urban, with more traffic, more stop and go riding, more bridges, and even an underpass. It was the slog that I had expected the entire 60km to be .So when it actually came to pass, it wasn't so bad. We were just happy that we managed to avoid it for so long.
We chose a "former love hotel" as our crash pad for the evening. We've stayed in many a love hotel in Korea, as they're an incredible deal. Yes, you can book them by the day, not just by the hour. They're typically very clean and modern, comfortable and spacious, with big bathtubs, sometimes with spa jets. Just what a tired biker deserves.
Anyway, we were more cautious about trying the Japanese version, even though there are plenty of them to book online. This is our compromise, or our way of sticking our toes in the water. If this hotel is any indication, we've been missing out by steering clear of them. And check out this awesome bike parking!
A ramen shop around the corner served us a hearty dinner. We are all set for the evening!
Tomorrow is a different story. I've purposely not booked anything, because I'm still holding out hope for being able to camp on Lake Biwa. But the weather forecast continues to call for thunderstorms amounting to up to an inch of rain. Will Murphy's Law strike again? Tune in tomorrow and find out!
Today's ride: 61 km (38 miles)
Total: 1,719 km (1,067 miles)
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