November 5, 2024
Day 41: Marugame to Niihama
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For one of us, it's Day 1 of 5. For the rest of us, it feels like a reset. We're well-rested, we have clean clothes, we have clean-ish bikes, and most importantly, we have a new riding partner!
In all other regards, it was a pretty typical day of touring. The morning air was damp and chilly. The tent was still dry. The fly and footprint, not so much. We had neighbors who milled about a lot, but were very quiet. It felt like they were in sync with us. I like that.
We left the campground a little before 8am, well before the sun would hit our site and give the drying process the boost it sorely needed. We'd just have to deal with it later.
It took us a while to get back on the main route. We followed a 4-lane highway for most of the morning. Luckily, there was good sidewalk and good shoulders, so it was pleasant. I also was sure that this was temporary, that once we reached the coast again, it would be more scenic and laid back.
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I wanted to celebrate our arrival at the shore with a short detour to a park. It turned out to be the highlight of the ride. Beautiful, clean, relaxing. The perfect spot to take a break.
I also had an ulterior motive, which was to check out the free campground at this park. It was nice, but it wasn't free. It was, however, quite reasonably priced.
Hunger was knocking at the door, but seeing as how we wanted to eat out for lunch, we waited until most places would be open. Even then, it was slim pickings. I found an udon joint that looked very promising. When we arrived, the door was open. Thank goodness. It looks very cute, and it has plenty of wall space for parking our bikes.
The restaurant was empty, and it was almost noon. This is never a good sign. However, it looked like a good place, the hostess gave us a warm welcome, and the menu looked great. We were just ever so slightly early. By the time we left, the tables and waiting area were all full. Understandably so, because it was cheap and delicious.
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The afternoon ride was very forgettable. Steady traffic, lots of trucks, heavy industry here and there. We passed a paper mill that somehow occupied both sides of the highway. It reminded me of the coast in Hokkaido before we got to the wilder parts.
Hopefully we're now headed towards the "wilder parts" of Shikoku. One thing is for sure: once we're on the Shimanami Kaido, there'll be no trucks trying to squeeze past us!
Even now, we're whistling a happy tune, because the free campsite we chose as our destination is beautiful. There is even another bike tourist here, and get this: he's from Seattle, too! His name is Harper. He wandered in after dark, so we didn't chit-chat too much. He needs to concentrate on getting his tent set up. If he's up at the crack of dawn like we are, maybe we can have coffee with him. If not, it's at least another chance encounter that makes our travels a little more enjoyable.
Today's ride: 72 km (45 miles)
Total: 2,304 km (1,431 miles)
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