Day 43: Michikajima to Omishima via Onomichi

November 7, 2024

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Thankfully, the wind did die down a couple hours after dark. At 6am, it was chilly but otherwise, it was glorious. The goal today was to have a quick breakfast, break camp, and start riding by 7:30. We started at 7:50. Close enough.

We stupidly picked a rocky spot in which to set up our tent. Some of the stakes weren't too solidly planted, and this was a time when we really needed them to do their jobs. A big rock helped. In the end, our tent didn't fly away. That's nice!

The original plan for today was to ride up to the ferry dock to Onomichi (it's a very short ferry ride), turn around, and ride back to Tatari campground, where we're staying tonight. Instead, we hopped on the ferry and then rode the short distance to Onomichi U2, a bike shop/gift shop/bar/cafe/restaurant/hotel. I know, right?

We went up, we went down, we crossed some islands along the shore, others through the middle. We had a headwind much of the time. It's the kind that slows you down but doesn't make you miserable.

One of the things I was curious about was whether the island sections, i.e. the parts not on the bridges nor leading up or down from the bridges, were going to be paths, bike lanes, or sidewalks. They were a combination of bike lanes and sidewalks. That is, if you felt more comfortable separating yourself from auto traffic, the sidewalks were in good shape, albeit bumper than the road. There were times when the bike lane disappeared. Same with the sidewalk. Occasionally both would disappear. Today, at least, traffic was light. The ride was low-stress the entire way.

Without telling my riding partners, I decided that at 11:30, we should turn around so that we'd reach the campground in time to set up our tents leisurely. In addition to that, we had a hard deadline of 5pm to reach the michi no eki that is used to register campers. The deadline came and went, and I said nothing. We reached U2 by 12:30, and I was counting on a tailwind for the ride back, so I relaxed and enjoyed our leisurely lunch. Then all of a sudden it was 1:30, and I knew I had to herd the cats and high-tail it back to the ferry dock.

I still can't figure out this maze of paths. They seem to go every which direction.

My wife observed that every country we visit likes to place dinosaurs in strategic touristy places, and you know what? I think she's right.

The path on the last bridge hangs below the car deck

The ferry was operated with ruthless efficiency by the pilot, but the toll collector was all smiles

"Follow the rules, enjoy cycling" -- or something to that effect. This was on the ferry. A lot of cyclists use the ferry.

We had lunch at U2. It's western food, but that's OK. We mostly just wanted to stuff our faces to fuel the ride back. Salad and bread were unlimited. We ate a lot, but I think we could've eaten more if we'd set our minds to it.

For the ride back, I chose a different route through Ikuchi Island that takes us along the southern coast. The only problem is that the trail leading up to the bridge is on the north side of the bridge, adding some distance to the ride. Komoot "solved" this problem by routing us up a long 15% slope, followed by a very short 26% slope! We walked a good part of it. Was it worth it? Possibly. We certainly got some good views from it that we wouldn't have seen otherwise.

Everything went well with our plans. We paid for the camp site at the michi no eki, then rode to the campground. We got a picnic table! Yay! Actually, we have the whole campground to ourselves. Seeing as how it was dark and cold, and we wanted to charge our electronics, we made the very un-outdoorsy choice of eating our dinner at the nearby konbini. None of us regretted it one bit.

We have a short day tomorrow. We still have to get up early, since the ferry we need to catch has a weird, limited schedule. I might send us on a wild goose chase around a couple of the islands, or we might just get to our campground early and hang out there. We can play it by ear.

Today's ride: 90 km (56 miles)
Total: 2,468 km (1,533 miles)

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