Full disclosure, we are not fans of Toyoka Inns in Japan. The good…this hotel is priced reasonably, the rooms are fine and a modest breakfast is included. The bad…They have a weird policy about bikes. We have stayed at a few of their hotels on previous trips and always encountered challenges finding a place for our trikes. However this time it hit a new low. The no’s were consistent…not inside the lobby, not in front of the hotel, not beside the hotel, etc….We were finally told, that despite being paying customers we are not allowed to park a bicycle anywhere on the property, inside or outside. We tried to park with the cars and that resulted in a fast “no” again. That’s a head scratcher. We were told it must be outside…but away from the hotel. We resisted as the hotel is adjacent to the busy train station. Ultimately we found a spot under a staircase of a public parking area. We were pretty frustrated as the hotel refused to help with a constructive solution. Bizarre.
This will be the final Toyoka Inn for the Bartlett’s. Not worth the agro or the disrespect.
We are on our way to Omuta and and it is a beautiful day. We stumbled upon this bicycle path that was incredible. It took us through the city and then all the way to the Chikugo River.
The Chikugo Lift Bridge is a vertical lift railway bridge. It was completed in 1935. We were amazed at the distance we could ride on this bridge - a length of 1664 feet. It was a part of the Chikugo Railway Line. When the train line stopped operating in 1987, the bridge was closed to traffic. In 1996, it was reopened for pedestrians and cyclists in response to requests from the public. This bridge is the oldest lift bridge remaining in Japan.
This lift bridge is one of the few vertical lift bridges in the world. The two 90 foot grids can be elevated up to an additional 60 feet to let passenger ships past through. The amazing thing is that the pedestrians can remain on the elevated grid when raised.
Despite the railroad no longer being associated with the bridge, it still functions as a lift bridge and we are fortunate at the foresight of keeping it open for pedestrians and cyclists.
This dog is so laid back. As we rode by, he didn’t budge or bark. He remained relaxed and watched us go by as if he had seen it all before. In equal parts, he didn’t seem to be impressed, or curious.
These birds flock to the fields when they are being tilled….a crowd of egrets were arriving to have a feast. Normally egrets would not stick around with people like us watching or noisy farm equipment nearby.They stand their ground and wait for their chance.
We presumed that the fruit on this tree was grapefruit. They are so large, very heavy and feel luscious. But we have since learned that they are called Banpeiyu. It is said to be the largest citrus fruit in the world. They can weigh up to 4 lbs.
Bill ShaneyfeltThey are ancestral to most citrus fruits. They taste similar to grapefruit, only much milder and the pulp is not as juicy. My brother in Hawaii has a tree and it bears more than one family can possibly hope to consume.
We have arrived at our hotel after a full day of riding. It has been very cold lately with winds, so we are wearing lots of layers. The sun is just setting.
We were told that we could have a welcome drink. We were surprised at the spread laid out for guests. It is complimentary and no limits on what you have.. Coffee, tea or your alcoholic beverage of choice…wine, scotch, gin, etc. As well, there was a soft serve ice cream machine, many snacks. Impressive. Who needs dinner?
