Musicisgood's Shikoku cycling journey

[musicisgood]

Here are some pictures.
Not loading up.

This place was busy really an old fashioned ramen shop.

 

[Hiroyuki Nagashima]

It is the word of mouth site of the campground which I use.
There is the information of some free campgrounds.
ハチの巣(HATINOS)

キャンプ場口コミサイト

はちのすが提供する「全国の無料キャンプ場」、または「有料ながら格安なキャンプ場！」の一覧です。コメントや新規情報も随時募集していますので、いち早く必要な情報が得られます。

www.hatinosu.net

全国無料キャンプ場マップ(National free campground map)
This can show according to areas

全国キャンプ場地図 | Mapmates

全国のキャンプ場地図のGoogleマップ。PC版。北海道、東北、関東、中部、近畿、四国、中国、九州、全地域網羅！

mapmates.net

I use it by the searches such as "a convenience store" or the "Roadside Station" "coin laundry" which are necessary for touring.

ロケスマWEB

ロケスマWEB チェーン店検索：商圏分析のための店舗データを提供

無料のチェーン店検索サービス「ロケスマWEB」のページです。飲食店やショッピング、各種サービスのチェーン店の位置を地図上に表示。PC／スマホ／タブレットですぐに利用できます。より快適に動作するアプリ版もあります。商圏分析・GISのための店舗データ販売中。

www.locationsmart.org

 

[musicisgood]

Here are some pictures.
Not loading up

It is the word of mouth site of the campground which I use.
There is the information of some free campgrounds.
ハチの巣(HATINOS)

キャンプ場口コミサイト

はちのすが提供する「全国の無料キャンプ場」、または「有料ながら格安なキャンプ場！」の一覧です。コメントや新規情報も随時募集していますので、いち早く必要な情報が得られます。

www.hatinosu.net

全国無料キャンプ場マップ(National free campground map)
This can show according to areas

全国キャンプ場地図 | Mapmates

全国のキャンプ場地図のGoogleマップ。PC版。北海道、東北、関東、中部、近畿、四国、中国、九州、全地域網羅！

mapmates.net

I use it by the searches such as "a convenience store" or the "Roadside Station" "coin laundry" which are necessary for touring.

ロケスマWEB

ロケスマWEB チェーン店検索：商圏分析のための店舗データを提供

無料のチェーン店検索サービス「ロケスマWEB」のページです。飲食店やショッピング、各種サービスのチェーン店の位置を地図上に表示。PC／スマホ／タブレットですぐに利用できます。より快適に動作するアプリ版もあります。商圏分析・GISのための店舗データ販売中。

www.locationsmart.org

I really appreciate your link that you gave me . I'm going to follow up on those links as this morning July 2nd Sunday. I'll be taking off pretty quick I'm going to have breakfast first . I'll try to take a picture of it because its a buffet breakfast and it is really top-notch.
Here's a picture taken from the window of the hotel room. clear skies no clouds. I got a feeling it's going to be a pretty hot day today.
The business type in travel type hotel I'm staying at is crown hills in lmabari. I think it's reasonably priced. Location wise it's right in front of the main lmabari train station.
Everything you need is really very convenient within 5 to 10 minute walk.

 

[nice gaijin]

July 2nd Sunday l leave lmabari and head south on the east side coast. It's going to rain a few days also. But that's my plan. I'm having trouble with Google maps trying to find free campsites along the east coast side if you know of any campsites that are free can you post them on here I've got Yahoo maps that I just downloaded but obviously it's in Japanese but I heard it seemed better than Google maps for Japan.

Are you following the coastline or looking to cut across to Tokushima and then go down the East coast from there?

As you may know, Shikoku is famous for the 88 temple pilgrimage, and the topic of camping is big in the foreign ohenro community. Here's what one guidebook author has to say: Where to stay on the Shikoku Pilgrimage Trail?

The wild camping discussion

Published by Oliver Dunskus in the Facebook group "Shikoku 88 Ohenro Pilgrimage", which he administrates:
Dear fellow Henros, the question about wild camping is strongly discussed in our group. Some people think it is ok, some people disagree. I have now asked someone whose opinion may be considered as a reference: Naoyuki Matsushita is the editor of the "Shikoku 88 Route Guide" a major authority on the Henro subject. This is what Naoyuki writes about wild camping in Shikoku, i think it leaves no open questions as he is crystal-clear:
"In Shikoku we appreciate the growing interest of foreign pilgrims in Shikoku pilgrimage. But this is bringing a new problem: if you want to camp outside the official campsites, you must obtain the approval of the land managers.
According to a survey, wild camping pilgrimage is estimated to be 5% among Japanese pilgrims, but 30% foreign pilgrimage. This disturbs the daily life of local people and creates anxiety and an insecure feeling. Some complaints have been reported to me, for example bad manners, sleeping at outside the lodging, campfire beside tent etc. In the past, with less pilgrims, this used to be a minor problem but with the recent increase it is no longer tolerable. We are concerned that this situation may lead to conflicts between locals and pilgrims. This may affect the hearts of kind people on the Shikoku pilgrimage. I am worried about it. I am in a dilemma. I want foreigners to come to Shikoku for a pilgrimage. I want to spread the spirit of Henro to the world. I want to deepen mutual understanding between foreigners and Japanese. But, I do not want wild camping to increase. I have the following requests
• Please do not camp outside the official camping areas
• Please do not camp or sleep in the rest huts
• If you stay in a Zenkonyado or a Tsuyado where sleeping is permitted, please donate 1000 Yen or 2000 Yen If you have used the futon into the offer box
• Please do not camp/sleep in the rest huts mentioned in my Route Guide"
Naoyuki Matsushita
Official campsites located near the pilgrimage route are listed in the "Shikoku Japan 88 Route Guide".
Wild camping is prohibited by law.

if your ride keeps you in the cities, there isn't much of any place to crash without being seen as some kind of meiwaku. Your best options are probably to post up at a michi no eki and try to stay out of the way, setting up after dark and breaking camp early.

 

[musicisgood]

Are you following the coastline or looking to cut across to Tokushima and then go down the East coast from there?

As you may know, Shikoku is famous for the 88 temple pilgrimage, and the topic of camping is big in the foreign ohenro community. Here's what one guidebook author has to say: Where to stay on the Shikoku Pilgrimage Trail?


if your ride keeps you in the cities, there isn't much of any place to crash without being seen as some kind of meiwaku. Your best options are probably to post up at a michi no eki and try to stay out of the way, setting up after dark and breaking camp early.

Yes, l will be doing the coast. Heading south east to Marine Park Niihama camping ground. I think it's a 60 km bike ride. From there on try to do some sightseeing in the 88 pilgrimage I'm going to try to see which ones I want to visit that's accessible with the bicycle.
This is my morning breakfast. I never had Chicago Curry that was kind of watery but spicy and delicious actually.

 

[Hiroyuki Nagashima]

Yes, l will be doing the coast. Heading south east to Marine Park Niihama camping ground. I think it's a 60 km bike ride. From there on try to do some sightseeing in the 88 pilgrimage I'm going to try to see which ones I want to visit that's accessible with the bicycle.
This is my morning breakfast. I never had Chicago Curry that was kind of watery but spicy and delicious actually.
View attachment 104114View attachment 104115

The Kuroshima Seaside Park campground of the opposite bank of the Marine Park Niihama campground seems to be free.

黒島海浜公園【愛媛県】への口コミ情報

黒島海浜公園｜愛媛県のキャンプ場

www.hatinosu.net

 

[musicisgood]

Ok l am in soijyo now

 

[musicisgood]

Thanks. I made there around 3:30 pm.
It appears to be free so far. It helps to stay at a free campsite after spending two nights in a hotel.
I'll not post some pictures on another post of the getting here this day.
Again thank you.
it is going to rain tomorrow all day 100% next day it says it's going to be clear.

 

[musicisgood]

On my way to Ehime. Looking for a free campground which thanks to one of our great members on this forum gave me some good help.
Here are some pictures.
Today I met the first man on his pilgrimage. We we stopped and talked a little bit and he's about my age and he's just doing it to have something to do with his life. Later later on in the day we met up also which was pretty cool and then we waved goodbye and I haven't seen him today at all because I probably went on a different route after he was on route 11 I believe.

I this is a fisherman he's told me he's 84 years old and he gets for octopus and it really showed me his octopus and we talked to about 20 minutes

Are these pictures ain't in order but that's my dinner tonight after A hard Day's ride actually was pretty nice the wind was only on one section of the tour and it was from the East to the west and kind of cloudy today not very hot but it did get hot really hot after 2:00 p.m. I'll kind of put this thread together later in the day.

 

[Grandpa Frank]

After all you have been through so far , I think you need a new avatar , LOL. If I ride my 3 wheel bike just around the block , I need a nap.

 

[musicisgood]

View attachment 104135 After all you have been through so far , I think you need a new avatar , LOL. If I ride my 3 wheel bike just around the block , I need a nap.

Hey Frank that's pretty cool. I'll be posting up another update this morning so I don't know if you're still up or not but hopefully I'll have a whole lot of pictures to show. I'm staying put in this campground because it's going to be downpouring very shortly the skies are nice and dark with full of rain clouds so nothing much to do except for listen to The raindrops bounce upon the tent they have a canopy over here a little camping canopy I put my bicycle under it for it doesn't get too wet I might just go there and use the internet whatever keep posting.

 

[Grandpa Frank]

I feel for you about the rain. April , May & June had rain almost everyday and if not rain a very heavy fog with drizzle. At least I'm warm & dry and I can't imagine biking in the rain. I worry you will catch pneumonia or a super bad cold. Stay safe and I'm sending good vibes your way.

 

[musicisgood]

Thanks Frank.
I'm holding up pretty well I had that knee injury which is still an injured neon riding my bicycle with I've had five shots plus three shots more from a different doctor that they shoot some solution into your knee I am being able to pedal pretty good obviously when I have to go uphill that I can't do I have to get off the bike and struggle at the campground here I was struggling uphill in this family's man with his family saw me struggling he came to my rescue and help me push up my bike the hill is like a 45° angle that picture whatever and we had I had to stop two times I guess he really felt kind of sorry for me and later on he came back with some cold water and some cold iced tea bottles and I was most thankful and then I went to the after I set up and everything I went to the convenience store and bought some candy and potato chips for his children but when I got back he was gone his family was gone here in this area when you do this pilgrimage the people they give you things it's part of the cultural society and I like to give more than receive and but I was most thankful I mean my bike okay I'm going to start posting some pictures probably within the next hour so just go ahead and keep following this thread I'll be here till tomorrow morning and I supposed to be cloudy I know my tits going to be soaking wet but I'm going to pack it up anyway my sleeping bag was soaking wet also luckily yesterday for 2 hours the sun was blasting so I got to at least sleep in a half wet sleeping bag. was packed with packing gear and going up a 45 pitch Hill can you imagine that and 3:00 in the afternoon sweating like a son of a gun.

 

[Hiroyuki Nagashima]

Please eat the Sanuki-udon of Kagawa.

香川・讃岐うどん巡り、王道コース篇｜平成レンタカー

レンタカーで行く香川・讃岐うどん巡りコース紹介。一度は訪れたい有名店、珍店、実力店をめぐります。王道コース、高松コース、西讃コース、３つのコースで計15店を食べ歩き。王道コース篇は山越、がもう、なかむら、谷川米穀店、やまうち等。

www.heisei-car.jp

As I have eaten the udon of these shops, I recommend it with confidence.
As the way of order of the udon is unique, please ask a local person a question.

 

[johnnyG]

I know my tits going to be soaking wet

hmm...

 

[musicisgood]

The Kuroshima Seaside Park campground of the opposite bank of the Marine Park Niihama campground seems to be free.

黒島海浜公園【愛媛県】への口コミ情報

黒島海浜公園｜愛媛県のキャンプ場

www.hatinosu.net

Yes that's where I end up staying last night and I be staying tonight also it's city park and it's fairly nice it's really big it has a lot of activity for children and it's it's a kid's park actually and then has a campground way up on top of the hill and it's like a 45° angle that had to push my bike up luckily had some help that's another story and I have but yeah it's I'm the only camper here but I feel pretty safe.
Tomorrow I'll be traveling maybe about 60 km so if you know any other campsites along either I think 13 or route 11 let me know I'd appreciate it perhaps a pay campsite might be okay if I can shower but a free campsite is okay if it's run by the city sometimes they have showers.

 

[musicisgood]

hmm...

Yeah I knew someone would reply to it that's why I left it up but I think everybody knew I meant my tent. So far the weather's been not really bad I mean rain is rain but it's not like well actually I have some torrential rain but I never had the face really strong winds yet I've only ran into two wins one was coming from the East to the west and the other was on the bridge but it died out for some reason pretty fast luckily it's been mostly cloudy and we had a lot of sunshine and at 3:00 in the afternoon you're so well I'm soaking wet by the time I'm done pitching my tent that's for sure I know people in Japan don't take their shirts off but I do I said that with it.

 

[musicisgood]

Please eat the Sanuki-udon of Kagawa.

香川・讃岐うどん巡り、王道コース篇｜平成レンタカー

レンタカーで行く香川・讃岐うどん巡りコース紹介。一度は訪れたい有名店、珍店、実力店をめぐります。王道コース、高松コース、西讃コース、３つのコースで計15店を食べ歩き。王道コース篇は山越、がもう、なかむら、谷川米穀店、やまうち等。

www.heisei-car.jp

As I have eaten the udon of these shops, I recommend it with confidence.
As the way of order of the udon is unique, please ask a local person a question.

I'm going to have to take up on your suggestion I think I'm about 100 km away from tugawa and I think so I'll find out tomorrow morning when I leave. I'm really not much of a noodle person because I don't understand what they put in it you know all the options but yeah if you have any suggestions and you're reading this let me know and I definitely will ask in the restaurant what should go on it actually I just really like shrimp the last time I had it was many years ago I just had the fried shrimp on top of it deep fried shrimp that was it I believe.

 

[musicisgood]

Here's some more pictures from when I'm leaving lmabari.

I was able to be able to talk to this Japanese man he's on the 88 pilgrimage thing for life and it really down to earth person he stopped and crossed the street and we chatted for about 10 minutes and then he left and I left and then surprisingly he did me by walking I end up meeting him at down about an hour later and there he was and I said wow man how did you get here so fast so it was pretty amazing and he was really cool he's probably 70 years old like me and just kicking back and knowing what life is all about.

I didn't say anything about these pictures really but I'm going south and I got a lot more pictures so I'm trying to save why I can't save because I'm using the phone but I'm trying to save time but not really talking too much about the pictures just kind of use your imagination and just probably say I wish I was there doing this also.

 

[mdchachi]

So how did the guy beat you an hour down the road while walking? Did you take a lot of breaks?

 

[musicisgood]

So how did the guy beat you an hour down the road while walking? Did you take a lot of breaks?

Actually I'm still mystified how he did it I mean he was there and I was behind him and I couldn't believe it I know I took a couple water breaks and took maybe a side road temporarily but I think he knew the shortcut around to to his destination to where I met him at so it had been.

 

[nice gaijin]

I'm thoroughly enjoying this little pedal down memory lane, and I applaud you for practically live-streaming it for us.

You're going at a much more reasonable clip than me, I was hauling *** around the island trying to meet a deadline, and a day after leaving Imabari I was hustling up to Yokomineji. I have 4000 photos and a book idea from my pilgrimage in 2015 that I have yet to hammer out.

There are a few temples from the pilgrimage on the flats around Saijo and Niihama. One of the most unique ones is #61, Kouenji: Kouenji Temple, Temple No. 61 · 甲１９ Komatsucho Minamigawa, Saijo, Ehime 799-1102, Japan

Also highly recommend the sanuki udon if you make it to Kagawa, it's fantastic.

 

[musicisgood]

I'm thoroughly enjoying this little pedal down memory lane, and I applaud you for practically live-streaming it for us.

You're going at a much more reasonable clip than me, I was hauling *** around the island trying to meet a deadline, and a day after leaving Imabari I was hustling up to Yokomineji. I have 4000 photos and a book idea from my pilgrimage in 2015 that I have yet to hammer out.

There are a few temples from the pilgrimage on the flats around Saijo and Niihama. One of the most unique ones is #61, Kouenji: Kouenji Temple, Temple No. 61 · 甲１９ Komatsucho Minamigawa, Saijo, Ehime 799-1102, Japan

Also highly recommend the sanuki udon if you make it to Kagawa, it's fantastic.

Thanks. I wanted to see some temples but with my knee injury and going up. Some steep and claims I think I kind of moved my kneecap a little bit yeah I'm kind of limping a little hard right now I hope that my knee holds out it has to actually I've been through the two places that you just wrote about and I did camp at Niihama. It's not really camping season yet so basically what I'm camping I'm camping by myself but it's pretty nice and actually the weather other than the rain. Luckily the sun has been shaded by the clouds most of my journey so far which is really helped but it really does get hot at around 3:00 and that's about the time when I try to set tent up and I needless to say I have to take off my shirt which is not very customary thing to do in Japan. Okay I'll try to post some pictures here and see what happens I'm at McDonald's right now that the free Wi-Fi I'm charging my batteries so I at least want to stay here another half hour see how much my batteries can be charged. I normally don't need at McDonald's but I had a hamburger and iced coffee so maybe I hope the time in is right before I leave if you don't want talking about.
Okay this morning I left camp about 6:30 and I was starting to pedal the metal by 7:00 a.m. and it's almost 1:00 right now and I've had a few breaks and I stopped at Lawson's to charge my batteries also earlier for about an hour or so basically I probably had about an hour and 45 minutes if not actually pedaling the metal since 6:30 this morning.
Packing up July 4th Tuesday.

my breakfast
Before leaving.

Had to stop off before really jamming so I had a cup of coffee give me some energy and what lies ahead of me was an hour walk up that nice big hill or it was a mountain one hour one freaking hour with the loaded bike I think I really kind of bumped my knee cap up a little hopefully I can walk without looking too bad.

 

[musicisgood]

I'm thoroughly enjoying this little pedal down memory lane, and I applaud you for practically live-streaming it for us.

You're going at a much more reasonable clip than me, I was hauling *** around the island trying to meet a deadline, and a day after leaving Imabari I was hustling up to Yokomineji. I have 4000 photos and a book idea from my pilgrimage in 2015 that I have yet to hammer out.

There are a few temples from the pilgrimage on the flats around Saijo and Niihama. One of the most unique ones is #61, Kouenji: Kouenji Temple, Temple No. 61 · 甲１９ Komatsucho Minamigawa, Saijo, Ehime 799-1102, Japan

Also highly recommend the sanuki udon if you make it to Kagawa, it's fantastic.

I should make it to kagawa later in the day and hopefully around 4:00 I should be in the area and then I got to start looking for a campground or some kind of shelter for tonight it's going to rain I understand so there's a campground probably another hour hour and a half 2 hours away from the border of the next prefecture.
But I am saving my appetite to really try some udon cuz everybody says you got to do it you got to read it you got to try it. I guess any shop would be okay but if you recommend anyone that are on highway 11 let me know and really appreciate you following me I really makes me happy and actually everyone else on the form has been following me and leaving some comments it really helps me out a lot.

 

[musicisgood]

I didn't know what awaits me but a nice big mountain and so many trucks and there was very little room for the bicycle once going up the mountain and I guess it took me I'm going to say between 40 minutes to 70 minutes I kind of lost track of time when I actually started out going up the mountain and it really strained my knee that is actually injured but here are some pictures up to date and it's about 1:00 right now and I'm sending at McDonald's having lunch or actually I'm having a hamburger and iced coffee so enjoy the pictures.

I won't do much riding on this but this is going toward Shikokuchou City.
I must have counted over 200 trucks by about 9:00 this morning luckily there is mostly a sidewalk for all the school children not out I'll have to say so I mostly stayed on the sidewalk cycling there was no way I was going to be on route 11 with all them trucks but.

I thought I was on top of the mountain at this time but I have two more mountains to climb up they were continuous type mountains this was looking down into the ravine it was so beautiful so refreshing there's so much life when you're on the bicycle that you can see just hop off and stop and just snow and fresh air in the mountains so refreshing.

Very simple beautiful country living.

Ok. I still got a lot more pictures I must admit it gets really tiresome doing her slightly I'm sitting down and air conditioning McDonald's.