Musicisgood's Shikoku cycling journey

[Grandpa Frank]

Maybe some type of armor is needed , LOL.

 

[musicisgood]

View attachment 104648 Maybe some type of armor is needed , LOL.

Maybe I need an electric bicycle.

 

[Grandpa Frank]

E-bikes have been getting a lot of bad press here in the US for battery fire problems. I bet it would be nice for those long hills and mountain climbs though.

 

[musicisgood]

View attachment 104652E-bikes have been getting a lot of bad press here in the US for battery fire problems. I bet it would be nice for those long hills and mountain climbs though.

P yeah really electric bike that would come in real Handy the only downfall is is charging it where to charge the electric bicycle and I actually I thought about a solar panel I put in it on the rear of the bike but I've been told it's going to have to be a pretty large size panel and it has to be able to change in the direction of the sun to be an effective too so but I've been traveling I haven't seen any long travelers with the electric bike yet in town yeah they're pretty popular but outside of town so I haven't seen anyone with an electric bike yet but yeah going up those hills and mountains would be a blessing in disguise really to have an electric bike.

 

[Grandpa Frank]

LOL , something like this and when it rains you stay dry. Not sure it would be good for high winds though.

 

[musicisgood]

View attachment 104655 LOL , something like this and when it rains you stay dry. Not sure it would be good for high winds though.

 

[musicisgood]

Yeah that's what I'm talking about actually the ones that I saw are folded panels and their electronically unfold and fold back up why the person is riding in the sun it's pretty cool but it it's not my cup of tea right now.

 

[musicisgood]

This is morning breakfast so delicious again and she's making me a sandwich to go.

 

[musicisgood]

And this is the sandwich she was making me I mean people are so nice you can't believe it.

 

[nice gaijin]

I had a small solar panel I tried to use to keep my phone topped up while riding and it was all but useless dead weight as far as I recall, couldn't even keep my phone from draining. If you had regenerative braking or can redirect any pedal energy into the batteries (like putting it into dyno mode while you're stopped or something) then there may be some boondocking ability, but otherwise you'll need to plug your bike in regularly to charge the batteries, or that's an extra 20-45lbs of training weight.

That said, if you're stopping at places where you know you'll be able to plug in and charge up... it could make things a lot more pleasant. Sounds nice in certain circumstances, but for touring unknown or uninhabited areas? I'm skeptical.

 

[johnnyG]

I've looked at e-bikes with the charging angle in mind. Treks have a removable battery (in the down tube) so you can charge it separate from the bike (eg, in your hotel room, or in your house (office) if the bike is parked outside somewhere).

With Specialized's system, the battery is not removable, so you need to be able to get the charger next to the bike, and those near enough to an outlet to be plugged in.

Both of those companies sell an optional add-on battery, for extra distance (or steadier boost along the way). Those can be charged away from the bikes, but with the Specialized, you'd still need to get the internal battery charged somehow.

And with the occasional battery fire in the news, charging indoors might require some attention--at least not set and forget.

 

[musicisgood]

I had a small solar panel I tried to use to keep my phone topped up while riding and it was all but useless dead weight as far as I recall, couldn't even keep my phone from draining. If you had regenerative braking or can redirect any pedal energy into the batteries (like putting it into dyno mode while you're stopped or something) then there may be some boondocking ability, but otherwise you'll need to plug your bike in regularly to charge the batteries, or that's an extra 20-45lbs of training weight.

That said, if you're stopping at places where you know you'll be able to plug in and charge up... it could make things a lot more pleasant. Sounds nice in certain circumstances, but for touring unknown or uninhabited areas? I'm skeptical.

Yeah I know what you mean I bought that little solar panel I think I took a picture of it but if I didn't I'll put a picture of it later I guess when I take it out of my bag it it actually recharges your battery your your other batteries are in your phone but if you use the electric as far as the sun giving it the charging to recharge itself to be honest with you I'm going to have to agree with you I think it's useless at least that or I don't know how to use it

 

[musicisgood]

I've looked at e-bikes with the charging angle in mind. Treks have a removable battery (in the down tube) so you can charge it separate from the bike (eg, in your hotel room, or in your house (office) if the bike is parked outside somewhere).

With Specialized's system, the battery is not removable, so you need to be able to get the charger next to the bike, and those near enough to an outlet to be plugged in.

Both of those companies sell an optional add-on battery, for extra distance (or steadier boost along the way). Those can be charged away from the bikes, but with the Specialized, you'd still need to get the internal battery charged somehow.

And with the occasional battery fire in the news, charging indoors might require some attention--at least not set and forget.

Yeah I agree with you right now I mean seriously here in Chicago there's some pretty mean mountains that have I have actually had to get off the bike and push for hours at a time and I'm not joking you and also is Chicago peninsula was another example but here I mean like wow I mean I get halfway and I say forget it man turn back but I'm not the type of person who gives up so I keep pushing away but luckily I've had some help man I mean my the other day this couple I think I wrote about it a couple came by and I'm pushing my bike up here a little did I know it was 3 km of I don't know the pitch but it wasn't three or four percent and I'm just struggling anyway we talked and they went back they would they went by and they talked to a friend that offered me to stay at his house but I told him after I fixed my tire it was 3:00 so I said I'm going to jam and they know each other so anyway they communicated and next thing I knew they came back up the mountain and found me and help me put my bike on his truck and it took me up to the tip of the mountain which was which would be I don't know I'm going to say three or more hours of pushing the bike up I think it was route 29 or 26 you can see on Google maps and they told me they would take me to the top of the mountain where was flat and then I'm on my own so really at that time yeah and electric bike would have been a blessing but yeah so far I've had some really good help I mean I should really call this the can I ask you a question for yeah I can I ask you a question for because that is how I'm getting by yes I have Google maps and whatever but the local people they they know they know their locations of everything the hidden locations anyway thanks for following me I really appreciate it.

 

[musicisgood]

Okay I think I'm heading on about 55 maybe again to the city Toss. There's a river there which has toilets and whatever I understand you can camp along the river there I'm not too for sure how many kilometers it's away from me but what I am sure of is starting to sprinkle right now so yeah I have my wrinkle put away and I'm at a convenience store right now kicking back for a bit and the clouds are moving in slowly so I'm going to take off and see what happens and hopefully I can get to that River I have the river's name but I don't have it on my notebook but my next stop I'll drop a line okay guys thanks a lot for following me.

 

[mdchachi]

Yeah I agree with you right now I mean seriously here in Chicago there's some pretty mean mountains that have I have actually had to get off the bike and push for hours at a time and I'm not joking you and also is Chicago peninsula was another example but here I mean like wow I mean I get halfway and I say forget it man turn back but I'm not the type of person who gives up so I keep pushing away but luckily I've had some help man I mean my the other day this couple I think I wrote about it a couple came by and I'm pushing my bike up here a little did I know it was 3 km of I don't know the pitch but it wasn't three or four percent and I'm just struggling anyway we talked and they went back they would they went by and they talked to a friend that offered me to stay at his house but I told him after I fixed my tire it was 3:00 so I said I'm going to jam and they know each other so anyway they communicated and next thing I knew they came back up the mountain and found me and help me put my bike on his truck and it took me up to the tip of the mountain which was which would be I don't know I'm going to say three or more hours of pushing the bike up I think it was route 29 or 26 you can see on Google maps and they told me they would take me to the top of the mountain where was flat and then I'm on my own so really at that time yeah and electric bike would have been a blessing but yeah so far I've had some really good help I mean I should really call this the can I ask you a question for yeah I can I ask you a question for because that is how I'm getting by yes I have Google maps and whatever but the local people they they know they know their locations of everything the hidden locations anyway thanks for following me I really appreciate it.

I gotta give you credit. I wouldn't even think about doing what you're doing. My tour of Chicago was on motorcycle and I remember all the mountainous terrain.

 

[musicisgood]

I gotta give you credit. I wouldn't even think about doing what you're doing. My tour of Chicago was on motorcycle and I remember all the mountainous terrain.

Yeah I'm using voice typing it's easier and when I say Shikoku it's kind of funny that it comes out saying Chicago. But I think you guys know what I'm talking about.
Well I think today's Thursday the 14th wow been traveling 16 days already and I had this I didn't have to but I met up with another cyclist is doing the 88 tour thing and it was kind of unusual because I met her the other day and we said well maybe we'll crossroads again and sure enough she saw me at the convenience store last night and she said hey man I said oh my goodness this is amazing isn't this amazing and so she told me about the guest house down the street so I end up staying at a guest house last night it's a really out in the country type guest house if you know what I mean just the basics and that's it and it's 3,000 yen to tell you the truth I kind of thought too expensive but it was rain forecasted for last night so I don't know if it rained I was I crashed out.
I've got 300 more km to go to Matsuyama.
I hope today I can take my time and take some pictures actually and see a temple or a shrine and take some pictures of the landscape and just keep enjoying what I'm doing and as you always guys thanks a lot for following me and posting really really helps me out everyday.

 

[musicisgood]

I gotta give you credit. I wouldn't even think about doing what you're doing. My tour of Chicago was on motorcycle and I remember all the mountainous terrain.

Yeah and I'm posting pictures of it too no BS you know no joke I mean this is really an adventure a journey of I got to say excuse me sir but can I ask you a question where am I.

 

[musicisgood]

Well I'm getting there I think I done 2/3 of this island so far I'm enjoying myself what the heck I actually thought I could get away without spending too much money and but I said to heck with it this is I've been planning this for 25 years so I'm not going to worry about 500 yen or 3,000 yen right now I worry about it when the time comes I guess anyway this is my new photo it's 9:30 in the morning Thursday July 14th I believe I hope and this is a picture of the I stayed in the guest house last night and I admit theater recycling also she's actually doing most of the $88 temples stuff and that was very surprised we ran into each other last night again and she stayed at the guest house and I said well I might as well stay at the guest house too instead of camping at the river.

Know

This this is the countryside guest house

 

[mdchachi]

Yeah and I'm posting pictures of it too no BS you know no joke I mean this is really an adventure a journey of I got to say excuse me sir but can I ask you a question where am I.

I wasn't joking either. My travels through Shikoku were all on a motorcycle. I encountered rain too. Honestly it didn't even really occur to me to look for those 88 temples. My main target was Dogo Onsen. It was only a few days. In 23 days, I went to Hokkaido , Sea of Japan side, Kyushu , Shikoku and back home.
You should click the link on Chicago that I put in my previous reply. I made it special for you.

 

[musicisgood]

I wasn't joking either. My travels through Shikoku were all on a motorcycle. I encountered rain too. Honestly it didn't even really occur to me to look for those 88 temples. My main target was Dogo Onsen. It was only a few days. In 23 days, I went to Hokkaido, Sea of Japan side, Kyushu, Shikoku and back home.
You should click the link on Chicago that I put in my previous reply. I made it special for you.

Thank you I'll do that I thought it was a mistake for no we put Chicago instead of Shikoku.
I just stopped at a fruit and vegetable stand and picked up some blueberries I always eat blueberries when they're in season but right now cycling with all the gasoline fumes I kind of feel at least psychologically maybe physiologically I don't know that the blueberries is kind of a detoxify my body from all the fumes I hope so they're only like a hundred yen for a nice size container and I bought two of them for two hundred and for Haley cost me about $79 in a grocery store it was really super cheap and she gave me a strainer to wash the wash them out and I sat down and at the the stand there and they're real friendly I said hey can I sit down and they said yeah yeah and so we started talking and it's a nice people that's all I can say but to be honest with you I really wish I was had a scooter or a 110 or 125cc motorcycle because this island is beautiful you get into the small country roads in the mountains and just really see what God has provided human kind it's just wonderful in a way I say I made a mistake a couple mistakes by going these country roads and due to free campsites which actually never existed and but I did have some help getting out of of my situation but I'm glad I did because I really got to meet the local people and got to see different scenery and I haven't seen any deer yet they have deer signs out in the countryside but I didn't see any deer yet or wild pigs that's about it I'm about 9 9 kilometers away from Suzuki or whatever anyway I posted the picture of the sign and I'm trying to get about 50 more kilometers in and it's 11:00 right now so I'm going to really try to I'm doing the average about 10 km an hour so you know I'm not speedy Gonzales here by all means and thanks thanks for the link I'll check it out in my next rest time

The scenery here is so beautiful lush green and it's the middle of July and the rainy season really done it good everything is less less green right now and the weather is 28 Celsius whatever that is Fahrenheit I don't know but it's overcast Arthur is that it's not hitting through the bypass through the mountain show and yeah I'm just trying to take some countryside pictures because I know people from around the world are actually tuning in and seeing some pictures not only of this site but also on another site and I'm posting on so enjoy the pictures and I'm doing okay guys.

 

[musicisgood]

That Thursday night July 14th I hope I found the campsite next to the beach free campsite got a couple of campers next to me know when so beautiful tonight very few mosquitoes if in fact none at all and the ocean and it's in the Bay area so there's no waves crashing in so it's really silent and yeah it's what Japan is all about just come in here and enjoying the nature and really getting off the main streets and seeing what she and how the local people live and the grocery stores and the schools and the school children and their uniforms how they change from City the city I guess and the smiles of all the people this is the land of smiles like it is in Thailand I really believe.

Instagram camping for the night it's pretty nice it's a very peaceful and quiet.

Actually on my next adventure I'm buying a different tent the tent is really nice but it's too heavy and I like the size of it but it's just way too heavy.

It's blueberry season now and I obviously I like blueberries and the sauce for the health reasons for also eating as much blueberries that's when possibly can here

Fish tunnel wasn't bad it had a nice pathway to ride the bicycle on so I think it was pretty long maybe not too for sure I forgot.

This is a the cycling friend I met them three days ago and we recycling together actually actually she cycles by herself but for some reason it's pretty funny actually that we actually end up at in the evening time meeting each other and we stay at them well for the last two nights we stayed at the guest houses tonight for myself I found a site had done the ocean and she needed to stay at a guest house tonight so but yeah we've been traveling the same area and she's doing the $88 Temple tour.

A little countryside picture.

This is in front of my tent it's so beautiful I mean I wish I had a raptor a canoe or whatever it's just really so mild

This is where I want a motorbike for I can visit the shrines and temples because many of them are in the mountains and be honest with you I'm burned out pushing my bike up mountains right now so you're not have you have not seen hardly any temples from me on this tour and that's the reason why.

It's hot and muggy tonight but I got one of these little 100 yen fans that the plug into your battery charger your battery and keep me comfortable I guess I should say that's about it would you believe it's 1:00 in the morning and I'm just posting this I guess it's Friday I suppose it's Friday the 15th of July 15th I wake up in the morning I just going to rain I believe rain is forecasted today at least 50% chance it says Sean I don't know I may stay put who knows we'll see what happens but I got about 300 more kilometers till I get to Matsuyama.
That would be the 1,000 km tour for me 1,000 km man unbelievable I mean I'm looking forward to my next tour already let them this was a major tour for me although I've done other prefectures up to I think 90 days I was traveling and so but this one is just 3 weeks I believe going to be about 3 weeks from July 29th to maybe around no I'm sorry June 29th to July maybe July 19th something like that anyway I'm having fun and as always thanks for your comments guys I really appreciate it.

 

[musicisgood]

Saturday and July 15th 7:00 in the morning 10:00 and everything is all packed up and I'm ready to jam had a convenience store right now happen now a cup of coffee and kicking back on wish I had the little charger outlet or whatever it's called I got to packed away I could be charging my phone right now but anyway there's a picture and I'll be taking off pretty shortly I have 727 km on my little little computer there and it would really be nice if I can put in 60 to 80 km today but it's going to rain later as a matter of fact the rain clouds herself for me north of me right now and they're pretty heavy too I suspect that it's going to be real soon I'll be putting on my raincoat luckily I got one of those workmen type of raincoats and a really heavy duty and yeah you do sweat in it but for about 25 bucks they're well worth it.

Packing up in the morning.

Now this really came in handy it's 6:30 in the morning I'm not joking and it was unlocked too so what a blessing it was.

I wanted to post this because this is what the little streets look like in the country City countryside cities just everything is so close together and it's a tight community it's just really amazing everybody knows everybody and everybody everybody says good morning to everybody smiling at everyone even at the 6:00 in the morning and walking.

Name let you know what time it is isn't this great and there's no graffiti either.

And this little section of town is pretty popular unfortunately I'm not going to take the time to do adventure around town going to be taking off pretty shortly but here's a map of the things that one actually could see and then once again really I wish I had a scooter because I could see so much more within a time frame but I'm seeing what I can see in that's the way it is I'm just taking it as it comes my way and I've always said the wind is my roadmap right now.

 

[musicisgood]

Hi guys anyway I left 6:00 this morning and it's like 11:00 11:20 right now and I had to push my bicycle up the mountain for 3 hours what a what a challenge and I think I average the five four or five kilometers kilometers whatever per hour.
I'm at a little but I would say little but pretty good size roadside rest area and they seem to be having a little festival today it was really busy when I got here and now it's kind of tapered off a bit.
I'm under some I'm under some canopy to keep dry it's raining man it looks like it's going to rain all day I'm going to see how far I go before I put a raincoat on I'm going to I'm just going to ride I don't know how far I'll get but there's a river you know I really don't know the name of the river but it's it's I think it's the river that there's it's the only free flowing river in Japan I want to find out where it is if it's near my destination today because I'll stay there.

There is so much to see I'm not joking there's I mean if if you had a motor scooter you can go stop go and stop and see all the wonderful sites I'm surprised I'm not really into temples this time around but I've been told one more temples to see so I'm kind of not really so crazy about going at 3:00 to 7:00 km up a hill to see a temple here sorry about that guys.
What I have noticed is that so far two of the shrines have been gated and locked up and they're pretty nice shrines really from the outside looking.

Okay I took a few pictures I bought some gyoza and chicken on a stick I put the chicken on some bread so I can have a chicken bread sandwich and the gyoza I've haven't had this type of good gyoza I think in the last well last time I had this type of yoga I was stationed at yokota Air Base in Tokyo and that gives it was kick this gyoza is so good I'm not joking.

It reminds me of coming back on Bay said like 10:00 at night and stopping off at the girls around and shop and just having a beer and some gyoza cuz I'm really not much into Roman at all but the girls are the dishkey goes as you'll see in the pictures little small but it was solid with the meat and I don't think it had much filler like cabbage it was just a really tops so I was cost 250 yen but it was worth it and the chicken on the stick was $150 and it was kind of small but tasty so I was able to take it off the stick and put it on the slice of bread and that was this is my lunch today.

These are my 3-hour hills I had to push the bike up I mean like wow I better eat five eels tonight.

Yeah I think I finally got to the top of the mountain and I'm going downhill for I don't know 7:00 to 10 km more and it's raining very lightly and stops and ranch and stops so it's pretty cool.

This is what world Japan looked like 70 years ago nothing has changed everything is the same but nobody is there no more so sad to see this I probably think the gasoline was about 110 yen a liter at that time today is 176 yen per liter look at the style of the pumps.

I'm at the roadside rest area they're having a festival this is what it looks like.


No

this is the girls I was telling you about it was so kick man I wish I can't eat much but if I could I would have ordered another set cost 250 yen definitely we're checking out if you come this way.

This is where I bought chicken on a stick it was good but it was small it was 150 yen it was okay it was delicious but I wish I had two chicken on the stick so I could have made it a good sandwich

I thought I was going to try this fish but I was just too full but it looks so appetizing I think it was 500 yen I'm not too sure what the name of the fish is.

This is a map about where I'm at and well I think I got a little mountain to climb going to hop back on my bike and try to find a 7-Eleven to charge my two batteries my solar battery at my solar whatever it's called and I don't think the sun really takes it into much and also my phone so I'll probably stay there if I can find a place for 2 hours and then start traveling again so really I don't get too many kilometers in a day.

 

[nice gaijin]

Oh daaaang you already hit nanako pass? I was going to warn you about that! It's not super steep but it's just very sustained, I remember when we got to the top my friend just lay on the ground and panted for fifteen minutes.

 

[musicisgood]

Oh daaaang you already hit nanako pass? I was going to warn you about that! It's not super steep but it's just very sustained, I remember when we got to the top my friend just lay on the ground and panted for fifteen minutes.

Man I'm telling you that was a 3-hour from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. no sorry 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. in the morning pushing my bicycle all the way up that mountain no joke and the passage itself was still kind of steep too I did have to walk a few times but going down was pretty cool I actually I don't know exactly where I'm at right now right now but it's 1:30 stopped at a Lawson and charging up my phones and batteries and yeah I don't know exactly what town I'm in really but anyways after the the past anyway yeah it was I'm telling you man this is one Joy Ride I mean I'm laughing because I want to laugh myself why did I do this why did I do this because it's a challenge it's we have to have a challenge in our life we have to have a dream we have to if possible fulfill that dream in our life and that's what I'm doing fulfilling my dream because this is not my only tour this is my fourth year going up and down Japan but I haven't met my real challenge well this is my challenge this is been a 25 year old challenge to do but my challenge is two things one of course I've been saying this for quite some time is to get the Hokkaido and the second challenge is to get to miyakojima Okinawa .
I don't know if you know about the site it's called farm caravan.
I have to get back to Yamaguchi to get the yearly not the health insurance card and then take a couple days or whatever to get my thoughts together again and I actually got to buy a new tent because log in this tent I got is really a nice tent it's nice and spacious but it's just too heavy and I'm just going to have to try to find some one man tent that actually doesn't have ropes to it I don't like the ropes I mean the one man tense they have ropes to it and if you have seen if you're on a semen slab or rocks you can't do it so I I need to find like a one-man tent that has no ropes to it and I'm going to have to order a different tent and I get a new sleeping bag cuz when I got is pretty old right now.

But I'm going to be checking into that site I know a little about it I've known about it for quite some time and actually the girl that I posted here on the shred she's the one who is also doing it also she goes from farm to farm and that's how she travels Japan and she showed me the good well she didn't show me she told me the good and the bad about it one thing bad about it is is that you have to work 6 days a week and I'm not crazy about working 6 days a week no no joke the pay is average about a thousand yen an hour and some charge for the house and food some don't but anyway I don't I don't know if I'll go that route but one thing's for sure I'm going to take a little rest and then after I get them a little money in August and I'll either head north I'll go down to kagoshima and go to Okinawa and then find out how to get to miyako Jima and then just kick back on the beach for as long as I can

Actually this is my lunch I buy bread and I try to either buy him or this is the first time I tried this pastrami I guess it is the ham is so tasteless in Japan but I think we all know that this pastrami I give it a passion grade I used up all my mayonnaise which gave it a pretty good balance of taste.

There's this River in Chicago that has no dams or anything I don't know the name of it if you guys are reading this let me know what the name of it is because I would like to really find out where it is and really do some camping along it and maybe canoeing also.
As always thanks for following me and I appreciate all the comments