Japan Summer 2024 - Day 17

June 14, 2024

Imabari to Kami-kamagari Island 156 Km

Start 7:40 AM Finish 8:33 PM

Total Duration 12:53

Moving Time 8:59

Stopped Time 3:54

Ascent 1,293 m

Descent 1,291 m

Tour Total 1,789 Km

Details at: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/190201723

I slept well last night on the third floor of the Komecho Ryokan in Imabari. I woke up this morning at 6am with the light blasting through the window, and I couldn't fall back asleep. It was a beautiful morning and I started the ride in my short-sleeve jersey, bib shorts, and UV arm protectors. Today I would be cycling the Shimanami Kaidō, Japan's most famous cycling route. It parallels the Shimanami Expressway which spans a series of islands in the Seto Inland Sea to connect Ehime Prefecture in Shikoku to Hiroshima Prefecture in Honshū.

The route began with an approach to the Kurushima-Kaikyo Bridge, which was the world's longest suspension bridge structure when completed in 1999. It consists of three successive suspension bridges with six towers and four anchorages. The bike route began with a welcome center and there were numerous cyclists out doing this today.

The approach involved a spiraling ascent to reach the colossal span. Once I reached the bridge deck, I was high above the water and couldn't believe how low the railings were. If this were in the US I would be riding inside of a cage and there would be suicide prevention phones. The bike lane was adjacent to the motor traffic lanes, and I wondered why the Verranzano Bridge in New York didn't have a bike lane. The bridges traversed the small islands of Umashima and Kenashi to reach Oshina Island. There I spiraled back down to sea level. My new brake pads were squeaking loudly.

The next bridge was the Hakata-Ōshima large bridge to Hakata island. The bridge crossed over Michika Island. From there I crossed the Ömishima Bridge to Ōmishima Island. I ran into touring cyclist Emmett from Australia, who was doing a seventy day tour around Japan. He had cycled across the center of Shikoku and had enjoyed the mountains. He told me that he had only seen four cows and we both wondered where the chickens were. Last night, Peter had mentioned that he had visited all of the eighty-eight Henro temples in addition to the inland bonus temples.

A large group of high school students were riding the route and a their leader was giving them instructions over a loudspeaker. They stopped at the cyclist sanctuary as I continued over the Tartara bridge to Ikuchi Island. In the middle of the bridge, I entered Hiroshima prefecture.

On Ikuchi Island I entered lemon valley, and was surrounded by lemon tree groves. The sweet citrus aroma was pervasive and the fruit were ginormous. In the town of Setoda I stopped at SOIL for a lemon muffin and Sapporo on draft. I then took the Ikuchi Bridge to Innoshima Island.

Today on the various islands I noticed eight Japanese flags, which was the highest concentration I'd seen yet. I passed numerous steel fabrication plants, agriculture including greenhouses, solar farms, shipping facilities, and dozens of off shore islands. I passed a warehouse full of onions.

I crossed the Innoshima Bridge to Mukaishima Island. Here I stopped at Fukuraijun Taiwanese Cuisine, where I ordered my lunch through a tabletop iPad. Afterwards, it was a short ¥70 ferry across the harbor to Omomachi. I was then back on the island of Honshu. There were pavement markings along highway 2 to Kure, which was seventy-five kilometers to the west. From there I would be island hopping back to Shikoku.

As I had heard, the corridor here along the Seto Inland Sea had a dense population. I was following the San-yo train line. There was tons of motor traffic, and the shoulder was narrow. Geoff had recommended Apple Maps for bicycle navigation. Peter had suggested the loop just a few days ago and I hadn't prepared a GPS track. I never use Apple Maps for cycling in the US. I use Google Maps. Here in Japan Google does't provide bicycle navigation. Apple maps provided a good route which took me on secondary roads away from the traffic.

It was hot, and at one point I stopped at a vending machine in front of a small business. A dog started barking and a woman wandered out front. I explained to her what I was doing and then told her that I loved dogs.

The route then cut across away from the coast, and I found myself in a wide valley surrounded by rice paddies. It was broiling hot, and I stopped at a 7-Eleven for a grapefruit drink. I then my found myself on Highway 75 following the Teryo River. It was 4 PM and I had ridden 100 km. To reach my goal I had about 50 to go. I needed to get back to Matsuyama by 9pm tomorrow to catch the ferry to Kyushu.

I climbed a hill and then descended. I went through a tunnel and then climbed another hill. After I summited, I had a long rapid descent back down to sea level. I rode through Takehara and stopped at a 7-Eleven for a peach drink. My power pack had overheated and my phone wasn't charging. This is what I was using to navigate. I moved the power pack to my frame bag in hopes that it would cool down.

I heard the 5 o'clock chime as I entered Highway 185. There was a large golf driving range ahead. I then left 185 to climb away from the coast. My phone battery was dying, and my battery pack wasn't working. I couldn't get it to charge. I stopped at a Family Mart in Higashihiroshima, but there weren't plugs next to the tables. I asked the clerk if I could use an outlet and he wouldn't let me. I was down to 10%, and worried.

I took highway 353 over the next pass and kept my phone screen off. I stopped allowing Apple Maps to bypass the main road. Without using much screen time I knew that I needed to proceed over a pass and then back down to the coast.

In Kure I stopped at the Yasuuraten Coin Laundry, where I found an outlet to recharge my phone, GPS, and pocket WiFi. I left the devices there for a moment while I went to the nearby 7-Eleven for a peach drink and orange soda.

I now had enough phone charge to navigate to the Akinada Bridge, which would lead me back to Imabari. Apple map directions avoided a highway tunnel and sent me up a huge steep hill near the bridge.

Once over the span I spotted Shirasakien park which had a restroom with electrical outlets. I stopped to charge my thirsty devices. It was now getting dark and I attached my headlight. I realized that my beer options were now behind me on Honshu, and I was kicking myself for not being better prepared. Shirasakien park would have been a perfect place to camp.

I wound my way around Shimo-kamagari Island and then crossed the Kamagari bridge to Kami-kamagari Island. My GPS was down to 2% and I didn't want to lose the day's data. It was pitch dark, my flashing headlight was in my mouth, my GPS battery was dying, and I was quickly trying to retrieve my headlamp from my frame bag. A guy appeared from out of nowhere. Ostensively he was a surfer who was camped below. I had no idea what he was saying. I said 'battery, and 'It's OK'. I quickly used my laptop as a battery and then 'jump started' my power bank, and it worked.

I was able to continue for a few more miles. It was becoming apparent that I needed to find a place to camp. I came to a turn-off and had a hunch. I followed the road around to an observatory and crossed a hnadsome bridge with red wooden handles. I came to a boat launch and knew I could make it work. It was secluded and no-one would notice or bother me.

When I stopped, my GPS was down to 2%. I once again needed my laptop to charge it. There in the darkness I was able to extract my precious data. Had I been more prepared with a GPS track loaded onto my Wahoo I easily would have been able to do the entire loop in a day.