Coast to Coast Cycling in Japan

Successful Completion: October 8, 2007

Route Description

Purple marks the start in Niigata. Gold marks the goal on the Bay.
Red triangle is a large mountain we hope to view: Asama-san.
Lines are colored for each day of the ride. "N" marks Nagano (south)
and Niigata (north), and "G" marks Gumma. Colorless (black) lines
mark prefectural borders, of which we cross 4.

Agenda:

• Friday: train to Joetsu, Niigata. 上越市、新潟県
• Saturday: 135 km Japan sea - Komoro (Nagano).小諸市まで。
• Addendum: actuals: 146 km.
• Sunday: 130 km Nagano - Nagatoro (Saitama). 長瀞まで。
• Addendum: actuals: 122 km.
• Monday: 130 km Saitama - Tokyo bay. Then ride home. 葛西臨海公園まで。
• Addendum: actuals: 122 km. to the Bay.

Members:

Pending research and planning for next run. Member introductions down below.

Plan:

Timing:

• Day 1: Long and hard day, so we'll leave early. Tentative: wheels roll at 7:30.
• Day 2: Hard, and with difficult navigation. Tentative: wheels roll at 7:15.
• Day 3: Not as hard, and easy to find the way. Tentative: wheels roll at 8:00.

Route:

• Ikaya Hotel in Joetsu is our stop on the Prologue. Price should be below 7500 / each. Dinner not requested. Breakfast extra.
• Chikuma Gawa千曲川 cycling road. A 25km stretch of day1.
• Unno「海野宿」 in Ueda, Nagano. A traditional Japanese old town. Day1, afternoon.
• Komoro Nunobiki「小諸布引」 onsen is the stop after the end of the first day's ride. Price here is below 10000 but we should all print out the discount coupon from the web page. Also, another discount is given for Kokumin-Hoken or Nenkin registrants. Bring your card if this applies. See their web for details. Dinner Selection: B course.
• Bikely version, Day 2 (old): Komoro to Wami Toge cycling route.
• We cross the "continential divide" at an elevation of -- 980 meters -- on day 2, morning, in the mountains south of Karuizawa. 「和美峠」
• Safari Park in Gumma. Day2, afternoon. Watch out for Tigers and Lions.
• Bikely Day 2, part 2 (old): Safari Park to Watase cycling route.
• Bikely Day 2, part 3 (old): Watase to Nagatoro cycling route.
• Our stop on day 2 is at YouKouTei Ryokan 「養浩亭」 in Nagatoro. Cost will be 12600/ea.　Meals included. Meal option: BBQ elected.
• End point of the tour: Kasai Rinkai Koen, where Ara-Kawa meets Tokyo Bay. Please plan your own ride home from here. For me, it's 24 km I think to Meguro-ku. Join me if you're going through Tsukiji, Shinagawa, or Gotanda.

Day One - bail-outs

1. Naoetsu Station, Joetsu. 直江津駅
2. Ueda Station. 上田駅
3. Near Nagano city. 長野駅

Day Two - bail-outs

1. Yokokawa Station 横川駅
2. JoShu IchiNoMiya 上州一ノ宮駅

Day Three - bail-outs

1. Nagatoro 長瀞駅
2. Kumagaya 熊谷駅

Weather:

A year ago, weather during October in Nagano and Niigata was overall good this time of year. The exact weekend we are targeting, first part of October, was bad for 2 days. We have a good chance for nice weather, but need to be prepared, and keep fingers crossed.

Gear:

• maps
• food and drink
• spare tubes, tube patch kit
• pump
• bike wrench and tool kit
• mobile phone
• helmet
• rain/weather wear
• first aid kit
• lights for night/tunnel/dark places riding

Other goodies: cash!, spare tire for long trips, shoe cleat covers for walking, spare lube in mini container, compass, camera/film, notebook/pen, gloves!, sunglasses, chapstick, balm against chafing ...

Things we get at a minshuku and need not bring: yukata robe, toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo.

Suggestions

1. How to train: Time to work on your equipment - get it in perfect shape - then you are ready.
2. Fast riders help the slow riders: while waiting for the group, whoever gets out ahead, we'll want to do recon, scout routes and terrain for future rides, keep an eye out for bike shops, sights to see. We'll want photos, and of course, tasty places to grab food and drink. Also need people to set the tempo.