Asia, bikepacking, bikes, GPS

Sapporo to Ishikari

Leave a comment

Mugginess, mosquitoes and nearby rail line made for another broken night, but had to get packed up and away early as we found that the city trails get very busy very early on summer mornings. Early dusk at such latitude (just below 45) gives an early dawn – missing daylight savings here!

Smooth, well-marked trail into the city centre.

Many runners, walkers and other riders out trying to beat the heat.

Somewhat surprised to see this new Mormon temple.

Always like impressive bridges, especially those dedicated to people travelling by bike and foot.

Sunday morning baseball by the river.

With a few errands to do (I was hoping to finally replace my air mattress) and wanting to have a little look around the city, somewhere safe and permitted to park our loaded bikes was sought. If we’d been in the country more than a couple of days, we’d have known already that they’d have been safe almost anywhere. Where they’d be allowed was a little more difficult to work out; the big underground bike park near the station seemed a good option. With the help of the attendant, all rules were followed and off we went bike-less.

No way my bike was getting on the top rack, even if I had understood this.

Got a little sticker too.

One of these bikes is not like the other.

Sweltering outside by now, air conditioned malls and (extensive) underground walkways were most welcome. Amongst morning tea/coffee and cake and quick sightseeing, a lot of time was spent at the Mont Bell store – mattress replaced and, for some reason, I thought a poncho would be nicer in rainy conditions than a heavy raincoat.

Part of the main station.

Returning to the bike parking garage, the poor attendant almost collapsed laughing. Apparently these facilities cater to those away for days and weeks – he simply could not believe we were back in a matter of hours. Packing our purchases away, we were occasionally interrupted by sudden bursts of laughter.

Negotiating the bike escalator, we left feeling we’d made the attendant’s day – if not week. I wonder if he still talks about us.

Warm enough in the basement it was too.

Looking for another bike shop, must have been to try and replace Rachel’s chain (think twice about using high-end SRAM components in Japan – near impossible to find replacements; Shimano on the other hand – readily available). After a sweaty, hot climb up a busy arterial road the bike shop was unusually closed. Back to town where the others’ bikes were serviced while I had an interesting hair and beard cut experience; the calendar and poster gifts I walked out with not particularly useful on a bike tour.

A short stop at the Sapporo brewery for a pint later, we found cruisy riverside trails and old roads to take us towards the coast.

It took a little while to find exactly where the free camping was alongside a long narrow parking lot well frequented by beach goers. So hot was it still as dusk approached, even I went for a swim in the sea.

Still plenty of locals out as the day drew to a close. Looking towards the coast, and hills, we’d be riding past tomorrow.

Cutting it a bit fine at the onsen next door, we managed to squeak in and get dinner just as the kitchen about to close.

I don’t think I’ve ever taken as many photos of food as I did in Japan, always a delight to see what would come out and the care with so many different dishes were prepared and presented.

Back for another sweltering night in the tent, at least so close to the coast there was the possibility of a breeze – however warm.

Asia, bikepacking, bikes, GPS

Chitose to Sapporo

2 Comments

A very slow start after the long day previous travelling and a hot, sticky night. The lightest of drizzles completing the wetting of the tents that the humidity hadn’t managed. Strange looking campground, found out later that it was once a short golf course (pitch and putt). There was a big central barn-like structure which was useful for escaping the damp, if one avoided the various machinery and paraphernalia. Orlaith, having flown in the day before us, rode in and took us back to a bikepacking trio.

Surprised to see a couple of these New Zealand products – Kindling Cracker – amongst everything else.

Being close to the airport, there were quite a few people starting or finishing tours of Hokkaido. A friendly Canadian motorcyclist helped us try to diagnose and fix the problems with Orlaith’s gears, while I switched my pedals for some that Orlaith had kindly brought from home. A less-friendly Israeli man was quite the Debbie Downer explaining in far too much detail why he didn’t enjoy bike touring Hokkaido – just what one wants to hear at the start of a trip. Quite annoying, but good to remember that Complainy-pants was the common factor in all the stories.

Back to the airport (avoiding the freeway this time, but not navigational missteps) for me to post a package of things that were essential in Mongolia, but completely unnecessary in Japan. Quite a process declaring every little thing in the parcel, but that chore done we were off north towards Sapporo – the capital and largest city of Hokkaido. There must have been a heavy downpour while we were in the airport, as there was a little flooding on our route.

But, blue skies.

In Chitose we found a friendly bike shop that fixed the dodgy gears, sold me a new chain, provided bear spray, and let us hang our tents on their bike racks to dry. We left the city through an area of new warehouses (quiet on a Saturday afternoon) and small factories, interspersed by some housing. Out of there, we found some cycle trails beside waterways before extensive market gardens – everything pretty green, it felt like we were the ones in a hot house.

Small to medium solar farms all over the place would soon be a common sight.

The only climb of the day, all of about fifty metres, but in the heat, took us up to Kitahiroshima and a little urban riding – before we got on another cycle trail (felt like an old rail corridor) that was nicely shaded.

Baseball stadium with retractable roof.

Not wanting to go all the way into the city, we started to look for somewhere to camp on the edge of the trail. Not the easiest as it was quite busy. Finding an option, we left for our first onsen (hot springs, public baths) and dinner. This provided plenty of opportunity to try things for the first thing – leaving loaded bikes unlocked in broad daylight in a busy place, buying tickets (for both entry and, later, dinner) using coin-operated vending machines, onsen etiquette and so on. Blissful to have a proper wash and get rid of the pervasive sweat, not too mention having the meal-ordering roulette promising to have more flavour and variety than the Mongolian version.

Once night had set in, we dragged ourselves out into the heat (being sweat-free did not last long) and returned up the trail. Getting pegs into an old rail bed was hard work – tents went up eventually for another fitful night’s sleep.

Asia, bikepacking, bikes, GPS, travel

Ulaan Baatar to Chitose

Leave a comment

An early morning transfer to the airport was markedly faster than the reverse four weeks earlier. With some sadness we farewelled Mongolia and Ian – both having helped to make for a fantastic month’s of bikepacking. Strangely, we were flying United to Tokyo – which was adequate, but things ran late all day. Mongolia having been an addition to the original trip plan, I was very much looking forward to finally getting to, and spending three months biking in, Japan.

With a shortened time to make our connection at Narita to fly north to Hokkaido, things got a bit rushed as we had to collect and recheck our bike boxes. This proved most amusing as the airport staff were not used to bike boxes and it seemed they would not fit through the X-ray machine. So with a lot of helpful supervision and people kindly making a fuss over us, we had to unpack our bikes. The staff however seemed far more interested in our bikepacking gear as a concept, rather than as a means to conceal anything nefarious.

After the performance, we did make our connection in time. Well, we were on time.

Landing at Chitose, we were somewhat at how dark it was so early in the evening. For some reason, we started assembling our bikes in the terminal – probably on account of the high temperature and humidity outside. This was not the done thing, and we were moved on to finish putting bikes together outside. Dinner was our first taste of famed konbini (convenience store) fare.

Ready to go again.

Almost ten o’clock by now, thankfully it was not ten kilometres to get to the camping ground Rachel had booked and organised a late arrival at. Setting off at such an hour in a new country wasn’t the best – but at least it meant when we found ourselves on some sort of freeway, there wasn’t much traffic! Maps had us on an elevated road when we wanted to be turning right onto the road below – a bit of creative route-making eventually got us where we needed to be, setting up tents in a dark and quiet campground optimistically hoping for a good sleep in the humidity.

Asia, travel

Back to Ulaan Baatar

Leave a comment

Returning to Ulaan Baatar, on a highway we were pleased not to be riding – only one nasty crash scene seen, we had two days to clean and pack our bikes and gear. Not having to find bike boxes as we’d stored ours from NZ at the hostel, it didn’t take too long to pack. But I did want to find a set of individual hex keys, particularly a 6 mm, and thread fastener for the next leg of the trip. Ian and I spent some time on foot going to places that may or may not have been hardware stores. After some failures, we hit the jackpot at a large two-storey indoor mall filled with small shops that specialised in one type of engineering goods or other.

An electrical components shop.

Rather obvious what they’re selling.

Safety shop.

All quite fascinating, it reminded me of Istanbul and its engineering shopping district! We did find what we were looking for too.

Our last day in Mongolia was spent on a day trip of some sights in and outside the capital. First up the largest Soviet influenced monument I remember from our visit – the Zaisan Memorial, on a hill near the edge of the city. To commemorate the fallen Mongolia and Soviet soldiers in the Second World War, the panoramic mosaic on the inside was impressive in size and detail.

First, some stairs.

Good view of the city.

Still a little smoggy.

A flasher part of the city, right on the edge.

(Rachel’s photo.)

Unfortunately our next stop, a winter palace was closed for the day.

The most remarkable aspect of this scene for me is not the palace, although I do like all the green, it is the use of a lawnmower in Mongolia!

Leaving the city, we were off to the giant statue of Chinggis Kahn – the largest horse and rider statue in the world, unsurprising when you see it up close, big is an understatement. All the stainless steel looking rather fetching.

It was all pretty touristy, but being tourists we couldn’t complain too much.

Ian aside Mongolia’s tallest man.

Very crowded inside, we did make it up the congested, tight staircase to emerge from Chinggis’s crotch onto the neck of the horse.

Back inside and the world’s largest leather boot – if you were wondering.

Stopping at a roadside ger restaurant, we struggled ordering again and were pleasantly surprised when a huge bowl of roast lamb and veges arrived, along with milk tea and fermented mare’s milk (which was better than the other time I’d sampled this). Well, Ian and I were delighted with the meal – Rachel and Pauline perhaps not so much.

After all that food, I may have been a bit sleepy for the rest of the afternoon at a national park where there were plenty of rock formations that one could imagine were animal shaped. The best example being Turtle Rock below.

Nicely balanced.

Interesting rocks all around, animal shaped or not.

Up the end of the valley was a large temple complex, that required a decent uphill walk, ostensibly for meditative purposes – it was so busy, the few quiet moments away from the crowds were pleasing.

With a final Mongolia ice cream, it was back to the car and into UB for the last time and our last night in Mongolia – this trip that is, we all left the following morning hoping to return one day. What a great place to explore by bike and so much open space to roam and camp in; very friendly and hospitable people too, even if our grasp of the Mongolia language never developed beyond poor.

Biking to go places, going places to bike.