Rain arrived as forecast and stuck around for most of the day. I wasn’t complaining, after very broken sleep for two and a half weeks, and the heat – I was in desperate need of a rest. Orlaith wasn’t – off on the bike somewhere to hike up a mountain. We returned to the visitor centre and spent some time in the upstairs cafe looking out over a beautiful forest. Lovely lunch down the street at a place run by an elderly couple (we would eventually learn to seek these out for the care shown in and the authenticity, tastiness of the food).
A long nap was high on my agenda early afternoon as the rain continued to fall. Once it stopped raining, bike cleaning and maintenance. The click from my bottom bracket had returned over the last week, so I had another go at fixing that – but the slight noise returned in another few days. Thankfully it was only mildly irritating rather than mechanically significant.
Remainder of the day spent soaking in the onsen, wandering the small thermal areas around town, a drink at a local bar with a curious gallery in the attic before dinner at an izakaya. Altogether a pleasant low-key day. Little did I know that it would be a month before the next rest day – far too long, both at the time and especially in hindsight. A few snaps from about town:
Numerous onsen and places we stayed had large bookcases filled with graphic novels and other printed materials. Not much use to us, but pretty cool to see.
Despite the rain, it was still hot – so a iced tea in the air conditioned visitor centre overlooking forest was the ticket.
First public foot spa we’d seen – pleasingly, not uncommon on rest of the trip.
Venison for lunch for me (certainly enough deer around), Rachel had oyudon (a chicken and egg, or is that egg and chicken, dish) – which she was still salivating over weeks later.
Fairly typical izakaya. Some seats at the bar, some tables with cushions for sitting on at a raised platform.
Sneak peak of Mt Io and Lake Kussharo, showing further signs of volcanic activity.
New friends in the toilet block – which is not where one really wants to meet new friends.
Start of the trail to Mounts Mashu and Nijibetsu – no hiking for us today though.
I was surprised to see a sibling of my gravel bike (RLT9) – the bike I planned to ride around Japan, until I decided to go Mongolia too. It belonged to Jen (Xian?), a Chinese American who we kept bumping into over the next week.
Jen’s photo.
We very quickly lost those five hundred metres.
Our stuffed bear numbers now thankfully far surpassing our live bear views.
As well as throwback pedallos, this beach had hot water – one could make little pools or just warm feet in the sand.
Easy going road.
Started out a gentle path.
Fascinated by woodpeckers, although most of why is lost in a snapshot.
Still more geothermal activity.
The crowds started to thin as the afternoon approached its end.
Trying to fit in back at the rider house.
First the usual Seicomart resupply – Hokkaido milk candies a staple, trying out bite-sized meat snacks too (bit odd, want to get through them quickly in the heat). All individually wrapped, of course – not a bad thing in my top tube bag.
Biggest snow shelters seen yet along this stretch.
This made yesterday’s bear encounter more alarming!
Building for fishing work and workers, similar to the one we saw on the northern coast.
Heavy and uncomfortable – wouldn’t want to carry that far.
Bit hot to add to my cycling kit.
Like a bit of bakelite.
Lush mossy paths were very pleasant to ride and walk on.
Bark cladding looked ever so delicate – but clearly survives.
The common soft drinks vending machine spotted with its less common counterparts – the alcoholic drinks machine.
And seen even less in the wild, the cigarette vending machines.
Milk production clearly taken seriously here, the cows have their own onsen.
Back to Utoro.
Back down to the northwest.
Mt Rausu.
Didn’t seen any more bears crossing, thankfully.
View from the pass – big parking lot, plenty of people around.
To the southeast. There’s Russia again, its islands seemingly wrapping around this part of Japan.
Wonderfully long descent it was too; although I got very sleepy on the way down, most unusual – lack of sleep in the heat catching up with me.
Quite the little dude; must be strong – his loaded bike was heavier than ours. Perhaps because we weren’t carrying so many souvenirs – deer antlers particularly.
Plenty of fishing net buoys all up this stretch of coast.
Two of numerous little pools built around hot springs in the sea. 
Chum salmon and pollack the prize catches in these waters.
Although my snap doesn’t seem to have done it justice.