Making the most of our chalet’s kitchen, poaching eggs may have lead to a pleasantly later start.
Think we got all this right before dropping the trash off.
Nice descent to start with, but first the large playground next to the campground demanded some testing for my nephews.
Roller slide? Reminded me of the roller stands we used to have while packing boysenberries.
Big pillow looking a bit deflated; already a leaf blower out keeping it immaculate, wonder what the man thought of us.
Ouch, no thanks.
One of the most enjoyable sections of riding on quiet tracks and roads greeted us coming off the hill. Lots of twists and turns descending, then through chicken and pig farms on gravel before a long series rollers through crops (onion, potatoes, carrots, daikon).
Into the town of Shari for lunch, Seicomart again. We popped over the road to eat near the station; of all the towns we’d been to recently, this area was the most recently renovated and up to date. Nice to see something new and not fading – even if it was just outside the station.
Fascinating structure made to look like it’s constructed with fishing net.
Shari also the gateway to famed Shiretoko National Park (we hoped for some hiking) – probably why the station was so much flasher than most provincial ones.
Trying to avoid the highway as we approached the coast, we eventually had no other option on a sweltering afternoon. This turned into one of the worst sections of highway we rode on (I remember only one other from three months in Japan – not bad going at all). Amongst increased traffic (only road around the coast), there was no shoulder and the edge of the seal was in poor condition. Thankfully this only last forty minutes or so, and we did get a tailwind – even if it was not helping the heat situation. Drivers were still courteous, so compared to most countries – not bad!
Relieved to find vending machines for a cold drink, we were delighted to find another wonderfully retro cafe tucked away – and it was open. Run by two dear older women, we were well looked after with iced drinks and then iced towels.
(Rachel’s photo)
One of the women enjoyed showing us pictures of the place – in summer here.
Obviously winter here. The ice flows down from the north and packs the coast in!
The vintage cameras caught my eye.
The handguns just sitting there dragged it down.
Returning to our bikes, and the furnace, we found a couple of extra loaded bikes. Fun to see the father and son from a week ago in the Wakkanai rider house.
A good sign indeed. Also, the road improved markedly and it was a little cooler right by the sea.
A short walk up to Oshin Koshin Falls was enjoyable; we may have lingered in the spray for longer than necessary.
Into Utoro for the night, Shiretoko mountains in the background.
At least some of the concrete coastal protection gives a little aesthetic pleasure.
While I went off to post yet more unneeded items home (the poncho I got in Sapporo was enough to send the heavy raincoat home), Rachel and Orlaith had fun trying to check into the campground. Seemed there was some confusion as apparently most of the national park was closed due to a bear attack a day or two beforehand – but we just wanted to stay in their campground the night, with plenty of other people around. I detoured to an information centre before climbing to the campground.
It didn’t look like we’d be doing much hiking in the park, unfortunately. But not as unfortunate as the hiker who was last seen by his friend being carried off into the mountainside forest. Eek.
The climb to the campground paid for by the view.
We wandered to a local izakaya for dinner; very nice, even if the TV news of the missing hiker was alarming – but that’s for tomorrow, first tasty salmon and roe.
