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.