So I went for a bike ride....

There's a crater-lake called 支笏湖 Lake Shikotsu-ko about 50km south of Sapporo. It's supposed to be really beautiful and boasts amazing hot springs. So on Saturday I got up at 6am and went. Got a bit lost trying to find a cycle-friendly route, but kept going south. The sign said "Right to Lake Shikotsu-ko". So I turned right. No more signage for a good 5km, so looking at the signs going the other way... "Left to Lake Shikotsu-ko" ... damn bewildering signage. Found Route 453 eventually. Through some Hoodoo-looking rock formations at Ishiyama, past some country clubs, and then there were no more pit stops to be seen... (note to self: stock up at those convenience stores. There may not be one round the next corner, or for the next 40km.)

50km would have taken me less than 6 hours if it wasn't for the three mountain passes I had to traverse to get there. The third pass, as I recall, is around 700m above sea level. The final descent to the lake is a 4km stretch of steep downhill (owing to the fact that it's a crater lake). Sapporo is near-sea level. So now, I'm paying for all that uphill riding (and at some points, walking. I'm not ashamed to admit it, I'm no Olympic athlete here)...

When I arrived, I had run out of energy and water, I was feeling just exhausted from all that uphill riding. I had a very welcome soak at the Marukoma Hot Spring on the lakeshore (it's supposedly haunted ... ooo), had a bowl of iced buckwheat noodles and rode the bus home. I knew it would be a one-way trip so I took my bike apart at the hot spring, put the bits into the handy nylon carry case, and took it with me on the bus. As I was taking the bike apart a very interested Japanese family from Otaru were watching me, the dad was very interested and asked me to teach him. The three daughters wanted to help, so they kept the bike upright (there's no kickstand) and held the bolts in their hands. The mum went off to buy everybody an iced coffee. Such hospitality...

And when I got to Sapporo station I put the bike back together and made the short 10km jaunt home. When I got back I was feeling pretty tired (I slept the entire 2 hour bus trip back) but my roomie Ikuko invited me to go camping on the beach with her and her friends. So I did. We had a barbecue with marinated lamb, shrimp, squid and vegetables, lit lots of fireworks, and had a blast. I had to turn in early, sleeping and barbecuing is a recipe for disaster.