| Time | 7:00pm Saturday 22 March 2025 Add all rides to your calendar |
| Location | Lady Burra Brewhouse 4 Topham Mall, Adelaide SA 5000 |
| Route | 21km, Adelaide, Underdale, Brooklyn Park, Netley, Ashford, Keswick Strava Route GPX Route |
| Coffee Stop | Ampol, West Richmond 130-132 Marion Rd, West Richmond SA 5033 |
| Register | Please let us know you are coming… |
| Time | 7:00pm Saturday 22 February 2025 Add all rides to your calendar |
| Location | State Library of South Australia North Terrace, Adelaide SA 5000 |
| Route | 16km, Adelaide, Goodwood and Keswick Strava Route GPX Route |
| Stop | Goodwood Theatre and Studios 166 Goodwood Rd, Goodwood SA 5034 Migration Museum 82 Kintore Ave, Adelaide SA 5000 |
| Overview | This ride is one of my favourite rides. A version of it was done in 2024 and it was brought back from the Tour Down Under as part of Brompton Australia’s ride program. It was certainly a hot at the 5:00pm start. While a gelato at 48 Flavour cooled us down, if you are considering this route during summer a latter start would be good. You’ll just need to check on the opening hours for Reggies Detroit Pizzas. This ride was on a Sunday which unfortunately had an early closing time and necessitated the early start. |
| Original Date | 5:00pm Sunday 19 January 2025 Add all rides to your calendar |
| Location | Sounds of the Road Pop-up (during 2025 Tour Down Under only) Hindmarsh Square |
| Route | 23km, Adelaide, Parkside, Unley, Malvern, Kingswood, Kings Park, Goodwood Strava Route GPX Route |
| Stops | 48 Flavours Hyde Park 248 Unley Rd, Hyde Park SA 5061 The Suburban Brew and Reggies Detroit Pizzas 96 Goodwood Rd, Goodwood SA 5034 |
| Updates | Please let us know through our feedback form if you have updates, comments or improvements in connection with this route. |
When visiting Tokyo, we always catch up with our ‘non-Brompton owning’ friends – who we’ve known since 2009.
As we’re in Japan for a month we were able to see them a few times. Firstly they took us to their local popular Izakaya. The food was as fabulous as the company – as it was great to catch up with them after 12 months.
They also spent time with us taking us to places in Tokyo.
.. and on our last day we were able to catchup with them again before taking the plane home. We enjoyed the local speciality of Sendai (tongue) and went to the fish art museum. Let’s face it they are impressive when you get an opportunity to see them up close and well lit).
Afterwards they took the time to come to the airport, enjoy one last meal together at the airport before we took the plane home.
Being from Australia we don’t necessarily value the large number of leave provision days we can take off. Japanese get much fewer days off – so when our friends let us know they are taking a day for us – it’s very special and we value their time… and can’t wait to see you again – hopefully next year.
There are many things which go into making holidays great. Often it’s a combination of deciding where to go, what to experience with the time you have available, navigating your way around and being prepared to be opened minded for what you might experience. This is often our experience in Japan.
We recognise we are fortunate to have Brompton cycling friends in Japan – it was really great to see them again – and we have a very enjoyable time in their company.
These holidays we got to spend time with them –
Because we have known them since 2016.. we have learnt more about them, their culture, and as a bonus it’s helped us learn the best ways to get around Japan by Brompton. Through this friendship we also hope what we experience inspires them to visit the places in Japan we visit with our Bromptons – as they inspire us to cycle different places in Japan.
Mayumi, the leader of Brompton in Palace also does her own blog of cycling with her Brompton and about the events. If you are interested in reading the blog – I recommend you take a look. If you don’t read Japanese, don’t panic as there is a translate button in your internet browser.
ありがとうご座います… and we look forward to seeing you again next holiday.
Adventure no more. We managed to finally get home today. I mean that as the flight to ADL from SYD decided to take another loop around Adelaide plains and hills as the first attempt to land was aborted.
Two weeks ago Takero, our Brompton friend lead a ride to a park to watch planes from Haneda take off. That day there were a lot of planes taking off and landing. However there was this one that tried to land a couple of times… and I remember saying at the time “I would hate being on that plane…”. Well today that was my experience. 😞
The pilot attempted to land from the sea approach due to the winds, and unfortunately the wind was change direction so we got an extra loop ride no one wanted. I was glad when we landed.
I know some people like flying… but I’m not one. As I’ve said the only part I like is the taxi-ing before take off and landing. But enough talking about the actual flying experience.
Over the years we’ve gotten transiting to the airport with luggage in Japan to a fine art. When travelling internationally we use hard cases for our Bromptons as we know Australian airlines do not enable bikes to be transported in an open courier box like they do domestically in Japan. In addition to bike suitcases.. we have one mid-size luggage and a small carry on case which transitions to checked luggage home.
Moving via the train to either Haneda or Narita is the best option – but not with bicycle cases. Platform transitioning is too hard (based on where we stay), so now we take a taxi – and my arms are happier for the experience. below shows the luggage as we left the hotel in Tokyo.
Food on the plane from Japan is a delight – we were able to order a special meal – which was fabulous. Last Japanese style fish dish for me for awhile…
… and the breakfast was pretty good too.
Did I manage to sleep on the plane – a small bit (I tried, I really did), so I’m asking for your understanding if you interact with me today.
We will be doing a few posts over the next couple of days about cycling our Bromptons in Japan, details on trip planning for the avid Brompton owner and what we did over the last few days.
… as always morning priorities after the bags are packed! At the beginning of our trip we found a great new coffee place near the hotel… great beans and great breakfast. so we went for the last time.
They also do a great hand-drip coffee style too which was enjoyable today.
It’s always an interesting experience – packing the suitcase at the end of the trip. It’s a realisation of the amount you’ve bought (… oh I don’t remember that..!) and how it all manages to fit together. We have the added weight of the cycling gear – which really isn’t too much. What is frustrating is having to move the suitcases… and remembering what it will be like when we get to the other side.
But enough of that – today is a crisp 11 degrees and is a blue sky day. For those of you en Adelaide, commiserations on the forecast but we will will enjoy this while we can.
… so there is time for one last bike ride before we pack the bike away.
We used our free breakfast tickets this morning, which were due to staying at the hotel previously… and it was quite enjoyable.
The weather is going to be a very cool 12 degrees, but the sky is perfectly blue. Great cycling conditions… looking forward to seeing what today brings.
