Rainy day…

Posted on by helenhmk

When the forecast for your day of riding predicts 100% guaranteed rain all day, it’s important to understand there are better things to do. Here is what we did today instead of cycling.

Train from Nara to Kashihara (move the Bromptons)

Historical burial site

Historical housing area which survived WWII

Special ramen spot (Napa cabbage)

Dan Dan cafe – tea house on a tea farm

While we were not cycling the day was fabulous being shown special spots by locals. We loved it – and really appreciated the time spent with other Brompton owners. 🥰

Epic Saturday ride…

Posted on by helenhmk

Today’s plan was a bit of cycling from Kyoto to Nara. However to get to the start we had to catch a Shinkansen from Tokyo… all sounds relatively easy so far. But to meet at the starting point we were at Tokyo Train Station by 6am. The only way to do this with luggage involved cycling from our hotel in Suidobashi at 5:30, it’s a short 20 minute ride which was familiar to us.

It’s always a relief to get to the platform with bags and waiting time. Kym went to the bento shop for breakfast and I minded the bags.

Once on board, with bikes and luggage stored behind us (yeah for booking the storage space – as you can’t guarantee there will be somewhere for large luggage), we enjoyed our breakfast bento in the time it took the train to get from Tokyo to Yokohama where our friend joined us with his bike.

A few hours later we were in Kyoto meeting new friends and unfolding the bikes to cycle the Keinawa Cycling road, which is well signed and marked with a blue line once you’ve reached it.

.. end part 1.

Spoto!

Posted on by helenhmk

Ah… Brompton cyclist spotted near Blue Lug last night. Lots of signage discouraging bicycle parking near train station and shopping area. 🚲🙈

Cycling Tokyo by night

Posted on by helenhmk

The above photos were taken during a night ride on Tuesday with Kanga, a Brompton cyclist who has lived in Japan for decades.

When cycling on holiday quite often you are on a high paying attention to everything around you, frequently stopping to check your phone, are you in the right place… and at the same time paying attention to everyone around so you don’t run into people walking or cycling. It can be exhausting.. but exciting at the same time.

On Tuesday night we organised to meet up with Ryan (Kanga) an Australian Brompton rider who has lived in Japan for a number of decades. We previously met at a Brompton in Palace meet years back, and he agreed to take us go for a night ride – and as you can tell by the photos – it was a fabulous ride through Tokyo.

The start was at Tokyo station… as we dodged the pedestrians, cyclists as we made our way through the maze of streets, buildings, and over bridges. I could try and explain the directions we took, but let’s face it I got no hope in remembering the names of places, but I did recognise a number of the buildings.

Our destination was Odaiba… and the foreshore which features an amazing view of the rainbow bridge lit up along with all the surrounding buildings. On the water there were a number of boats with colourful with lights We headed towards Toyosu to look at the view of the bridges and buildings which at night – and what a view!