Day 8: Base camp Biei - 75.5km return to Mt Tokashi
Tom seemed to miss the exhilaration of combustion driven transport so decided to have a rest day by busing it up to Shirogane, these city folk are a little odd. I decided that I wanted to ride toward the top of Mt Tokashi until either the incline was too much or my tires would no longer grip to the snow!
The road led directly out of Biei and through 10km of farmland before it hit the national park with its dense bamboo leaved floor and thick tree cover. A path had been constructed on the side of the road witch over time had become covered in a yellow-green moss and gave the impression of riding on carpet. My first stop was the blue pools - a picture is worth a thousand words. So far on the trip we had not seen a tourist sign written in English and this destination was no different, so I'll let you guess what the significance of the place was! I then followed some leaf lined single track along a wilderness path, there were bear signs everywhere but I'm pretty sure that I was alone out there and if not I could out ride the buggers!
I came across a water fall which by itself was very impressive, with mossy rocks and the type of pine trees I associated with Japan surrounding it; however, the most impressive part of the scene was the temple and religious ceremony taking place in front of my eyes. I spent a while there watching and trying to keep out of the way. Food was being placed on the temple and I couldn't help but notice that a couple of crows or ravens had their eyes on it all. As the procession wound around the back of the temple to commence foot washing and water splashing I was alarmed to see the birds tearing the food apart and spreading it around the site, dragging entire bags of food metres before getting into them. Now, this would have been fine if I wasn't the ONLY person there, and a disheveled foreigner who looked a little hungry. In order to avoid any accusations of pilfering I very quickly mounted my steed and rode on, and what a ride it was, single kilometres of singletrack lined with temples!
Tom seemed to miss the exhilaration of combustion driven transport so decided to have a rest day by busing it up to Shirogane, these city folk are a little odd. I decided that I wanted to ride toward the top of Mt Tokashi until either the incline was too much or my tires would no longer grip to the snow!
The road led directly out of Biei and through 10km of farmland before it hit the national park with its dense bamboo leaved floor and thick tree cover. A path had been constructed on the side of the road witch over time had become covered in a yellow-green moss and gave the impression of riding on carpet. My first stop was the blue pools - a picture is worth a thousand words. So far on the trip we had not seen a tourist sign written in English and this destination was no different, so I'll let you guess what the significance of the place was! I then followed some leaf lined single track along a wilderness path, there were bear signs everywhere but I'm pretty sure that I was alone out there and if not I could out ride the buggers!
I came across a water fall which by itself was very impressive, with mossy rocks and the type of pine trees I associated with Japan surrounding it; however, the most impressive part of the scene was the temple and religious ceremony taking place in front of my eyes. I spent a while there watching and trying to keep out of the way. Food was being placed on the temple and I couldn't help but notice that a couple of crows or ravens had their eyes on it all. As the procession wound around the back of the temple to commence foot washing and water splashing I was alarmed to see the birds tearing the food apart and spreading it around the site, dragging entire bags of food metres before getting into them. Now, this would have been fine if I wasn't the ONLY person there, and a disheveled foreigner who looked a little hungry. In order to avoid any accusations of pilfering I very quickly mounted my steed and rode on, and what a ride it was, single kilometres of singletrack lined with temples!
The road then started heading up, the snow capped mountains started getting whiter and the temp started dropping to a very comfortable climbing temperature. This certainly WAS NOT the day to be couped up in a bus and I felt sorry for Tom, for a moment. I passed through the tourist/hot spring town of Shirogane and hit a junction, I chose the road that looked to be going up. And up it went, a perfect gradient led me higher for almost half an hour before another junction required a decision, so up I went. I arrived at the national park car park where the road stopped and I could see the snow covering the volcanic rock that made up the moonscape. Some air was let out from the Big Apples and I kept on riding, up. The confusion in the father and sons eyes soon turned to amusement as I mimicked a deranged and exhausted man riding up the hill to nowhere. It then got steeper and rockier, so much so that riding was becoming impossible and I resorted to moving by foot; until the snow prevented that. I'd done it!
Riding rocky downhill on a rigid touring bike on slick (albeit fat) tyres isn't the best idea but bejeesus it was fun. My maximum speed was a measly 36km/h but my eyeballs were shaking in their sockets and my blurry vision prevented me going any faster. I was cold and the thick black cohee (coffee) at the small shop was a very welcome treat.
I didn't want this riding to end so continued on, exploring the rolling and climbing roads that led toward Furano. Snow covered the floor of the forest and waterways were running under the ice. I eventually reached an Onsen (hot spring). There was an indoor Onsen with full car park and shop, and there was a thermal waterfall, which looked far more interesting so I followed the trail down to where the mostly naked people were perched in rock pools on the edge of a sheer cliff!
I didn't want this riding to end so continued on, exploring the rolling and climbing roads that led toward Furano. Snow covered the floor of the forest and waterways were running under the ice. I eventually reached an Onsen (hot spring). There was an indoor Onsen with full car park and shop, and there was a thermal waterfall, which looked far more interesting so I followed the trail down to where the mostly naked people were perched in rock pools on the edge of a sheer cliff!
I fitted my rain coat to head back down the mountain for fear of freezing and losing control of my fingers (those with which I brake). Needless to say, the trip down the mountain was FUN and a speed limit or two may or may not have been broken. Once I reached Shirogane again Tom and I rendezvous at one of the hotels at which he was about to enjoy an onsen of his own. We bought beers from a vending machine and enjoyed another of our popular routines - beer and 100 yen massage chairs. Ten minutes a coin, I put through 300 yen before I decided it was time to head back to town.
If there was one thing we learned in Japan, it was to avoid at all costs any kind of restaurant or cafe that in any way mimicked the type of place you grandma likes to visit on a quiet Sunday morning; you know the ones, arts and crafts scattered for sale on the shelves, pale colours mixed with wooden furniture and frilly table settings. We had booked to eat at the restaurant next door to the hostel which fit this description; big mistake.
If there was one thing we learned in Japan, it was to avoid at all costs any kind of restaurant or cafe that in any way mimicked the type of place you grandma likes to visit on a quiet Sunday morning; you know the ones, arts and crafts scattered for sale on the shelves, pale colours mixed with wooden furniture and frilly table settings. We had booked to eat at the restaurant next door to the hostel which fit this description; big mistake.
Day 9: Biei to Furano and surrounds - 65km
Furano was a short 30 or so km hop from Biei along winding farm land roads nestled between two huge ranges, both capped in snow. Once we arrived we headed to the ski resort side of town and checked into a hotel at the base of a snow run, before heading off san panniers to explore the town. First stop was ice-cream, not really a routine of ours, just a very popular past time, they love their soft serve on Hokkaido! Mine was with fresh local berries, nom.
Tourist brochures in hand we stopped in at a set of markets built in a forest and connected by boardwalks. Probably the most tourist oriented destination we'd visited so far it still provided some great shopping opportunities. Mine was a Damascus style steel knife, hand made in the back of the hut, along with a carving; while Tom spent big on the greatest kaleidoscope ever produced. The cheese factory which made up our next stop is not worth a mention, and the parkland which boasted 100 temples didn't hold a flame against my jungle single track the day prior. So we held big expectation on the wine region of Furano.......well, the grape juice factory was sensational......wine? Not so, I suppose that's our fault though, they aren't exactly famous for it.
The day was almost dusted and we were starving, having been disappointed by the availability of food at both the cheese factory and the wineries, so we headed out for two dinners, one close to the hotel and one further in town at a place called Boco's. Both were sensational, and followed by another routine of ours, two ice creams from the local store after our meal, as Japanese do not do desert.
Furano was a short 30 or so km hop from Biei along winding farm land roads nestled between two huge ranges, both capped in snow. Once we arrived we headed to the ski resort side of town and checked into a hotel at the base of a snow run, before heading off san panniers to explore the town. First stop was ice-cream, not really a routine of ours, just a very popular past time, they love their soft serve on Hokkaido! Mine was with fresh local berries, nom.
Tourist brochures in hand we stopped in at a set of markets built in a forest and connected by boardwalks. Probably the most tourist oriented destination we'd visited so far it still provided some great shopping opportunities. Mine was a Damascus style steel knife, hand made in the back of the hut, along with a carving; while Tom spent big on the greatest kaleidoscope ever produced. The cheese factory which made up our next stop is not worth a mention, and the parkland which boasted 100 temples didn't hold a flame against my jungle single track the day prior. So we held big expectation on the wine region of Furano.......well, the grape juice factory was sensational......wine? Not so, I suppose that's our fault though, they aren't exactly famous for it.
The day was almost dusted and we were starving, having been disappointed by the availability of food at both the cheese factory and the wineries, so we headed out for two dinners, one close to the hotel and one further in town at a place called Boco's. Both were sensational, and followed by another routine of ours, two ice creams from the local store after our meal, as Japanese do not do desert.
Day 10: Furano to Hirafu and surrounds - 3 trains and 27km of riding
Unfortunately we'd worked ourselves into a bit of a hole. The only way out of Furano was south, where we'd already been, north, where we'd come from, and west, directly into the built up surround of Sapporo and to the coast. Tom devised a cunning plan which required us to purchase bike bags (compulsory for train travel with a bike in Japan) and three train trips. This journey would see us smack in the middle of the Niseko region, famed with Australian for its great snow and well known to Tom.
It was a straight forward journey and the bike bags paid off, but I was overwhelmingly relieved to be back on the bike at Hirafu station......heeelloooo? No one, no signs, just a disgruntled local man walking his dog who looked like he'd skin us for our pelts. There was however a significant land mark that would lead us to Tosan's house (Tom's regular stay in Hirafu). Mt Yotei was a big fucking volcano with snow on it, symmetrical and directly to our east. All we needed to do was get between it and Mt Niseko and we'd find the ski village and a bed for the night.
Unfortunately we'd worked ourselves into a bit of a hole. The only way out of Furano was south, where we'd already been, north, where we'd come from, and west, directly into the built up surround of Sapporo and to the coast. Tom devised a cunning plan which required us to purchase bike bags (compulsory for train travel with a bike in Japan) and three train trips. This journey would see us smack in the middle of the Niseko region, famed with Australian for its great snow and well known to Tom.
It was a straight forward journey and the bike bags paid off, but I was overwhelmingly relieved to be back on the bike at Hirafu station......heeelloooo? No one, no signs, just a disgruntled local man walking his dog who looked like he'd skin us for our pelts. There was however a significant land mark that would lead us to Tosan's house (Tom's regular stay in Hirafu). Mt Yotei was a big fucking volcano with snow on it, symmetrical and directly to our east. All we needed to do was get between it and Mt Niseko and we'd find the ski village and a bed for the night.
After a short stop at a farmhouse for ice-cream and some dubious winding roads that seemed to take us in every direction but where we wanted to go, we made it to the township and the amazing European residence of Tosan and his wife. The house was built 30 years ago when he was the only pension in the town, now it's a kind of skiing paradise and is slowly being enveloped by multi story lifeless hotels.
Sans panniers we headed up the mountain where I learned a valuable lesson - don't follow a downhill skier up a hill he knows during winter by its lifts, runs and fluorescent signage. We were just going for a 'ride around town' but spent two hours pushing bikes up trails that only had signs of use by tracked vehicle. Once at the top we had no way to get back down as the trail was far too steep so we resorted to a green run, not ideal but my 2.35" Big apple let down to 25PSI was the karmic payback I received while Tom vibrated his way down. Having said that, it was a great view and well worth the pain.
Then Tosan treated us to his favourite sushi joint followed by a visit to an onsen in Niseko. Once I had the process down pat all was good, but it really isn't as simple as jumping naked into a thermal pool - lots of shoe changing, washing, rinsing and loin cloth etiquette. Then slowly boiling in a 41.9 degree pool! The beer I had after that bath was hard earned!
Sans panniers we headed up the mountain where I learned a valuable lesson - don't follow a downhill skier up a hill he knows during winter by its lifts, runs and fluorescent signage. We were just going for a 'ride around town' but spent two hours pushing bikes up trails that only had signs of use by tracked vehicle. Once at the top we had no way to get back down as the trail was far too steep so we resorted to a green run, not ideal but my 2.35" Big apple let down to 25PSI was the karmic payback I received while Tom vibrated his way down. Having said that, it was a great view and well worth the pain.
Then Tosan treated us to his favourite sushi joint followed by a visit to an onsen in Niseko. Once I had the process down pat all was good, but it really isn't as simple as jumping naked into a thermal pool - lots of shoe changing, washing, rinsing and loin cloth etiquette. Then slowly boiling in a 41.9 degree pool! The beer I had after that bath was hard earned!
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