You just keep pushing. You just keep pushing. I made every mistake that could be made. But I just kept pushing. —Rene Descartes Biking touring blunders aren’t just for newbies! Even after 7+ years on the road, we managed to
Switchbacks, the Sea and Encounters with the Cops
After Hokkaido, we had just a month to pedal the length of Japan’s main island of Honshu. Our visas were due to expire and we had a ferry to catch to Korea. Pounding out 2,000 kilometers in 30 days wouldn’t
Let your GPS be your Guide!
“Are you sure we’re headed the right direction? Looks like this road is meant to be closed.” “According to the GPS we just head straight up this road and we’ll hit the lake in 10 kilometers. It’s a shortcut. Trust
Happy in Hokkaido!
Sunshine. A few rays of warm sunshine, that’s all it took to transform our Hokkaido cycle tour from one of futile misery to fun. Our sincerest apologies, beautiful Hokkaido! Your reputation as a world class cycling destination is well deserved.
Hokkaido Hoax
I’d spun Hokkaido into some kind of cycling nirvana. A Shangri-La of sorts where a smooth ribbon of road cut through the countryside. A bike tourist’s Eden of tailwinds and temperate weather. A utopia of sane drivers, safe roads and
Riding the Spine
Japan is a surprisingly mountainous country. With all the major population centers shoved together along the coastal lowlands, the interior is blissfully empty. After all the hassles and headaches of navigating between Osaka and Tokyo (with a population of around
Mapless in Japan
A country covered in road signs you can’t read, inhabited by people speaking a language you don’t understand may not seem like the ideal spot to wing it on a bike tour. No, Japan is ordinarily a place cyclists travel
Dangerous Expectations
It was mid-morning by the time the bikes were reassembled, the panniers re-packed and we were ready to ride out into the Osaka traffic. The night had been restless. Kansai International Airport is undeserving of its spot in Asia’s Top