Day 5: Bifue Campground to Sapporo

Bifue campground on Lake Shikotsu was quite lovely, at least the main building amenities, it was too wet to see much else. We took advantage and did laundry. While sitting around waiting the staff gave us buns, chips, and coffee from their store, no charge. Talk about hospitality!

Eventually everything was ready and packed when the staff asked us where we were going, or as close to that as possible with minimal overlap in language! After many gestures, pointing at a map, and phrase book look ups, we became much more knowledgeable on our route. Chitose was a nearby city, approximately 40km downhill. Our next major goal of Furano would be two long, hilly days after that with no food access. Alternatively Sapporo (major city of 2million) sounded like a 2 day ride away, with a quiet but hilly northern route and flatter but busier ride through Chitose. Unclear on our plans, but approaching noon, we headed to Chitose, to decide upon the way.

Our ride into Chitose was very wet, but we did find a nice dedicated path we could follow that paralleled the road. We also flew downhill, covering the 40km in sub 2hrs! Now it was decision time: stop? Continue to Furano? To Sapporo. Soaking wet but still energic, we headed north to Sapporo, continuing to fly downhill and covering 80km in approximately 5hrs, all after lunch.

Accommodation in Sapporo was at Inos Backpackers Hostel, a Lonely Planet suggestion. Thankfully they had space for walkins. It was cute and homey, larger than Pan and Circus in Kyoto, but still with character.

For dinner we set out via subway in search of an old ramen alley. I wasn't overly optimistic I could eat. Most ramen places use fish sauce and egg noodles. I need the rare combination of pork sauce and soba (buckwheat) noodles. Pessimisticly,  I inquired at three shops if I could eat, being turned away each time. The third shop even showed us that the Hokkaido noodles he and everyone else used had eggs.

I was resigned to eating elsewhere, I told Brendan to choose a ramen place for himself. He chose one that had some patrons but and empty seats. He was in the process of saying just for one person when I decided to ask one more time. I could eat both their salt and soya sauce ramen! Hooray, I'd found that rare combination! It was quite salty, but still delicious!

Sadly a bowl of ramen just isn't enough food after a day of riding. So, for the first time in my life, I went from one restaurant I'd had dinner at, directly to a second for second dinner. That night second dinner was a grill your own affair with lamb sausage, beef tongue, and shoulder. Yum!

Numbers:

78km today

327km total

1 flat so far in repairs

Yep, I think we went downhill today

Back to neon lights!

Ramen alley

Neil safe ramen!

Ino's House had a circus theme. These stilts and pogo stick (both much harder than they look), were joined by juggling balls inside.

Day 4: Lake Toya to Bifue Campground

Day 4 started with a trip into the tourist townsite by Lake Toya, in search of an onsen (natural sento or spa). We didn't find one, but discovered they're usually connected to hotels. We did learn that Lake Toya hosted the G8 summit in 2008. A nice picturesque place for it.

Our route for the day aimed for nearby Lake Shikotsu. we followed the river inland, anticipating a slow, constant climb. And yep, it was!

Near the end of the day it started to rain. We were tired, wet and dreading upcoming switchbacks on the map, not sure if they were up or down. Ahead on the road appeared... A dinosaur!? Yep.

 The dinosaur was connected to a large building with adjoining farmers market. Inside we found everything mushroom: dried mushrooms, brined mushrooms, powdered mushrooms, tempura mushrooms, fried mushrooms, fresh mushrooms, mushroom tea and wood for smoking mushrooms. The tea which was quite delightful.

After eating (well Brendan ate, I couldn't have the mushroom sausage), we reluctantly headed back into the cold, wet day. We continued climbing a couple more kilometres to a tunnel, and passed though the tunnel to an epic descent! The switchbacks were down! I think we both exceeded 50km/hr. It was an exhilarating ride :)

At the end of the descent we faced a choice: continue 20km further to a village, or turn down a questionable road to a campground. With te sun low in te sky, we opted for the campground. At first it was a nice road with lane markings, then became a strip of asphalt, then I unpaved. At this point we reassured ourselves that even if the campground was fictional, there was a lake with water we could treat.

We needn't have worried. Despite the questionable approach (which would have likely been better if we read Japanese), the campground was quite nice. We were welcomed warmly, had warm showers, and were able to do laundry the next morning. There was also sheltered sitting areas, both inside and outside.

How does my experience with a Japanese campground compare? Generally European in flavour and it reminded me a lot of one in Dublin. More tents than the Swiss ever had though.

Numbers:

53 km for the day 

249km total

1 flat

Route. Lake Toya is clearly visible, but Lake Shikotsu didn't make it.

Yep, we climbed.... All day.

Cute garden at a public toilet we stopped at

Dinosaur!?

All things mushrooms

Including tea

And mushroom fried rice!

Day 3: Toyaka to Lake Toya

We started day 3 in Yakumo quite tired having covered 160km plus the previous two days (largely out of necessity on appropriate places to stop that would have food). We opted for a short semi rest day 3.

We started with a leisurely ride down the coast, looking for historic sites in the village of Usu on the way to Date. The sign posts for navigating to them were there but we never found them! They allegedly exist...

We wanted quiet roads so we headed inland towards a service road by the expressway... With far more of a climb than we had anticipated. We'd completed half our intended climb for the day, and thus didn't descend back to Date. Expressways deserve special mention: there are limited access roads branching throughout Hokkaido. They're all toll roads though and t seems most traffic sticks to the original roads. Our rides would have been much quieter on an expressway! Go figure.

Our climb brought us to Sobetsu and our regular fare of convenience store food for lunch. In the Seicomart I was approached by a Japanese gentleman who explained he'd appreciates the help of locals back when he was in Italy, and wondered if we could use any help, offering us to come by his place for lunch.

"Awesome" I thought, but this turned to concern when he asked me to pay for his groceries, all $3.79 of it. Not a huge amount and he had invited us into his home, so sure, why not, though my scam detectors were tingling. Thus was my introduction to Taka. 

We followed our Taka to his place down the road. It was... A disaster. The yard was in the shambles and the house suggested equally bad, though we never ventures inside. Instead we are our convenience store food under a tree at a nearby shrine, with Taka first explaining to  us how to properly approach. We shared some stories, and played guess each other's ages (he put me at 36!), and we learned that Taka had grown up in this valley and was proud to show it off. He offered to show us around a bit. So, with nothing else planned but climbing a short hill and finding accommodation, we agreed.

Taka took us walking on a trail to a waterfall that is the only outlet of Lake Toya, and to his friend's farm. There we saw the apple orchards and strawberry greenhouses, and shared afternoon tea with the farm hands, before declining an invitation to sleep in the barn, in favour of continuing onto Lake Toya. Our time with Taka drew to a close but he had certainly enriched our trip.

A short ride on we encountered Lake Toya. It's a doughnut shaped lake, formed in a volcanic crater and is immensely beautiful.

With light fading, dinner was hastily found at what turned out to be a Chinese restaurant, and they in turn recommended a campsite, which we readily accepted.

Numbers:

36 km today

196km total

1 flat

Route. I stopped after Taka drove us to the farm so a bit off. Lake Toya is the blue in the upper right.

It wasn't a lot of distance, but there were several climbs!

Brendan in the orchard. He commented the farm reminded him of home.

Strawberry fields forever! Or not, there were about four of these greenhouse structures

Taka

Not a great photo, but gives some idea of the doughnut shape

Lake Toya

Dinner!

Our improv campsite :)

Day 2: Yakumo to Toyaka

Day 2 of touring started a at our stealth campsite in Yakumo. The rules of stealth camping are simple: set up after dark, and be gone before anyone notices you in the morning. Except the sunrises at 3:30 so we're never quite sure when that departure time is.

This was our second morning stealth camping and we were quite tired from our previous day. I think we woke up around 7 that day. We were packing up when a lady started walking towards us. I remember thinking "uh oh, is she going to yell at us for camping here?". Nope, she was carrying to cups and offered us coffee! I don't usually drink coffee but how could I refuse?

Our bike ride that day continued down the same road as before. This time we got smarter though and sought out the parallel quiet roads. Much better! Though regrettably difficult to find: our main map this trip is google maps via data SIM card. Very useful in cities, but hard to find good biking roads when a quiet paved road looks the same as a dirt road.

We reluctantly passed a gorgeous beach that looked perfect for camping and continued on into Toyaka. We scoped out a campsite and went in search of a restaurant... Of which there were maybe four and only one seemed to be open. So we went there!

Our hostess spoke no English but with the help of some customers closer to us in age, we were able to order some food. I kept asking for rice, thinking I was misunderstood. Turns out she had no rice! When it emerged that we were biking though she decided we needed rice and placed a phone call to a neighbour who brought some over! A few minutes later strawberries appeared in a similar manner! Delicious!

After the meal we were discussing accommodation options with our hostess and a campsite was suggested which was superior to our initial choice. Discussing may be overly generous. More of them talking at us in rapid Japanese, us responding in rapid Enflish with some phrase book readings that might pass for Japanese, and much gesturing and pointing. Thankfully maps and photos are universal! A great, entertaining evening.

Trip numbers:

77km day 2

160km total per MapMyRide

1 flat tire

Route

Elevation

Open roads!

Along our beach road side route, we came across this wall to prevent rock slides... Occupying an entire lane!

Strawberries!

We ended up camping in the lee side of this grand stand. The ocean was to the left / behind me.

Bike Touring! Approach and Day 1: Hakodate to Yakumo

Finally a chance to update after five days of touring! I'll split them into individual ride posts for ease of reference though.

After Hiroshima we returned to Tokyo, spent the night via AirBnB with a math student studying English / French, grabbed the bikes and headed north. To take the bikes on the train we have to Ringko - but them in a bag then carry them through the station. The bagging itself is straight forward, but carrying bike, panniers etc through Tokyo station was a work out.

Our train up was a Shinkensen up to Aomori where we changed to a local train for the tunnel to Hokkaido. The tunnel is 50km long! We disembarked in Hakodate, a city a 200 000. The night was spent stealth camping by a local shrine. Dinner was a seafood restaurant. Brendan indulged while I ate rice, tofu, and salad.

*stealth camping = camp in a discreet corner of a park. Would generally be frowned upon but accepted or at least not banned here

Day 1 biking faced a choice: take the direct route north, or the quieter but longer route. We opted for the shorter route to enjoy our time in the touristy areas to the north.

The ride was main road most of the way. The traffic was tedious but it was a gorgeous day and gorgeous views! One major climb which wasn't too bad. Brendan had a flat at the bottom of this climb. While we were changing it a passing motorist stopped and helped us, including the use of his full size pump! The first of many friendly acts from the locals and I'm starting to realize this is typical of the people here.

We ended our day in a town called Yakomo, stealth camping in a park. We had dinner at what is apparently a Japanese chain - they had an allergy menu! After we rushed to the santo, or public bath. A santo is a bath house with the male / female sides split by a wall. You take your clothes off, wash at the shower, and then relax in the bath / hot tub. It was fantastically relaxing! And reminded me quite a bit of my Turkish Barh experience in Istanbul. Incidentally: santos are public baths which historically were the bathing place. They are dying out now, but there are still people who don't have a shower in their house who rely on the santos. Cost is ~$4.

Trip numbers:

83km today

83 km total per MapMyRide

Note km numbers: MapMyRide drains the phone battery quite a bit so I only use it for the main segments each day. Most of these are written retrospectively so I don't have the odometer reading. Total km will be much higher. But to be written yet

Our route. Map My Ride screen shots aren't great for maps, I'll replace these with proper ones later. Note the calorie values though! I'm having trouble eating enough...

Elevation profile

Bike at the entrance to our stealth camp

Hard to see but this shows ads aimed at mothers for mama charis at this bike shop

Self cleaning reflector in the tunnel. Genius! And our first of many, many tunnels

Skiing anyone? Hokkaido gets losts of snow in the winter. Lonely Planet makes the case that with cheap lift tickets here, a Japan ski trip may be cheaper than a Rockies one... Incidentally this is also the hill Brendan had a flat on.

Mountain we circled around. Not sure if it's still an active volcano

Action shot!

Random rural station, and the cute single car train running on the route.

Whiskey anyone? Yes that's a 4L bottle...

Allergy menu!

Massive amounts of food =D

Our santo proprietor