Distance cycled: 85.6km from Obama to Kikuyo, Kyushu, Japan.
Average speed: 15.6Km/h
Moving Time: 5h29m
Elevation Ascended: 2486m
Total Distance on Current trip: 2,653km
Distance until I have cycled the circumference of Earth: 9,637km
Money spent: $27
Where I camped on the beach was awfully close to the tide when it rolled in. A foot closer to the water and I would have woken up in it.
I woke up on the wrong side of bed today as my sleep was interrupted by another large animal rustling around in the bushes very close to where I was camping. I was able to eventually gather myself and my belongings to set off cycling to the top of Mount Unzen passing through the town of Obama - a tourist town/ fishing village with many onsens and a hell of a lot of steam bellowing from the gutters, chimneys, doors, windows.. Everywhere really. Apparently at one point this town sold President Obama merchandise. I didn't stick around town for any longer than it took to drink a cup of coffee because I had to ascend almost a kilometer in altitude to reach Unzen national park.
The road was quite and wasn't all that difficult to climb; stopping only once to take a photo I didn't overly exert myself. I've mentioned before I like to climb mountains because it gives more of a sense of accomplishment with the added bonus of a long downhill run.
The national park of Unzen was neat with lots of steaming hot springs with of course the odor of rotten eggs (sulfur).
I hiked to the peak of Mt. Yadake that stands at 940m knowing that taking my bicycle to Nita pass was prohibited. I would have liked to look into the caldera of this volcano but soon I'll be arriving at Mt. Aso which has the largest caldera in the world so it's not a big loss not seeing this one.
This downhill road back to the sea was epic, a huge smile on my face with perhaps many dead insects splattered over my teeth.. of course that was an exaggeration but gives you an idea of how much I enjoyed it.
I had to get a ferry to Kumamoto from Shimabara which worked out nicely as it departed just as I arrived so I got my ticket and hopped on, I tried talking to two cyclists on what seemed to be a day trip and I gestured my way through the conversation also offering come cookies I bought, they didn't talk back to me or to themselves for that matter but upon arrival they cycled away without so much as a "thanks" or "goodbye".. Assholes. Even though they were in their spandex outfits I was able to catch them up and tell them that they need to say "thank you" for giving them food and a simple "goodbye" wouldn't go a miss. I know at least one guy comprehended what I was getting across.
Anyways, Kumomoto is a BIG city and I was trying my best efforts to get out of it before things got too dark as I desperately looked for a place to camp. Cycling just as the dark of night came I found an old farming road which led to an overgrown land mass to which to set up for the night, it's certainly not ideal but it will do.
The town of Obama
Cycling up the mountain.
Playing in the smelly steam
Climbing by foot to a view point
Sun setting over the plains where I camped
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