Distance cycled: 97.4km from near Kumamoto to Aso and around the area, Kyushu, Japan.
Average speed: 17.3Km/h
Moving Time: 5h36m
Elevation Ascended: 2173m
Total Distance on Current trip: 2,750km
Distance until I have cycled the circumference of Earth: 9,540km
Money spent: $40
What an amazing day, it started off a little bit iffy as I was woken by locals peering into the small bushy area beside the road where I camped, but that was my fault for not making much of an effort to hide myself when ip itched my tent last night.
So, it was an early morning start and it was gorgeous, there was a layer of mist fighting to dissipate under the morning sun and everything around me seemed dreamlike.
It wasn't all that far to get to Aso where I would be spending a night or two at a hostel, it's suppose to be a beautiful area with the added bonus of knowing that it has the largest caldera in the world and is active.
To my surprise, when cycling the highway to Aso town I realized that I was cycling in the caldera not knowing I was in it; that is how big it is, it was only when the morning fog evaporated I saw the cliff faces that is the caldera wall.
Now, just to explain, this caldera is the result of a huge explosion creating this hole in the earth. There are now volcanoes growing out of the center which is Mount Aso. I expected the villages and towns to be on the outside of the large caldera but most of the townships in the area are inside - fertile volcanic soil is very good for crop.
Arriving at the hostel I wasn't able to check in till 4pm for I dropped off my stuff and went for a ride around the region cycling up to as high as I was allowed to go up mount Aso - reaching the summit of the volcano was prohibited at this time due to noxious gases pluming from the volcano.
Whilst up there I found a hiking path up a nearby mountain to take in the stunning scenery and all that surrounded me.
It was a 30km round trip back to the hostel and on the way down I had an extremely close call. At the ONLY junction of the 15 downhill stretch a vehicle pulled out in front of me, I was unable to stop in time so i frantically cut across to the wrong side of the road narrowly passing by his bonnet and the edge of the road. It was so incredibly close the stupid fuck! I'm lucky to be alive as I was gunning it down the mountain (within the speed limits).
Arriving at the hostel once again, still shaking from the incident only minutes before hand I ate some food and climbed up the other side of the town of Aso. This was to get to Dai**** an incredible viewpoint to see the sheer scale of the caldera, it definitely was worth the efforts to cycle up there especially for the photos I took and the uninterrupted descent (at night) all the way back to the town of Aso.
It was fan-bloody-tastic!!!
What a day, ideal if it wasn't for the near death experience.
Enter the town of Aso
The beauty that is Mount Aso
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