Distance cycled: 170km from Kyoto through the mountains to Kobe and back to Osaka.
Average speed: 20.1Km/h
Moving Time: 8h22m
Elevation Ascended: 3234m
Total Distance on Current trip: 3,545km
Distance until I have cycled the circumference of Earth: 8,745km
Money spent: $110
Today brought a wide blend of cycling highlights and issues that I have experienced throughout Japan over these last 7 weeks with beautiful mountain scenery, some rain, annoying traffic, secluded stretches of beautifully maintained roads scything through the mountains connecting to tiny seemingly uninhabited villages and of course a near death experience.
I left The hostel in Kyoto taking full advanced of the free breakfast they offered eating more than my fair share of toast, totaling 8 slices and several cups of coffee. I knew I didn't want to eat much as today was a treat, something I have been wanting to try ever since I heard about it, it is of course Kobe beef.
For those who don't know about Kobe beef it is a renowned delicacy found only here in Japan known for its flavor, tenderness, fatty well marbled textile and the extortionate price.
More on this later though because as you can see above I peddled 170km so expectedly it was a long day, a day that even though I'm writing about it two days after the events I am still aching.
I climbed over the mountains west of Kyoto, I could have taken the easier route and followed the river to Osaka and further to Kobe but I had cycled that route twice already and as you know I personally prefer the mountains.
It was a bone chillingly brisk morning and I had nothing more than a t-shirt and a thin sweater to keep me warm.
Eagerly awaiting for the sun to force its way through the residual morning mist I kept my body warm by cycling hard, really hard. It was a delight to cycling with a single pannier half full and my handlebar bag meaning I could open the taps and cover distance faster and easier than I am normally use to.
I had a vague idea of which roads I should take to Kobe but I knew whichever path I took in an westerly direction I knew I would find some epic cycling roads, and that I did, secluded and perfectly suited for my bike to climb and descend the mountain passes.
I found a beautiful location beside a river and thermal spring where the blood red and golden leaves of autumn were coming into play where I rested and took photos.
Continuing on I skirted a lake and hit up some high hills before rapidly descending to sea level and to the town, or should I say city of Kobe.
This downhill run wasn't without peril though where I was keeping up with the traffic sitting behind the car in front giving myself space to brake on the now wet asphalt if it were to be necessary to do so when out of the blue a (excuse my language) Fucking Asshole tries to overtake me on a corner, on a bicycle you have to take the corners wide especially with the conditions at the time. If I had my panniers on he would have certainly clipped me.
Now, like in much of Japan I can keep up with city traffic often traveling faster than all of the vehicles so at the next stop when I caught up with him I was so infuriated I wanted to smash in his side window. His blank reaction-less face expressed nothing to my gestured anger and now I do regret not removing his keys from his ignition and tossing them the river in the valley below.
Moving on, so Kobe beef, what's the beef about Kobe beef? With a long list of stringent specifications for Kobe beef to be the authentic product it is an art in it's own right, hence the price tag.
But was it worth it? Damn right! For the best beef I have ever eaten it was an experience like no other, it melted in my mouth like nothing else, the marbled fat between the meat dissolved into the flesh when cooked, which was not barbecued in the conventional methods; while the meat is being seared to perfection a tray is heated to the temperature of hell on a huge burner, it is then layered with a bed of sliced onions, garlic, some spinach and crispy deep fried fried, the sliced filet steak and topped with herb and garlic butter with more sliced onions placed on top (both white and red). Here's the fun part, immediately after all ingredients are added to the now glowing tray the chef splashes on oil and red wine which engulfs the food in flames and within moments the tray is placed in front of me on a wooden placemat still searing - does that sound good or what. I ordered a glass of wine and some garlic rice to compliment the dish and even though the size of the steak was pitiful (for me at least) I was surprisingly satisfied upon consuming all the scraps on the tray, even the onions and garlic that had fused to the metal tray.
Kobe beef is NOT exported out of Japan so I believe that this experience for me was definitely a once in a lifetime opportunity and 100% worth the price.
The day wasn't over yet, I was in Kobe and I had to get back to Osaka 50km away and what was worse was that it was now dark and raining.
Reluctantly mounting my bicycle again I set off into the night towards Osaka which involved crossing multiple bridges using the pedestrian/cycle paths (stairs) as the highway prohibited bicycles, besides I wouldn't want to be on a busy road at dark and even though my pace was slow I wasn't putting myself at risk of dying on my last day of cycling in Japan - one time is enough for the day.
Eventually and exhaustedly I arrived at the hostel knowing that my bike trip here was now over and what a day to finish on, not only was it the longest day of cycling on this trip but also the furthest distance covered.
Japan, as a country for cycling you have been epic! ... now I don't want to finish up this post by saying anything bad about its people but I will say that in these two months traveling as far as I have I never felt like I had connected with you like I had in other Asian countries like Indonesia and Thailand.
I will also mention that if there is anyone wanting to travel but safety is a concern than this is the place to visit, in no way would anyone visiting here have any problems with security.
So, thank you Japan for not robbing me!.. Even though you are a very expensive place to travel around.
On the mountain road from Kyoto to Osaka
YUM!!!!!
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