30/10/2014 - Cycle Touring Japan - Day 36 - Hiking to Jomon sugi, an arduous day.

 

Distance cycled and hiked: 55km from Miyanoura to Anbo up HWY 592 and hiked 15km to Jomon Sugi.
Average speed: 11.2Km/h
Moving Time: 4h55m
Elevation Ascended: 2278m
Total Distance on Current trip: 3,110km
Distance until I have cycled the circumference of Earth: 9,180km
Money spent: $20

The overnight ferry I took last night from Kagoshima was decent, I managed to get somewhat of a good nights rest but having cycled as far as I did yesterday I need some much in need recovery time.
However this recovery time I mention did not happen, instead I wanted to make the most of my limited time here in Yakushima by hiking to the peak of the island passing by various sights including the remains of a cedar forest that were cut down 80 years ago  leaving behind empty hollow stumps that you could walk inside of (Wilson's Stump). I had taken much of my belongings and food with me for the trip and left the rest at the information center in Anbo before setting off up the mountain on my bike. Near the trailhead I was told my bicycle couldn't enter and the only way down was to walk, this works out better for me as my bicycle is now left at a junction that I'll be returning to after I finish this round trip having had climbed to the summit of the island (weather permitting).
Most of the hike was easy, just had to follow the old tracks that the lumbered cedar was hauled out on but soon after it got far more difficult on a very well maintained trail. I certainly didn't make it easy on myself because of my obsession of photography spending too much time taking photos I lost track of time and spent the last hour hiking in the pitch black of night before finding a simple sheltered station to camp under. There were two huts that people could spend the night in nearby, and looking closer at the map where I am staying is not one of them, I suppose it doesn't matter as there was a tent that people could pitch available for free.
Being alone in the pitch black at 1350 meters in altitude only hoping to find a place to sleep for the night with a simple headlamp to light the way was a little frightening especially when small mammals would make devilish sounds when I approached.
Tomorrow I'll finish the hike having reached the summit, return to my bicycle to get down the mountain and find a hotspring to relax in for the evening as the day after I need to board the ferry back to Kagoshima. That's the plan... With any luck.

 

 

Early morning start in Yagoshima

Climbing to the National Park to begin hiking

Plenty of moss and wildlife to see

Following the old train tracks

Well maintained tracks and remains of the logged cedar trees

A gigantic hollow (but logged) cedar tree which was awesome to check out

29/10/2014 - Cycle Touring Japan - Day 35 - Japanese Onsen (hot spring)

 

Distance cycled: 149.7km from Yunomae to Kagoshima and boarded overnight ferry to Yakushima, Kyushu, Japan.
Average speed: 20.8Km/h
Moving Time: 7h10m
Elevation Ascended: 1954m
Total Distance on Current trip: 3,055km
Distance until I have cycled the circumference of Earth: 9,235km
Money spent: $130 including ferry tickets (return)

Many people rave about the Onsen experience here in Japan, simply they are public baths where you bathe and relax in the Earth's heated pools.
You are divided by gender into separate rooms and you enter the steamy tiled (at least in my case today) rooms.
For those who are traveling like me and need to soak your aching muscles this is ideal however I do not recommend doing so in the middle of the day where you have some distance to cover. I used only 30 minutes of the allocated 2 hours and upon leaving the building I was left dizzy and lethargic in a good way but having to mount my bicycle and cycling 75 more kilometers to Kagoshima. It was difficult to fight the effects of relaxation and took plenty of determination not to lay down on the side of the road and go to sleep.

Thinking the road to Kagoshima was mostly downhill was hugely disappointing until eventually I hit HWY 10 on the Satsuma peninsula where the God of wind blew me to the city.
Here I had a choice, take the overnight ferry that was cheaper or spend the night at a hostel where I could finally sleep and get the faster and more expensive ferry in the morning.. Anyone who knows me would already know which one I would get and you would be right, of course the cheaper one!
Not knowing the port was some 13km away from the city center was very much a surprise and I had less than an hour in city traffic to get there.
I made it with 15 minutes to spare, hopped aboard and ate the equivalent of 3 standard Japanese meals I bought for the whole trip. Back at the onsen I weighed myself and unless the scale is not calibrated correctly I have lost 5kg!!! That's nearly 10% of my original weight when i first arrived.

Also, I got flagged down by a police officer today, he accused me of running a red light which is generally the case but this time it was amber. Communication between us was difficult to say the least but I simply smiled at him and told him that Japan is a beautiful country and he sent me on my way; I swear it was amber.

A front room of a household open for public view.

Halloween is celebrated here, I didn’t expect that

Now getting close to Kagoshima

28/10/2014 - Cycle Touring Japan - Day 34 - Landscapes on fire.

 

Distance cycled: 90km from Shirataki Falls to Hwy 388, in a field of cherry blossoms, Kyushu, Japan.
Average speed: 14.5Km/h
Moving Time: 6h12m
Elevation Ascended: 3447m
Total Distance on Current trip: 2,905km
Distance until I have cycled the circumference of Earth: 9,385km
Money spent: $5

This morning I had a choice, take the 2.7km tunnel through the mountain or try out my luck on the abandoned Kunimi pass road over it not knowing how long or steep it was. I opted for the latter seeing as it was such a beautiful day.
As it turned out the road was both steep and long at 23km and reaching a maximum height of above 1000 meters but it no way was it not enjoyable.
The mountains were on fire with the rich fiery glow of the upcoming season, it was photo opportunity galore, breathtaking views like I had never seen.
There were sketchy moments when the road was either scattered with small wheel damaging stones or a thick layer of dead leaves that would give a satisfying crunch under the tread of my tires.. and sometimes both, this being the reason why my average speed was poor today having to very cautiously navigate the road to avoid the sharp stones.
There were plenty of deer hopping about in the forests and provided much entertainment for me as they tried so hastily flee often sending tumbling rocks in the road.
Eventually I made it over the pass only to have to climb another and then another after that, needless to say it was an exhausting day but a beautiful one and I certainly witnessed the sheer scale of Kyushu's central mountains.

27/10/2014 - Cycle Touring Japan - Day 33 - A Road to nowhere.

 

Distance cycled: 65km from Aso to Shirataki falls, Kyushu, Japan
Average speed: Km/h
Moving Time: 3h52m
Elevation Ascended: 1688m
Total Distance on Current trip: 2,815km
Distance until I have cycled the circumference of Earth: 9,475km
Money spent: $1

Finally well rested and keen to set off and continue this bicycle trip to... Somewhere south of here.
I'm not really sure, we will see where I'll end up but to get down south I wanted to stay in the mountains.
I'm going to skip talking about my day as it was tough with some hard climbs and stupid tunnels but it wasn't all that exciting. The late afternoon offered a sight of beauty, a waterfall called Shirataki Falls, the onset of autumn colors really showed me a dramatic and visually intense scene that I was able to capture with my camera.
It was certainly off the beaten track and I had to climb a very steep logging road to reach it but it was worth it.
I'm now in my tent a stone throws away from the water crashing down where hopefully tomorrow I will have a misty morning to photograph this epic landscape.

Leaving Aso

The Japanese idea of what a bear looks like.

26/10/14 - A day to recover.

 

After yesterday's post you would assume i was exhausted from all the cycling and hiking up mountains, around volcanoes and pushing myself to places with stunning views. However it was because of the man sleeping in the bunk beneath me that I was so exhausted to a point where I had to spend another night at the hostel.

Having travelled extensively around the world for over 9 years now and have stayed in hostel dorm rooms easily in the 3 digit value I have never heard anyone snore like this man. Think, a bear in a brawl with a lion at a volume that Metallica could not compete with. It was mind boggling that 'he' could sleep making that type of racket. 

It perhaps was better that I stayed another night because the evening was miserable with lightning and thunder, not ideal conditions to be spending a night in the side of the road in my tent. 

Also, Aso Base backpackers was a very clean hostel and one of the nicest I have stayed in here in Japan. 

Money spent: $40