Eric’s Blog

This weekend was simply amazing! It has been the first real weekend where wearing shorts while cycling actually feels refreshing.
Not too cold and not too hot, simply amazing.

This weekend was packed with a ride out to Mt. Takao with about 10 riders from various different clubs. It took us a couple hours to ride out from Tokyo to our destination, but the ride was worth it. As soon as you cross that defined line from city to countryside, you are exposed to a pristine wilderness with dense forests and superb cycling roads. We made our run over Mt. Takao and headed up Wada pass, which seemed like an unrelenting category 2 climb. At 12% gradient, I quickly overheated in the sun but was relieved to find a fountain at the top of the climb. Splashing myself and drinking the water, it was only too late when my friends told me that water was not safe to drink. I think I will be ok but after that experience I quickly memorized the Kanji for “non-potable water” . All said and done, we headed down the mountain, stopped for the best tasting Italian pizzas in Japan and then made the final sprint home. 150 kilometers and 1350 meters of climb was just what I needed.

Today was our charity barbecue and things could have not gone any smoother. we started setting up camp at 6 in the morning as people come rushing in fighting for a BBQ spot. I met up with some of our participants and we had a fun ride from Roppongi Hills to the barbecue area. It was really hot in the city but once we hit the river it was cool with a nice breeze. Everyone enjoyed burritos, fajitas, drinks and each other’s company. I met so many new riders and made some good friends. I can’t wait to have another event where we can all meet again!