Over Golden Week, we held rides almost every day.
Among them, I joined Daisaku's “Touch the Lake Biwa” ride!
It was an amazing ride that packed in everything great about cycling.
First, let me show you the gear I take on a full-day ride!
Gear for a 1 Day Ride
The bags I used this time
•OUTER SHELL Drawcord Handlebar Bag
•OUTER SHELL Stem Caddy
•OUTER SHELL Mini Saddlebag
When you hear “1 Day Ride,” it might sound like you need a lot of luggage, but surprisingly, this much is plenty.
Of course it depends on the distance, weather and where you're going, but for a day trip, “taking only what you need” is just about right.
That said, there's no single right answer.
Gear varies from person to person, so just use this as a reference!
What I pack
Front bag👇
• Rinko bag (for taking the bike on the train)
• Two rinko straps
• Pouch with a repair kit
• Phone charger
• Lock
• Tenugui towel (so I can hop into a hot bath anytime).
Stem bag👇
• A camera lens, and sometimes snacks.
Saddle bag👇
• A spare tube.
That's it!!!
With roughly this much, you can enjoy a full day of riding.
What matters isn't carrying a lot, but being “prepared to get home if something goes wrong.”
Just having a rinko bag greatly widens the range of places you can go, and gives you peace of mind too!
Now, let me tell you how the ride went!
Starting from Kuwana Station!
First, we took our bikes on the train to Kuwana Station.
That's where this ride starts.
Getting out of Nagoya city always takes time, so we let the power of civilization handle that part and hopped on the train.
Okay! Let's ride!!
...or so we thought, but the wind was ridiculously strong.
No way that's going to be fun, so once again, the power of civilization.
We used the cycle train from Harima Station, about 5 minutes by bike from Kuwana Station.
And just like that, we gracefully dodged the headwind section.
Being able to roll your bike straight on board is a huge help.
There's no rule that you have to ride every kilometer yourself. Use the train, change your route to fit the situation, and enjoy it without pushing too hard.
Having that kind of breathing room is one of the nice things about playing on bikes, I think.
Finally, the start
After warping to around Yoro on the cycle train, we finally got started.
First, we set off toward Goso Pass to cross the mountains from Mie into Shiga.
Thanks to our graceful cycle-train dodge, the wind that should have been a headwind at first was now on our side!
It was incredibly comfortable.
Along the way we spotted a suspension bridge and all stopped by, and tried a taste of spring water.
Enjoying detours is one of the best parts of a ride.
The best thing is that scenery you'd just drive past in a car, you really take in on a bike.
To me, little detours like these are what riding is all about.
The reward beyond the pass
That reward is a beautiful view.
The view after a hard climb really does feel special lol
It looks beautiful in the photos too, but including the air in that place and the tiredness left in my legs, it was a special reward for that day.
And finally, touching Lake Biwa!!
This ride was called “Touch the Lake Biwa.”
True to its name, we finished by touching Lake Biwa!!!
All we did was touch a lake, but after riding all that way, it felt strangely like an achievement lol
It's a day off, so treat yourself!
When you're tired from riding, nothing beats a good meal!
Yakiniku time!!!
Couldn't ask for a better day off.
We ate our fill and headed home.
About the route
This route started from the Kuwana area, used the cycle train to dodge the windy section, then crossed Goso Pass and headed for Lake Biwa!
The scenic spot where we took the group photo is around here!
The exact route changes depending on the day's weather, wind direction and the legs of the riders, so I'll just share the rough outline here.
Rather than deciding a ride just by distance or elevation gain,
“How will we enjoy it?”
“Can we leave room for detours?”
“What should we eat?”
I think what matters is riding with those things in mind.
Even planning the route is part of the fun of a ride, so if you're interested, come talk to us in store!
Let's work out the perfect route together, based on how far you want to ride and where you want to go!
