On January 3, 2023, I was able to enjoy my first ride of the year. While I usually take the classic route starting from Seto, this year I decided to venture a bit further to Kamishizu-cho in Ogaki City, Gifu Prefecture, nestled between the Suzuka and Yoro mountain ranges.
The weather was reasonably nice when I left Nagoya, but the skies started looking ominous as I approached my destination.
At the meeting point, we kept an eye on the rain cloud radar, but the forecast only worsened as time went on. Still, the desire to ride the forest road we had planned, combined with the positive mindset that "If it's snow rather than rain, it's fine!" won out, and we set off as scheduled, saying, "Let’s just... give it a go!"
As expected, we dealt with light rain and snow flurries, but that really didn't matter. The sun poked through at times, and because the sky was constantly changing, we were actually able to enjoy the shifts in weather.
The further we went along the forest road, the deeper the snow became, and we could see the clouds thickening, so we decided to turn back midway. Of course, it would have been a waste to end it there, so we decided to look for another interesting path we could ride.
I discovered on the map that there seemed to be a decent path on the opposite mountain range to the east. I didn't know much about what lay ahead, but it was time for, "Let’s just... give it a go!"
There were many instances where we had to push our bikes due to steep inclines we could see on the map. Furthermore, since the snow was getting deeper here as well, we gave up halfway. It had taken longer than expected, and I had plans in the evening, so we called it a day. However, we could see the forest road we had originally intended to ride in the distance, and I made a firm vow to myself to return and conquer it next time.
"Let’s just... give it a go!" isn't exactly something I can recommend to everyone, but I do think one of the true pleasures of cycling—with its inherent mobility—is being able to adapt to the situation at hand and enjoy it.
Of course, it’s best to enjoy a ride with a solid itinerary, but once in a while, this kind of "Let’s just... give it a go!" attitude is pretty fun.
Next time, I'll plan the route properly for a revenge ride.
If you want to know the route I took this time, come visit the shop and I'll let you in on the secret.
Cold and bad weather are nothing to fear if you have the right gear. Naturally, I wore my RAL Tonbo Jacket for this ride as well.
You start to heat up on long climbs, but if you skillfully use the front double zipper and the underarm vents, you can stay comfortable. It even takes the edge off the cold during descents or breaks, and on top of that, it provides solid protection against light rain and snow, which is very reassuring. Temperatures are set to drop significantly starting next week, and it looks like it will get even colder. To keep you from hesitating to ride because of the cold, why not pick up this RAL Tonbo Jacket?
If you're worried about finding the right size, check out this blog post!
