I HATE the heat!!
This year was another hellish summer with scorching heat. I absolutely despise the heat. Wishing to momentarily forget my usual life of racing a track bike through the chaotic city streets and instead ride in solitude, I use my summer vacation every year to head to Hokkaido, with its vast, relatively cool expanse of land.
Hokkaido touring, back after a long time
I arrived at the starting point, New Chitose Airport. My goal for the first day was Obihiro, about 230km away.
I set off feeling anxious about my pacing, as the entire 4-day trip would be just under 650km. To someone like me who lives in a hectic city, the scenery where greenery continues as far as the eye can see was fresh, and I couldn't stop the excitement even though I was just riding a bicycle. This might just be the joy of cycling that I forget about in my daily life.
That feeling didn't last long, though, as the lack of change in the passing scenery destroyed my sense of time and distance. I would check my watch thinking I had been riding for about 30 minutes, only to find that just 10 minutes had actually passed.
With that strange sensation in the back of my mind, I started getting closer to my goal of Obihiro. However, I still had a mountain pass to tackle. The anxiety of sunset approaching, combined with the weight of my luggage, began to take a toll on my body—which had been riding for nearly 200km—like a rhythmic jab in a boxing match.
Off to Shiretoko
The goal for the second day—which you could say was the highlight of this trip—was a lodging in Utoro on the Shiretoko Peninsula. It was a beautiful, clear day, and I was able to see many breathtaking views. Hokkaido is also one of the few places in Japan where you can ride on long stretches of gravel.
Though there was a hint of autumn in the air in Hokkaido, lots of sunflowers were in bloom, even if I was feeling a bit down.
It was a truly luxurious time, being able to watch the sunset from the hotel room and hot spring where I stayed.
The nature of Shiretoko
On this day, I climbed Shiretoko Pass. There were reports of brown bear sightings circulating, so I made the climb feeling quite nervous. Because I started early in the morning, I barely passed any cars, and I was overwhelmed by the sheer scale of the surrounding nature. There is nothing more pleasurable than simply pedaling away without a single thought in the heart of such grand nature.
Being early morning at the top of the pass, the temperature was around 10℃ even though it was August. I managed to avoid a bear encounter, but on the descent, my body—clothed only in a summer jersey and a single windbreaker—was shivering so hard my jaw was practically screaming.
Packing nearly 650km into 4 days was quite a challenge. Riding in a lonely environment where there is no signal and no one to rely on is thrilling, and that is precisely why it provides such a sense of escaping the mundane. I want to go back and ride again next summer.