This pre-employment touring report blog concludes with Part 4, covering the section from Higashihiroshima to Shimonoseki. I’m surprised by the response this blog has received, as I can really feel that many of you have been reading it. As always, if you haven’t read the previous parts, you can find them here.
Pre-Employment Touring Report
- Part 1 Nagoya to Kyoto
- Part 2 Kyoto to Takamatsu
- Part 3 Imabari to Higashihiroshima
- Part 4 Higashihiroshima to Shimonoseki
Pedaling Toward a Destination in Hiroshima
The final destination for day six was Tokuyama in Yamaguchi Prefecture. However, when passing through Hiroshima, one must not forget that certain bike shop. Yes, I’m talking about grumpy. I headed there immediately after having some okonomiyaki in Hiroshima. And it was there that it was decided, quite unexpectedly, that I would appear in their YouTube video. It’s a strange feeling to appear in a video that I usually watch myself.
So, the video above is the episode I appeared in. It’s incredibly embarrassing to watch a video I’m in. This might be a trade secret, but there was no script for the video—it was all improvised. I’m sure you all understand why I was nervous.
Staff member Murakami-san took this photo for me. By showing up unannounced and chatting for a long time, I ended up stopping the staff from doing their work. I caused them a major loss. I am sorry, Enomoto-san, Ikeda-san, and Murakami-san.
This is the Kintaikyo Bridge. It was my first time here. There was that incident recently where someone rode their bike across this bridge, wasn't there? It looks quite steep, so it seems like it would be tough to cross by bike, but after riding 800km, I’m so keyed up that I felt like I could do it myself. Don't worry, I didn't.
The End of a Tough Journey Approaches
This long, long journey is coming to an end. It was mostly tough, but now that it's nearly over, I feel a bit lonely. That said, I have a time limit in the form of the last train. I have to go to work the next day. I kept pedaling while nervous about whether I’d make it in time.
Day seven was just focused on pushing forward, but the places I rode through were quite beautiful. You could call that the true joy of touring.
Finally Reaching the Westernmost Point of Honshu
I don’t quite feel that I’ve reached the westernmost point of Honshu. Perhaps because I arrived by bicycle—and a fixed-gear one at that—it feels as if I’ve just arrived in my own neighborhood. There wasn’t a single other person around. A world all to myself. Exhausted, I sat on a bench, drank two cans of cola, and watched the sun go down. Perhaps because my nerves finally relaxed, I couldn't bring myself to move at all. It’s no wonder—I had just ridden about 1,000km on a track bike.
Another reason for my exhaustion is that this westernmost spot of Honshu is at a high elevation, and I ran out of stamina on a slope of about 15% at the very end. I managed to avoid putting my foot down by zig-zagging my way up.
And So, the Pre-Employment Tour Concludes
First of all, thank you to everyone who read this far. Also, a huge thank you to all the many people who helped me out during this pre-employment tour. The journey was about 1,000km, and I learned one thing very clearly: it’s better to have 11 sprockets than just one. There is conviction in that statement. Definitely. My gear ratio this time was about 3.06, which is a privilege reserved for those who enjoy the inconvenience.
I said, "The goal is Shimonoseki!!" but I actually ended up riding all the way to Moji in Kitakyushu. I suddenly felt like crossing the Kanmon Tunnel. Underwater tunnels are exciting, aren't they? I wonder where the air in such tunnels is replenished. In the end, because I acted on my own intuition, I almost missed my last train home.
And with that, this is officially, truly complete!!
I’m usually at the shop, so please feel free to say hello.
And my Instagram account is @t_ko1213. Feel free to follow me if you like!