First of all, to everyone who participated, just one word: "Thank you so much!"
I really am filled with nothing but gratitude.
I’m sure there were some shortcomings, but seeing everyone having such a great time made me glad I hosted and promoted the event. Even in the light rain and up those long hills, you all didn't seem to mind—I'm just glad you seemed to enjoy the ride, even if the descent made for a few nervous moments.
Also, it was wonderful to see so many people meeting for the first time and chatting away about their bikes and their personal lives. It’s great to see those kinds of connections spreading!
Before the event, I had people ask things like, "Is this tire okay?" or "I'm slow at climbing, can I still join?" Unless the setup was truly impossible, I’d tell them, "Let’s just give it a go as is!" or assure them, "It’s fine if you're slow—and if it gets too tough, we can just walk!"
There are no winners or losers, and we aren't competing for time, so there’s no such thing as "it has to be this way!" You never know—you might end up thinking, "Oh? I can actually do this with what I've got!"
The point is, I wanted everyone to figure out what works best for them through their own experience—to determine for themselves whether something is truly suitable or not.
As a result, we had a variety of bikes gathered, not just in terms of model, but also in the tire sizes and tread patterns used.
And so, there was lots of chatter about how "maybe this tire has its limits..." or "I wish I had a lighter gear ratio," and so on. Since everyone seemed to be having such a fun time with that discussion, I couldn't help but grin to myself, thinking, "Yes! Exactly this!"
Of course, we listen to those concerns and offer advice, but we don't want you to think it's the absolute truth. I hope you'll continue to find your own optimal setup, step by little step.
By the way, for this ride, I had Daisaku and Nobu from Culture Club there to support us. Daisaku took the photos during the ride, and Nobu stayed at the very back to help out the participants.
After the event, I went for another quick ride with those who still had some energy left. We had a great time with that as well and finished safely.
We’ll keep planning various ride events, so we hope to see you there!
Our next upcoming event is the BIKE to Sanfes 2023 that Monja announced recently. Please check out the details for that as well.