We recently held our "Boso Peninsula RIDE TO RIDE" event, utilizing the B.B BASE cycle train that runs from Ryogoku Station to the Boso Peninsula on weekends!
It was a delightful ride through the countryside centered around Tateyama City, so we'd like to share how the ride went!
Meeting at Ryogoku Station
We gathered at Ryogoku Station, the departure and arrival point for the cycle train we used this time. After issuing our tickets, we pushed our bikes through a special gate and found ourselves right on the platform. I've taken cycle trains before, but I don't think you can experience boarding from a station right in the middle of the city anywhere else!
The train itself is a special model modified for cyclists. Between the dedicated bike racks and the non-slip flooring that's even easy on SPD shoes, you can truly feel JR East's dedication in creating a train that feels like more than just something meant for a single weekend round trip.
Once we set off, we ate breakfast in the spacious box seating area complete with tables, and the conversation with our fellow riders flowed naturally. Before we knew it, the view of the Uraga Channel stretched out on the right side of the carriage, and our destination, Tateyama Station, was just a bit further. The two-and-a-half-hour trip felt like it flew by.
Time to Hit the Road
Ten minutes after leaving Tateyama Station, we were out of the city and into the countryside, where the air was filled with the sound of insects, the hum of agricultural machinery, and the wind rushing past us.
The route to our first destination, Gohan-ya Iyo, involved about an hour of the gentle uphill climb shown in the photo. Since the weather had miraculously cleared up during a rainy stretch of the rainy season, we rode along briskly, sweating a little in the pleasantly summery heat.
Gohan-ya Iyo is located within the Heguri Hub, which makes use of a former nursery school in the Heguri district of Minamiboso City. This eatery, operated by the nearby Wako Shokudo, serves exquisite dishes like juicy, tender tonkatsu and thick, fatty fried horse mackerel. Savoring delicious local food is one of the true charms of these kinds of rides!
Pedaling Toward Our Destination
With our stomachs full, we began the ascent to Ooyama Senmaida, the main highlight of this ride. Roads woven between the rolling hills revealed terraced rice fields of various sizes, carved into the mountains by those who came before us.
Unlike before, our heart rates soared and we were dripping with sweat, but we naturally began calling out to each other to motivate ourselves and those around us, bringing a sense of unity to the ride.
We couldn't help but exclaim at the giant, lush green rice terraces that spread out before us at the top of the hill. The breeze blowing up from the valley was cool, and I could feel my heavy sweat fading away. After a short break here, we began the second half of the ride.
From here on, it was time to reap the rewards of the elevation we had worked so hard to gain. Although the mountain forest roads following the ridgelines were surrounded by trees, the sky above remained bright, and we descended like a rollercoaster, taking small climbs and descents through tunnels of greenery as we gradually lost altitude.
Once we finished the descent, we rode along the Shirahama coastline, watching the surfers. After getting a feel for the local area—complete with motorbikes and bicycles fitted with custom surfboard racks—and taking a short break at Rosemary Park, we headed straight for Satomi no Yu to wash off the sweat and conclude the ride!
Sharing both the ups and downs for a single day naturally creates a sense of unity. Contrary to my expectation that everyone would be tired and sleep on the train ride back because it had been such an early start, we spent the whole time talking—looking at each other's bikes, discussing custom modifications, and sharing recommended ride routes—before we knew it, we had arrived back at Ryogoku Station.
Despite the participants coming from completely different occupations and age groups, I witnessed firsthand the power that a shared hobby like cycling has to create connection in just one day.
Thank you to everyone who joined us!
For those of you who couldn't make it this time, we will be planning more rides, so please be sure to join us next time!
We're looking forward to it!