Living life on the road, living in the fields and the mountains, throughout a long journey.
Many people likely dream of such a life.
RIDEALIVE 2018, which kicked off with the special RIDEALIVE INA Valley edition, is now building excitement as GIRLS RIDEALIVE in Hokkaido approaches at the end of this month, and the girls' energy is rising. Following right behind that, I am in the final stages of preparing for the event I am responsible for: RIDEALIVE in Yamanashi ~Nogure Yamagure (Days in the Fields, Days in the Mountains)~.
For this RIDEALIVE, we wanted everyone to thoroughly enjoy the joys and challenges of the mountains, even for a short period, so we have planned a 3-day, 2-night trip over the three-day weekend of September 22nd (Sat), 23rd (Sun/Autumn Equinox), and 24th (Mon/Substitute Holiday) that combines riding and hiking. While there are certainly many ways to enjoy the mountains, for me, combining these two things is what interests me the most right now.
The first place that came to mind to realize this project was SUNDAY, an outdoor shop in Kofu that looked after us during the joint POP UP STORE titled Band of Gypsys held last November. My first visit to Kofu revealed a city surrounded by mountains—an ideal location for both cycling and hiking. I wanted to fully savor that location, which I couldn't enjoy at the time! To make that wish come true, I told the owner, Mr. Ishikawa, about my idea, and he gave me a positive response immediately. Once I received the OK from Mr. Ishikawa, who knows everything about playing in the mountains from trekking to trail running and also enjoys cycling, the success of this project was practically guaranteed. In addition, we will be joined by Mr. Taniguchi of RawLow Mountain Works, who was also with us at the POP UP STORE, and Mr. Uragabe of TORAYA EQUIPMENT, who recently moved his production base to Yamanashi. We will be welcoming everyone with the best possible team. There are still many details to iron out, but for now, I would like to introduce the general overview.
On the first day, we will start from Kofu Station and hill-climb to a campsite at an altitude of approximately 1,500m. This first day will be the most demanding leg of the journey, but we intend to take our time and gain altitude gradually. The late summer heat in Kofu in September will likely still be intense, but as we keep pedaling, the temperature will gradually drop, and the weather will become quite pleasant.
The second day will be a hike up Mt. Kinpu, which towers before us. The view from the 360-degree open summit at an altitude of 2,593.5m is spectacular. In the distance, we will likely be able to see Japan's highest peak, Mt. Fuji. The route is not too difficult and can be enjoyed even by beginners. We are planning to camp in tents for both nights.
Then, on the third day, we will ride back to Kofu town, enjoying the unpaved paths hidden in the area.
It will be a different route from the one I test-rode recently, but I am already confident that everyone will love it. I plan to do a test ride again later, but I am already looking forward to it immensely.
Other details, such as the meeting time and costs, will be announced on August 31st (Fri) when we open participation registration, so please look forward to it.
For now, I hope you will check your schedule and save the date for RIDEALIVE in Yamanashi ~Nogure Yamagure~ on your calendar.
On a separate note, Outdoor Experience MOTOSUKO, organized by SUNDAY and Rawlow Mountain Works—who are both supporting this event—will be held on August 25th (Sat) and 26th (Sun), the same dates as GIRLS RIDEALIVE.
This is a participatory event where outdoor-focused brands from Japan and abroad gather at the shores of Lake Motosu, featuring not only sales but also activities for visitors to enjoy. Thankfully, we were invited to set up a shop there as well. Since this is the first time, what it will be like is a surprise, but just the thought of spending time with so many people in such a wonderful location has my expectations building.
Tickets are already on sale, so if you are interested, please check the ticket site.
By purchasing a ticket, you can spend two days however you like, from tent camping to car camping.
If you are free, please consider joining us.