Summer Challenge
The theme for this RIDEALIVE was "enjoyable even for those new to camp touring." Our ambassador, Mr. Yamamoto of GreenCog, planned a route around Lake Hamana, a local favorite in his hometown of Hamamatsu, while Happy-san—who opened his own shop, Happy&Slappy, this past April—planned a route centered around his favorite activities, like surfing.
Meanwhile, the route I hosted was a Summer Challenge course, heading from Shinshiro Station to Hamamatsu by way of mountains and mountain passes. Naturally, there was a reason for that.
When you're a beginner, being able to ride with experienced people is the perfect time to take that first step and try something you might otherwise find challenging. You never know whether you’ll like or dislike something until you try it. That was the thought process as I stared intently at the map.
When I sent out the route guides to the participants, replies poured in—"Lake Hamana," "Activity," "Shinshiro"—one after another. Out of nowhere, the first female participant joined—no, make that two. First was Aliva Girl Atchan, a serious basketball devotee who had just gotten a new bike, and then Nishipan, a rock climber and fellow Aliva Girl, raised her hand to join. Just as I let out a sigh of relief (thank goodness this didn’t turn into a boys-only RIDEALIVE), a third woman joined in: Nanako-shi, who had helped us out last year at Portland Living and the GCR, joined with a "If those two are going, I'm going too!"
This moment was the real beginning of our "Summer Challenge."
I was filled with anxiety
Between the hustle and bustle of preparation, the day arrived in a flash.
All three made it to the station safely with their bikes, and with the help of participants who had arrived earlier, we finished unpacking and assembling them. We had a bit of time before departure, so I encouraged them to grab some extra drinks at a nearby—truly nearby—convenience store. All three cheerfully replied, "We're going!" but when they returned ten-plus minutes later, they were empty-handed and lamented, "We couldn't find the convenience store..." The rest of us waiting surely all thought, "You should have checked your phone..."
When it comes to riding, I’m an optimistic, carefree soul who usually just thinks about what to eat for lunch, but with these women who had only been on a handful of camp tours and long rides… my lunch choices were practically an assortment of anxieties. Plus, as I mentioned, Nanako’s record for longest distance ridden was about 30km, which she did on her "bike delivery ride with Monja-shi." Her only saving grace was her enthusiasm: "I was in the wind ensemble, so I have endurance!"
Well, with a mix of anxiety about how this summer vacation would turn out, I put my foot to the pedal, and we set off.
Memories, as expected, were rose-tinted
From Shinshiro Station, we followed Aichi Prefectural Road 69 and National Route 257. As soon as we left the river, the grade sharpened, and our orderly group ride splintered as everyone climbed at their own pace.
I had ridden this road back when I was a student, and while it had some steep sections, I remembered that you could only go as far as the parking lot halfway up the mountain, so I recalled finishing the climb quite easily. But reality and memories rarely align so perfectly.
Nanako, despite being teased incessantly by Kohei-san and me (who had ridden from Toyohashi the night before), never got off her saddle to walk. Using her own legs, her own strength, and her own determination, she conquered the climb and this summer challenge.
"Phew~~ It’s done~~!!"
Those were the words on everyone’s lips once we hit the top. Of course, it wasn’t actually over, but the biggest challenge point had been successfully completed. All that was left was to head down the mountain toward Hamamatsu, where Keita-san’s delicious food awaited. But before that, we couldn't forget the most important thing.
That's right, you need a reward for all that hard work. The moment it touched our tongues, our overheated bodies came back to life. "Ah... delicious... but I suppose this is exactly how the painful memories end up getting romanticized..." I thought as I broke up the cold ice with my spoon.
Considering the remaining itinerary and everyone’s fatigue, if we wanted to toast at Taricana on Murakushi Beach by 6:30 PM, I had to turn a blind eye to visiting Horai-ji Temple, which required walking from the parkway parking lot. The sweeping view of the mountains below, where you could even spot a heart shape in part of the forest, would have to remain a reward for when she, in her own romanticized memory, decides to invite a friend to climb it again.
With that decided, we just had to head south toward the campsite where delicious food was waiting. We filled our stomachs at a roadside station along the way and pushed forward with gusto. After melting away the day's fatigue in the hot springs and chatting in the baths, we arrived at Taricana via the cycling road as the evening sun shimmered on Lake Hamana.
Having a fun time and delicious food waiting at the end of a ride might feel like a luxury, but after working that hard, no one could blame us for enjoying it to the fullest.
"Where did you ride today?" "Did you come from Nagoya?" "Where should we go tomorrow?" One person after another gathered to form a community, and as three communities merged into one that evening, the sound of the waves of Lake Hamana continued long into the night, lingering behind our conversation.
Challenges, discoveries, and further challenges
On the second day, there was no "because we rode so much yesterday..." attitude; instead, we looked at the map handed out the night before and set our sights on checkpoints. It seems everyone has a separate stomach for delicious food and fun experiences.
The second day was a free-ride format, visiting spots recommended by Mr. Yamamoto of Green Cog. We ended up having a thoroughly enjoyable Hamamatsu ride—a complete change of pace from the first day—visiting ice cream shops near Bentenjima, the Nakatajima Sand Dunes, and GS Burger, which is right next to Green Cog.
After eating the long-awaited mackerel sandwich at GS Burger, we were so full and satisfied that we seemed rooted to the terrace. Just when I thought someone might wave their flag to the sea breeze and suggest, "Well, let's hit the hot springs," Atchan broke the silence: "I want to see the Blue Impulse." As it turns out, they were at Air Park in the northwest part of Hamamatsu, and the route would take us through the middle of the city; we were set to arrive just 30 minutes before closing time. But since we had gone all the way to Hamamatsu, we couldn't let the opportunity pass by. I roused the group, who were starting to feel sleepy, and we charged ahead. As scheduled—or rather, as expected—we arrived 30 minutes before closing. We hurried through a quick tour, but even that was more interesting than we had imagined, just as Yamamoto-san had said the night before: "It's highly recommended! You could easily spend two hours here!"
What should we do next?
After taking on various challenges on the first day and applying that experience on the second to plan our own routes and visit checkpoints, everyone reached the finish line having enjoyed the RIDEALIVE they had envisioned.
The laughter born from a community that had grown even closer and more tightly connected since that night at Taricana made the food from naru Soba taste even better.
For those who participated in their first camp tour on a single-speed, those who shared their fun times with so many others, those who discovered the potential of cycling through activities, and for her—who accomplished her first long ride with a hill climb in the sweltering heat—we presented small prizes to help them continue enjoying rallife.
I believe there are as many ways to enjoy cycling as there are people who ride. Camping rides, long touring, racing, commuting to work or school, running errands, or just taking a stroll. And everyone has their own reasons for loving it.
But to only ever enjoy what you already like is, in truth, a bit of a waste. By trying something you’ve never done before, you might make a new discovery and increase the ways you can enjoy yourself. Or, perhaps, it might not quite suit you. But then, you might end up liking your usual ways of enjoying it even more.
You never know until you try anything.
TEXT by Hibiki Kamo ／ PHOTO by Eri Tanaka / Hibiki Kamo
RIDEALIVE 2017 Shizuoka