Dirt and the Final Day of Descents
DAY 3
The final day has finally arrived.
The forecast for this day had originally called for rain.
I was prepared for it, but when I opened my eyes, the most beautiful blue sky was spread out above the tent.
"I've got the magic touch," Ryutaro-san said.
"Me too," I replied, a bit bashfully, while thinking to myself, "It's definitely me." Haha
The return trip was mainly downhill.
We opened the animal-deterrent gate and entered an unpaved forest road.
When I was a kid, even the road to school was unpaved,
but before I knew it, roads that aren't asphalt have become so rare.
Here, the jeep road continues, repeating gentle ups and downs.
Everyone’s spirits are high.
After getting over those brutal climbs, the descents really are the best!
Along the way, we jumped into a river,
got excited about finding wild chocolate vine (it was super delicious),
and had our lunch in the shade of the trees along the mountain stream beside the jeep road.
Once again, the SUNDAY sisters' aid station appeared.
Hii-chan and Mayu-neesan, you guys were great today too!
The cold, fizzy drinks and grapes, along with their divine service, refreshed us.
Eventually, a village appeared,
and in front of the community center, there was a map hung up—as if it were there just for this RIDEALIVE—showing the entire route, including Mount Kinpu.
It was a charming, hand-drawn map labeled "Chichibu Ura-kaido" (Chichibu Backroad).
Marked with signs of old checkpoints and unsettling place names like "Ikitori" (Capture Alive), it made us ponder the historical significance of this path.
Tracing the route we had traveled on the map, I whispered to myself that everyone really had given it their all.
The ride was finally reaching its climax.
We proceeded gently down the "Fruit Line," surrounded by vineyards.
Below us spread the view of the Kofu Basin, which had been beneath a sea of clouds the day before.
"Wow, it's a basin alright."
A straightforward comment.
But somehow, it felt just right.
The basin, the mountain ranges, and Mt. Fuji beyond them.
The road was a winding one, stretching out as we descended rapidly.
"This feels so good!"
"Yamanashi is the best, isn't it?"
From somewhere on a saddle, these voices from the heart slipped out.
Right?!
I replied.
"I want to live here!!"
I'm so happy.
I shouted in my heart.
Heading Toward the Epilogue
The scenery shifted from the mountains to the city.
After riding through the city of Kofu for a while,
we arrived at a long-established hot spring in Yuki, Kofu City,
called Shin-Yuki Onsen.
It’s a traditional "sento"-style hot spring with an old-fashioned attendant booth.
The attendant was a classy, charming lady with a great personality.
No matter the place, wherever people gather, there are always fascinating people.
Soaking in the exquisite spring water bubbling up from beneath Kofu, the fatigue of the three days washed away.
Everyone looked satisfied.
That's good.
Now then—
the place for our post-event celebration to wrap up these three days is "Naomi Camp,"
located about 500 meters north from here toward Kofu Station.
It’s a favorite spot of ours that I’ve visited with Yanack, Ryutaro-san, and Urakabe-san.
A restaurant with a great atmosphere, renovated from an old folk house. It has a unique vibe that you wouldn't expect to find in the middle of Kofu city. I also love Naomi-san's straightforward personality, which greets us warmly.
Her cooking doesn't just feel stylish; it feels bold.
It's a work of art, and it's real food!!
I was won over by that indescribable balance, which is why I chose this place.
While eating the "Travel Plate," a popular menu item at Naomi Camp,
we looked back on the journey we had just taken.
"Was it a good trip?"
I asked everyone in my heart.
There was no reply.
The sea bream rice was brought to the table to wrap up the meal.
With this overwhelming dish, I felt I had gained not just a sense of satisfaction from the event, but also a sense of achievement that words couldn't quite capture.
Everyone's smiles. Smiles. Smiles.
"It was a good trip."
I could hear everyone's inner voices.
And then, Yanack's perfect closing remarks.
100 out of 100 points!!
Thank you for saying you want to do it again next year.
I almost shed a tear.
Maybe it’s my age, but my tear ducts are strangely weak.
Thank You for the Incredible Experience
The fact that so many people from various walks of life participated and the encounters we had here are extremely precious, and will surely become a treasure for us in the future.
We pedaled up long, painful, grueling hills.
Our hearts were healed by the sight of the mountains at twilight, and our stomachs and souls were filled by the hospitality of the friends who were waiting at our lodging.
We hiked in the mountains, touched the mysterious formations and overwhelming landscapes created by nature at the summit, and rode down bumpy roads, climbed again, and rode down again.
We walked, pedaled, were buffeted by the wind, bathed in the sun,
built fires, drew water, were lit by moonlight,
and our friends turned everything into a laugh, and moved on.
Even though it was so tough, every moment of that time is dear to me.
RIDEALIVE in Yamanashi
~Afterword
When I was entrusted with one of the RIDEALIVE 2018 events, I had in mind the people I wanted to enjoy it with and the places I wanted to visit. But I was convinced that this was the only option, that it would absolutely be something great! That conviction came from meeting Ishikawa-san of SUNDAY and the existence of the magnificent field that is Yamanashi.
I first met Ishikawa-san last autumn at a joint pop-up event at SUNDAY. I was captivated by his personality. Furthermore, knowing the depth of Yamanashi's activity fields from an outdoor event the previous day, I had wanted to visit and ride there with my bike someday.
The more I thought about this project, the more I felt it had to be here. I was full of anxiety when I first asked him, afraid he might say no, but I was truly happy when I received an immediate "OK." However, since I was holding RIDEALIVE in a mostly unknown location and had my own lack of experience, I invited my senior, Ryutaro-ni (the big brother figure) from Rawlow Mountain Works, as a further helper. Toshi-chan from TORAYA EQUIPMENT, who had moved his base of operations to Yamanashi, also joined, and RIDEALIVE in Yamanashi became a party of four. With this party, I even felt a sense of reassurance that we had nothing to fear.
Until the day of the event, there were various worries, and of course, I was concerned about the weather, but I was confident that once that was cleared, it would be a top-tier event. Because we had visited Yamanashi many times, toured the routes, and eaten the food, and we were genuinely enjoying ourselves even at that stage.
During the event, some said things like, "That hill was tough!" but I could clearly tell that everyone savored the sense of achievement and even turned those challenges into enjoyment, and I believe that overall, they were satisfied. (If there is anyone who thinks otherwise, please let me know. I will use it as a reference for the future.) Regardless, I personally had a great time, and I was really happy to see the satisfied expressions on all the participants' faces, and I could honestly feel that I was glad we did it.
And to everyone who helped with planning: Ishikawa-san, Ryutaro-san, Toshi-chan; everyone who provided fine-tuned support on various fronts: Mayu-neesan, Hii-chan, Shin-chan, Keita-san; those who served as ride support and cameras: Tanaka-san, Eri-chin; those who supported the food and drink: Maizack-san from Far Yeast Brewing, Kubo-hide-san from Bumpy Finish Food Service, Naomi-san from Naomi Camp, Kinpu Sanso; and, and, and to everyone who participated in RIDEALIVE in Yamanashi, thank you so much!!! I cannot thank you enough.
I look forward to the next one!
December 2018
Circles
Tomonori Yanase
TODAY’S RIDER
A long three-day journey crossing cities and mountains.
It was a journey that seemed to condense everything about living here.
Playing and living, living a life that is rich at heart.
That is something you cannot reach just by pursuing convenience.
The long uphill climb that seemed to go on forever, the rock castle towering toward the heavens, the vineyards, the hot springs—in reality, they were all within a 30km radius.
Diving into the heart of Kofu, we ourselves, who are usually right in the middle of it, were reminded once again of its depth.
A richness that only became visible through the perspective of a bicycle.
Thank you, RIDEALIVE. And let’s meet again.
Autumn 2018
Konosuke Ishikawa
SUNDAY
https://www.sundayweb.jp/
TEXT by Konosuke Ishikawa ／ PHOTO by Eri Tanaka