"Let's split RIDEALIVE into multiple events next year."
Since the end of last year, I had been vaguely imagining the concept for this year's RideAlive. The idea was to venture further out from the local fields where we'd always played, to seek new terrain and activities in various lands alongside local masters of play, and to enjoy the creation of both play and life.
When that idea started to take on a sense of reality, I already had a specific way of playing in mind. I spoke to Kyohei Nakamura, also known as the "Suzuka Pathfinder" of ADAPT SUZUKA, who has been starting new movements in the rich mountain environment centered around the Suzuka Mountains in Mie Prefecture, and shared my vision with him.
The plan was to crossover the activities of cycling and hiking.
As it turned out, he was already doing exactly that in Mie. Even though he had only just opened his own shop at the beginning of the year, he agreed to our idea without a second thought. And so, the planning for the first RIDEALIVE of this year, a Bike to Hike and Bike event set in Mie, began.
Once decided, things moved quickly. We both found time to head to the field. When we did our first scouting ride, there was still snow on the mountain pass. Whether it’s riding or hiking, choosing the right route is always critical. Based on our combined experience, we drew the best possible line on the map, connecting the dots. We also received encouraging help from people regarding food and drink. Naturally, we went to the mountains to scout as well. Actually, on my very first hike—a scouting trip to Mt. Ryugatake—the summit was still covered in thick snow, and the visibility was so poor due to haze that I had to tell myself, "I'll save the spectacular view for the real thing," before heading down.
There were some sections in both the riding and hiking routes that I thought might be a bit tough, but because we know that the sense of accomplishment after overcoming difficulties is an incomparable experience, we chose to stick to the planned route. All that was left was to hope for good weather on the day.
And so, the day arrived, and participants gathered at the starting point, Kameyama Station, filled with their own individual expectations and anxieties.
Even with a small group of only 20 people, we had a truly diverse mix: die-hards who pedaled to the meeting point all the way from local Mie and Toyoake, a family who participated while pulling their child in a Burley trailer, and even a special guest who happened to be traveling in Japan from Texas with their own bike.
After introductions and explaining the itinerary, we set off immediately. Day one started in Kameyama, headed north after crossing the mountains into Shiga Prefecture, and then descended the Suzuka Skyline back toward the Mie side. Kameyama is one of the prefecture's leading tea-growing regions, and tea plantations spread out before your eyes as soon as you pedal away from the station. We had considered crossing the Suzuka range via National Route 1, but anticipating heavy traffic, we opted to take the Anraku Pass to the north.
Anraku Pass to "Anraku-shi" (Easy Death)
Once through the tea fields, the mountains suddenly feel much closer. We were finally set to climb the first pass, Anraku Pass. The locals in this area call crossing this point "Anraku-goe" (Anraku Crossing), and hearing that might lead one to imagine it's a relatively easy pass, but in reality, it's not that simple. We pedaled desperately up the steep slopes with fully packed bikes. I found out later that the name actually comes from a nearby village called "Anraku," and had nothing to do with the difficulty of the pass.
The summit of the pass is exactly the border with Shiga. Descending rapidly into Shiga, we found the mountain cherry blossoms on the verge of full bloom, a sign that spring had truly arrived in the mountains. You might pass by unnoticed in a car, but on a bicycle, you can feel the seasons through various discoveries, like the small flowers blooming on the side of the road or the scent of blossoms.
We took a short break before the "main dish(?)" of the day. From here, we would climb over the Suzuka Skyline (Buhei Pass) in one go. The Yasugawa Dam, a tributary of the Yasu River that flows into Lake Biwa, had such a beautiful emerald green surface against the lush green of the mountains that I lost count of how many times I stopped pedaling to take photos during the climb.
A relay baton called a Burley
Some had bikes packed light, while others went with the classic tourer style. The bikes were truly genre-less—road, cross, ATB, and single-speed. The father towing the Burley actually challenged the route on a single-speed. It turned out to be tough in places, so we started swapping out the bike pulling the Burley, taking turns to pull the little one sleeping soundly inside. Doesn't that just epitomize the spirit of RideAlive—that the style of bike doesn't matter?
When I was a student, I once crossed the Suzuka mountains to Kyoto on a fixie. I found myself feeling a similar excitement to that time as I headed up the pass on that single-speed I’d suddenly jumped onto. This RideAlive might have been a return to my roots. I attacked the climb with a 2.8 gear ratio, my face twisted in determination.
Having conquered about 12km of climbing, we finally crossed the Suzuka Skyline back to the Mie side. The Nobi Plain stretched out below us. Thanks to the cloudless, sunny sky, we could see all the way to the skyscrapers of Nagoya. I almost got distracted by the view, but I focused on the line for the descent, carefully tracing the curves. Lunch was waiting at the bottom. We were behind schedule, but we were pulled in like a magnet to Cafe Cob at the foot of Yunoyama Onsen, where we had requested lunch.
Cafe Cob, which serves meals using fresh vegetables sourced primarily from the local Komono town without any animal-based ingredients, delighted us with a plate and dessert specially prepared for this day. The old lodge-like building and the nostalgic, calming interior, combined with the warmth of the owner, Mr. Kondo, and his staff, created a very comfortable space. Like Kyohei-kun, the people of Mie are warm and incredibly sincere, which is why I’m so drawn to them. Please don't misunderstand—this doesn't mean everyone in Nagoya isn't sincere.
Cheers at a pitch-black campsite
Having cleared the day's biggest hurdle, I suppressed the urge to lounge around and started pedaling again.
With the mountains of Suzuka on our left, we headed straight north on a road gently bathed in the evening sun. We picked up supplies for dinner before reaching the campsite. By the time we arrived, the sun had fully set. On top of that, the strong wind blowing down from the mountains made setting up our tents a struggle, but despite the unexpected situations, we all made it safely and began our night's banquet.
Together with companions who had truly shared the highs and lows, we gathered around a creatively prepared dinner and delicious drinks. The night chill was stronger than imagined, so we gathered firewood from around the area and started a fire. A small campfire just big enough for 20 people to surround. To keep out the cold, we naturally drew closer to each other, and the night deepened as we looked back on the day and talked about trivial things. Caroline from Texas also blended in perfectly, and even though we didn't share a language, once we spent time together in the saddle, we were able to deepen our bond as one big family.
Even I, who don't usually drink, found myself having one glass of cassis orange after another. Of course, I had no idea that I would be suffering from a hangover the next morning.
To be honest, the first day's route was a bit hard. This was something Kyohei-kun and I had agonized over until the very end. Even so, the groove of "we'll make it there by helping each other" pushed everyone toward the finish line. Life is short, and it's much better to regret doing something than to regret not doing it at all. That is precisely why we were able to share such a sense of accomplishment. We have the best companions—no, family—right by our sides.
Luckily, the weather forecast for tomorrow is also sunny. I might be able to see the spectacular view that I missed during the scouting trip together with everyone. I went to bed suppressing my excitement, and perhaps I was exhausted, but I fell into a deep sleep, not even noticing the sound of the wind shaking the tent.
TODAY’S RIDER
Rider : Caroline Horn
| Frame | Velo Orange | Campeur |
| HeadSet | ChrisKing | 2nut |
| Rim | Mavic | A319 |
| Hub | Chris King | R45 Road Hub |
| Tire | SimWorks by Panaracer | The Homage |
| Seat | Brooks | Cambium C17S |
| SeatPost | SimWorks By Nitto | Beatnik |
| Brake | Paul Component | Minimoto |
| Main Group | Sram Rival 1 | |
| Crank | White Industries | G30 Gravel/Adventure Cranks |
| Basket | WALD | 137 Basket |
| Seat Bag | Swift Industries | |
| Helmet | Giro | Aspect |
| Shoes | Giro |
TEXT by Shige ／ PHOTO by Eri Tanaka & Shige