Kagoshima to Hioki - Six wheels through Japan - CycleBlaze

May 1, 2023

Kagoshima to Hioki

When the going gets tough…the tough get going.

A last look at the volcano and the sights of Kagoshima. It occurs to us that our balcony is larger than some of the rooms we have stayed in during our travels.
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We enjoyed breakfast at the hotel and got ready to head out on our adventure. We know that there are monster hills ahead and with Barry’s motor being unreliable, I am taking the heavier load on my trike to help. This is totally out of character for Barry to take a lighter load as  his chivalrous nature usually results in him taking the heavier load. After 38 years of this, it is about time!

The practical and problem solving nature of Japan is summed up here. It rains a lot and gets very hot in Japan so everyone carries an umbrella, whether on foot or on their bike, for rain or sun. Most commercial entrances have this device. You put your umbrella in the slot and it neatly wraps it in plastic. No mess!
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Have trolley, will travel.
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We realize we have too much stuff. We need a down day to seriously cull our excess. We will keep camping gear, but with heavy hills ahead and questionable e-assist we will lighten our load.
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This clock face was on the building next to us. Liked its design.
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Well, it is shaping up to be a brute of a day. The sun is shining, it is hot, and the first hill started right away. It was truly one of the steepest climbs we have done and it went on forever. And and did I mention that  when Barry started up his trike…no motor! 

Not so bad…
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And then the reality hits that this will not end, it just goes up. The bay of Kagoshima and the volcano are disappearing.
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We are above the skyline and still going.
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Almost there Barry…
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Hill #1 complete. Barry is gasping for air. Onwards and upwards.
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Communities nestled in the hills.
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I originally had the questionable idea to follow the highway you see in the photo. The gradient was less and more direct. Glad we didn’t and this is a super highway and not for bikes.
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Well, it is shaping up to be a brute of a day. The sun is shining, it is hot, and the first hill started right away. It was truly the steepest climb we have done and it went on forever, and did I mention that  when Barry started up his trike…no motor! 

We often see shrines such as this alongside the road. We presume they are family shrines.
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Bonsai and sculpted bushes are common. This one is interesting.
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This beauty was growing along the sidewalk hanging over a cement wall. It made us feel better.
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And here we are in search of a shortcut that will take us down by the river on flatter terrain. So far so good.
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Kyushu is blessed with lush foliage, amazing hills and fertile farming land.
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A nice reprieve along this small road.
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Bamboo forest interspersed with other trees. The diameter of the bamboo can be impressive.
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We discovered that at the top (yes we made it) are landfills and a huge recycling plant.
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We walked over for the view and found a landfill.
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This is what it looks like after the climbs.
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All in all we rode 35 Km and we were both exhausted by the time we stopped. We couldn’t do more. The day was all hills and the gradients were tough and unending. To make matters worse, the route we were following had numerous glitches. At one point we were lost and faced a dead end in the middle of a field due to the Shinkansen train line and a cement wall. At that point we went back to the busy road which involved reclimbing an area that we had just sped down.

We have been enjoying our detour to lower ground by the river. As we proceeded down this gravel road, the man from the house in the distance tried to tell us something in Japanese. We didn’t understand. I guess he was telling us…dead end. A cement wall will block you in.
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Climbing back up from our shortcut. We were fascinated by the precision parking of these buses. Do rookies have to do this?
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A nice section of riding.
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This is the payoff for Barry having reached the top after a number of climbs.
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The only hotel, in Hioki, where we stopped,  was fully booked (Golden Week) so they called a woman who has rooms for rent nearby…the only other possibility was to go on for for another 35 Km. When we arrived,  we realized that this establishment had seen better days. The entrance was overgrown and the chaos inside made us wonder if we should wild camp somewhere. At the thought of that, we both agreed, we will stay. After all it has a bathroom and a western style bed. We could have chosen a  4 tatami mat room but we would be sharing it with 2 others…and the mats were all connected due to the size of the room. A bit intimate considering the shape we were in.

We got on our bikes to get provisions for the evening and wonder of wonders, Barry’s motor worked…. 1st time today. The irony is not lost on us as he really needed the motor for the hard climbs of the day.  We rode to the grocery store to get food to have in our room. We must have looked like aliens from another planet in our neon cycling jackets and the glazed look in our eyes. This town is completely away from the tourist route and we attracted many looks of bewilderment followed by smiles. Our attempts at speaking Japanese were followed by mass confusion.

Samurai Sanders at a KFC
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We bought ice cream treats at the grocery store. Mary Ellen’s looked a lot different on the packaging- not as good as it had looked.
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Poor Barry's back took a beating as the bed was rock hard, but we fared ok. The woman who ran it looked like life had been hard but she was gracious and welcoming. Barry couldn’t get the translator to connect with her so we shared an unintelligible conversation and all was well.

And to all, a good night!



Today's ride: 35 km (22 miles)
Total: 230 km (143 miles)

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Steve Miller/GrampiesWhat do you do if there is no sidewalk/shoulder and you need to ride on the road with the traffic? We get nervous on regular widther/height bikes, can hardly imagine lower wider trikes.
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1 year ago
Barry BartlettWell, we developed confidence riding on Saltspring the past 3 years during the pandemic. Some guys in trucks love to goose the engine and spew their exhaust at us, and some yell at us, but mostly it has been ok. It has certainly improved. We like to think that we are slowly educating them!
We each have high poles with flags, flashing lights on the flagpoles, mirrors on each side, obnoxious bright neon clothing etc. A plus about our trikes is that they have 20” wheels and it is very stable. If we are forced off the road or feel concerned we can quickly veer off the road and maintain stability.
In Japan the drivers are extremely courteous and patient. Today we got stuck in a downpour and had to take to the road at times. We were ok.
We both think that it helps to look so odd and conspicuous.
Anyway, so far, so good.
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1 year ago