Japan Rider: The Blog

Riding in the Rain

2008-07-08T19:04:00.005+09:00

Have you ever done something after you haven't done it for a while? Something that you really used to enjoy? You avoid doing it, don't feel the desire for it. The passion's gone...but then you do that thing again, and while you're fully caught up in the joy of that thing, all you can think is, "I'd forgotten!" And you're amazed, because how could you ever forget joy like this?

This occasionally happens to me when I ride. It used to happen every year back in Montreal when I would get out for my first night ride after the thaw - the weather still crisp and the streets damp, the smell of fresh earth permeating the air as I pedalled along the river at speeds as high as I could manage on my road bike. Now, I get that feeling in the rain.

It had been a long time - maybe even two years - since our passion for riding led us out in the driving rain. This morning we had decided to ride, rain or shine. It's rainy season, so if we didn't ride anyway, we'd only be riding once a week if we were lucky. So out we went to brave the elements. Not long after we got out of the city and into the hills, pedalling at a leisurely pace, I remembered that I'd forgotten; forgotten how sublime everything could become when stifled by the rain, how the trees were greener, the streets quieter - so quiet that you can, briefly, imagine that you alone exist here. Nobody goes out in the rain at 6 a.m., you see, except, apparently, a couple of crazy bikers.

Pay to Pet the Dogs

2008-07-07T06:39:00.001+09:00

Finally, rainy season took a short break and we had great weekend summer weather. Not wanting to miss out on the first bit of sunshine we’ve had in the last month and a half, we got out for a long bike ride on Saturday morning, finishing up at our favourite beer garden!

We were pleasantly surprised to see that it wasn’t very busy and we had our pick of the picnic tables in the sun, where we promptly sat to drink a few pints of German brew.

As we sat, we got to entertain ourselves watching some “therapy” dogs in a pen. These dogs were here, brought by some company or organization, in order to earn money by being petted. They’re called “therapy dogs” because, I suppose, petting the dogs is considered therapeutic. It was 500 yen for adults to enter the pen, and 300 yen for children. Though we’re both dog lovers, we find this a bit kitschy (and also suspected that the dogs had been sedated!) and opted to spend our cash instead on another pint of beer!

Engakuji: Revisiting Suzuki Daisetsu

2008-07-03T18:27:00.008+09:00

A couple of weekends ago - on June 21 - Brian and I spent a (very organized) day in Kamakura as part of the "Kokoro-Juku". I'd first read about the event, organized by the Public Art Research Institute, in the Japan Times newspaper (see the original article here at http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20080603f1.html).It sounded like a fun cultural day out, so I contacted Sugimura-san, and signed both of us up for the day.

The plan was to meet at main gate Engakuji, one of the famous five temples in Kamakura, and begin the day at 9:30 with a speech on public manners and Bushido (the way of the Samurai) by 75-year old Sugimura-san. I figured this would be a controversial discussion, and was looking forward to the day. My greatest fear was that this was going to be a day spent with other foreigners (like me and Brian); actually, though, out of the 24 participants, there were very few foreigners: me, Brian, two Chinese who were fluent in Japanese, and one Romanian guy who actually carried a knife and fork in his bag; he didn't even try to use chopsticks, even when we were dining on Shojin ryori (see later)! I was also delighted to discover that the entire day was conducted in Japanese - which was as it should be, and it was good listening practice, too.

The day began in one nice tatami room in the main temple with Sugimura-san's speech. However, contrary to controversial, the smiley man talked first about the newspaper article (noted above), and the publicity. Then he quoted a few un-controversial excerpts from D.T.Suzuki's Zen and Japanese Culture (which is a great book!), and, perhaps not wanting to disturb the wa, did not at all analyze or pontificate on the book. This was actually ok with us, and the group then proceeded on a tour of Engakuji, one of the famous five temples of Kamakura. One of the zen monks was our personal guide and we were permitted to actually enter the temple buildings proper while the lesser riff-raff just had to take photos from outside! We then had a nice bento-lunch before going to Tokeiji, where we were given a tour of Suzuki's home and library.

Following this, we did a zazen-kai (sitting meditation), with a large group of people. It was the rinzai zen, so we actually chanted, reading from our book of koans.

The tour and everything after was really enjoyable, of course, but even more so because the Japanese participants, at first reserved, began to strike up conversations with us as we walked around. Of course, once outside, Brian and I did not stick totally together, but allowed ourselves to become separate, which, I have to say, makes foreigners more approachable than when they're "travelling in packs".

The totally best part of the whole event had to be when we all went to the Hachinoki restaurant to savour Shojin Ryori, which is the very traditional and purely vegetarian food of Buddhist monks (The phone number for Hachinoki in Kita-Kamakura is 0120-23-3722). We again had a great chance to mingle, and, because (of course!) the sake was flowing generously, everyone loosened up and had a great time.

Oh - I should mention that twice on this day - once after zazen, and again after dinner, everyone had to do a little self-introduction (jiko-shoukai). If you really want to test your bravado, try giving a speech in Japanese in front of 23 strangers!

Here are a bunch of pics from the day:

Cemetary and a temple at Engakuji:

You will often see offerings on grave stones, and nearly as often, these offerings are beer, sake or another alcoholic beverage. Below, it's a bottle of sparkling wine. I should be so lucky.

These two were taken inside one of the temple buildings at Engakuji:

Shrine to Daisetsu Suzuki:

Suzuki's library:

In this season, Kamakura is famous for its ajisai (hydrangea):

Always in tune with the season, our dinner consisted of special tofu - Ajisai-dofu:

A fine selection of other vegetarian fare:

Of course, the sake was not too far behind. This is Nigori-zake, a very traditional sweet sake, being served from a special bowl:

We spent the night in Kamakura, and the next morning we walked to Hase Shrine, where we got this shot of ema (wooden prayer plaques) reflected in water:

Where to stay in Kamakura:

Yamakawa minshuku, near Yuigahama station. Tel: (0467)22-0783
For a map, click here: http://reserve.4travel.jp/domestic/hotel/each/10042018/map/
Japanese only, but very foreigner friendly, so easy to communicate.

There are sooooo many places to stay in or around Kamakura. We booked late, and because of the ajisai blooming it was tough to find a place. However, once again, we lucked out. I found the Yamakawa Minshuku, which is just two short stops on the Enoden line from Kamakura station (actually, you can even walk from Kamakura station!). The location was great, the room was small but really quiet, the proprietress was delightfully talkative and friendly, the (Japanese) breakfast was delicious and the price was right: just 5,600 yen per person including breakfast (expect 6,700 or so for dinner and breakfast). If shared showers/bathrooms bother you, and if you need everything to be spic and span, you should seek elsewhere. We, however, will be staying here again!

Maki-Zushi, take 2 - The Result

2008-07-02T17:45:00.000+09:00

We still had some tuna left, so we made sushi again for dinner, and the second try resulted in slightly better rolls:

Making Maki Zushi

2008-07-01T17:38:00.000+09:00

As one would expect, sushi of all types is very easy to come by around here. Whether you want nigiri-zushi, chirashi-zushi or, my personal favourite, maki-zushi, we can always find it already made at our local supermarket. It's fairly fresh and affordable, and takes no time at all (for me) to prepare. So why bother making our own maki-zushi? That was the question I always posed to myself, so, even after ten years in Japan, I had never made my own sushi.

Last weekend, though, I felt inspired, and I bought my first makisu (bamboo sushi rolling mat). Like sushi itself, these can be found at just about any shop or supermarket and cost less than $2. Then last night I bought the ingredients - some sashimi quality tuna, a few shiso leaves, and nori sheets. I already had cucumbers, soy sauce, and wasabi on hand.

I made my sushi rice (by adding a bit of rice vinegar and sugar to the cooked rice), then tried my first sushi roll:

The rolls were not perfect, but the sushi was really good. The shiso really added a special flavour, and we both felt that it tasted better than the store-bought sushi: probably fresher, and at the right temperature.

Custom Frame Update

2008-06-30T06:13:00.000+09:00

My new frame is coming along nicely, and I have high hopes that I’ll have it before the summer is over.

Joel Greenblatt, of Clockwork Bikes, sent me these photos this morning:

12 Angry Men vs. 12 Gentle Japanese

2008-06-27T06:26:00.000+09:00

Warning: SPOILERS. Don’t read this if you don’t want to know the endings.

Years ago I watched the 1957 classic film 12 Angry Men. Turns out, in 1991, Japanese director Shun Nakahara made a spoof of that film. Brian and I watched both movies recently, one after the other, to see how they compared. The original film is of course a drama. Based on a play of the same name, this movie, starring Henry Fonda, Jack Warden, Jack Klugman and Ed Begley, is set entirely in one room and is fraught with tension and suspense. The defendent is a young man accused of killing his father. The 12 jurors are sequestered in a small room where they have to decide a verdict on the seemingly open and shut case. All the jurors but one quickly state that they believe the accused is guilty. They are ready to leave the room, but there is one hold-out - Henry Fonda. It’s a hot summer day, the fan isn’t working, and the heat in the room seems to increase the tension, to mirror the jurors’ increasing claustrophobia. There is also a storm brewing outside. Finally it starts to rain, and slowly, methodically, the jurors are brought around to Fonda’s way of thinking – his arguments are sound. As time goes on, and more jurors switch sides, the tension eases. The storm abates, and Glugman’s character figures out that the fan does work, and things cool down literally and figuratively. The last juror to give in is J. Lee Cobb’s character, who, it turns out, is taking the trial of the young man personally, seeing in the man his own estranged “ungrateful” son. Finally, he faces his own anguish and realizes he is being unfair. The verdict is not guilty.

The 1991 Japanese version of the movie is more of a spoof than a serious attempt at a remake. This is fairly clear by the title, which is １２人の優しい日本人　(juu-ni nin no yasashii nihonjin – 12 Gentle Japanese). The film parallels the original in many ways – it is filmed mostly in one small, hot room (though somehow the jurors get to go outside for a breath of air!), and the jurors must come to a consensus . However, the atmosphere is rather light as the movie opens as 12 seemingly happy, chatty people quickly pile into the room, and the spokesperson begins taking orders for drinks –iced coffee, iced tea, banana juice, Yakult [a yogurt drink] and even a fruit parfait are all ordered amidst a party-like atmosphere. The defendant in this case is a young divorced mother accused of pushing her ex-husband in front of a truck. The jurors sit down, and quickly all but one state that the young woman is not guilty (muzai). They quickly rise, say how fun this get together was, and prepare to leave. However, there is one hold-out – a young, professional-looking man. He has reasonable arguments for the woman’s guilt, while, at first, the only arguments for her innocence are: she’s too cute to do something like that, I can see when someone is lying, it’s a feeling, etc…Eventually, though, after some flip-flopping, it is determined that the woman is, indeed, not guilty, and the hold-out, it turns out, was harboring a bit of a grudge against his own wife. Realizing this, he gives in and changes his verdict to not guilty.

So, the parallels are obvious, the ending's the same, but the process is oh so different. One of the greatest ironies is that Japan does not have a jury system (this may change in 2009 when 6-member juries are introduced), so one has to wonder how effective this movie was when it was released? But for us, at least, it was pretty funny and a very interesting “remake” of the original, with a very distinctive Japanese flavour.

Firefox 3 - Download Day

2008-06-18T07:27:00.004+09:00

So today is the day - Firefox 3 has been officially released. As some of you may know, this is my browser of choice and it beats Internet Explorer hands down.

Firefox is going for the Guinness book of world records for most downloads in a 24 hour period. I've already downloaded a copy for my laptop and desktop. Next will be my work pc.

To participate in the FF download day, click here: http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/?p=downloadday

To help make the world record, you must download by 7:00 UTC on June 18, 2008. But if you miss this deadline, just go ahead and get Firefox anyway - it rocks!

Custom Frame - the beginning

2008-06-17T06:30:00.001+09:00

Construction of my custom frame has begun...here are the first two photos of it "under construction":

This is my top tube and my seat tube. Notice how the top tube is curved - this is so that I will have ample stand-over when the bike is complete. I'm really rather short to be riding a 29er, and there is a lot of controversy among mountain bikers about the whole thing. Many folks say that 29ers are not necessary at all, and certainly not necessary for people who are short (like, 5"7'...I only stand slightly over 5'1"!). However, I've been riding a 29er exclusively for nearly 3 years, and I know that I love it. How much more will I love it when I get one made just for me?

Usami beach, Otsuka minshuku, and a new Pepsi

2008-06-16T18:36:00.006+09:00

Beaches in Japan are wonderful. Some beaches are family oriented, others are for those who like to see and be seen. Shirahama (literally, “White Beach”) is one of the latter, and it also has good surfing, swimming and suntanning. The sandy beaches on the west side of Izu are all really nice, though, and once they are officially opened they all have lots of easy access to cold beer and chu-hi (a sweet canned drink made with sho-chu and lemon/lime/grapefruit or whatever). At Shirahama there are even “beer girls” who walk up on down the beach selling cold beer, so you don’t have to get up and go to the yatai (food stall) to buy one yourself!

Shirahama is a bit far, but we wanted to spend time at the beach this weekend, so we decided to spend a couple of days at Usami beach (not far from Atami). It was only an hour and a half or so away, and we got to enjoy a few hours sitting in the sun and savouring the still-unpopulated beach before the crowds converge after the official opening. (Usami officially opened Sunday afternoon, so the other beaches likely did too).

We stayed at the Otsuka minshuku, where we’d stayed once last year. We did not take the dinner and breakfast option this time, but immediately wished we had. The food at the minshuku is fabulous traditional Japanese fare (as we remember from last year), and they are also fairly well-known for their cuisine, which includes unagi and, their specialty, fugu. You can call ahead and reserve a fugu-nabe course, if you feel daring! Otherwise, there are not many options for dinner within walking distance. Luckily, we did find a nice ise-ebi restaurant that also served up pretty good tempura.

The Otsuka itself is a nice but very simple and slightly run-down place. The tatami has seen better days, as has the shoji and fusuma paper. But the owners are very friendly, and the minshuku is super-close to the beach.

Unfortunately, it is also super close to the highway (as in, it is ON the highway), and it was our misfortune to get (again) room 201, which is street level, “ocean view” – a euphemism for “right on the highway”. With hundreds (thousands?) of cars and large trucks speeding past our window, it was much too noisy for comfort. So, while we will stay at the Otsuka again, we will request a different room upon booking…and to be safe, we may request not to have the ocean view, but rather, the mountain view!

Otsuka’s English homepage is here: http://www.izu.co.jp/~otsuka/justa.htm
Or call them: 0557-48-8839 (English is probably ok since the owners spoke English while we were there).

Some photos from our weekend:

Our room at the Otsuka - I love traditional Japanese rooms! (We put futons down on the tatami for sleeping at night).

Me, reading and relaxing in our room:

This summer's Pepsi is Blue Hawaii, with Pineapple and Lemon...though I thought it sort of tasted like spruce beer; on the right is frozen green tea - a great summer refreshment:

A close-up view of the shoji (black and white):

On Sunday, the weather was windy and cloudy, so we drove around Izu for a bit before heading home. We stopped at a small temple and got this photo:

Finally, the sun came out while we were near the Jogasaki coast:

A Weighty Issue

2008-06-13T19:00:00.000+09:00

Whenever I read about people shopping for a new bike, or planning to upgrade their current one, a main concern is weight. I knew that this was an important issue for roadies, but was mildly surprised when I first encountered this in mountain biking. I mean – why worry about a few hundred grams?

Many of those who are concerned are racers, and they feel that weight matters. Of course, the lighter, more high-tech the parts, the more expensive they are. When the discussion of weight vs. budget comes up on mountain bike forums (namely, the MTBR forums), one piece of advice that is always offered to the biker looking to drop grams from his (or her) ride without having to spend the cash to do so is: stop eating so much and ride more. The idea being, of course, that the body weight one loses will make up for the slightly heavier bike.

As for me, while I do need a new set of cranks, I am not very concerned about weight on my bike; let’s face it – I ride a single speed and am already past the race-age! However, I do worry about body weight, and in the last year or two, I’ve gained a few kilograms. And I realize it’s not just winter fat, and not going to go away overnight – so, I’ve had to start taking steps to reverse the trend. The major step is that I’ve quit drinking. Sad, but true. I realize I just can’t afford the extra 600 to 800 calories a day that alcohol was providing. My goal is to lose three kilos, and I think with the calorie reduction, coupled with regular rides, I should be able to achieve this within a few months.

Happy Friday the 13th

2008-06-13T07:49:00.002+09:00

Friday is always a good day. And everybody knows you coast on Friday! (That's a quote from one of my favourite (and unfortunately cancelled) TV series, Arrested Development).

But this Friday is better than most, because it is also Friday the 13th! Too bad it's sunny, it's ruining the atmosphere...but I still intend to have a little fun and wear some black attire today.

Enjoy the day, folks, and ride if you can.

Violence in Japan

2008-06-12T18:59:00.000+09:00

As most people may by now be aware, there was a bizarre attack in the popular Akihabara (a.k.a. Electric City) area of Tokyo on Sunday afternoon. A young man, who had apparently been planning his attack well in advance, drove a rental truck into a crowd of people (Akihabara + Sunday afternoon=masses and masses of people), then got out of the truck and went on a stabbing spree, killing seven people (three died when hit by the truck, and four died of stab wounds) and injuring 10 others. Making the story even more interesting is that the attacker – Tomohiro Kato – was living right here in Susono city where he was a temporary worker at an auto parts manufacturer. Huh. You can read the story here at the Japan Times Online http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20080611a1.html

The most remarkable thing about this story, however, is how remarkable it is. Now of course, news programs and talk shows are questioning Japan’s current situation and analyzing the “increase” in violence. But this incident is rare. I would still feel very safe walking down the street in the middle of the night, whether here in Susono, or even in the red-light district of Kabukicho in Tokyo. Japan is essentially still a very safe country. The crimes that occur here are frequently strange, sometimes tragic, but seldom violent. Recently, a middle-aged woman was discovered living in a man’s closet; and she’d been living there for nearly a year before the bachelor suspected anything (the story is here http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080530/ap_on_re_as/japan_closet_woman). I’m not saying that every nation shouldn’t stop once in a while and re-evaluate itself and its social values…I’m just saying that one incident does not define the nation.

Closer to Custom

2008-06-10T21:13:00.002+09:00

We had a busy weekend, which involved no riding at all. However, rainy season is upon us, so it's not like we're missing any great weather...But I do want to ride my Rig as much as possible in the next month or two, since it is about to be replaced with a custom-designed frame!

Two months after my first contact with Joel of Clockwork Bikes, we are finally taking the first big steps toward the production of my very own custom 29er single speed frame. It will be an original Clockwork orange. I'm not sure of the ETA yet, but I just submitted my physical measurements, and the measurements of my current bike. I've also had to describe any issues with my current set up/frame - and basically, while it's been the love of my life for the last two years, it's just a bit too big overall.

And so now the countdown has begun...

Macro from the weekend

2008-06-05T07:27:00.002+09:00

Just wanted to share a couple of macro shots we took on the weekend.

This was a really tiny spider sitting on an old steel drink can.

This was just a tree stump:

2008-06-02T07:50:00.000+09:00

Weekends really are too short, but you have to make the most of them.

On Sunday, we got out for a good bike ride. The weather was perfect – sunny, partly cloudy, and not too hot. A great way to bring in June!

As I frequently mention, every ride involves a lot of uphill. Of course, this is complemented by an equal amount of downhill! When you're riding a single speed and you live in a valley, you get a great workout and plenty of good shin-muscles!

Just for fun, I thought I would share our riding route.

View Larger Map

Race Time

2008-05-29T17:44:00.005+09:00

I should really just edit and add this to my previous post about the run last Sunday...

Anyway, thanks to bernicky's comment, I navigated around runnet.jp and found my race time!

Listed is my gross time and net time. Gross time is from when the gun went off, net time is calculated from when my foot actually touched the start line. Because there were actually 9,526 people running in just the 13.6km, I didn't get to the start line for a while!! The total number of participants, even in the pouring rain, was 15,833 - 3,863 more than last year!

My net time (which is what I'm interested in) was 1:37:32; last year, my net time was 1:38:39. Woo hoo - I sped up!

I know, this time is pretty slow by a runner's standards, but I'm pleased just the same!

If you want to check out my "file", it's here!

The Sound of Frogs

2008-05-29T07:34:00.003+09:00

With the sun rising as early as 4:30 a.m. and the days being so warm, it is easy to believe that it is already summer. However, it is just spring still, and has all the sights, smells and sounds the season brings. The rice paddy outside of our apartment is just being planted, and the water used for the rice paddy has brought both ducks and frogs to our doorstep.

The other evening we went outside to capture some of the sounds of the frogs...

Yamanakako Road Race

2008-05-25T19:05:00.005+09:00

Yesterday was the big race day!

As predicted, it was pouring rain. This weather, though, did not keep many people away, and I'm certain that this year's turnout will equal last year's, which was close to 12,000 people.

Even in the rain, the run around the lake was scenic, and I feel that I did my 13.6km fairly well. I never felt tired, and even at the end of the race I felt like I could run a little more. This is better than last year, where everything after the 12km mark was a struggle (it doesn't help that the last 600 meters is uphill!).

There was a group of us who ran, and after the race, we made our way back toward home, stopping at the Gotemba Kogen onsen and beer hall. We lounged in a luxurious hot bath for a while before going to the "viking" restaurant for an early dinner and a few well-earned beers. "Viking restuarant" in Japanese means a buffet restuarant; at the Kogen, it is an all-you-can-eat and drink extravaganza. That being the case, I decided that I would indulge a little, and leave my car there and take the shuttle bus home. Brian joined we runners for the fun part of the day (eating and drinking), also leaving his truck parked at the Kogen. This gave us the perfect excuse to ride our bikes this morning - back to the Kogen (uphill, again!) to pick up the cars.

So, I wasn't tired after the race, my legs were still in riding shape this morning, and I can even walk down several flights of stairs without pain...all better than last year! I don't have my time results yet, but I'm hoping that I shaved a few seconds off my time this year, too!

Warm-up Ride

2008-05-24T20:10:00.001+09:00

My 13.7 km race is tomorrow! I can't believe how quickly time passes...I haven't properly trained, of course, but I'm sure that I'll at least be able to finish the run. I've been running a fair amount these past two weeks, and I did an easy 5km yesterday morning.

This morning, Brian and I went for a short, easy bike ride. Well, not too easy, I suppose, since Susono is a valley and every ride includes a decent hill; when you don't have gears, all the power has to come from the legs! However, I figured the bike ride would keep my cardio in shape, and wouldn't tire my legs out too much since it works different muscles.

My race kicks off at 9:45 tomorrow morning - and if the weather forecast is right, I'll be running in pouring rain. Somehow, though, I think that will be better than running in the brutal heat.

An Evening Solo-Ride

2008-05-22T19:30:00.000+09:00

The days have, once again, been getting longer. Japan does not have Daylight Saving Time, and though there are those who complain about this, I am not one of them. Being an early riser by nature, I am much happier to be up at 4:30 a.m. in the daylight than to be awake at 9 p.m. in the daylight! However, I do appreciate the slightly longer afternoons overall that are afforded by the coming summer.

Today, after work, I decided to take advantage of the still-bright day and got out for a shortish solo ride up into the hills of Susono. Brian couldn't join me this time, so I struck out on my own. Really, I'd forgotten how fabulous and refreshing a post-work workout in the fresh mountain air can be. Usually I get home, exhaustedly plop myself in front of my computer, and pursue an unproductive evening.

I often feel tired after work. However, I realize that it is my brain that is tired but my body is actually wired. So, tonight's ride was good!

Now, we really have to get motivated and go for some real night rides; we bought a set of amazing Cateye Double Shots a few years ago, and seriously, we've only used them a few times. When we were younger (heh heh) we used to ride at night a lot more, and with a lot less power....time to get back in the game!

Brian's Birthday

2008-05-22T19:15:00.001+09:00

Yesterday was Brian's birthday.

We acknowledged the day with a smile, and went out for dinner at Lemongrass, a nice Asian-fusion restaurant. I drove and abstained from drinking (too much)! Other than that, it was an uneventful yet pleasant day. I think Brian enjoyed it.

When I was (much much) younger, my own birthday was an excuse to party; to over-imbibe and dance until the bars threw me out at 4 a.m. Now, I'm very happy to treat myself to a quiet night in, a large all-dressed pizza, and a subtle bottle of fine red wine.

Why is it that when we get older, birthdays seem less significant? Less of a "special occasion"? Are we just tired? Or are we more mature and no longer have a driving need to feel special, to be the centre of the universe?

I think it's because we realize that a truly special day is about spending time with yourself, and not "on the stage"....

Our Biking History: From Road to Mountain to Downhill to Singlespeed

2008-05-19T06:59:00.013+09:00

I used to be a roadie. Every Sunday morning I would get up at 5:00 a.m., and drive to the West Island and then cycle about 100 to 120 km with my cycling club.

I did not foresee then that soon I would join the ranks of the lowly mountain biker!

I bought my first mountain bike in April of 2000. It was a glowing orange Schwinn Moab. Brian was there to help me choose it, and there for the inaugural ride. This was a small frame (15"), and is still the only bike that seemed to fit me right!

At that time, Brian was riding a heavy, full-suspension Specialized FSR.

Not too long after this, Brian switched to a handsome Cannondale (used but good!); much much lighter and more finesseful than the old blue FSR.

While still with the Cannondale, Brian also built up a GT Zaskar frame (no photo!).

And I added a sleek black Cannondale to my bike room as well. It was a 16" frame, and just a tad too big for me, but gave me years of great riding fun anyway before I sold it off and replaced it with my current rig, a GF Rig!

While we both loved our Cannondales, we also jumped on the full-suspension cross-country bandwagon and each bought a new Specialized FSR. I got the Rockhopper, and Brian got the Stumpjumper. These bikes were replacements for our other hard-tails - I shortly then sold my Schwinn, and Brian sold his Zaskar.

We used to ride these bikes on the downhill courses at Fujimi Panorama.

At this point, we each had two bicycles: a full-suspension cross-country, and a hard-tail Cannondale.

Brian then replaced his Stumpjumper with a Yeti AS-R, which was better suited to the trails overall:

We'd been enjoying the downhill trails at Fujimi Panorama so much, we decided to add a downhill bike to our collection. I got myself a Foes downhill bike (no photo!).

The Foes was good, but a little too heavy. After a broken dereilleur hanger left it rather un-ridable (it was a hard-to-replace part), I sold the frame and bought my Santa Cruz Bullit. This was an awesome bike and lasted the rest of my downhill days!

Brian swapped out his Yeti for a GT Dh-i, which he really loved:

During this time, we'd also converted our Cannondales to singlespeeds - removing the gears and shifters, etc, resulting in a cleaner, more simple set up. Finally, after riding converted singlespeeds, we each went ahead and got the real deal.

Brian bought his Gary Fisher Rig, a 29er singlespeed, first. I followed about six months later.

Being so happy with the Rig, we sold all our other bikes, and we've decided to go custom. Brian has had his custom frame (built by Joel Greenblatt at Clockwork Bikes) since 2007. I should have my own custom frame by this August.

Finally, we found our niche in the 29er singlespeed game. Simplicity has been achieved. We no longer have three or four bikes each. We no longer have gears.

Where're the Bikes? Running Yamanakako.

2008-05-14T07:49:00.001+09:00

We having posted much about biking recently, I realize. And this is, after all, supposed to be something of a biking blog. What can I say except that we haven't been riding to as many interesting places quite as often, opting instead for some rigorous hikes, and, for me, some running instead of biking.

I signed up for the Yamanakako 13.7 km race again this year. I ran it last year, and though I was not in great running shape, I did ok. This year I was hoping to actually train somewhat before race day on May 25th. I still have almost two weeks left to make this happen! Actually, the running is another reason that I wanted the new iPod Shuffle – holds lots of music, and I don't have to hold it in my hand when I run!

After this race, I'm sure we'll be back to spending lots of time with the bikes - and, of course, I'm still anxiously awaiting construction and delivery of my custom 29er Single-Speed frame from Clockwork Bikes (ETA is August...)

My First iPod

2008-05-12T17:40:00.000+09:00

Well, I did it. I bit the bullet and purchased my first real iPod – a new 2GB Shuffle. Of course I've had an MP3 player for a few years – a 256 kb Rio SU40. It is still working great, and has the added benefits of a voice recorder and not relying on proprietary software. However, 256 kb just isn't enough anymore, and the Shuffle small, cute and just clips right to your shirt (or wherever).

The main reason that I'd avoided the Apple iPod at all was due to the proprietary nature of the device, the fact that the user had to have and use iTunes to get music onto and off of the player. Well, now there are a lot of alternatives available, including Media Monkey for Windows and Rhythm Box for Linux, among others (here is a good list of 10 iTunes alternatives ). However, since I wasn't using anything to organize my music anyway, just relying on the good-old-fashioned Windows file manager, I decided to go ahead and learn how to use iTunes. And, I'm ashamed to say, I kind of like it! I successfully imported my music, registered and synchronized my new Shuffle, and got music onto it. I even got a little crazy and subscribed to a few Podcasts.

The real test came when I wanted to add tunes from Ubuntu (Linux). However, Rhythm Box did a great job – it recognized my iPod, and allowed me to just drag and drop files onto it. And these tunes were even playable! However, when I switched back to Windows, I was not able to see those music files from iTunes.... Still, I'm so far very pleased with my new music player.