45th Parallel

    Yep, you heard that right. I am exactly in between the Equator and Santa Claus. Which is fitting because Santa comes soon and I am Extra Greedy this year. As always, I expect to be buried in presents. 

To give you context, I am as far north as Maine or southern France. The sun goes to bed an hour earlier than I'm used to but it also wakes up an hour earlier, too (my favorite). 

There's your Geography lesson for the day.

There's this neat volcano on Rishiri Island that we took a ferry to and biked around it. So let's begin there. 

"It's time to wake up, children."

The ferry to Rishiri Island was rich. The one coming back, not so much. Had to sit on the floor. 

Look at the Asian Quay. She's a sleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeepy mushroom.

Snow on top. I wanted to climb it, but after you've climbed Mt Fuji is there really any other mountain to climb? I didn't think so.

Not having grown up near an ocean I like staring off into the Great Unknown. 

Finding an open restaurant was harder than I thought. Finally, there was a decent café where we purchased Ramen and curry. The two Japanese staples.

The more north you go the less it feels like you're in Japan. In fact, this island reminded me a lot of when I was in Iceland for my 24 hour Spartan Race two years prior. Look at these colorful house. "Now you have some color."

I liked the little lampshades. Aren't they neat? Also the lampposts had these animal decals. You have to just look at it, though. 

Getting ready to go back to Wakkanai. 

Lots of cars go back and forth. But if you want to rent one there you can. 

Next morning was brisk. Seeing the windmills are my favorite. Reminds me of driving to CA with Lincoln and DDD that one Spring Break. It was all fun to be invited to do things. 

If you turn the pic upside down it looks exactly the same. 

Also, this part of the country you will see less shrines and temples. This one doesn't look like the typical ones you see in southern Japan. 

Here's the pinnacle of this post. Litrilly. We got there right before a tourist bus full of Asians came and ruined everything. Kinda like in the states. Can't call me racist, though. Because I'm in Japan with HQC. I'm like a modern day Tim Whatley (7th paragraph down). 

I love that crane. They're always alone doing whatever they please. 

Oh, say hi to Putin. That's Russia over there. Reminds me when the Brits were cornered by Germany at Dunkirk. 

This is a huge mound of clams. Seagulls and crows would pick them up and drop them on the road then happily hop over to them and eat whatever they could find on the inside. It was fun to hear the crash of the shell on the pavement. 

This Michinoeki was all neat. 

Saw quite a few deer-er, too. 

The Status Quo is arriving.

Now it's my turn to be a sleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeepy mushroom.

Freezing cold this morning. I hope it's just a cold front because if temps stay like this then I will be miserable for a while. 

The Misty Mountains. 

Hey, I found her!

We stopped at another Michinoeki. "Hmmm I didn't know sausage had bones in it." Man, this was so good. And juicy. My stupid friends thought it looked nasty. They're dumb. That's why I'm biking across Japan and they have to go to work.

This sink was neat. It has the hand dryer built into it. So you don't have to walk over across the toilet with wet hands and drip on the floor.

Guess what this is a pile of? I'll give you a hint.

Up North

    Now that my preliminary science experiment was a success. It's time to begin. I'm starting to get the hang of this and getting back in The Game.

Once again we bagged up our junk plus a little more so that we can take the Shin as far as we can to Hokkaido.

Holly's sister was nice and sent us these British treats that came just in the nic-of-time as we were headed out the door. 

First time seeing a double decker Shin. It wasn't our lot to ride one though, unfortunately.

We're bringing a lot of our own food we prepared from home. One of the items is this delicious banana bread that HQC made. She even snuck in chocolate bars in it. so good. Glad there are still four more loaves.

She was a "sleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeepy mushroom".

As promised, here is a video of the Shin roaring by. If you look closely you can see the lightning coming from it. I asked The Asian Quay the other day what she would choose to control, Lightning, Fire, or Water. She picked Water. I picked Lightning. Because imagine all my enemies I could strike down. Just like the emperor. 

After a day of Shins we stayed in Hakodate. The next day was full of Local Trains until we arrived in Wakkanai. Rated R.

Shikoku: Part 3

     As we got closer to the western side of Shikoku there was a downhill that lasted for approximately 15 minutes. I loved it. When you're crouched low for less wind resistance your arms get super sore from holding them in that position. That's the price you pay for going uphill, though. Too much fun.

It was a bit of a foggy morning. 

I think Matsuyama loves Phoenixes. As do I.

You can't beat Crops.

Or that view.

We bathed at old Dogo Onsen in Matsuyama. Naked men were abounding while I shaved my beard.

Remember in a few posts back where I told you to buy Phoenixes at?

There's a restaurant here called Big Boy. I was a Big Boy walking out of it. 

Another Michinoeki to the rescue. 

"Now I eat success for breakfast...with skim milk."
As always, points will be awarded for correctly guessing any and all quotes.

I love the progression of these triangles from flat to needle beep.

Who wants to guess what they're growing here?

Here comes the Status Quo!

Found this Towel Museum.

It wasn't really a museum, just a palace to furnish your decadent home with expensive towels.

Now that fall is here, the bugs will be going away, thankfully. Spiders and their webs are the hardest to capture well on camera.

The King of Towels lives here.

See? I told you they love their naked statues. 

I have a brother and a SIL that raises llamas. They will never see this pic.

Look how rich these towels are.

On top was a rich garden.

See that row of small trees? The path stretched on and each one was a different fruit. It was all neat.

"I'll have a #1 Large please!"

The castle in Imabari was very well remodled and rich.

It even had a completely filled in moat! You only see that in Heroes of Might and Magic. I will whip anyone at that game.

Caption this pic of HQC and me: Points will be awarded for best caption. And don't be inappropriate, either.

I love the red gates. If red gates lined the steps down to Beep, then it wouldn't be that bad after all.

Love the Shrines AF.

So far, I think this is my favorite Japanese Castle. Inside had a lot of fossils, ancient artifacts, weapons, and armor of the Samurai.

Time for the bridges connecting Imabari to Onomichi.

There are six bridges to bike across.

If you throw your trash off the bridge you'll bonk one of the ships on the head. Dang it, don't do that. It hurts them.

I have many sanctuaries in life. This is one of them.

Biking up and down the bridges in one day would be a good challenge. I invented that while I was riding.

This is The Quay's second time doing this route. She came through here previously before meeting me.

I spy with my little brown eye, a white dinosaur. 

This bridge had us going under the road like that one bridge by Oakland, CA.

It was windy.

Which group are you in? I hated my last boss.

I love going under the great columns of the bridges. It's like going past the Argonath.

Holly found me.

Look at all the crap I'm carrying. I will be carrying more when we get up to Hokkaido to begin the real journey. I also refuse to wear my helmet. Don't even know why I brought it with me. 

Love the blue lines.

And thus ends the preliminary practice portion! Shikoku is prolly an area you won't see if you come to Japan for a week or two on vacation like a sucker. Now we will head back to Iwakuni for a breather, replenish our supplies, assess the damage, get my deposit back on my apartment, and head on up towards Hokkaido on the Shin. 

Like my cousin Rob Gibson used to say in his letters to his family during his mission, "Well I'm out."