Japan - Travels With Yoshi

Good morning my friends!

I've waken up many mornings in my tent with the rising sun (and very itchy eyes now that spring/summer air permeates the thin walls of my tent with new strands of pollen from nearby vestures). On the days that dew has not accumulated on the inside flaps of my rain cover, I fold it, the tent, footprint, and poles up and secure them all in my rear panniers. To me, this is a normal day, my pre work daily routine next to flossing and teeth brushing. Showers are somewhat of a luxury. 

Yet when I think of other people sleeping in tents in parks and rest stops, I go straight to the associative term "bum." And maybe I am. I certainly don't feel like one. In any case, a tent is a great place to wake up in the morning; a carved out niche of quarters and privacy in the open world made by, and just, for you.

Moving right along, the morning smoothed along rapidly because the tent stayed dry and I was more hungry today than most. Out of Aioi is a good days ride to my next intended stay, Onomichi; the last rest city before crossing the Shimanami Kaidō (again).

I never got that far.

One reason for my delay was that I was stopped by police. My own mistake, I admit that. I was cycling down a highway and well within the cycling lane when the road began to incline. This means that we would cross some river bank or train tracks just up ahead. Rather than slowing speedy traffic down, we'll just go quickly up, over, and back down again. You know what I mean.

Only we didn't come back down again. But there was not a sense that I was in the wrong place. The shoulder was very wide, enough for two cyclists, and the walls of the highway were low and open. 

When I didn't see an intersection, traffic light, or yield sign after a while, I figured something was wrong. Truly, I had made my way onto the expressway and before I could spot the next exit, those red and blue lights flashed behind me along with a loud siren yelling orders I could not understand. 

Five minutes later I was kindly escorted off the expressway and asked questions under the exit ramp that I wish I had found without assistance. My bags were searched. My passport handed over. I wanted to cöoperate and had nothing to hide. I did manage to impress them with my stories as we waited for police HQ to run my passport identification, and maybe I hurt myself because they kept skeptic when I told them how far I had traveled. But when all was said and done the guys smiled as they returned my passport, then proceeded in turns to take photos with this wondering stranger. And off I went.

Now, when I say that if you are truly free enough to live today with no schedule or appointments that you are indeed truly on time for everything, I mean it.

That is how I met Yoshi. Couldn't have happened any other way. A good minute plus or minus from the tiny moment our paths crossed at that seemingly random intersection and we would have missed each other completely. 

Meet Yoshi. Long hair, good vibes, always willing and open to stories, advice, and new sights, he's already in the correct mindset to travel for the long haul. (This picture was actually taken on the last day of our partnership, the day when we would split paths once again - he to explore the East side of Shikoku and I the West. Hense, the champagne).

Speaking of haul, here is Yoshis bike and trailer. It's a Gore model, another Surley! Big, thick steel frame, monster tire diameter, disk breakes, and very strong build dimentions, this bike accepts all terrain challenges easily.

Yoshi's trailer. It's a hell of a weight to be carrying although he doesn't seem to mind. Well, maybe uphill. Cooler, food, supplies, backpack, tools, and yes, even a solar panel to charge his plethora of electronics on those sunny days. 

Here's the visible sign on the rear of his trailer. The foreign letters say something to the effect of, "cycling the entirety of Japan."

I say to check out his website filled with cool pictures. Yoshi definitely has the photographer's eye. 

He's also sporting these really cool Keen breathable sandals - with build in recessed SPD's (standard cycling clips)!

Yoshi and I talked the whole way West until we found this campsight late last night. A few brews to commemorate the chance meeting and we set off to bed. Tomorrow, Shimanami Kaidō awaits me a second time and Yoshi's first. 

A new companion makes for a new experience down a familiar route, like having to retake a class course with a different teacher. We're off again to challenge the day.

Much love, 

-A