I was hopping today would cool off a bit, the sun is relentless these last few days. Upper 30's to be expected. Oh well, it's what I get for traveling in July/August.
No matter the temperature, and yes, it was already hot in the morning, it's hard to be upset about anything when this sight greets you first thing when you open your tent.
I rushed over to some public art next to my camp sight to grab this image. I'm happy with it.
This one's my favorite. The reflected beam of light over the water intensifies the feeling of the day's heat; that the sun is punishing in it's radiance.
On hot days, I really enjoy two things: daydreaming about swimming in rivers, and cresting a large hill knowing the iminant down breeze will cool my body.
This pic I snapped while riding down hill, I had to break and climb back up a bit. For old as Japan is, I haven't seen any old timey bridges like this one.
This might not be the prettiest picture - but it's the best idea I've had in a while.
When you throw a party, people show up with beer or wine or hard liquer, etc. Red wine you can leave out, liquer too, and the beer goes in the ice box. Inevitably, more ice must be bought. But in Japan, the ice is free! Yes, it's true. I guess it took me having a few gatherings at my home to notice this. Now on the road, I simply walk into any grocery store with two palmed water bottles, walk right past the registers to the ice dispenser, fill up, smile, say "thank you very much," walk out, and presto! Cold water for the day =)
Big lunch for the day, it had to be done. That's a raw egg up top to scramble and use as a dipping "sauce" for the beef. Yum! I needed the protein. Vegetables. And the miso soup (how did I order this?!) came with bacon in it!! Talk about how bacon makes everything better, I'll never doubt that saying again =)
Didn't eat here, but I've been compiling a mental list as to (narcissistic warning) why 1986 is the best; should any future conversation happen to take place where I would have to defend my birth year. So far I have Chernobyl (ok, not a great start but it's significant), it's the year The Dark Night and Watchmen (Comics) was released, and now add to the list Big Bear's Pizza.
I almost spent the night here. As a matter of fact, this picture is after I had put my bags on again. Why? Because there where thunderclouds in the sky. They seemed far off and I saw some lightning strikes in the distant hills. I figured no big deal - until one came REALLY close. So I made a mental tally: open water in the near by river conducts electricity, they say never be in an open field, I was under a metal pole. Ok, time to get the f@&k outta here!
Heading indoors is always best when in a thunder "storm" so I hit a supermarket and picked up some snaks. All for the better, I found a park on the way. This bruised banana tastes so sweet it makes me want banana bread!
Somehow, I cycled my longest day (I'm throwing some extra km onto what google says here because it's never the extract route that I take due to bypasses and missed turns and city explorations), yet put up tent and everything earlier that I have the last two days.
Final thoughts of the day: I sure am moving faster than if I were with big sis or Chris, Steve, Rajiv, or Yoshi, but it's not the same. Good times come with friends.
Goodnight,
-A
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