Bicycle: 106 km
Train: 85 km
Total Ascent: 928 m
Average speed: 16.1 km/h
Riding time: 6:37 h
Weather: sunny and perfectly blue sky but cold, 4 C, (including a bit of ice on one of the hilly roads)
Today was really two rides in one. The first part on ridiculously steep but also remote roads between Uji and Otsu and the second part in the sun and on the flat cycling road along Biwako.
The original plan had even more hills in the early part including a visit to a mountain temple (Kami Daigo) but after struggling up two steep hills and the equally steep downhills, I decided against that and descended to the valley of Kamogawa continued there a bit in direction Otsu but then took yet another turn into the hills (not so steep though) and when I was on top of that hill took another detour around a hill through again very remote parts. Nothing of this is far away from Kyoto or Otsu, but it feels like a very remote place.
Then a final steep downhill and down to the lake. I had conbini lunch at the lake as I wanted to get moving and continued towards Hikone, where I had identified a super sento yesterday.
Around Omi Hachiman I took a detour that is closer to the lake and is really nice. I have cycled around/along Biwako now many times, but never did this road. Really nice. Initially along the shore and then up into the hills but still along the shore. Nothing too steep though and very little traffic. At the end a small harbor with a cat who “employs” several fishermen to catch her fish.
Apart from that “new” section, the ride was very traditional, with the obligatory photo of “Biwako” …
… and of the “idyllic” tree on the shore, very beloved by drivers of bicycles, motorbikes and cars for a romantic picture of their ride. Today many were awaiting sunset.
Not me though, I took a quick picture of bike and tree (traditions need to be respected) …
… and continued away from the sunset that I caught in Hikone just before turning inland and towards the onsen
For tomorrow I left the bicycle parked at Hikone station and will likely ride from Hikone to Takashima or at least to the Oku Biwalake area and then get a train back to Kyoto. Today it was so sunny but apparently tomorrow it will be cloudy with some rain in the afternoon. But around Lake Biwa there are many train stations so should be okay to go while checking the clouds.
My original plan for today also had an other lake, Kisenyama Dam, but when I was at the entrance to a small road leading to it, there was an automatic announcement that sounded like continuing wasn’t a good idea. If I understood correctly the hunting season was on.
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