(The following entry is from my paper diary, hence the quotation marks. Comments may follow at the end. These are written after the completion of the trip.)
Day 14: Thursday, July 29, 2010. In Kosaka, bike up to Lake Towada.
"Got up and had the buffet at 7. Half Chinese, half Japanese, but fine. I especially like the chance to mix a raw egg with natto to put over rice!
Started up the grade with minimum of gear: rain coat, extra tube and repair tools and some snacks. Some grades were challenging - and defeated me - being 10% or greater. I made it up to the first view point which was the summit of a pass and stripped off my t-shirt (the Hokkaido U. one) to let it dry a bit. A woman who had driven into the parking area after me asked where I had started and then gave me 3 choco-pans! After a break I cycled downhill and reached a Towada overview observation building. Saw enough - especially as the road continued down to the lake. I turned around and headed downhill to Kosaka. Oh, forgot a break uphill at the Kosaka Seven Waterfalls. Pictures. Quite refreshing.
For dinner I went to the local MaxValue in the rain to pick up fixings for a few sandwiches for this evening as well as for lunch tomorrow. All 4 sandwiches, 2 cucumbers and 10 mini-tomatoes plus ice cream really distended my stomach and made me feel ill last night. Restrained myself this night. I washed my clothes but was unable to dry them thoroughly as someone monopolized all 5 driers. I took the damp clothes back to the room and hung them from the rope I brought along. The rain persisted all night with a little thunder."
A more detailed time line:
7:00 a.m., got up at hotel in Kosaka and ate breakfast
8:20, arrived at Seven Falls on Rte. 2 up to Lake Towada.
10:45, at observation point on Rte. 103 overlooking Lake Towada
12:50 p.m., arrived back at Seven Falls on Rte. 103 back to Kosaka
2:25, mailed package at Kosaka Post Office
7:00, bought groceries in Kosaka
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