Day 28: Thursday, August 12, 2010. Kanazawa to Echizen, Fukui Prefecture
11:00 am: Typhoon blowing. In Mr. Donut near City Hall waiting for Dave Myers coming down on his bicycle from Toyama Pref. Listening - yes, actually listening - to the Doobie Bros. on the Mistado music loop. To paraphrase a San Francisco-born culture hero of the '80s, Zippy The Pinhead, "Am I having a rotten time yet?" No. Don't expect to, either. These are the times that try men's souls and soak them through and through. Reminds me of something I read in Moby Dick this morning while doing my laundry. Melville wrote that the body may die and be utterly lost at sea, but what makes man man, his soul, always remains. Not planning on losing the bod today - and I bet Melville never expected someone in 2010 to read his novel while doing laundry in a Japanese hotel - but maybe it helps to explain why I'm not despondent now, or Welsh (Martin knows what I mean by that.)
(written August 13, 10:20 pm in Kyoto)
I think my t-shirt was wetter than Dave's. Really. Rain and variable headwinds on Route 8 leaving Kanazawa and continuing much more often than not all the way to Echizen. I could describe the white edge line for you, but seen one... Route 8 is very flat and usually offers bicyclists a safe riding area of more than one meter. That helps in the rain when you are totally focused on getting to your destination where a dry change of clothes, food and drink, an onsen and a futon await.
"Shift up. Maintain speed. Don't inhale too much or I'll drown. Why do I hear air brakes behind me? Stop at the next konbini ("convenience" store)? Fly-over coming up: shift down or re-route every bit of energy into my legs? Approaching exit: grab a quick look behind for drivers signaling their exit who will not reduce speed but accelerate to pass right in front of me, you (expletives deleted) !!!"
Follow Dave. In great shape. Gives me a work out. I believe he could ride into hell and tell the tale. (Just don't look back!)
Finally reach Echizen where his friend Koichi is waiting for us. Host of the Year. Drives us to a ramen shop where the food and beer disappear in no time. Drives us to a great onsen where the stress of the ride is purged from us. Returns us to his home for the superior sleep only a futon can offer. Koichi and I talk while Dave sleeps: he biked 200 kms to my 110. Koichi and I are the same age and both have repeating birthdates: his 2-2 to my 9-9. He used to work for Beritz in Osaka as did I. Interesting guy. When I called my wife as usual I put him on.
No sightseeing. No photos. But a day with it's own particular memories.
(I really should get something for that t-shirt.)
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment