Day 34. Wednesday, August 18, 2010. Ayabe to Amanohashidate
9:00 pm. Amanohashidate, Miyazu, Kyoto-fu.
The Day of Reckoning: no tire, no bicycle, end of journey. Showered, put the same clothes on as everything else is in a locker in front of Ayabe Station. Killed time at Mac's & Mr. Donut in the shopping complex next to Higashi Maizuru Station. At about 9 I carried the wheel to the coffee shop across from the Tanaka bike shop stopping at a jizo shrine on the way and setting it in front for good luck. Left the coffee shop a little before 10 to stake out Tanaka's. Other shopkeepers started raising door rollers and sweeping in front of the shops, but no activity across the street. "With my luck he's decided to take a holiday" I thought. Just then an older man came along and raised the shutter. I quickly crossed the street and stated my business. His first reply was that he wouldn't be able to do the work until later in the afternoon. I told him where my bike was so he told me to return at noon. I did, to find that he had replaced the worn tire, fixed the tube and widened the hole in the wheel to accept an English-type valve, which are easier to find and sturdier, as well as the French-type. Took his photograph. I hurried to the station and caught a train back to Ayabe just 5 minutes later. Back there at 12:35 to find the bike just as I had left it.
Off again at 1, fearing another flat at any moment. Out of town on Route 9, then followed Route 55 down along the Yura River to the coast. Reached Amanohashidate at 4:30. An easy, flat road as promised by Fujii-san and his cook the evening before last. It felt so good to be back on the road. The 36 degree high didn't bother me at all.
Crossed the pine-covered spit which bears the name Amanohashidate on the way to the YH. Without the iphone's GPS I doubt I would have found it except by asking for directions half a dozen times.
The last 200 m was uphill. I should have known what was coming. "Do you have a reservation?" To that I answered no, did an about face, walked out, mounted the bike and rode off. Why waste time with a pleasant little chat when the manager is inclined to get right down to business?
Continued my counter-clockwise ride around the western bay hoping to find either a restaurant, onsen or business hotel. None.
Went back east just 2 kms to central Miyazu, ate at Mac's, bought some groceries at a mall nearby then rode through the dark on sidewalks to Amanohashidate. No problem entering the area. Found a large picnic shelter 10 m from the beach and ate again. With considerable luck I found an electrical outlet in a men's room. I'm easy to please. It'll make Christmas shopping so easy this year!
May 22, 2011.
On later inspection I discovered that the owner of the bicycle shop in Higashi Maizuru had not in fact widened the hole through the wheel to accept an English-type value so the problem of finding French-type tubes persisted.
On the sand spit of Amanohashidate I actually moved from the spacious but largely unwalled picnic shelter where I ate to another a bit south which I felt offered more privacy. However, before settling on that spot I walked about 30 m to the edge of the western bay where I thought I might be able to sleep under the open sky. That was supposed to be the night of a meteorite shower. Though I did see one or two, I retreated back to the shelter where I spent another mostly sleepless night.
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