May 13	Home	Calender	Map	Japanese	May 15

May 14

Ride to Miyazaki / Udo Jinja

I got up at the crack of dawn. Actually, even before that, when it was still dark. Packed and stretched, and had leftover sesame sead dough balls that resemble donut holes, that I had bought back in Okinawa, with my peanut butter. I headed out around 6 a.m.

The morning hours were cold, I had to actually put on my knee and arm warmers. Later, the morning was filled with a light drizzle. Around 11 a.m. I stopped for a bowl of curry ramen, and was duly unimpressed with its quality.

Around noon it had gotten to the point where you'd call it rain. I stopped for a break in a small shack which they use to collect recyclables. I spent the next hour "reading" japanese magazines about Pachinko, and then explaining myself to the old lady who was wondering what I was doing in that shack. After explaining my situation, meaning the bike trip and all, she was sympathetic and said I can stay. Just close the door of the shack when I leave.

The next four hours of riding were through pouring rain. I stopped at Udo Jinja, a famous shrine south of Miyazaki by about 20km. It is right on the waterfront, located in the cliff walls above a rocky beach. I talked to the monk there, and he explained the quirky little tradition they have of tossing little pebbles into a big rope hoop on the rocks below - basically an old version of basketball where you score good luck. Since it costs 100 yen for 5 pebbles, I decided to pass. Saved my money for the taro-flavored ice cream that I bought at the food stand.

After the shrine, I noticed a small road near the beach below. I checked it out, and then asked some lady who was walking her dog about it. She said it went the same way as the main road, Route 220, and that it's a nicer ride. I took it, and have to say it's probably the best road I've ridden so far in Japan. Overgrown with bamboo type plants that sometime slap you in the face. Filled with mud and, at times, mud slides that you have to ride over. The only sounds being the insects and the waves and the rain. Nice road.

Eventually, a little less than 10km later, I had to rejoin with the main highway. From there I just went my hardest to Miyazaki. I got there, without knowing where to go. I used a Japanese yellow pages to look up the Youth Hostel's phone number, and then called them for directions. Eventually I got into town center, and with the help of the friendly police box, I got to the YH. The lady was nice, and after showing me to my nice tatami, Japanese style room, I took a hot shower.

Afterwards I went to a nearby restaurant to try some of the local cuisine, and joined two of my YH mates: Ito-san and Sato-san (a.k.a. Dr. Sugar). They are both on motorbike trips, and met on the ferry that came from Kawasaki to Miyazaki that day. It also turns out that Sato-san works as a chef, cooking all manner of Japanese food - awesome! We ate momoyaki, a type of broiled free-range chicken, as well as some other foods, like sashimi. It was heavenly. Sato-san even payed for the meal. A few drinks later, we returned to the YH, took some pictures, and talked to the nice lady there. The drinks, and a rainy day of almost 100 miles ridden, combined forces and caused me to then go to my room and pass out.