For a feasibility study of The Map Trip Society, I went to Koga in Ibaraki.
This map is on a scale one to 20000 surveyed in 1885.
In this neighborhood, the topography changed after the river was repaired at the end of the Meiji period.

Koga was a castle town, but the castle was in low land and assumed Watarase River a moat.

The site of castle became a dyke and is a riverbed now, and there is on trace of it.
I walked Ibaraki,Saitama,Gunma and Tochigi today.
It is the spot of the prefectual border here, and I can trace into 4 prefectures by walking only 6 km.

（Watarase flood prevention area of the dusk）

My road bicycle, Katakura Silk,was is very old. I don't ride at all. I wanted to know bicycles, so I went to a cycle-shop, TOKU, for the test ride.
Because the size fits it me , it is TREK madone Pro 6.9 to have chosen.
This is very expensive.
An impression after the test ride：This is "another vehicle".
I can certainly run at high speed.
I feel the slope of 5% to 2-3%. The ride is comfortable, and the handling is easy.
I thought that even though my worldly desires were gone, I couldn't help but fall in love with this bike.

view a big map with a meters above the sea level graph

In Tokushima, Mt.Bizan to be equivalent to Mt.Kanouzan in the Boso Peninsula. There is the hill climbing course that is near from the city.

The water service building of the bake bricks was left in Sako. It was built for Taisho period.

18.3Km。

　

Jun,2009. I went to Ayutthaya by Ntional Railway from Bangkok and went around the temples of the world heritage site.

The rent-a-bicycle which I hired was a single speed and two seater. There were ruins which we could ride up by bicycle.

The instructions for the pagoda were only Japanese.

12/19　　41.3Km　in Hanoi city
12/20　101.6Km　Mt.TamDao (960m)
12/21　Halong Bay Bus Tour
12/22　105.4Km　LuongSon
12/23　124.7Km　KimBoi via HoaBinh
12/24　　80.1Km　KimBoi -> Baichao -> Bailang -> Hanoi
12/25　　50.3Km　HoTay -> YenVien -> LongBien -> Hanoi Bicycle Club Christmas party in Ushiwakamaru
12/26　193.4Km　LangSon -> (border) -> PingXiang(China)
12/27　 69.5Km PingXiang -> (border) -> LangSon

TOTAL 767.5Km

watch a big map with a meters above the sea level graph

My Vietnamese bicycle tour was the eighth day today. I went to PingXiang in China from Hanoi in Vietnam. At 6:00, we gathered in front of the opera house of Hanoi and we cycled on National highway Route 1 to the northeast. We had to cycle for 200km today and we cycled in one line to avoid the resistance of the wind.

At 14:30, we arrived at the border town. At first I applied to Vietnamese immigration. I pushed the bicycle and lined up in the window. Subsequently I walked 50 meters and entered China.

The building of the Chinese immigration was proud of a dignified appearance. On the ridge of the border, there was a camouflage-colored watchtower.

Pingxiang is Shangri-la !! ?

26 Dec　194.6Km　HaNoi -> LangSon -> (border) -> 凭祥(Pingxiang)
27 Dec　 69.5Km　凭祥(Pingxiang) -> (border) ->　LangSon

view the big map with a meters above the sea level graph

This is December of last year.

HaNoi - HoaBinh - KimBoi - HaNoi Today is the third day of my cycling tour in Vietnam. The roads in Hanoi are crowded, so I decide to go to the rural hot spring called KimBoi. I cycle on National highway No.6, heading west. In Japan, being run off the road by cars is dangerous, but in Vietnam, it is the passing of oncoming traffic that is scary. A dump truck comes from the front. In addition, car horns have lost their warning significance because they are constantly blared all around. The country road past HoaBinh dam site goes uphill.

I lose my way and the day comes to an end, so I stay at a small country hotel. The youngest daughter of the hotel manager speaks a little English so I am able to request a room, but after she leaves, the rest of our conversation turns into gestures.

Bright colors of red corns airing in the open are seen along the way.

The kids of this country are friendly. This is the same in any country.