Meeting the Riders (07/29/06)

Kids are scary. One on one they're interesting, loveable little buggers, but encountered wild in packs they're vicious little brutes. Wakkanai's Chuo Koen, the small park that was our designated meeting place was full of them.

After waking up with the sun, looking at some not so nearby cows, and having coffee and rolls with our touring trailer friend, Emily and I made our way back to Wakkanai. At Chuo Koen, we cooked up a tasty breakfast of coffee, fried eggs, tomatoes, and toast. With two strange foreigners cooking a decidedly non-Japanese breakfast in the park, it wasn't long before some shogakkusei (elementary school students) swarmed us, questions at the ready.

"What's that?"

"An apple."

"And that?"

"Peanut butter."

"You eat it?"

"Yep."

"Is it good?"

"Of course."

"Gimmie!"

"Nope."

The 6th year girls had more interesting lines of conversation, but they were outnumbered by the enthused little ones.

An hour later the water fight broke out. Two hours later, I was tired of being mobbed and having a six year-old girl repeatedly squirt my crotch. Three hours later, the same six year-old tried to feed Emily and me poisonous berries. Six hours later, the mob had left us alone and the oldest boy and girl were taking turns trying to break each other's bicycles--tears, feet and accusations flying. So much for the innocent summer fun.

After the Littlest Gang in Wakkanai left, all of the riders sat down for our first dinner and meeting. Most people didn't open up too much, but it seems that we have a good crew for the ride ahead. We'll just have to get on the road and see how it goes.