Pre-Ride (7/28/06)

(Sunset at Soya Misaki)

After a relaxing two days in Tokyo and a few more riding the local trains north, Emily and I arrived in Wakkanai, ready to stretch out our legs. The trip up was a good break after our hurried escape from Matsuyama. Tokyo alone reminded both of us how interesting Japan can be and days on the slow train gave us time to simply be together.

Getting out bikes from the takkyubin center, we rode off to Soya Misaki (Cape Soya), officially the northernmost point in Japan. On the way we found the best seafood-medley curry rice I've ever had, full of crab, tender squid, and scallops. The rest of the short ride to the cape was unimpressive, as was the hollow, caulked together photo-friendly marker. But there we were, the frustrations of ALT life in Matsuyama behind us.

Like everyone else there, we took part in the required photo-op. A friendly ex-trucker took our pictures and chatted with us for a while. He was in the middle of a year-long journey around the country in his pickup and camper trailer. It reminded me that there are still a number of interesting, unconventional people in Japan.

Dinner was a bag of chips washed down with cans of Sapporo Classic while we chatted and looked out towards Russia and the setting sun. Later that night, I saw my first Japanese fox. We looked at each other for a time, then I bowed to it and it walked away, seemingly satisfied. Mystic and tricky critters that they are, one does well to not piss of foxes in Japan.