Climbing from Tsuru to Doshi michi:
Coffee break at Doshi village:
Stocking up on liquid food during the Yamanakako climb:
Lake Yamanaka (Yamanakako):
The Bike Friday:
The final pass (ca. 1100 m):
After the final pass came a freezing descent in the final hour of daylight. I braved it out for a while, but finally unpacked the windbreaker and rain gear nylon trousers and put them on. It made all the difference. The regular winter cycling gear was fine for climbs or flat sections, but fast descents from high altitude in February - that called for an extra layer. I was pretty comfortable for the rest of the ride. Probably the weakest point then were the gloves, since they were sweat soaked from previous climbs.
When I got close to Odawara, still about 40 km of flat course from my original goal, my Android phone started running low on power. It looked like my external USB battery had somehow run out. I considered my options for a while, but then decided -- with the prospect of losing my main navigation tool in the darkness -- to cut the ride short, and caught Odakyu line from Odawara instead of from Honatsugi, for a bit more time with the family on Sunday night. 177 km is good enough for me for a mountain run in February
