Foldie ride report - WWII stuff
08-22-09, 11:17 PM
#1
Each Drop of Sweat Counts
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Bikes: Trek FX2, Trek Verve 3, Dahon Launch D8, Dahon Jetstream XP, Dahon Speed P8, Dahon Speed TR, Dahon Speed TT
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Foldie ride report - WWII stuff
It is absolutely amazing the way the world opens up to you from the seat of a bicycle. So much to see and do.
I previously lived in Iwakuni Japan for about 7 years and thought I'd visited most of the WWII stuff there was to see in this area. Iwakuni wasn't predominate in WWII but some of the Pearl Harbor planning was done here, a giant battleship, the Mutsu Maru was sunk off a small island near here, etc., etc., etc.
I recently learned that a B-24 crashed in a small town (Ikachi) near here towards the end of the war. Most of the crew was taken to Hiroshima and died during the atomic bombing. One guy was taken elsewhere and survived.
Anyway there is a monument to the crash site, albeit a very spartan monument. Nonetheless I wanted to see it. Today was the first opportunity to ride it out however I received a strict warning from my wife (who was born around here) that the town in question was in the mountains and that there was probably no good way to get there via bike.
HA!......I sez.
Turns out the wife was mostly right. About 20 km. of normal bike riding followed by 10 k or so of some wicked up and down stuff and then of course you turn around and fight all the same stuff the other direction.
No matter how tough it got it was exhilarating to find that nearly forgotten piece of history and learn about the story of the Americans killed during the atomic bombing. There is a plaque in Hiroshima for them as well (which will be another bike trip in the near future).
I'm sore as all get out having done it with only 8 gears on the Speed P8 but the Speed P8 is a workhorse and configured gear wise, very sweetly in my opinion. Again, I'm sore but it's the good kind of sore.
Get out there. Find something cool. Report back.
John
I previously lived in Iwakuni Japan for about 7 years and thought I'd visited most of the WWII stuff there was to see in this area. Iwakuni wasn't predominate in WWII but some of the Pearl Harbor planning was done here, a giant battleship, the Mutsu Maru was sunk off a small island near here, etc., etc., etc.
I recently learned that a B-24 crashed in a small town (Ikachi) near here towards the end of the war. Most of the crew was taken to Hiroshima and died during the atomic bombing. One guy was taken elsewhere and survived.
Anyway there is a monument to the crash site, albeit a very spartan monument. Nonetheless I wanted to see it. Today was the first opportunity to ride it out however I received a strict warning from my wife (who was born around here) that the town in question was in the mountains and that there was probably no good way to get there via bike.
HA!......I sez.
Turns out the wife was mostly right. About 20 km. of normal bike riding followed by 10 k or so of some wicked up and down stuff and then of course you turn around and fight all the same stuff the other direction.
No matter how tough it got it was exhilarating to find that nearly forgotten piece of history and learn about the story of the Americans killed during the atomic bombing. There is a plaque in Hiroshima for them as well (which will be another bike trip in the near future).
I'm sore as all get out having done it with only 8 gears on the Speed P8 but the Speed P8 is a workhorse and configured gear wise, very sweetly in my opinion. Again, I'm sore but it's the good kind of sore.
Get out there. Find something cool. Report back.
John
08-23-09, 10:08 AM
#2
Bromptonaut
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Very interesting, thank you for sharing. Pictures?
