cdo4

Hi everyone. I live in Miyagi now, but I'm originally from New York in the US. I've been here in Japan for about a year and a half, and done a bit of biking. Nothing special in terms of bikes right now - a Trek 4100 MTB (which i use for road riding, despite the knobbies) and a mamachari, which means a typical japanese city bike with a basket on the front for carrying things. yes, a basket. hey - i buy groceries with this thing, all right.

anyway - looking to buy a road bike soon, probably a scattante R-550 i'm thinking. and looking to push past the 100km rides into something more long distance this year. looking forward to perusing this list, and hopefully contributing something as well. nice to meet ya. (yoroshiku onegaishimasu)

Sora

Hi cdo4,

How about your mamachari life?
I now don't have mamachari, but I want in many cases there were basket in my bike.
I once heard "There were three big inventions in bike. European invented road bike, American invented mountain bike, and Japanese invented mamachari". It sounds funny, but very interestiong for me.

This year, I will go to Miyagi and enjoy gyu-tongue.

Sora Suga
WADACHI -Enjoy cycling and drinking around Japan!-

roadfix

Welcome....
Just make sure you have your name, address, & phone number expertly painted on the rear fender of the mamachari in case it gets lost....

roadfix

I know gyu-tongue is of a much better quality in Miyagi, but I sometimes enjoy it here in SoCal, not at a Japanese restaurant, but at local hole-in-the-wall or mobile taco stands where they serve authentic Mexican tacos.... You can get many different varieties of tacos, including tongue taco.

Sora

Then gyu-tongue is originally a Mexican food? f^_^;

roadfix

But there's nothing better than eating ramen out on the street at 2AM in the morning...!

Ore okonomiyaki to oden mo sukida....

Sora

That's true! But I cannot remember what the taste is like....

cdo4

hi sora and fixer - yes, the gyu-tongue in miyagi is famous. there's even a "gyu-tongue road" inside of sendai station. but the best (of course) is to venture out into the miyagi area and try the local varieties. i'd never had it before i came to japan, but now it's on my list of favorite japanese foods. nattou igai, ore mo nihon no ryori ga suki. i've never had it on a taco, but that sounds like something worth trying... maybe i'll bring it to english club someday and see what the students think of mexican-japanese food.

anyway - just got back from 25k in the snow. it's cold here in miyagi, but beautiful. prob warmer in yokohama, and certainly in southern cal. spring is coming, i keep telling myself. anyday now. till then i'll keep thinking about the nice garlic miso ramen after the ride.

if/when you come to miyagi, drop a line and maybe we can share gyu-tongue and/or a ride.

SpokesInMyPoop

woohoo riders from nihon! heheh cool. How's the biking like there? I was born there, and moved when I was going on 7 years old (yokosuka naval base). I'm going to Kyushu in a few years to visit my grandparents... not sure where Miyagi is... I assume it's on Honshu?

Whatevs... have a good day

roadfix

No kidding.....I graduated from high school at Yokosuka Naval Base.

rebeccalaughery

I am new to Japan, and I was wondering if anyone knew where I could buy a bike in Yokosuka? I want the bike with the basket to buy groceries. I went to the daiei mall but they didn't have any there. If you have any suggestions please let me know.

giantcfr1

Hi and welcome to the forum you new people.
Hajimemash1te Dozo Yoroshiku.
If any of you are visiting down Kyoto way let me know.
Steve.
ps. we need a "post your mama chari thread"