Watch Relive video here:https://www.relive.com/view/veqzdBJP27O
On the Road – Distance 69km / 43mi | Elevation 1457m / 5098ft
Early 6am onsen and shower, then breakfast and of course a Japanese breakfast!
Our ride today was a blend of mountain scenery, rolling lush grasslands and bubbling moonscapes! We started gently rolling towards the confluence of Mountains which make up the Aso-Kuju National Park.
Our route took us between Mt Taka and Mt Neko in an anti-clockwise loop around the major crater of Aso Nakadake Crater.
The crater, very potent gases given off in the steam, irritated my eyes after a short time.
We finished with a thrilling descent through the waving grass back down to the town of Aso. Along the return was a visit to the Shrine of Aso
There is certainly something poetic about riding from one volcano to another, here at Mt Aso to the other later in this trip, Mt Fuji! Here the billowing smoke from the 30km wide crater makes very clear the enormous power and destructive potential of this, Japan’s biggest volcano.
This region is visually fascinating in so many ways – it is vital, verdant and volcanically lush, barren, like a smouldering, smoking moonscape and mountainous rough and rugged! It is nature at its best!
The Trifecta
This is my 3rd trip that involves riding through volcanic areas and climbing up a volcano. first in Argentina with Orsono, then in Greece with Niseros and Mt. Ainos. Today, Mt. Aso and later Mt. Fuji to complete the trifecta of world volcanos!
Life is still good in Aso
Sayonara
Note: Both Strava and Relive cut out shortly after the descent from the crater and caldera, so quite a bit missing.
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