Watch Relive video here:https://www.relive.com/view/v8qkrk7JwK6
On the Road – Distance 95km / 59mi | Elevation 1852m/6,077 ft
A scenic day today as we left the smouldering Mount Aso volcano and ascended up into the changing terrain over the Kuju Mountains. It was a beautiful sunny day starting out cool but warming up nicely as the day progressed.
We started out riding through the opposite side of the caldera from yesterday to a point where started a multi-switchback route up to the top ridge of the caldera.
From the Tadewara Wetlands we traverse the twin peak Mount Yuju and start our descent from the region of Kumamoto to Oita again. And a stop at km 32 for coffee and cake!
With a mixture of forested roads and rolling grasslands, our riding is a little more open than our rindo roads, but no less spectacular. In fact, the area is Kyushu at its natural best – vast areas of mountainous terrain, varied beautiful landscapes, bubbling volcanoes and, of course, hot springs!
Our picnic lunch was beside a Buddhist shrine…
It was a longer day today with lots of climbing but just a spectacular one!
After a last descent for the day we dropped into the city of Beppu at the seashore
Our hotel is the ultramodern Galleria Midabaru, constructed completely in concrete
A great view overlooking the city and out to the sea, and because this is the onsen capital of Japan, I even have my own private onsen in my room!…heated by the hot springs at about 120F.
Dinner was served in the dining room of the hotel
Fireworks celebrating some occasion and then another type of interesting activity!! This is Japan after all 🤔
Tomorrow another ferry ride and then another full day of riding
Life is good in Beppu !
Sayonara
Leave a Reply