4th of July in Japan...

[sailorboy]

Thee 4th in Japan is pretty much like any other weekday here, except we have a day off being in the military. I celebrated by talking a ride: (in order of photos)

It can be gloomy and wet this time of year, but I had the right rig for the day...

Set up like the locals ride 'em...

All the rain makes Japan very lush in the summer...


The toughest decision I had to make today...

Did I make the right one?...

[Too Tall]

Always great pics S.B. :) It was a twofer ride eh??? hehe.

OK, nice rig...yummy beer yada yada but wazzap with that hunk of turf??? Surely you didn't eat that???? Eeeeek.

[JonnyComeLately]

Always great pics S.B. :) It was a twofer ride eh??? hehe.

OK, nice rig...yummy beer yada yada but wazzap with that hunk of turf??? Surely you didn't eat that???? Eeeeek.

That hunk of turf is actually wonderful bike food -- it is called an onigiri and is just a rice ball with a little treat in the middle - usually salmon or some kind of vegetable - wrapped in seaweed. Very packable, and found everywhere in Japan. Yum! Makes me nostalgic...

SB - are you in Yokosuka? I remember what it was like on the 4th there - kinda depressing. I was an expat with a law firm there for awhile, and we always had to work. (On the other hand, we were always off on the funky Japanese holidays, such as the always-popular "Marine Day.") :banana:

If you're near Tokyo and are looking for a good bike shop, check these guys out near Tameike Sanno station in Akasaka. It is actually an easy walk from the U.S. Embassy, if you know where that is... http://www.jitensya.co.jp/y/shop.html#anchor3 Mr. Aoyama, who is in charge of the road bike department, is a really nice guy and speaks good English...

[sailorboy]

Always great pics S.B. :) It was a twofer ride eh??? hehe.

OK, nice rig...yummy beer yada yada but wazzap with that hunk of turf??? Surely you didn't eat that???? Eeeeek.

Yep, and at 5.5% ETOH each, that's a fun ride home

Jonny's right, those things are pretty much ideal cycling food. quick carbs on the outside, and some protein inside. Not sure what the seaweed wrapper does other than make it easier to hold the sticky rice. Best part of all is you can get them at every convieinence store in the country, which in these parts is about every 500 meters. My advice is to stay away from the one with sea urchin inside though. My stomach is twisting just thinking about it.

[sailorboy]

That hunk of turf is actually wonderful bike food -- it is called an onigiri and is just a rice ball with a little treat in the middle - usually salmon or some kind of vegetable - wrapped in seaweed. Very packable, and found everywhere in Japan. Yum! Makes me nostalgic...

SB - are you in Yokosuka? I remember what it was like on the 4th there - kinda depressing. I was an expat with a law firm there for awhile, and we always had to work. (On the other hand, we were always off on the funky Japanese holidays, such as the always-popular "Marine Day.") :banana:

If you're near Tokyo and are looking for a good bike shop, check these guys out near Tameike Sanno station in Akasaka. It is actually an easy walk from the U.S. Embassy, if you know where that is... http://www.jitensya.co.jp/y/shop.html#anchor3 Mr. Aoyama, who is in charge of the road bike department, is a really nice guy and speaks good English...
Thanks for the bike shop link, I'll check that out. I'm at Atsugi which is about 40 miles from Yokosuka. Pretty busy area but I manage to get out and ride enough.

[michael white]

interesting how you turned a japanese mtn bike into an english roadster.

but it's a good use of that frame.
i had a mb1 which I loved, with that fork crown. got stolen.

[Cinci Jim]

That hunk of turf is actually wonderful bike food -- it is called an onigiri and is just a rice ball with a little treat in the middle - usually salmon or some kind of vegetable - wrapped in seaweed. Very packable, and found everywhere in Japan. Yum! Makes me nostalgic...


The guy in the desk next to mine eats one for breakfast every morning.