[RFC]

Sounds like Philmont. 2002 during the drought and fires. Two showers -- before we started and at the end. Thank God I was sleeping in a one man tent.

Originally Posted by djg

I'm guessing from this that you're a fair bit younger than I am. Still . . .

I don't know what's acceptable (or legal) in Japan, much less what's comfortable (or tolerable) to you, but there's no way I'd sleep on park benches for 5 nights in a row, much less 10, if I could help it. I gladly did a 12-day mountain backpacking trip with the scouts in the summer of '17, and I'd do it again, but on hard ground or soft I wanted a pad between me and the ground, and benches don't seem more appealing to me. And you probably know that getting wet and cold is not actually safe. If you don't know for a fact that it's going to be mild AND dry, every day and night, I'd recommend a bivy sack, at least, and it's hard for me to picture this sort of trip without at least a lightweight sleeping bag or quilt. I'd also have a change of clothes -- at least a change of base layers.

If you are planning on riding through developed areas for much of the journey, do you plan to visit any sites of interest? You mention eating out -- can your family in Japan tell you what's required to be sort of basically/minimally presentable at places you mean to visit? How casual is casual in Japan? And what's the tolerance for downright filthy? I'm not trying to be contentious here -- just remembering how we came out of the mountains in NM -- we weren't really suitable for a diner in the American southwest without a shower and a change of clothes. Different trip, different place, and different conditions, but that's what I have in mind.