Itinerary
[Train] Ikebukuro 05:02 == Omiya == Takasaki == Minakami 08:13
[Bike] 8:45 Minakami (484m) -- r63 (Minakami-Katahina Line 水上片品線) -- Konroku Pass (坤六峠) (1626m) -- Hatomachi Pass (鳩待峠) (1588m) 12:35 (46.6km)
[Oze Hike] 12:40 鳩待峠 .. 山の鼻 .. 牛首 .. ヨッピ吊橋 .. 竜宮十字路 .. 牛首 .. 山の鼻 .. 鳩待峠 16:55 (19km)
[Bike] 17:10 -- (30.0km) -- 18:30 Hanasakinoyu 19:30 -- (33.4km) -- 20:50 Numata (334m)
[Train] 21:27 Numata == Takasaki == Akabane == Ikebukuro 24:20
Photos
Fujiwara dam
Konroku Pass (坤六峠)(1626m)
Oze (尾瀬) in a summer sunny day
Soup curry with local vegetable for dinner
The most challenging part of the travel was going up from Minakami station to 1150m upper Konroku pass. The road went along with an upstream of Tone River. The sound of water and number of a small waterfalls brought coolness and comfort to me. As it became higher, the road was apart from the river, only the sound of water was heard from distance. Even the mountain ridge appeared nearer little by little, I didn't feel the pass was closer. I was so tired and I had to push my bike many times. It was about noon when arrived the pass.
When I arrived Oze (Hatomachi pass) I already had muscle ache. Hiking in the bog was still fun. I enjoyed special local flowers, clear water of ponds reflecting mountains and summer sky, and bristle different types of grass. I walked until my feet got fully stiff. The last 1km to go up back to the entrance pass was so tough every step.
I lost my way for a while before arriving at the hot spring and didn't have time so I had a bath for only 10 minutes.
It was already night from the hot spring place to Numata station. Gumma prefectural roads 267 and 62 were so dark without any street lamp nor town light. I had to go in the darkness only by relying on my small LED front light. I frequently felt uneasy thiking about the possibility of having passed turning points.
Finally arrived Numata Station one hour later than estimation.
I still had more than 20 minutes time to pack my bike before the last train.
What I learned:
- Finish biking before sunset in countryside.
- Don't make a too tight schedule; you have to be time-pressed and hurry every moment.
- The fact going up by bike takes double than going through a level road doesn't mean going down takes just half. You are not moving all the time.
