The morning after the pass we were loathe to discover that the rain was still coming down.
After a warm breakfast to motivate us we got back on the bikes and headed out for another wet one. We started out with a long downhill. Usually cyclists look forward to downhills but they are far less appealing on cold, wet mornings when the additional wind just adds insult to injury. But, to keep things in perspective, the people in passing cars were in suits going to work. Suckers.
For a short while it looked like the rain might turn to snow but as we descended in altitude the temperature rose and the rain abated. We ended up having a great ride down narrow winding streets lined with traditional japanese houses all the way to Komoro.
We arrived in Komoro in the early afternoon and rode around town looking for a grocery store and internet access. We ended up using the internet at what appeared to be a private office of some sort. It was a bizarre situation. We stopped in to ask the whereabouts of an internet cafe but, exemplefying the cultural emphasis on politeness, they insisted we use their computer. They were very interested in us and our journey. They all stopped working and served us tea and cookies and took a whole bunch of pictures of us. They also gave us a mapofthe town with the slogan, Komoro: A Poetic Sentemental Town. We thanked them for all their help and headed towards an onsen that we hoped to bathe at and camp near.
It took a while to find it as it was located in a sketchy spot outside of town under a bridge. It was dark by now and there were no lights on in the place. It was overgrown and unmaintained which isstrange for Japan. It seemed creepy. We almost moved on but we were tired, ready to camp. We knocked on the door not sure if this was the onsen or Boo Radley`s house. No one came to the door but for some reason, I think because we were just curious, we kept knocking. Eventually a very nice, normal woman came to the door. She didn`t have a hump back or anything. She just hadn`t heard us knocking.
We took an onsen and she gave us permission to camp on her property right by the river. It was great. She had a couple little kids with whom we practiced our limited reppertoir of Japanese expressions.
In the morning we woke up to citrus drinks sitting outside our tent. As we packed up the womans husband came outside with hot cans of coffee for us. Then a cute old Grandmother with a limp, which seemed to make her even cuter, came out with fruit for us. She gave us presents that she had made herself: nearest I could tell they were spherical cat toys with bells inside of them. But it was the gesture that was important. I accepted it and examined it like it was a diamond and thanked her profusely. As we rode up and out of the river valley they stood there waving to goodbye. What nice people.
The sun was out for the first time and days and we headed towards Nagano feeling great.
After a warm breakfast to motivate us we got back on the bikes and headed out for another wet one. We started out with a long downhill. Usually cyclists look forward to downhills but they are far less appealing on cold, wet mornings when the additional wind just adds insult to injury. But, to keep things in perspective, the people in passing cars were in suits going to work. Suckers.
For a short while it looked like the rain might turn to snow but as we descended in altitude the temperature rose and the rain abated. We ended up having a great ride down narrow winding streets lined with traditional japanese houses all the way to Komoro.
We arrived in Komoro in the early afternoon and rode around town looking for a grocery store and internet access. We ended up using the internet at what appeared to be a private office of some sort. It was a bizarre situation. We stopped in to ask the whereabouts of an internet cafe but, exemplefying the cultural emphasis on politeness, they insisted we use their computer. They were very interested in us and our journey. They all stopped working and served us tea and cookies and took a whole bunch of pictures of us. They also gave us a mapofthe town with the slogan, Komoro: A Poetic Sentemental Town. We thanked them for all their help and headed towards an onsen that we hoped to bathe at and camp near.
It took a while to find it as it was located in a sketchy spot outside of town under a bridge. It was dark by now and there were no lights on in the place. It was overgrown and unmaintained which isstrange for Japan. It seemed creepy. We almost moved on but we were tired, ready to camp. We knocked on the door not sure if this was the onsen or Boo Radley`s house. No one came to the door but for some reason, I think because we were just curious, we kept knocking. Eventually a very nice, normal woman came to the door. She didn`t have a hump back or anything. She just hadn`t heard us knocking.
We took an onsen and she gave us permission to camp on her property right by the river. It was great. She had a couple little kids with whom we practiced our limited reppertoir of Japanese expressions.
In the morning we woke up to citrus drinks sitting outside our tent. As we packed up the womans husband came outside with hot cans of coffee for us. Then a cute old Grandmother with a limp, which seemed to make her even cuter, came out with fruit for us. She gave us presents that she had made herself: nearest I could tell they were spherical cat toys with bells inside of them. But it was the gesture that was important. I accepted it and examined it like it was a diamond and thanked her profusely. As we rode up and out of the river valley they stood there waving to goodbye. What nice people.
The sun was out for the first time and days and we headed towards Nagano feeling great.
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