Thursday, November 22, 2012

箱根越え100km - Long Ride over Hakone


連休の金曜に箱根旧道アタックはどうだろうと友人に打診したら「無謀」と言われ、確かに自分の脚力で平均勾配8.8%の6kmを登るのは無茶な考えと納得し、もう少し現実的なルートで箱根を走るプランに変えた。ところが天気が下降線で、この時期を逃すと紅葉も終わりになるだろうと思ったので、晴天の昨日単独行に飛び出した。自宅を朝7時に出て、駅で自転車を畳み7時35分の電車に乗ると、三島着が9時20分。ここ三島はJR東海管轄なのでSuicaが使えず、現金精算となった。

When I asked a friend of mine what about the challenge of a hill climb along the traditional Hakone route coming Friday, “absolutely reckless” was his immediate answer, and he sounded right how rubbish the idea was to conquer 6km uphill with a gradient of 8.8% considering the ability of my legs, so I came up with an alternative tour route approaching from the opposite direction. Unfortunately, the weather was forecast downhill, and it made me run out alone yesterday. I left home at 7 in the morning, packing my bike at Zushi station to pick up 7:35 train, and I arrived at Mishima at 9:20.



駅からスタートしたのは10時少し前、まずは御殿場まで20kmの道は緩やかな勾配で、1時間半で乙女峠への登坂路に入る。好きではないヒルクライムだが黙々と漕ぐしかない。トンネル手前の茶屋まで39分で到着、ここからは富士山がよく見える。

I was ready to leave Mishima just before ten, and the first section was 20km gentle inclination that took 90 minutes, and then started a more serious hill climb to Otome Pass. I generally hate climbing and I quietly and patiently drove the bike that took 39 minute to the point you can enjoy the view of Mt. Fuji just before the tunnel.



今回のツアーの目的は、ひとつは先々の長旅を見据えて100kmの壁をクリアしておくことで、その際の条件としてサドルバッグと輪行袋という最小限の装備で走ること。Rixen and Kaulのサドルバッグは駅前の写真に写っているが、この件は別途書くことにする。

One of two major purposes of this tour was to clear the barrier of 100km distance that I considered essential for the longer future travels on bike, and the condition I set was to carry things in a single saddle bag and a bike bag. You can see a Rixen and Kaul bag in the first photo in front of Mishima station, and I will write about this bag separately.

もうひとつの目的は紅葉で、仙石原で長安寺に立ち寄って散策、ついでに近くのラリック美術館で昼食してからおもむろに走り出すという計画だ。なにしろ100km走るのだから休憩もこれくらいしっかり取っておきたいと考えていた。

The other purpose was the autumnal tree colors, and I planned to visit Choanji Temple in Sengokubara, Hakone. Lalique Museum is nearby and I planned a lunch at the Museum restaurant, LYS as a nice, relaxing repose during the long 100km running.


さて、予定通り昼食を終えたのが午後2時で、このまま真っ直ぐ下山していけば5時前には帰宅できそうだが、それだと走行距離が100kmに満たないので、ちょっと時間的には無理を承知で芦ノ湖沿いに元箱根経由という計画通りのルートを行くことにした。ただこれはずっと登り基調の道で、休憩後の仕切り直しの長い登りというのは結構つらくて「失敗だった」という気分で走ることになった。湖尻からは湖畔伝いに走れるかと思ったが、これも見当たらずR75を進み、元箱根旧道入口に着いた時にはすでに3時を回っていた。

It was 14:00 when I finished my lunch, and if I had taken the downhill straightforward to Hakone-Yumoto, I was sure I would return home by 17:00 but it would be short for a 100km challenge, so I took the route along Lake Ashino via Moto-Hakone as originally planned, but I frankly thought it was a failure because this was basically another hill climb most of the part, and it was long and tiring after a relaxing rest. When I finally reached the entrance point of traditional Hakone road in Moto-Hakone, it was already after 15:00. 


R732をしばらく進むとお玉が池がある。車なら誰も立ち寄らないポイントだが、ここで写真を撮って、いよいよこの先は本格的なダウンヒルとなる。自動車の後ろにピッタリくっついてヘアピンカーブを何度も回りながら、「逆に来てこれを登らなくて良かった」とつくづく思う。下りは陽もすでに傾きかけていて、かなり寒かった。
箱根湯本付近まで60kmの走行なのに脚はかなりガクガクだったが、あとは三枚橋から小田原へ13分、大磯へ50分とひたすら急ぐ。大磯でコンビニに立ち寄って栄養補給。すでに5時前でヘッドライトを取り付けて夜道を、気持ちは帰路を急ぎ、6時に無事帰着となる。


On Route 732, soon came Otamagaike Pond where no cars practically stopped: I took some pictures there, and then started the aggressive downhill. I passed many hairpin curves following a car just a few meters away, and I thought I was lucky not coming here from the other end.
My legs felt very exhausted already near Hakone-Yumoto although the distance gained by that time was only 60km, but I was rather in a hurry taking 13 minutes to Odawara and further 50 minutes to Oiso. I stopped by at a convenience store in Oiso for something to fuel in, and it was almost 17:00, so I put the headlight on my bike and the rest was the running in the dark with the sense of hurrying, and I got back at home at 18:00.
 



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