Author Archives: Rodent
It took longer than expected, but I’ve finally finished up Cycling Japan’s Abandoned Rail: Episode 2 (The Tempoku Line). If you’re new to CJAR, start off by watching Episode 1: The Haboro Line to get your footing first. Once you’re done with that, head on over to Episode 2:
Since posting Cycling Japan’s Abandoned Rail: Episode 1 last month I decided to put editing Episode 2 on the back burner for the final stretch of studying for me to take the ROUTE exam for my CCNP. I ended up taking the exam the Saturday before last. It was a stressful day in Tokyo, but [...]
This year’s National Sports Day (体育の日) was held on October 10th. It seems that the only time I’m ever going to actually celebrate it will have been my first year here, back in 2007 when I was on the news for unicycling, and this, my final year. Last year some of my students who are [...]
A few months ago I posted video of the Fukushima Kotsu Iizaka Line. That video, while a cinematic masterpiece in its own right, was actually just a way for me to test out my equipment and get comfortable back in my video creation chair. I had a bigger project in mind the whole time. This [...]
A few weeks ago Beth and I got back from a one-month bicycle trip in Hokkaido, the northernmost of Japan’s four main islands. Overall it was quite an enjoyable trip. While out bike touring people will often stop to have a little chat to figure out where you came from and where you’re going. When [...]
I have a confession to make: since coming to Japan I’ve developed a bit of an interest in trains. I’ve bought a few books about them, ridden quite a lot of them, taken photos of them, and over a two-month period I took video of the entire length of the Fukushima Kōtsū Iizaka Line. The [...]
It’s been so long since I’ve felt like writing something here, but so much has happened recently, I feel like I have to. It’s been 42 days since we had the earthquake, tsunami, and the beginning of the ongoing situation at the nuclear power plant. Fukushima seems to not be such a Lucky Isle anymore. [...]
Last year I bought Beth a bike for Christmas–a Surly Long Haul Trucker (in green). Why did buy Beth that? It was because she wants to go on rides and tours with me, so I figured it would be prudent to start getting her set up and used to riding. But there was also a [...]
For a few months now I’ve been taking a pannier with me to the grocery store, as using the store’s disposable plastic bags is extremely wasteful. At the checkout lane there are little cards that you put in your basket that say you’ll be using your own bag so that the checkout lady (yes, always [...]
My original plan for Golden Week this year was to take my bike on a bus up north to Aormori, ride a loop Lake Towada then head back to Fukushima. That would have been 550 km over five days. Unfortunately, while out cycling on Wednesday my right knee got a sudden sharp pain that flares [...]