Suzuka Enduro

Last Monday we were up seriously early to join the Guell crew and a few thousand other cyclists as they competed in the Suzuka 8 Hour Enduro. We departed Nara at 4am and drove through some really, really heavy rain to arrive at the world famous Formula 1 circuit  just before sunrise...

The entrance to the circuit.

After finding our place in the pits and taking part in an exhilarating test ride around the circuit the competitors lined up under cloudy skies at 8am...

The competitors start lining up...

As the races got underway the skies cleared, drying out the track and making for near perfect conditions...

View from the pits...

Team Guell got off to a great start, usually putting in sub-10 minute laps with each member doing three laps then changing rider...

Team Guell's Takeshi-san waiting to ride...

Brad and Toshio-san watching and waiting...

The all important handover...

The pits were full of riders and bikes...

Bikes in the pits.

Panorama of the pits. 

Even on the other side of the track it was packed with cycles and their owners...

The other side of the pit area...

While outside the track area some of the big cycling companies had set up shop...

The Mavic Village..

Mavic were giving tune ups and advice as well as showing off some of their new kit...

A  chance for a pro tune up...

 Meanwhile the race continued under beautiful skies...

Some of the competitors were taking things very seriously...

 Others were there to enjoy the experience and have some fun...

A family of ducks...

...And their little chicks!

It's just Santa in a racing car, what's wrong with that?!

There were riding bears...

...And, of course Thomas was there too!

...As was Doraemon..

The fastest salaryman on two wheels!

And an aubergine on a granny bike!

Another bear...

Cruising in style.

Respect to the Bushi!

An absolutely amazing day, thousands of cyclists riding around one of the most famous motor racing circuits in the world, what could be better? Team Guell finished a very respectable 71st out of some 600 or so teams. Arigato to Toshio-san and the whole Guell crew for a truly memorable day. A special mention and thanks to Takeshi-san for his skillful driving to and from the circuit!

Doraemon's sister!

We took over 250 photos on the day and will be milking them for as many posts as we can in the coming weeks! 

Guell Saturday Ride To Kyoto (And Shiga)

We joined up with the Guell crew again yesterday for a ride into Kyoto prefecture...

A nice, gentle ride along the cycle path next to the Kizugawa river...

A brief rest stop....

Then back on the road to Uji, Kyoto, famous for green tea and we passed many plantations along the way...

We rode by the Nagare-bashi bridge, sadly destroyed by recent typhoon rains but promising to be rebuilt yet again soon...

 Passing through many underpasses along our way to Uji, Kyoto...

Our destination, Nakamura Tokichi, a famous tea house in Uji, a beautiful building both outside...

And inside...

We stopped for lunch and to sample some of the many wonderful varieties of local green tea on offer...

Then  a ride through Uji to chill out by the river while we waited for the Guell Shiga crew to join us...

 A truly beautiful place...

Yasushi-san, pondering a change of career from successful BMX flatland rider, to local fisherman?!..

Our leader, guide and navigator, Toshio-san enjoying the river life!...

Then back on the road for the return journey to Nara...

Toshio-san, no-handed, speeding along in the afternoon sun...

A quick chance to re-group...

...Then back riding into the setting sun...

Slow train coming...

More stunning scenery along the way....

A fantastic day spent with good friends in a beautiful setting, many thanks to Toshio-san who takes a lot of time planning and organising these rides and a big thanks to the whole Guell crew.