(#4/9) Northern Honshu-everything is uphill

7 Sept 2018
I finally got a room in Aomori to avoid the impending typhoon. My tiny room felt like the height of luxury and I was finally able to dry out all my things.

 The next morning I climbed and climbed. For 3 sold hours I had my bike in its smallest gear without a break. The mountain views were stunning, the roads smooth, and the traffic almost non existent.

 My endless hours of climbing were rewarded by beautiful tree lined roads and gorges with more waterfalls than I could keep track of.
I have been seeing so many other cyclists, almost all of them have been Japanese. Somehow they manage to cycle in the heat with long sleeves and tights whereas I would be in my birthday suit if I could.

Up at lake Towada, I caught my breath and snapped some photos. The lake is a massive caldera and once all the leaves change color, it must be gorgeous! Being a crater, I readied myself for another steep climb out.

 Onwards to my camp. I thought I would make it before dark, which happens at 6:00, but the mountains were to steep. With a headlight and taillight I climbed, then it started raining, and I climbed. Then it started pouring, and finally, at 8pm, I squelched my way into camp. The weather only got worse, screaming winds and sheets of rain. Fortunately I was able to sleep in the reception house with 3 motor cycle riders who also came in that night.

 I woke up to more rain and heavy wind- seems the typhoons had been a day late. By the afternoon the skies cleared and the wind slowed. I made my way down the mountain only to find out that the area I had been traveling in Hokkaido was hit with a 6.7 earthquake and mudslides.
I was thankful that I had decided to push south even through the storm.

My goal was a meager 60km away, to lake Tazawa. I was thrilled that it was mostly flat. On the way to the lake I of course had to stop at the mountain honey shop and get honey ice cream as well as sample every kind of honey flavor I could. My favorite was honey orange, and I figured I should leave before they started having to refill the samples.

 The lake was stunning. White sandy beaches and calm. The legend of the lake is the fair maiden Tazawa drank so much water so keep her youthful beauty, that she turned into a water dragon and resides in the lake. Her lover is another lake dragon and their passionate relationship is why the lake never freezes in the winter.

The next morning I set out for Kakunodate, the samurai town. The samurai district has many houses over 300 years old, some with the same family still inhabiting them.

The streets are lined with cherry trees and it is suppose to be beautiful in the springtime. The town was getting ready for a parade, lining the streets with paper lanterns and life sized samurai warriors. Onwards and southward!