Low Riding & the Deadly Chainring Disease.

Went on a my first ride into Yamaguchi City today. It was good. Nice to be on the road again & get the old cartilage smoking. Wanted to test out my new panier rack aswell. Getting closer to "tour-ready".  One elderly gentleman came past hooting very happy to see me & my strange steed. He reappeared 15minutes later coming from the other dirtection, and basically stopped his little truck in the middle of the road to come and rattle off some Japanese at me..... and give me a little bottle of green tea. Nice, and I think the japanese for Satelite is "wigi!".... who knows? I had to bight my lip not to deploy the international raised eyebrows of interrogation and ask, "Wiki-wiki-wah?" Here's a little mad video collage of the ride:

(I've been struggling with this video for an hour now that's why it's in two pieces. Hope it works, it took ages to buffer and play)

& part two if you can stomach it...

While I was at the mall I ran into Kako (I shit you not, I have his card.) We met him the other day at the community centre. He did a full catastrophe cycle-circumnavigation of Japan. He was keen for a photo opportunity. Below is a close-up of his speedo showing  mileage.) he did his trip through winter, crazy bastard, and has pictures of some pretty ingenious urban camping. I think he's actually Chinese. Anyhow, the bike culture here is quite heartening there are thousands and thousands of them. Riding everywhere, kids, old grannies, business men, you name it. Lot's of fold up bicycles, some very minimalist, and a rather naff generic version sporting a lowslung seat, very upright posture and less street-cred than would be easily embraced in our image-concious southern colonies. If you're lucky you get a basket. You almost always get a cycle track though.  !!!!!!!!! From a man whose run the woodstock rushhour taxi gauntlet on a fixy more than is prudent, Halle-flippin'-lujah. So some quick bike pics and then enough with the chain grease for you poor uninterested petrol heads.

Finally some pretty pics from the last week or two. (Done in that slick & not un-laborious, I'll have you know, Photoshop technique some of you are growing so fond of.)

So, sayonara!

Which is japanese for "love to ya.."

j

p.s. The next blog to follow is a corker, brace yourself for some contemporary dance as you've never thought feasible. Avante garde, baby. There's going to be some thrashing about I tell ya, and some violin playing (by my friend Yashemi) that'll make  Stradavarius wee in his coffin. I'm warning you....