The cycling tip is to look where you want to go, rather than what you want to avoid. Hence when turning onto a 10ft wide path I didn’t like the look of the large jagged rock in the far corner. Which I then hit in glorious slow motion and even more colourful language. Good news is the bike was OK and apart from a few scratches and a tender knee it was my ego which took the brunt of it all. Silly bugger.
The obligatory melee of finish group photos against a misty backdrop. Bit of fun before the final day’s riding. A few hills to remind us it’s hilly then 10miles out from the finish we cross the Sapporo city line. Then slowly and then abruptly the urban density ups its ante.
The last wee bit was back onto cycle paths shadowing the river. My knee registered every bump in a repetitive “watch where you go in future” kind of tone. Thanks.
Bike boxing was more fun than usual. A good wind whistling around the building and the boxes decide to have fun sailing away.
Tomorrow a day in Sapporo – tonight (Friday) there’s more people and, in particular, young people, out than we’ve seen in a generation.
Travelling reflections 