Three or four weeks ago, I went into the Starbucks in the basement of my building for coffee. They were serving „Christmas blend“, and the music playing was definitely Christmas carols. It gets earlier every year. … so I guess November 23 is really not too early for a „year in review“ post.
I thought this morning that I would try to list up the passes (峠) I have ridden in 2009 so far. I’m sure that some others (Tom, Ludwig and Michael, at least) have ridden more and further, and could come up with a better list — leaving aside Transalp! — and Jerome might match me, including Transalp, but my list is not too shabby. The great thing is that has been my 5th full riding season in Japan, and I still managed to ride lots and lots of places I had never gone before. … and there are already plenty of new potential rides on the list for next year, not to mention a few that I might get in by year-end. Here is the list.
Passes/Hills of 2009
[blue text means ridden by me for the first time in 2009]
Tokyo
1. Otarumi (Kanagawa border)
2. Wada (Yamanashi border)
3. Kobu tunnel (Yamanashi border)
4. Kazahari
5. Umegaya (Jerome Hill)
6. Nikka-zuka (next route to the East of Jerome Hill – not sure pronounciation and thus the romanization)
7. Fue-Kami (heading into Chichibu — just past Higashi Oume toward Nariki)
8. Ozawa (tunnel into Naguri — Tokyo/Saitama-Chichibu border )
Kanagawa
9. Yabitsu
10. Shiroyama-ko (Hon/Moto-zawa Dam – the short climb NE of Tsukui- ko)
11. 三増峠 Sanzou Pass (S. of Tsukui-ko on Rte 65 – first leg of Kanagawa Brevet)
12. Hakone Pass (Shizuoka border)
13. Ashi-no-yu Onsen Iriguchi (Pass on Rte 1 at top of climb – Odawara to Ashinoko – name??)
Yamanashi
14. Tsuru
15. Tawa
16. Matsuhime
17. Oo-toge
18. Kamihikawa
19. Yanagisawa
20. Odarumi (Nagano border)
21. Yakiyama
22. Hinazuru (not Suzugane!)
23. Mt. Fuji 5th stage
24. Yamabushi Touge (the same name as the pass in Chichibu – but also the name of the pass/tunnel at top of Doshi Michi)
25. Dosaka (Pass between Doshi Michi and Tsuru)
Saitama/Chichibu
26. Yamabushi (the “real” Yamabushi)
27. Shomaru
28. Nenogongen
29. Karibazaka (on the Green Line)
30. [Hannari] (not sure pronounciation/romanization — on the Green Line)
31. Buna (on the Green Line)
32. Arima
33. [Nitazan] touge (pass on the Naguriharaichiba Rindo)
34. Shigasaka (on border w/ Gunma)
Nagano
35. Mugikusa Touge（麦草峠）
36. Suzuran Touge
37. Yagawa Touge (矢川 – on the Gunma Nagano border,
approaching Karuizawa from the South via “rindo”).
38. Jukkoku (十石峠on Gunma-Nagano border Rte 299)
39. Tsuetsuki Touge/杖突峠
40. Bunkui Touge/分杭峠
41. Jizo Touge/地蔵峠
42. Hyoko Touge/兵越峠
Shizuoka [no Izu rides this year beyond Atami!]
43. Jukkoku Pass (十国— on rte 20 Hakone to Atami)
44. Atami Pass (Rte 20)
45. Naka-no-Kura tunnel (中之倉) [at top of climb up Motosu-michi to Motosu-ko — WNW side of Mt. Fuji on Rte. 300 during Brevet]
46. Fuji Safari Entrance – high point on Rte 469 on S. side of Fuji (pass between small Mt. Kurodake and big Mt. Fuji)
Europe (German, Austrian, Italian Alps)
47. Oberjoch
48. Alter Gaittpass
49. Hahntennjoch
50. Arlbergpass
51. Bielerhohe
52. Tobadill
53. Pillerhohe
54. Timmelsjoch
55. Stelvio
56. Passo Foscagno
57. Passo D’Eira
58. Passo Gavia
59. Passo del Tonale
60. Mendelpass
61. Fai del Paganella/Andalo
62. Passo del Ballino
Forgotten , added later:
63. Nokogiri
64. Kazahari Rindo
Just watched the Asahi TV program about the Saiko race this afternoon. As expected the program focuses on the adventures of the two attending „talentos“, Yoshizawa/Morning Musume in the W class and „forgot his name“ in C1. The performance of both is also something to be forgotten soon; both of them were dropped within the first lap, both of them finished in the forties out of less than 50 riders.
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