Well… . . It’s been a while and um… . .

Set the alarm for a 6:30 wake up but woke up at 5 and couldn’t drift off again. 30 minutes later I gave up the fake slumber and got to it. By 6:30 we were on the road, under a gorgeous dawn sky, headed for Izu. FZ1 & I that is.

As the Seisho bypass is free nowadays, I took the coast to Yugawara and then the Tsubaki Line up to the top of the turnpike

Then took the usual route down the Skyline where there seemed to be a lot of bikes out.

Then jumped the 59 to the Nishi-Izu Skyline to explore a little. Got off and tried the Toi Touge down and up and down again to the newer tunnelled 136. That is a great little hillclimb. Then took the 136 East and stopped in for gas at the Eneos a few clicks along on the right.

Chatting with the old pump meister and he recommends a white road that would take me through to the 18 up north. Sounded familiar so followed his directions. ‘Go another 300m, turn left. Then, 100m and take the small road splitting off to the left. Up top there is good susuki viewing’, he says or words to that effect. Sounded familiar so off I trundled.

Road started ok and when the good parts opened up I remembered. Yes, I remembered: My kind of road! Unfortunately the higher snaking, forest enclosed strips of twisted delight were carpeted with Typhoon excrement 😦

Did have the Pampas Grass (suski) up top with a nice view in the clear air. Also had some of the largest, friendliest and suicidalist(newordalert) creepy crawlies I’d seen in a while. Saw a Mantis as big as my hand. Had a green spider try to give me a hicky and then a grasshopper come stick insect that charged out in front of the only 3 vehicles I saw pass – bikes. Only got this pic but

The road seems to be maybe ‘おだいらかきぎ道路 – Odairakakigi road’

From there it was a short trip to the 18 then east to the 12, back on the Izu Skyline north and the long way round to the top-o-the turnpike.

Got home just in time as it seems a big Goul was descending over Hakone for the night

Door to Door: 335km / 9hrs

Ahhh, the FZ1?
Yep, it’s red and stock but that won’t last long. Does look nice in the right light. But . .. . never did like ‘Little Red Riding Hood’

Stay tuned for the mods as they will be going on as fast as I can manage and I’ve got boxes of ’em!