Welcome

The planned itinerary would hopefully have allowed us plenty of time at the lunch stop in Arita, the birthplace of Japanese porcelain, to check out the brightly coloured porcelain the area is known for.  The arrival of Typhoon Kong-rey forced a change of plan. Our…

Day 1 provides a gentle first day out hugging the coast for just a touch over 50kms with barely 100m of climbing.  As the busy streets of Fukuoka give way to the suburbs, a turn off onto some side streets gives way to wheeling through…

It is fitting that our last day in the Loire Valley sees us following the river for most of the day.  Our destination is Angers, the home of Cointreau.  The ride today is slightly longer, with a bit more total climb, but still very much…

Our second to last day on the Loire covers the last of the Château Explorer route.  We backtrack slightly to take in Château Villandry before following the Loire down to the junction with the Indre and on to Montsoreau at the confluence of the Vienne and the…

Our third day on the Château Explorer route is notable for the absence of château, with the exception of those at our start and destination.  The ride meanders back and forth across the Indre River through a countryside of wheat fields and water wheels that are…