Oda to Kumakogen, 19.3 km
A short day in terms of kilometres, but a hill got the heart rate going. The first section was a narrower, quite steep section of road, but with minimal traffic. We then took to the forest path that cut across the road switchbacks, where the footing was a bit treacherous due to lack of use! After a brief rest stop at a Henro hut, we were surprised to have a tunnel to ease 5he hillclimb, and then it was a pleasant walk alongside a former main road, with a wide bike lane / pedestrian lane. I’m not sure who is (or was) going to bike or walk it as the valley is sparsely populated. A vending machine provided a much needed sustenance break – there were no convenience stores today, and the only grocery store in Oda didn’t open until 0900. Fortunately the town office complex had a store/tourist office and they had a few portions of sushi to provide us with a lunch.
The wide bike lane didn’t last, and we were directed to another steep hiling trail masquerading as a short cut to the next town. Needless to say that we arrived well in advance of the 1500 hrs check in time – especially as we had an average per kilometre time of 11:48 – not bad given the backpacks and 730m elevation gain! Maybe our fitness levels are on the up!
I took very few photos today, but here is another one for the bug archives: a moth hanging out on the Familymart convenience store sign. Because the convenience stores are open 24 hours, they are a great place to spot interesting moths.
