It always rains on a Tuesday …

A bakery before we get up a sweat … 400m away … are we becoming bakery snobs? 7 weeks ago we were happy with a coffee and pastry at Lawsons, 7/11 or Family Mart … now I’m searching ‘bakery near me’ and reading reviews before we leave our accommodation.

The weather forecast ‘rain at 9.45am’ oh dear.

It is overcast but high clouds with patches of sun … we went by the coast then hit inland for a few kms before touching the coast again. There were ports and industry – up some inclines through large pine forests and into rice paddies.

It was very still, rice paddies on both sides bordered by forests on the right and the sea on the left. I just love looking at the reflections in the paddies and lining up the rows. What else do you do when you are cycling … apart from the very nice manhole covers around … they really deserve a pic.

Undulations by the coast where the hills met the sea … great views and interesting to see the other side – we pass by serious fishing ports – men checking fish nets and women repairing them. What a tedious job and how fast they work, sitting hunch over working; knotting the yarn to repair.

We had a coffee in Hini (at Family Mart) and pastry just as the town music chimed through speakers 12 noon … such a tidy town … leaving onto the coast and a flash of lightning in the distance … the sea was looking wondrous … very still and scattered clouds … we thought we would outride the storm but a few drops …

‘When do we call … put on our rain jackets, John?’

We found a shelter and I prepped for rain … top only, meanwhile John showerproofed his backpack. The small shower increased then John relented and grabbed his rain jacket on a bridge. By the time we were over the bridge the rain was very heavy and the path was a river. We sheltered in a factory unit for a while then rode some more, then rain increased; another factory unit until it decreased significantly. Still raining – we were following a cyclepath ‘Toyama Bay Cycling Route’ a no brainer … just follow the blue signs on the wet road. A great cycle path then we went around a bend, there was a mighty bridge ahead (Shinminato Bridge) – the cyclepath lead us to the halfway support of the bridge and before us is a lift … we went up the lift then an enclosed bike/pedestrian path – with amazing distorted views … at least we were not being rained on!!

Back on land the cyclepath lead us through more rice paddy areas – they were even looking a little sodden with all the rain.

We finally headed towards Toyama through the backroads as only Komoot would do … civilisation – a big city – haven’t seen that for a few days. We extended ourselves with this stay … I insisted I wanted to stay at the Dormy Inn – the onsite spa was my attraction in a very expensive market place tonight. I’m very thankful … we turned up like drowned rats … the reception gave is towels and hot towels while we filled in the paperwork, I had just got cold.

All done …

‘okay John I’ll see you later’ … in my sodden cycling gear with fresh clean clothes and a towel, to the spa I went … shower to get clean, wash hair, then the warm tub, sauna, warm tub … bliss – I knew there was a reason to book this hotel.

We are in the centre of town … across the road a huge multi story shopping mall at the basement a large gourmet food area.

‘John – I can do takeaway tonight’

We buy an Okonomiyaki from a stall, some bakery items, wine, beer. The hotel has a microwave – perfect! The hotel also has complimentary ramen from 9.30pm … I just might indulge and another spa …