Matsuyama, Shikoku

'Japan By Bike'

Over the last three years (1996-98), I have spent more than four months "Adventure Cycling" Japan, traveling all over this exciting and surprising country by bicycle with nothing but my bike, my gear, and a 'come hell or high water' attitude. I have been everywhere, from Kagoshima in southern Kyushu to Wakkanai and Rishiri-to Island in the northernmost reaches of Hokkaido, clocking in more than 10,000 km in all.

I hardly know where to start. I've been through days of endless rain, brutal heat, humidity and relentless sunshine. I've biked through the snow in the Japan Alps in the spring. I've taken ferries to remote Islands in the Sea of Japan and been up remote mountain passes to visit centuries old shrines and monastaries. I've been amidst the most stunningly lush forests I've ever seen. In some places, I've experienced such a sense of quiet and peace in that I have never felt anywhere, far from the hustle and cynicism of home. I've been through many, many disurbingly similar cities, too, some unique and stunning of themselves, like Nagasaki and Kobe, but mostly not. I've seen more of industrial Japan that I'd cared to, in places just miles and miles of nothing but people, traffic, smog and concrete. I've camped in the lee of active volcanoes and shaken crabs out of my tent some mornings by the ocean. I've seen the most amazing sunrises and have had some great conversations with people I could hardly understand. All this and so much more. I've been there and done it all.

Early Morning Fog near Maebashi, Central Japan

This book is my attempt to flesh out and share my experiences with anyone who has done or has dreamt of doing similar things, especially my family and friends - I tell them what I've been up to and I'm sure they don't believe me :) I remember, as a kid, spending days leafing through old issues of the National Geographic, wishing I could dive into the pages and be anywhere but where I was. The 'world' seemed so far away when I was growing up. These trips, not just to Japan but others I have taken eleswhere, when they began, were for me a chance to get out and 'see it all' beyond the pages of a magazine. To go adventuring. Even though I'm older now (and a little wiser I hope), the allure of stepping out into the unknown and is still strong in me and I hope will never go away.

My goal right now, even though I'd like this book to sell and (who knows?) maybe lead to a new career for me as a writer, is just to see it published and see myself in print. 'Japan By Bike' is still very much being written. It's been slow going, but I'm confident something will come of my efforts.

Please check back to this website for future updates!
I plan to post excerpts and many more photos here in the near future.

Questions or comments? E-mail me at:< vanabb.geo@yahoo.com>

Children's Peace Memorial, Hiroshima

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