Second day on the Shimanami Kaido. Yesterday I went to bed at 8 pm. My whole body was exhausted. People say that the best hours of sleep happens before midnight. The good things about going to bed early is that you will wake up early too. It’s always a precious moment to me. You can enjoy the first lights of the day with nobody around.
“Setoda sunset beach” very early in the morning.
I woke up at 5:30 this morning. So I went for a walk on the beach.
You might discover interesting things as well. This guy doesnt care about what time it is.
Interesting things indeed … 😉
I came back for the 7h30 breakfast with my fellows biker friends. The “Setoda Private Hostel” is a good value. You can get a night stay , diner and breakfast for a very reasonable price. You have your own room and there is a wonderful little onsen with a view of the sea (and the sunset). Make sure you book in advance as it’s not a big hotel (a few days before should be okay).
Let’s ride the last 30 km of the route. I knew I had done the hardest so I wanted to take my time and explore some of the sites on the way. In the next town I perceived a beautiful three story pagoda. Let’s check it out.
The path toward the pagoda.
I like to discover paths like this. I had no idea how to get there but I kept on trying different paths. It’s always fun to explore.
The Pagoda from below.
The view from the highest point. What a sweet panorama of the surrounding. Theses Seto’s islands are gorgeous.
After more biking I have reached the last bridge of the Shimanami Kaido. This one was unique because you were located underneeth the bridge.
Pedestrian and bike pathway under the bridge. This was cool.
I was very tired at that point. I’m glad I only had a few km left. Just after this last bridge you’ll come across a very inviting beach. I had to stop there.
How good it feels. The sun was strong today. At that point I felt like having a nap here.
Fisherman next to me. The Seto’s inland sea is famous for his fish. I have seen many fishermans along the way.
Sometimes where your energy levels are low , life becomes kind to you. 20 meters away from where I was I have find the perfect place to lift my energy levels.
A nice pancakes café overtaking the sea.
This is “Willows Nursery”. To me this really felt like a nursery. I was a baby that couldn’t move anymore. I needed a place to take care of me. And it cames just in front of my eyes. Thanks you 🙂
Coconut cream pancake with a stunning view.
Man I loved this café so much. The pancake was wonderful , same for the cream on top of it. Some chilled out Hawain music was playing. The sun was heating the wooden table inside. It felt like a lullaby to me. So cosy. In “Willow Nursery” there is only 8 chairs arranged in a “bar setup”. The view from there was gorgeous. Expect to pay some money to enjoy this experience. I paid 950 yen for the pancake (about 7 euro). It’s pricey but to be able to enjoy a delicious pancake with a view like this one and after many many km. This was priceless to me. Sometime you have to indulge life (I feel like doing that every day thought ^^)
I only had 8 easy km to complete the route. At the end of the route you’ll have to take a very short fery ride to get to Onomichi. It’s time for me to stop 2 night in Onomichi. Take a well deserved break for my body and to discover this new town. Onomichi looks like a really cool place. It’s not a touristy destination but it seems to have a soul like not like any other places.
This Shimanami Kaido experience was stunning. The sceneries , the way the route is made , all the alternative options on the way , the local foods … This is a perfect way to combine exercise , pleasure and incredible sights. Two days on the Shimanami Kaido felt perfect to me. It’s important to take the time to enjoy the places you go. Also your body might need some “ice cream” breaks along the way 😉 Dont miss this unique experience because it will blow your mind the all way throught. If you dont feel like doing 80 km you can always do smaller portions and drop your bike along the way. You will see buses and boats to help you coming back. Onomichi would be a good place to stay.
Time to celebrate and recharge for now.
See you for the next episode in Onomichi town.
free.cloud 
Leave a comment