Monday, 14 October 2013

Guell Saturday Ride To Kyoto (And Shiga)

We joined up with the Guell crew again yesterday for a ride into Kyoto prefecture...


A nice, gentle ride along the cycle path next to the Kizugawa river...


A brief rest stop....


Then back on the road to Uji, Kyoto, famous for green tea and we passed many plantations along the way...


We rode by the Nagare-bashi bridge, sadly destroyed by recent typhoon rains but promising to be rebuilt yet again soon...



 Passing through many underpasses along our way to Uji, Kyoto...


Our destination, Nakamura Tokichi, a famous tea house in Uji, a beautiful building both outside...


And inside...


We stopped for lunch and to sample some of the many wonderful varieties of local green tea on offer...


Then  a ride through Uji to chill out by the river while we waited for the Guell Shiga crew to join us...




 A truly beautiful place...



Yasushi-san, pondering a change of career from successful BMX flatland rider, to local fisherman?!..


Our leader, guide and navigator, Toshio-san enjoying the river life!...


Then back on the road for the return journey to Nara...


Toshio-san, no-handed, speeding along in the afternoon sun...


A quick chance to re-group...


...Then back riding into the setting sun...


Slow train coming...


More stunning scenery along the way....



A fantastic day spent with good friends in a beautiful setting, many thanks to Toshio-san who takes a lot of time planning and organising these rides and a big thanks to the whole Guell crew.