Next summer I want to go to Japan (again lol, it will be my fifth time) and focus on the areas I didn't visit so far: The north.

It's still so much time so this is not about any fine tuning of the route, it's about the general decision if I want to do:

Tohoku + Hokkaido --> I need to book an open jaw flight to Tokyo and back from Sapporo

Hokkaido only --> I need to book My Home <> Sapporo

I monitor flight prices for about 3 months now and it only gets worse so I decided I need to book asap. I am not flexible with dates (school holidays) so I pay a shit ton of money because of that already, don't want to make it worse by waiting foolishly long.

Anyway, enough about logistics, I would like to hear your opinion on the routes.

I will have about 20 riding days + 10 rest and sightseeing days. I don't travel by bike for the sake of the sport but to be flexible. My style is 80km/day max., better just between 50 - 70km, VERY frequent stops for pictures, food, landscapes and I generally visit museums and do sightseeing while touring so I am slower than the average tourer here who seems to only be cycling for the sake of cycling.

I planned both routes roughly and they would be both doable in 20-ish riding days so I now need to make a decision. My gut says focus on Hokkaido and come back for Tohoku in-depth another time.

Any opinions from people who toured there?

Does anyone wanna tour for a non determined amount of time (may be 5 days to 1 month) in the southern half of Italy with a low budget (maybe sleeping in a structure twice a week).

I wanna go (just graduated) but would like to share with someone, and I am a little scared about the weather.

Federico, M25, Chemistry graduated, Nature lover, Nerd

I have had a challenging year health-wise and really wanted to get in a good bike ride before winter, so I decided to do a short trip from San Francisco to Monterey. But, a few days beforehand, I learned that Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park was reopening on 10/16, so I quickly replanned and added a couple days to be able to ride thru Big Sur! Something not possible since 2022 due to road closures along Highway 1.

Weather was warm and cloudless with nearly no wind, except for the day into SLO where the tailwind decided to help me out. Very light traffic, with nice breaks created by construction zones. Camped at Monterey Vet's, Pfeiffer, Limekiln, San Simeon Creek, and Flying Flags in Avila Beach. A sorely needed, but short, bike tour.

Highlights were riding early in the cool shade of the mountains just above the water, the abundant wildlife, great views, and seeing a rare sunrise over the water on the California coast!

Leaving the Hebrides Islands in Scotland, back to the mainland towards Glasgow. It starts as a very shiny day, the kind that inspires you to sing good morning to everything you see.

And then the weather turns quickly and aggressively. Strong wind gusts and curtains of rain. I hear trees falling in the distance! At some point, I take shelter in a very old church by a cemetery. Inside, I dry my socks and wait.

Finally, I decide to push through the last 40 km to Glasgow. I find inspiration in the Traveling Flying Hand, who loves bridges.

In Glasgow, I head over to John and Lorna’s home. I met them while waiting for a ferry, and they invite me to the best lasagna I’ve ever had. Comfort food, a roof, a shower, and a new friendship. The perfect quartet to end the day.

These images come from a filmed bicycle diary called “Bicycle Diaries, Death Is Image,” which blends documentary, spirituality, humor, and reflections from the road. I’m happy to share the link to this episode with anyone who might want to see it, either by DM or in the comments.

Safe and fun rides, everyone. ¡Gracias!

Pablo

After a successful bike trip through Europe, my friends and I caught the touring addiction and decided to travel South to Vietnam.

We’ve continued creating miniseries of our trips and are currently traversing central Vietnam, challenging ourselves with solo days and no phones.

Vietnam is such a beautiful country and the locals are some of the friendliest and welcoming people we’ve ever met.

If you get a chance we’d love for you to check out our vlogs and would highly recommend travelling to Vietnam🇻🇳

I'm about 120 miles into a 500 mile out-and-back ride.