The weather was beautiful today, warm and sunny, but with a strong wind. I was fighting the wind all the way to the Tamagawa and for a good part of the way downriver. I was worried when I crossed over into Kanagawa prefecture that I’d be riding directly into the wind, but the buildings sheltered me to a great extent. It got more challenging the closer I got to Yokohama Bay.
I got to the harbor view park just before noon. The weekday traffic wasn’t as bad as it often is on the weekend. There was a tour group in the park, though, so it took a couple of minutes to find a place I could sit while I wolfed down a couple of Nana’s world-famous onigiri.
I’d charged up Kuroko’s taillights during the week but had neglected Garmie. Seeing only 44% charge when I set out in the morning, I’d put it into battery saving mode. While eating the onigiri in the park, I knew that it had taken me roughly 3 hours to get there, battling the wind. I’d told Nana I would be home about 3, and I hoped to benefit from a tailwind on the way back. I didn’t wake up Garmie to get any more specific info, though — I just reasoned I’d be pretty close to the mark.
There were some strong contrary winds the moment I descended from the park back into Yokohama, and I was nearly unhorsed. But soon the wind was helping me and I ran up some personal bests and second places as I sped homewards through the traffic.
After crossing the Tamagawa back into Tokyo I was expecting a tailwind to continue helping me on my way, but the first couple of kilometers were right into the wind. After that it was a crosswind that was alternately helping and hindering me.
I stopped for a last onigiri and checked the time: 1:20. I had 8 or 9km to go to Futako, so I might get there before 2. Depending how much before, I might get home by 2:30. But I didn’t count my chickens just yet. I was still struggling against the wind at times on the way upstream, and when I got into traffic at last it all seemed to be against me. I arrived at the park in Futako at 2 on the dot. As I wolfed down a Snickers, I messaged Nana to expect me at 3 or slightly after.
As it happened, I made good time in the traffic back from the river. I refrained from waking Garmie up to check on my progress, but I felt confident as I wheeled into the tower plaza that I’d beaten the clock. I rolled Kuroko down the ramp into the bicycle garage and messaged Nana at 2:47 that I was home.
I got the trip in under 6 hours elapsed time. On a moving time of 4:24:20, I averaged 20.0km/h on the dot. Given the wind and how much of this course is in traffic, I’m very pleased with that result.
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