BEE Japan

Bicycle for Everyone’s Earth

Day one, Day two

Written by Ashley on Aug 4th, 2009 and posted in 2009

BEE Japan in the rice fields

Awaking on a cold and drizzly morning after a nights sleep in tents set up on cement under a concrete dome (supposedly some kind of BEE tradition) ,  we headed out on what would turn out to be a pretty grueling day. While the view was beautiful along our mostly costal route, we also encountered a lot of head wind and more kilometers than we were expecting! 140 plus to be sure, and some night riding brought us into our first official night on the road.
Heraldo’s folding bike case, which also turns into a trailer we fill with clothes, water, food and whatnot, turned out to be the perfect travel table for our lunch of veggie sandwiches, and ice coffee (provided by a friendly local who saw us setting up lunch in the parking lot).
Dinner was miso soup and rice made a la camp site style by half the team while the rest of us set up tents lined with garbage bags beneath, to weather the rainy evening.
Day two began in Otoineppu, ended in John’s home of Shimokawa and included two AMAZING meals cooked FOR us(all natural, non-fertilized and non-pesticided food),  bare-footed weeding of an organic rice field, and lots of demos and informatin from a couple on the farm for the School of Agricultural Philosophy.
Tommorrow should involve little cycling, but lots of other crazy activities in the town of Shimokawa. There’s word of forest thinnin, chopstick makin. Stay tuned…

Awaking on a cold and drizzly morning after a nights sleep in tents set up on cement under a concrete dome (supposedly some kind of BEE tradition) ,  we headed out on what would turn out to be a pretty grueling day. While the view was beautiful along our mostly costal route, we also encountered a lot of head wind and more kilometers than we were expecting! 140 plus to be sure, and some night riding brought us into our first official night on the road.

Heraldo’s folding bike case, which also turns into a trailer we fill with clothes, water, food and whatnot, turned out to be the perfect travel table for our lunch of veggie sandwiches, and ice coffee (provided by a friendly local who saw us setting up lunch in the parking lot).

Dinner was miso soup and rice made a la camp site style by half the team while the rest of us set up tents lined with garbage bags beneath, to weather the rainy evening.

Day two began in Otoineppu, ended in John’s home of Shimokawa and included two AMAZING meals cooked FOR us(all natural, non-fertilized and non-pesticided food),  bare-footed weeding of an organic rice field, and lots of demos and informatin from a couple on the farm for the School of Agricultural Philosophy.

Tommorrow should involve little cycling, but lots of other crazy activities in the town of Shimokawa. There’s word of forest thinnin, chopstick making. Stay tuned…

3 Responses »

  1. 縞々 on August 5th, 2009 at 9:46 am:

    This is amazing! I SO have to do the BEE ride some.day. (sigh…) I read this book called _Boro Boro_ about the culture of thrift in regards to textiles, and it’s based on one guy’s amateur research in Aomori. It makes me know I have to finally visit northern Japan one day. Y’all have fun. I am SOOOOO jealous!!!! xoxo

  2. Mom on August 8th, 2009 at 11:11 am:

    Thanks for updating us. I will now check the website everyday, anxiously looking forward to learning more about the details of your day, both the challenges and blessings. It sounds like something that will certainly inform your life decisions for many years to come, somewhat like your experiences as a 4yr. old spending 8 months in Japan, in the earliest part of your life! Wow! You are such a lucky young lady. Tough, but close-up, translates to amazing learning opportunities. I am thinking about you everyday and praying for your health and safety always. So proud of you!

  3. AnnaB on August 9th, 2009 at 11:58 pm:

    Nice! I’ve always wanted to actually get in a rice paddy.
    Hope you got enough rice and miso to fill you up,
    =)

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