A Short Story About Cycling Around Okinawa
Going abroad to circumnavigate an island sounds exciting, but for someone who hasn't trained, it can be a fairly tough ride.
For this trip I brought my classmate.
He said he worked out.
He said he was a runner.
I didn't expect him to start crying about pain at 25 km.
It wasn't until 70 km that we finally reached the Airbnb we'd booked for the day.
The whole way I had to coax him along.
Almost there, just turn at the corner ahead and we'll be at the hotel.
By the end of day one I was at the pharmacy buying him ointment patches for his butt.
On day two my classmate said: I'm done, if I keep riding my butt is going to fall apart, and he and his bike got loaded into a taxi together.
After that it was just me, and the rest really wasn't easy — lots of ups and downs. It took three days and over 200 km to finish circumnavigating the main island of Okinawa. The scenery along the way was beautiful.
At the end I found a wagyu restaurant for dinner.
A Few Tips for Cycling Around Okinawa
- It's best to know the terrain in advance — whether there are a lot of climbs. If you're not used to climbing, it can turn into a nightmare.
- Aim for an average speed of 18-25 km/h and 3-5 hours of riding a day. You're there to have fun, no need to ride too fast, but too slow will mess up check-in and other plans, so it helps to plan multiple route options.
- Before you go, you should have at least one experience of riding for 3+ hours. An untrained backside can't handle long rides — unless yours is already made of iron — and for your butt's sake, definitely wear cycling shorts.
- Make sure your safety gear is complete. When renting overseas, helmets and accessories are charged separately (front/rear lights, helmet, cycling shorts, tire-changing tools, rain gear, WiFi, GPS).
- If you really aren't feeling well, you can call a taxi or ask the rental shop whether they offer a pickup service.
- When the rental shop hands you the bike, take a test ride to confirm the brakes, gears, and tires aren't worn out or in need of adjustment.
- The weather is hard to control. Riding in heavy rain is slow and dangerous, so have a backup plan.
- Don't bring too much stuff — long rides make extra weight a real burden. One or two changes of clothes (quick-dry) and a windbreaker are enough, since most hotels and Airbnbs have a washer and dryer.
- If you're really sore, plenty of Japanese drugstores sell muscle ointment patches that make you feel a lot better the next day. Soaking in a bath and stretching also help relieve soreness.
- Japan drives and rides on the left. If you can't remember, just remember to ride in the same direction as the cars.
Off-season round-trip airfare 6987 + Airbnb three nights 4140 + bike rental 1318 + WiFi 5-day unlimited 590 = 13035
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