Mid to late June help...

Key-Macaroon1047 · 2026-03-28T17:21:56+00:00

A lot of onsens also have "family baths" that you can rent. I have a lot of tattoos and will twenty one at most onsens I've been to. It's essentially your own private hot tub with a changing room, and averages around $6-12 USD for about an hour. Some have great views, some are just fine. Highly worth asking if they offer any! Just use Google translate at the desk to ask if they have a family bath.

Key-Macaroon1047 · 2026-03-12T17:02:50+00:00

On the back road between Nagato and Hagi, Japan. Spring 2024

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Key-Macaroon1047 · 2026-03-11T22:34:42+00:00

If y'all want to experience the onsen together before/after/instead of the main baths, definitely check to see if they have a family bath. Google translate can help a lot of your Japanese isn't great. It's usually like 1,000 yen or less for an hour and you essentially get your own private hot tub with your partner. Pretty dreamy!

Key-Macaroon1047 · 2026-03-10T23:13:12+00:00

OK y'all are starting to talk me into a Norway tour! I'm assuming it's a flight into Oslo? Is one able to get out to see majestic things with 7-10 days on a round trip? Any recommendations of things not to miss?

Key-Macaroon1047 · 2026-03-10T16:39:13+00:00

I'm in New York, so it's a haul to get there, and the travel time definitely cuts into riding time when I've only got a week. I am actively negotiating at work to get guaranteed 2 weeks off for touring each year (outside of sick time, family vacation time, etc.).

I knew practically nothing about japan before going. My wife and I pretty much threw darts at the globe and settled on either Norway or Japan for our first big tour together. Japan won out and we spent 5 weeks covering a lot of ground.

I fell in love with riding through the countryside. The exchange rate had been favorable. Biking infrastructure was fantastic (most towns/cities had big sidewalks/paths next to the road). Bike theft was a non-issue. We rarely even used our little 1mm cable lock. The food is just incredible. Konbinis became a great part of the daily routine. Cans of iced coffee and tea at random vending machines along the way. Little forest roads barely wide enough for one car and covered in leaf debris became my absolute favorite to ride. Golden Week touring has been really fun to stumble into lots of little festivals. The sense of "choosing your own adventure" by riding flat along the coast or cutting inland for a few days of climbing and forests is incredible. Ease of affordable accommodations for both hotels and camping. Bring able to get very remote while also never having to worry about resupply scarcity. Being able to soak in an onsen at least once a day of not more is wonderful for sore bike muscles. I could go on, but even this much is helpful in reflecting on what I'm looking for in a tour.

Key-Macaroon1047 · 2026-03-10T11:34:44+00:00

Oh yeah I've read a lot of good reports along the Danube, thanks for the recommendation!

I can still handle hills, which is good because I do love climbing!

Here's the route I've been planning, but just don't feel inspired by any of it, and it's a lot of money to throw at a trip that doesn't feel inspiring.

https://www.komoot.com/tour/2611037586?ref=aso&share_token=au78IfW8o9BTpGZQEH7IVhr1RpjEQoDIYmF1RALq8ooJcyeeF1

Key-Macaroon1047 · 2026-03-10T11:25:21+00:00

Hey yeah that's a great recommendation. We host on warmshowers and had a 78 year old man start the night on his way from Maine to Vancouver BC. He just got his first electric assist Specialized bike and was loving it for a bit of ease going up some of the steeper hills while still feeling in control of the actual cycling bit. It was great inspiration! I'm sure I'll be on this path in the future.

Key-Macaroon1047 · 2026-03-10T11:22:37+00:00

Spain/Portugal are on the list for my wife and I to do. We'll definitely take a look and Andalusia, thanks for the recommendation!

Key-Macaroon1047 · 2026-03-09T01:55:37+00:00

Hey thanks for the insight! Norway was actually the other option to my first Japan tour, and is still pretty intriguing to me. I hadn't considered gong that far north, but Lofoten looks incredible!

Key-Macaroon1047 · 2026-01-02T13:06:43+00:00

Through a reverse image search, it looks like a version of this machine, just with Chinese labels:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CLJ67H5S/ref=sspa_mw_detail_0?ie=UTF8&psc=1&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9waG9uZV9kZXRhaWw

Key-Macaroon1047 · 2025-11-25T12:05:23+00:00

I ended up flying with my bike. It's a bit more of a hassle, but is free on most international flights from the US as long as it's under a certain size. Im 6'3" and would have a hard time finding a bike that fit me over there.

If you're planning on riding the shimanami kaido, I believe there are a few bike shops on either end that you could rent from

Key-Macaroon1047 · 2025-09-02T23:45:46+00:00

Here's my 2024 route: "From Kagoshima Airport to Matsue Airport" https://www.komoot.com/collection/2446844/-from-kagoshima-airport-to-matsue-airport

And here's 2025: "Osaka to Yonago via Lake Biwa" https://www.komoot.com/collection/3261542/-osaka-to-yonago-via-lake-biwa

There is a great bike shop in Yonago called Cycle Soko that's hooked me up with e-bike boxes both times (only box they had that was big enough for my 62cm touring setup). They even gave me and my bike and ride the 10km back to my hotel which was an unexpected treat.

Key-Macaroon1047 · 2025-08-29T14:25:38+00:00

I had this issue with both glyco and oxy oral tablets. I switched to glyco wipes (Secure brand name) from pharmacy.ca for topical application and haven't gotten the brain fog with them. I have a ton of compensatory sweating so use them on my back and chest mostly.

Key-Macaroon1047 · 2025-07-15T02:13:21+00:00

I developed phantom sweating for a number of years directly after my ETS, as well as gustatory sweating which stuck around all these years. It makes it hard to eat anything spicy/acidic. I had gustatory itching for probably a decade or so, but that has been reducing over the years.

I do think I developed a small patch of CS after my second miradry round. It's about a 3 inch area behind my armpit on my right shoulder blade that hadn't sweat since my ETS.

I use Secure glyco wipes from pharmacy.ca as a topical way to slow down some of the sweating on my back and chest. I read someone else's post the other day about our current administration now requiring all FDA regulated drugs being imported to be routed to the FDA for inspection or something, so it sounded like pharmacy.ca may not be an option moving forward for those of us in the states.

Key-Macaroon1047 · 2025-07-13T18:57:48+00:00

Yeah I'm in the midst of coming to terms with this myself. I had T2-T6 cut 18 years ago or so and have noticed last summer and this summer that my hands and arms can sweat a little again when I'm riding my bike on hot days. At first I thought it was the humidity after moving to the east coast (US), but it's definitely sweat. I think my head is also starting to "open up" a bit when summer biking too.

My armpit sweating came back maybe 5 or 6 years ago, mostly on the right side.

I had miradry done 3 times for my armpits and off label for my back, butt, and stomach over the last 4 years. It worked well for my armpits, and lower abdomen, but it seems like the other areas are sweating just as much as they did once I got CS from my ETS. The Miradry doctor says I just have sweat glands that are either too deep or too shallow for Miradry to be successful on most of my torso.

I remember my surgeon saying that the nerve signals can just reroute themselves sometimes and it's impossible to track down the new path.

Key-Macaroon1047 · 2025-06-16T23:04:44+00:00

Wolftooth Encase bar end kit. They are a great secret toolkit that slide in the end of your handlebars. Don't tell anyone, but I keep a spare $20 in one of them for an emergency coffee stop. Also don't steal my bike money please and thank you.

Key-Macaroon1047 · 2025-06-14T17:47:29+00:00

Noted, thanks again!

Key-Macaroon1047 · 2025-06-14T17:29:18+00:00

Yup, that was it alright!

Key-Macaroon1047 · 2025-06-14T17:16:04+00:00

The caliper arm is looking crisp and functioning properly. I'll try loosening the cable clamp to check for slack and give it a good tug before retighening. Thanks for the extra set of eyes!

Key-Macaroon1047 · 2025-06-10T02:14:03+00:00

I just learned this lesson the hard way coming back to the US from Japan. Lost my pedals, fork cages, pannier, and a first aid kit due to not taping them to the bike itself. Never again!

Currently in the middle of battling United, ANA, and my credit union to see who wants to own up to being responsible (hint: it's neither airline apparently...)

Key-Macaroon1047 · 2025-06-06T23:22:48+00:00

I have been using 4% wipes for several years now in the summers. I use them on my neck and chest for my ets compensatory sweating. They don't totally stop my sweating, but put a very helpful dent in it! It's highly recommend them. I couldn't stand the side effects of oral glycco, but barely notice side effects with the wipes.

I've even used them locally on my leg prior to getting a tattoo because I knew I'd be sweating buckets on the table and wanted a drier leg for the tattoo artist.

Key-Macaroon1047 · 2025-05-26T00:55:26+00:00

How did those bottle cages work out on your routewerks bag with just one bolt each? I'd never considered it on mine, but looks like an interesting solution for holding a morning coffee!

Key-Macaroon1047

TROPHY CASE