Mitake Station~Ikusabata Station; No pain, no gain.

 

"God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our consciences, but shouts in our pains. It is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world."

Clive Staples Lewis

Greetings cave dwellers.  Drop your club by the entrance and pull up an easy rock by the fire.

This quote by Lewis was on my mind all day as I hiked.  One of the things I believe we should be grateful for is pain.  Our nervous system is really a gift. But for nerves to alert us to danger, we could bleed to death after nicking ourselves shaving.  Or we might find ourselves trying to stand on a shattered leg after an accident.  

The thing that brought this topic to mind is a headache I had last night.  About 10:30, my head was pounding and, because I know the remedy for me, I dragged myself out of the futon and went walking for a few hours.

I learned that for me the remedy to a headache is to go for a walk through long experience.  I used to get headaches all the time.  When I was chainsmoking and eating McDonald's every day, I got splitting headaches on a weekly basis.  Inevitably when I am walking, I eventually find myself praying.  Then the headache goes away and I can go home and get to sleep.  

I believe God talks to us through all of our pains.  In the case of a cut, the message is, "Get a bandaid."  (That's American for "plaster" for all you Brits.)  In the case of emotional pain it might be, "Stop being so selfish." or, "Forgive."  

In my case, with all those headaches, I think one message was, "Stop smoking, Fatso."  

Another message was, "Talk to me and listen to me.  Let's take a walk together." 

I haven't had those headaches for years.   Maybe because I stopped smoking and I  do so much walking these days.  

Maybe I've learned what those headaches were meant to teach me.

  

Let me tell you about today's walk around Ome.  First, have a look at this perpetual motion machine.  Cool, huh?

I went for a long bike ride yesterday and had planned on not going anywhere today and just taking it easy.  

That plan went out the window as soon as I woke up.  A short hike never hurt anyone, right?  

I started behind Mitake Station and went to Mt Sogaku, Mt Iwatakeishi and Takamizu.  I've been on all of these before but one portion of the trail was new to me.  

It wasn't the clearest day for viewing, but the mountains are always beautiful.

Map at Mitake Station.  

Right around Mitake Station there are lots of touristy things.  Cafes, a hostel, rooftop barbecue, river rafting company.  You can rent a bicycle from a vending machine in the station.

This second-hand store is a few doors down from Mitake Station.  It is awesome.  It is packed with serious gear.

https://www.maunga.jp/

Up the hill . . .

To change the subject a little, I'd like to tell you about the first time I climbed Mt Takamizu.  I was parking my bike at Ikusabata Station preparing to hike up the mountain when I encountered another cyclist who had just arrived by train with his bike for a day of cycling around Okutama.  Since we had the same model bicycle, it was natural to strike up a conversation.  When I told him I was hiking up to Takamizu, he asked "why?"  He said I could ride.

Well, if I could ride it, I didn't see anything wrong with that.  Off I started.  The road was steep but certainly doable.

After about a mile of this, I hit this stairway.  I figured that must be one of the things you have to deal with in mountain biking, occasional obstacles.

I expected it to smooth out soon after the stairs, but it never did.

Never.

Today I walked down this trail not able to believe I had actually carried my bicycle up and down it before.  I know I did that.  I just can't believe it.

I carried, pushed or pulled my bicycle for the last mile or so up the mountain.  It never was rideable after that first staircase but every inch of mountain I pushed that bicycle up was another inch invested in my quest.

If I ever find that other guy again, I might punch him in the nose.

Yes, I pushed it up these stairs, too.  And then farther beyond.  The people I met at the top looked at me like I was insane.

Post Script  I've been telling that story for a few years now.  I still might punch that guy in the nose if I find him, but I have since realized he wasn't exactly lying.  It was on my second or third trip up to this area that I saw there is a maintenance road that reaches near the top of this mountain, but it doesn't go anywhere near Ikusabata Station.

I'll leave you with another gif of the river just because I love these things so much.

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