The Fugitive

Paul W, Arita-san and Miyazaki-san attempt the 2-day hike to Kumotori-san. I tag along for the first stretch to Mt Takanosu as I have to be back home by 6pm to wash my hair look after the kids.

Here is the route up to Takanosu :

Okutama Hike – First Peak

Conditions were as perfect as can be. Mild temperatures with a light, cool breeze. Paul W and Arita-san were carrying the extra weight of camping equipment and provisions. Not to be outdone, I was carrying the extra weight of poor lifestyle choices.

Bring on the photos :

Yes, that is someone on a bicycle in the last photos. Just when you are feeling pretty satisfied about spending over 4 hours ascending 5000 feet of craggy mountain, some whippersnapper on a BMX shoots by. Kids today.

My heartrate averaged 132 over the climb, peaking at 172, and I burned 4550 Calories. I drank 2 litres of water over the whole day. Here’s the heartrate plot, for the ascent :

Green - Altitude Red - Heartrate

I turned back after the Takanosu summit and hiked the 9Km back alone to Okutama station. It was a very peaceful descent, passing only a few other hikers. As it was the first week of spring, hungry bears were about, and all my fellow hikers had their little “bear bells” jangling gently away. I didn’t have mine, so for long stretches of wilderness I was quietly alone with my thoughts.  And these thoughts were mainly “what would it be like to be actually bitten by a bear?” progressing onward to “is it only in Japan that an appropriate defense against a wild bear is a #$%#$# brass bell?”  Why can’t I be hiking in the US where I’d be allowed, in fact probably obliged, to carry a proper quality weapon that with a single shot could take down an angry mammoth? Such was the calming effect of nature.

I did see a wild deer. It was looking at me with it’s head tilted to one side. We shared a moment of tranquility. The deer was probably thinking who is that man without even a bell ? I had better tell the bears.

My heartrate averaged 127 and peaked at 160 on the descent. Here’s the plot. You can just make out a few bear-induced panics from time to time :

Bear free descent

Mine's the fleece

Running through the woods, down the mountainside and over the rocks I was Harrison Ford in The Fugitive. Except this time, it was the Marshall doing the running.

Thankyou, I’ll be here all week. I’m also available for speeches and kids birthdays.

I’ll get my coat.