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Non-Thorn Related / Re: ++++Rides of 2026++++Add yours here++++
« Last post by Andre Jute on Today at 03:59:58 AM »
Wow, look at those skies!

I came here from your photos of the unmotored waterside paths (and seemingly empty motor roads) of your Japanese tour, Ron, already wondering if those of us who live in Ireland and Canada (and Japan, if there are any Japanese lurkers) appreciate enough being able to cycle so often near water...
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Cycle Tours / Re: Hokkaido, Japan
« Last post by RonS on January 03, 2026, 10:32:29 PM »
Andre, the two tunnel pictures are actually opposite walls of the same tunnel. One wall is tiles made from children's art, and on the other side, they let the grown-ups play.

Jumping back in time from the cycling road, here are some pics from my last week on tour.

1 and 2   Japan has done an incredible amount of flood mitigation work along many of the rivers. A bonus for cyclists is that a huge majority of the rivers have paths on the dikes. This one went for about 20km along the Chubetsu River, near Asahikawa. (The path along the Tone River near Tokyo spans 230 car free km!)

3  Cycle art along the bike path. This particular path wasn't too well-maintained and right after this part, it became impassible. Luckily, a little bushwhacking brought me up to the top of the dike, where there was a smooth path.

4  There is a famous animation studio in Tokyo called Studio Ghibli. One of their more famous movies is “My Neighbour Totoro”. (Adapted for stage and currently at the Gillian Lynne Theatre in London. Go see it if you're there. It's great) A character in the movie is a bus that is a live cat. Someone near the town of Fukagawa took an old bus, decorated with characters from the movie, and put it on an empty lot. Great fun. Totoro is the happy grey marshmallow just above the  bike’s saddle.  I highly recommend you give My Neighbour Totoro a look. The animation is absolutely stunning. Another one by the same studio worth watching is Spirited Away.
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Non-Thorn Related / Re: ++++Rides of 2026++++Add yours here++++
« Last post by in4 on January 03, 2026, 09:57:51 PM »
Fabulous scenery Ron. I do like that Arkel frame bag; it doesn’t seem to interfere with water bottles/cages.
Ian
From a relatively balmy N. Portugal.
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Muppets Threads! (And Anything Else) / Re: here we go again.
« Last post by RonS on January 03, 2026, 07:39:10 PM »
Best wishes to everyone in the new year.

And Matt, wishing you a complete recovery and another Time to try Thai
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Non-Thorn Related / ++++Rides of 2026++++Add yours here++++
« Last post by RonS on January 03, 2026, 07:34:37 PM »
And the first ride of 2026 is……….

A nice 42km along the Alouette River and Pitt River dikes, which are a mere 8km from the house. The weather yesterday was a pleasant 6° and mostly sunny, so I called my riding buddy, who had been off the bike for the last month due to minor leg surgery, and told him to get up here so we could go for a nice ride on flat ground. Good thing we went yesterday, because as I write this, it is 5° and pouring rain.

Here are a couple pics of Nozomi enjoying the first ride of the year, itching for a tour.

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Muppets Threads! (And Anything Else) / Re: here we go again.
« Last post by Matt2matt2002 on January 03, 2026, 10:16:27 AM »
Quote from: in4 on January 03, 2026, 09:16:13 AM
And a shout out to Mrs Matt.

Yes indeed. This thing certainly effects a lot of folks around me.
Mrs. Matt has been a diamond. Too many things to list here where she has shone and gone one step beyond.

Here's a shout out to all of our partners who put up with us.
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Muppets Threads! (And Anything Else) / Re: here we go again.
« Last post by in4 on January 03, 2026, 09:16:13 AM »
And a shout out to Mrs Matt.
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Muppets Threads! (And Anything Else) / Re: here we go again.
« Last post by Danneaux on January 03, 2026, 02:44:45 AM »
All support from Denise and myself, Matt; I'll keep in touch.

Best, Dan.
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Muppets Threads! (And Anything Else) / Re: here we go again.
« Last post by John Saxby on January 03, 2026, 02:34:11 AM »
The good news is good news for sure, Matt.

Trust that the chemo does the necessary, but I know it's demanding and difficult.  You'll get there, Matt.

Best,  John
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Muppets Threads! (And Anything Else) / Re: here we go again.
« Last post by Andre Jute on January 03, 2026, 02:08:58 AM »
Quote from: Matt2matt2002 on January 02, 2026, 07:25:03 PM
So I'm looking at March before I can get this monkey off my back.

The important thing is that you will get the monkey off your back. The bad news is that you'll get rid of the monkey just in time to do a whole month of home-based daily exercises to get fit before the spring comes in April.

Holding thumbs for you, Matt.

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