Day 18 - raining again? seriously?

I had paid for breakfast, but had forgotten to say that I was a pesky vego and what time would it be ready?
I really sleep well on these futons and traditional pillows.  this one was loosely filled with quite large pieces of who knows what, but it was just right and I really slept well..

so wot's for breakfast?  well marvellous really!  there was a small bowl of salad stuff, one plate with a lump of fresh fish, lightly poached I think...  another plate with scrambled eggs, a bowl of tightly curled fern frons, topped with what I thought might be dried fish, but thankfully turned out to be something more like daikon...  the old cook (male) brought me a hot bowl of rice, then another bowl of piping hot miso soup with enochi mushrooms and large pieces of seaweed.  oh yes, there were some slices of pickled turnip and a pickled plum...  then along came another bowl of silken tofu, topped with a green sauce, I have no idea what it might have been - matcha probs...  oh and a plate with two small slices of sponge roll, a strawberry and a slice of kiwi fruit!  and I ate it all, even the fish....  all served on different patterned dishes, all beautiful...  10 hundred times much better than a business hotel buffet and at half the price!  I love these traditional Japanese Inns or ryokan... 

so what's ahead?  a few clouds, but then when I was loading up Hennie, a few tiny drops of rain began to fall, so I dug around for my jacket...  that'll be all I need...  so out onto the highway again.

but soon the rain got heavier and then it set in steady drenching rain - no wind tho - and soon I had to find a dry spot (under a small overpass) to don waterproof pants, booties to cover my shoes, dig out those b gloves again and where did I put that helmet cover?  who knows...

so it rained all day, but the scenery was still spectacular - riding up a gorge with crashing river, now angry because of all the extra water it has to deal with - no longer nice and green water, its gone brown.  the forest still was showing all its shades of green and really, one can't be too cranky in such a beautiful spot...

of course there was plenty of swearing re: the footpaths that suddenly end and then 50m later turn up on the other side of the road...  and Route 19 is a major road with too many trucks rushing past and drenching me even more...  well, ya can't get any wetter, but must I have the mud in my face as well?

the last 10km was always going to be a struggle - a solid 7km climb followed by a 3km downhill rush into Magome.  it wasn't long before I was out of the saddle and pushing Hennie along...  at least we were off the main road now and hardly any traffic, but then, no footpath either..  no shoulder on the road and a full drain right on the edge...  and little rivers running down the road too....  I struggled onwards and upwards until a little truck passed me and pulled over to the side.  a friendly man jumped out and suggested that he drive me into town!  Arigato!!!  I was only about a km from the top and then the rush downhill - I love a downhill ride, but phew - not with wet brakes and wet roads, so was sooooo grateful for that act of kindness.  with the help of Map.me he drove me right up to my booked accom for the night.  I shook his hand and said many Arigato gozaimas!!!  and away he went...

so have ended up in a very modern guest house, Swedish theme in pine timber everywhere include dalahest decorating shelves and cupboards!!  hot shower, all my clothes into the washing machine and down to the kitchen to feast on bread and cheese...  yep... no food here and I hadn't planned ahead as usual...  but then a kind man who was cooking soba noodles felt sorry for me and gave me a small bowl..  there was just onion and soy sauce and pickled ginger and it was delicious....  ahhh Japan you just gotta love it - even when its raining!

by the way - I asked why the Swedish theme and the young man scratched his head...  I said the Dalahest and pine timber everywhere - but he said, we use timber and in this region the horse if very important....  still, they were dalahests without the colour....  :)

not many photos!