The weather was been great over the last week. On Thursday of last week, I was able to finally explore the valley beyond the end of my normal Muromi River ride. I had a good idea of where to go thanks to the help of Google Earth in navigating a path prior to the ride. The route took me off of the main road and through rice fields and along village streets. Of course, I did make a wrong turn at one point. Fortunately, I realized that the mistaken path was the road that led straight up the hillside and eventually just stops. It wasn’t too bad of a climb, but it used up a lot of strength that I could have used on the next hill. As I made my way back to the main road, the REAL climb began. The hillsides on both sides of the main road were covered in concrete and there was virtually no shoulder on the road as cars and trucks flew past. The climb to the top was slow and steep, but I made it. I descended back down the way I came. If was a nice and fast descent. The next step will be to explore the valley beyond the hill. It was a nice warm day to put in 40 km. I decided to grab some okinomiaki from local restaurant as a treat.