[jp]LIVESTRONGの下見をしなければとずっと考えてきたが、やっと実現。おそらく日本一標高の高い160kmのルートはかなりヤバかった。朝6時に出発。まずは”キングオブ峠”の乗鞍ヒルクライム。素晴らしい景色と素晴らしいライドを堪能して、国道158号線を経由して高山方面へ。朝も早い時間だったので交通量も少なく、比較的快適なライド。典型的な日本の田園風景をぬけ、飛騨農園街道から国道361号線へ。そこはまさに乗鞍の裏側（岐阜県民にとっては表側）、おそらく信号はたった１つぐらいだったはず。しかしながらこのルートが思った以上にハードなアップダウン。下りで何とか足を休めながら進むことに。ほぼ中間地点の朝日村、ここでしっかりと休憩を取るべきだったのが、そのまま進んで痛い目に・・・そこから野麦峠までは44kmの上り。始めは緩い坂のジャブ、それからは激坂のハードパンチラッシュ！ 野麦峠はスタートから121kmの地点、丁度ギブアップしようかと思ったときに、道に迷って遅れていたサポートのスタッフが追いつき、その声援で何とか峠を上りきる。峠での休憩のあとスタッフのセツが最後の39kmを付き合ってくれ、何とか完走。このイベントは絶対的に”チームイベント”でなければ無理。安全という面からだけでなく、友達と励まし合って峠を越えていくことが必要。まさに人生もこの繰り返し・・・人生こそ本当の”チームイベント”。峠を越えるには友が必要。自分の周りのチームに感謝 – 家族、そしてゲストの方々。… KEEP RIDING[/jp]
[en]We have been in the planning of doing a LIVESTRONG event for sometime! We scouted the route and finally, I rode the 160 Kilometer (100 miles) route and it truly blew me away. Starting at 6:00 AM … I went up the world class NORIKURA HILL CLIMB~ what a view, what a ride! Then went toward Takayama via Route 158 and because it was still early the road wasn’t too busy… riding through hamlets of traditional Japanese houses, beautiful. After that I proceeded on “Hida Nouen Kaido” to “361”. This is the “backside” of Norikura and the route is through little traveled farm country… I think there was only one signal the whole route. It was harder than I expected but just enough descents to keep those old legs going. At the half point, in ASAHI MURA … I should have just taken a good break but I decided to just keep going. Just keep going? It was a 44 kilometer climb that starts easy and ended on the historical NOMUGI TOUGE. This pass is at the 121 kilometer point of the route and was I tired by then but just then my staff came and gave me a second burst of energy! After a brief rest and then Seth riding the next 39 kilometers with me I was able to successfully challenge myself and thus completing this route. This is definitely a “team event” … not only from a safety point of view but having friends encourage you over the passes. But isn’t life really that way too … yup, life IS a team event that helps you over those passes. I am blessed by the team around me … my family, my staff, and my amazing guests. LIVESTRONG … KEEP RIDING.[/en]
