Kansai International Outdoor Club
Newsletter October 2004
Contents:
- Introduction
- September events
- Event reviews
4. Upcoming Events in November
- Momoi Campout – Claire
- Momoi Campout – Sasha
- Momoi Bike Ride - Tim
5. Novembers Recipe
1. Introduction
Hello everyone and welcome to November!
Hope you all had a fantastic October, and managed to get out into the countryside to witness the start of the stunning autumn colors, and to avail of the deliciously fresh air while you were at it. Although some IOC trips were hampered by the changeable weather, including Typhoon 23, we were lucky enough to have a gloriously sunny weekend for the annual Momoi Campout. I know I speak for everyone, when I say good times were had by all!
After the wonderful response to last month’s newsletter, submissions for this month were somewhat sparse. Cheers and applause go to Tim and Sasha, both new members, for their contributions on the Momoi Camp. Hurray Tim and Sasha!
If any of you would like to tell us about an event you were on, please email your article to newsletter@IOCkansai.com. It doesn’t have to be long; even a few sentences would be great. Don’t worry about spelling or grammar, I can help with that. Also, a quick remind to all event leaders: please nominate someone (or yourself!) from your group to write a review and send it to the newsletter.
I would like to take this opportunity to welcome all our new members to Kansai Outdoors Club. Hope to see you at an event really soon!
2. September Events
As mentioned previously, the weather during September was quite unpredictable. Unfortunately this lead to some event cancellations, but we still managed to get out and about on some pretty cool events.
We kicked off October with a whitewater rafting trip organized by Minhao Wong. It took place on a river up in Gifu and was lots of fun. If you weren’t there, you definitely missed out!
The joint IOC/IAC hike in the Japan alps fell victim to the terrible weather and had to be cancelled. Commiserations to Estella, who put a lot of time and effort into organizing this trip.
Next up was the Annual Momoi Campout. Yay! It was such a good weekend and there was a huge turnout, which made it all the more enjoyable. See the review later in this newsletter.
The following weekend, Dean organized a mountain bike and hike in Kobe. This was an event fore more experienced cyclists, tough but thoroughly enjoyable, and most importantly, lots of downhill
Yoshimi (Suzuki) planned and organized a trip to Hyogo prefecture to check out the awesome autumn leave, but sadly, once again, the weather had other ideas and it had to be cancelled.
Thanks to everyone who helped organize events this month. If you have an idea for an event please contact Ivan at activities@IOCkansai.com and he’ll help you get it off the ground.
3. Event Reviews
Momoi Campout by Claire
Well I think it’s fair to say that this year’s trip to Momoi was a resounding success. An astounding number of members (and soon to be members!) came along for the two days and it really was a case of ‘the more the merrier’.
Like last year, we split into two groups – the hikers and the bikers. We each took a different route but arranged to meet at the campsite in the afternoon. I was part of the hiking crew, and we had a lovely leisurely walk from the bus stop to Momoi. The sun was shining, the birds were singing and it felt good to be out of the city. It was a large group of hikers and there was a great atmosphere between us all as we went on our way.
When we got to our campsite, there was no sign of the bikers so we set about getting our futons and blankets ready for the night ahead. Afterwards, there was still no sign of the bikers. We stood around chatting for a while, and then it was time to have an aperitif, so we fished the wine, beer and CC Lemon out of the stream where it had been cooling. I think the popcorn deserves a special mention, because it was the most delicious popcorn I have ever tasted in my life. Instead of being flavored with boring old salt or cheese, it was peppered. Wow! Anyway, at this stage there were still no bikers to be seen. After we’d warmed up with alcohol, it was time to cook dinner. We split into our designated teams and began working away. This years meal was themed ‘American Barbeque’, so there was a lot of tantalizing treats on offer, such as barbequed chicken wings, home made burgers, coleslaw, corn etc. It was so delicious. In fact my mouth is watering right now as I type this! I should probably mention at this point that there was still no sign of the bikers. It was pitch black in the woods and we were starting to worry.
The Coleslaw Team
Next up, it was time to huddle around the campfire toasting marshmallows. Ivan (spot the English teacher!) had brought along handouts for everyone with the lyrics to traditional camp songs. Like we needed an excuse to start singing! The Japanese campers gave us some renditions of these songs in Nihongo, which was really cool. It culminated in a rousing rendition of The Hokey Pokey, complete with actions and dancing! Perhaps the less said about that, the better. ;)
Mmmm Corn
Just as all hope was fading….the bikers arrived. Yay! They were very lucky to still have something to eat, as I had been eyeing their burgers for quite some time. Were it not for Shinobu guarding them like a hawk, I don’t like to think about what might have happened!
Swiftly moving along, I am happy to report that we didn’t run out of drink this year and the merriment continued well into the night.
The next morning we had a lovely lie in and then began the day with a delicious breakfast of scrambled eggs with melted cheese, several types of bagel and…*drum roll*….peanut butter!!!
Next it was time for another of Ivan’s teaching games which was great, and then the IOC meeting around what was left of the campfire. There was also a Frisbee which seemed to spend most of its time in the stream, which made a nice change from the shoe last year. *a-hem*
The afternoon was spent hiking through the mountains, while the bikers went off in a different direction. Well, all the bikers except for Kei, who decided to cycle up and down the mountains with us. As you do. It was another glorious day and the hike was a great end to a great weekend.
HUGE thanks go out to Ivan and Shinobu for making this one of the most memorable events of the year. They put a lot of effort into ensuring everything went smoothly and they did an absolutely outstanding job. Thank you!
Thanks also to everyone who came along and made it so much fun. As we say in Ireland, “the craic was mighty”.
Momoi Cycle by Tim
The Momoi Camp-Out Bike Contingent was led by Jacquelyn Elliot. The route covered about 130 kilometers. It was an adventurous group and part of the route included some off-road biking.
This is a report of the group’s adventures as written by someone who is not yet a member but who dreams of becoming a member and, therefore, someone who had never ridden with the bike club before. After the bike trip, I can attest to those who have not yet ridden with the bike group but considering it, it’s a great experience. You’ll be amazed at how far and how fast you can ride under the inspiration of group camaraderie.
The 15 kilometers to the campsite were mainly uphill. I spent most of the ride dreaming that my bike had more than 9 gears. My Novara hybrid is ideal for city riding but not really suited for mountain forays. The pedaling was slow but the forest scenery was spectacular – like being in a landscape painting. Riding through the town of Kurama was especially memorable. The village was getting ready for a festival later that month and Jacquelyn pointed out the large traditional torches that they were constructing for it.
It took about 90 minutes to climb the hills and once we hit the top most point, we let gravity do its thing. It took us less than 20 minutes to roll down the other side – what a thrill! There was hardly any traffic and the scenery whipped by lie a dream. It was so steep that I had to keep hitting the brakes but what a worthy pay-off after the previous hill-climbing.
We arrived at the Momoi campsite just before 4 PM and with still some daylight left, we set out to explore the nearby mountain. At first we circled around the mountain on the paved road but then we found, what appeared to be, a promising entrée into its inner labyrinths.
The paved surface gave way to an old muddy trail which soon became an old rocky trail. Eventually, we found ourselves on an old muddy and rocky, steep trail that we could not exactly place on the map. Jacquelyn was nonplussed. She told me “this is what the IOC is all about”. She was referring to the sense of adventure, and indeed, despite the difficult terrain and lessening light, the spirit of the group was high. Besides, we were all fairly certain that the Momoi camp was nearby. The only problem was finding the turn-off and avoiding that nasty experience that we usually refer to as “going in circles.”
At one point, my bike went into a “bog” (as Dean called it) and half my front tire disappeared. The sun went down and the temperature started to drop but we kept moving on. Eventually, Dean, who reads Japanese, caught sight of a small, decrepit sign by the wayside that pointed the way down a hiking path: “to Momoi”. That was a relief.
It was a steep path and we ended up pushing/carrying our bikes down by two dim flashlights but, no matter, we had found the legendary trail-link that would bring us back to the mother ship! In fact, we almost crashed right into the barbeque grill we ended up being so close.
The next day we departed Momoi camp at around 11 AM. This time there were six people altogether. In addition to the original four were now Matt and John. We first headed north from the campsite and climbed a few moderately difficult hills along the way. Then we reached a T intersection at the foot of mountain logging road and, after some vague discussion with an old guy in a pick-up truck, we decided to take the road that winded up the left side of the mountain.
The road was somewhat difficult and it wasn’t long before Matt, who was riding a couple of thin road tires, got a flat. While Matt was fixing his flat, we had a snack. I ate some of my peanut butter and bread and enjoyed the expansive views over the mountains and forests. Down below in the valley there was not a soul in sight and the gravelly mountain road that we were on was the only road that seemed to exist. It was hard to believe that we were only a relatively short distance from Kyoto City. It felt like we way out in the Outback… or in the heart of the Rocky Mountains.
John struck up a conversation about one of his favorite foods, natto. It seems that the fundamental question that confronts all Internationales living in Japan is: to natto or not to natto. The argument is that natto has the protein of peanut butter without the fat, but I’m a love-child of Peter Pan and Skippy and one day I will probably (and very happily) die from choking on one of my quadruple layer PB sandwiches. But we never got that far into the discussion because Matt fixed his bike pretty quickly and then we were off.
And then Matt got his second flat. And then his third….
Most of the crew had gotten down off the mountain about an hour before Matt would finally walk his bike to the bottom. Dean and Jack headed back to help Matt while the rest of us had lunch at a nearby riverside.
After finishing lunch, and still waiting for Matt to appear, Nathan and John decided to continue the route as planned while the rest of the crew held back for the unique pleasure of wrestling with Matt’s (apparently) patch- resistant tire. There were at least three holes in the tire and one hole, in particular, was diabolical. It seemed that no matter how many patches that Dean slapped on this inner tube, it would still leak. Progress on the trail slowed to a pedestrian pace because of the frequent ad-hoc repair sessions. It wasn’t until late afternoon, with 40 kilometers down and 50 to go, that Matt inner tube finally gave up and let us ride in peace.
Because of the delay caused by the repairs, the trip fell behind schedule. The last couple of hours were ridden in dusk/darkness but it being Saturday night in the boondocks, there was virtually no traffic with which to contend. Besides, we weren’t about to rush things unnecessarily. In fact, Jacquelyn remembered seeing a small, quirky diner along the route and we decided to stop off there for dinner.
The diner was called “The Loft” and it existed as only a diner in the middle of nowhere can exist. It had a sign out front decorated with the colors of the Jamaican flag that read “drugs will not be tolerated” with the word “not” crossed out. The interior was filled with, literally, thousands of knick-knacks and kitsch pieces, including an extensive collection of miniature model Volkswagens. There was a small stage and drum set in the corner ready for the band to arrive. We were the only customers.
I had an Indian curry and a coke for 600 Yen, and the nan was just like authentic Indian nan. The Indian curry was real Indian curry – not the gravy/potatoes mix that the Japanese pass off for “curry”. Great food. This place was like an oasis in a desert. As we were leaving, the owner accompanied us to the front porch and waved goodbye calling out to us “watch out for the bears!”
It wasn’t until about 8:30 PM that we arrived at Andogawa station, near the SW corner of Lake Biwa. After departing from the diner, we had ridden the last 12 miles close together with our lights flashing. I felt tired but energized by the beautiful scenery and the fine weather that blessed the weekend. The trail had woven through rice fields, small villages and forests. That afternoon I had surprised a large deer that was crossing the road and I heard howls and crashing-wood sounds of another deer. This route is a biker’s dream ride.
Matt and I live in the same town so we took the Kintetsu train home together from Kyoto. We drank beer and ate chocolate like only cyclists, who have just finished a 90 k bike ride, can do. We visualized someday putting together an IOC bike-trip around our area (Asuka).
That was the kind of bike trip it was: it made us satisfied at the accomplishment but inspired to do more.
Momoi by Sasha
Here`s a little piece from a newcomer (Sasha Anderson). What a great group the KIOC is. Exactly as I had hoped. Friendly bunch, fun, and adventurous was what I thought at the end of the Momoi campout weekend. Thank you for having me along, I really enjoyed meeting your friendly faces and seeing some of Japan! And also my first time at an Onsen! Now I know where to take take my family when they visit and any brave friends.
The feeling of friends, hiking / cycling / kayaking (all of those good things), then relaxing by a campfire, some Vino (wine), and yummy food, what better way to spend my time... I am so looking forward to the many trips to come.
4. Upcoming Events for November
This weekend has not one, but two fantastic events for your pleasure.
Chris is leading a two start bike trip around Nara and Mie to check out those incredible autumn leaves on Sunday. Whatever you do, don’t forget your camera! I can’t wait for it. Details on the webpage.
While we’re testing our endurance in the outdoors with Chris, Eric will be conducting a different kind of endurance test on his ‘urban adventure’. That’s right, shop til you drop! Then get up, and go bowling and after that soldier on to a restaurant for some delicious sushi. It takes place around Costco in Amagasaki. As usual, more information is on the webpage.
Not disheartened by the unfortunate cancellation of his last event (pesky weather!), Yoshimi has organized a trip to the Kobe Arboretum to check out quite possibly the best autumn leaves in Kansai. It takes place on Saturday, November 20th. Details are, you guessed it, on the webpage.
November 20th is also the annual IOC Gallery Night. An excuse to wear some classy clothes instead of those muddy hiking boots and rain gear. Bring along your favorite photos and movies and share them with the rest of us. There are prizes to be won! Not only that, but free cheese and wine. Well, what are you waiting for? Sign up now!
Eric is really getting into shopping these days. On Tuesday, 23rd of November (a public holiday), he’ll be heading on an adventure to Tarumi Outlet Mall. Apparently there are lots of bargains to be had in men and women’s fashions. Oh, and several stores specializing in outdoor gear too!
5. This month’s tasty treat was sent in by one Mister Ivan Breen.
~IOC Recipe Classic~
“Philippino Rum Tea!”
Courtesy of Mario at “Planet Action, The Philippines”
Shinobu and I had this delicious brew in the Philippines on top of Mt. Canlaon this past summer. It kept us cozy through the night high up on our volcano trek. Philippino Rum Tea was introduced to us by Mario, our guide from the ecotourism company, “Planet Action.” Both Mario and the author of this article have conducted rigorous and thorough field tests of this ambrosia from the volcano gods, and we can both certify that it is 100% drinkable! Enjoy!
Ingredients:
1 bottle of rum
1 liter of water
5-8 Lipton tea bags or other black tea
6-7 calamansi (Philippino citrus fruit). You can substitute calamansi for 6-7 Japanese sudachi, yuzu, or limes (3-4 lemons or 2-3 oranges might work pretty well too).
10 or more tablespoons of sugar (depending on your taste)
Directions:
Heat water to a boil and add tea bags. Turn down the heat to a simmer and let the tea brew for 4-5 minutes. After the tea is ready, discard the bags and add the rum, making sure the heat is low enough so that the alcohol doesn’t evaporate! Thoroughly mix the rum and tea and then squeeze in the calamansi or other citrus fruit. Add the citrus skins to the brew after squeezing. Once the citrus is mixed in, add sugar to taste. It tends to be a lot of sugar. When all ingredients are thoroughly mixed, serve immediately and welcome the volcano gods!
Okay kids, that’s all for today. Tune in next month for more exciting adventures.
P.S. ARTICLES, please!!
