I was introduced to this ride by a coworker shortly after arriving in Iwakuni and it is the most frequent course I travel. At 40 km the it's a good distance to be able to fit in after work and for three quarters of the year I can be back home before dark. The ride starts with a few kilometers of city traffic but quickly turns into back roads with light to no traffic. The first 17 km are flat and follow Route 135 along the river. This gives you a good opportunity to warm up before hitting the one climb which is about 6 km in length and rises from sea level to 400 m. The downhill back into town has a bit more traffic but the road is in good condition and depending on your ability you can stay ahead of the traffic. The ride finishes off taking the backroad from Shin-Iwakuni to the Kintai bridge. This ride is enjoyable if you want to sit up in the saddle and take it easy after a stressful day at work or if your looking to work on your cycling conditioning you can put your head down and ride the flat section at speed and blow your legs out on the climb. I've seen wild boar and monkeys on this ride over the years and the road has been washed out and covered by mudslides but it was quickly repaired.
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| Mudslide that occurred after heavy rains in 2014. The road was cleared within a couple of months and it was easy enough to portage across. |
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| Today's ride the trees were changing colors in the hills. |
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| Unfortunately the sun is not staying up long enough to make it through the ride before it gets too dark these days. |
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| This little shrine marks the start of the climb, good chance to stop and say a little prayer before the suffering starts. |
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