New Frends on the 江戸川 (Edogawa River)

Cycling on the 江戸川 - I stopped at Shibamata Torasan Memorial Museum yesterday! Made some more friends! Thank you for the photo!

Unfortunately when I returned home I realized that I had lost my official identification card and 5000¥. As soon as I figured this out I sprinted back as fast as I could and it was not there. I was so frustrated because this was my fault and I never lose things.

This is also serious because the card is tied to my immigration status here and I have to have it on me at all times. I went to the local Koban (police box) and filed a report. I will have to wait about a week to request a new card because of the new year holiday.

Always an adventure - take the good with the bad and learn along the way. At least I got in double the kilometers that day!

サイクリング江戸川 - 上に立ち寄った柴又寅記念館昨日 ！いくつかのより多くの友人を作ったよ ！写真をいただき、ありがとうございます ！

残念なことに家に戻ったとき私は私の公式身分証明書と 5000 円を失っていたと思いました。私はこれを考え出したとすぐに sprinted バックとしてできる限りの速さ、それそこにいなかった。これは私のせいだったし、の事を失うことはありませんので、とてもイライラしました。

これはまた深刻なカードはここに私の在留資格に結びついているし、私はすべての回で私を持っています。ローカル Koban (警察箱) に行ったし、報告書を提出します。約 1 週間を年末年始休業のため、新しいカードを要求するまで待機するが。

常に冒険 - 悪い良いを取るし、道に沿って学ぶ。少なくとも私はその日ダブル キロで得た!

Japanese Stamps - Inkan / Hanko

Here's a bit of Japanese culture. Not sure how far back this practice goes but it's a widespread concept in the country - there's a stamp for everything.

This particular one is from the Hiroshima A-Bomb History Museum. It's a fun way to keep a memory of where you went but it also might serve as proof that you were here for a school trip etc.

These stamps can be found at almost any train station in Japan. They are popular with kids of course but I've also stamped a few pages in my Moleskin just for fun!

Stamps in Japan are also used as an individual's personal seal and is a formal way to complete paperwork. It is used more often in contracts, official notices, banking, buying cars, etc.  My version is Katakana of my last name and I carry a casual one with me daily. I've needed it more than once unexpectedly!

ここで日本文化のビットです。わからないどのくらい遠くまで戻るこの練習はしかしそれは国で広範な概念です - すべてのスタンプがあります。

この特定の 1 つは、広島原爆資料館からです。それは楽しいどこに行ったが、それものメモリを維持する方法は、あなたがここに修学旅行などの証拠として役立つかもしれない。

これらのスタンプは日本のほぼすべての鉄道駅で発見することができます。もちろん子供たちに人気のあるが、私はちょうど楽しみのための私のモールスキンのいくつかのページを刻印されても ！

日本の切手、個々 の個人的なシールとしても使用され、の書類を完了する正式な方法です。公式の通知は、銀行、自動車などの購入、契約でより頻繁に使用されます。私のバージョンは私の名字のカタカナと毎日私と一緒にカジュアルなものを運ぶ。一度突然以上必要だ ！

Cyclist's Snap サイクリストsnap

This is "Cyclist's snap"  (サイクリスト-snap). There is another, a fashion book in Tokyo, but this may be a special edition for cyclists. I was surprised to find it wasn't all about mustaches and fixies - this is really well done. Had to buy it!

It's more about the lives and habits of the people behind the bike.  Bits of fashion, lifestyle, technology, every day carry, and of course cycling. Hats off to the designers and photographers on this one.

If you are in Japan, it is in the cycling section. If in the USA, maybe special order at your Japanese book store.

ISBN 978-4-7779-3018-0

これは「サイクリストのスナップ」(サイクリスト スナップ).そこはもう、東京では、ファッションの本がサイクリストのための特別な版があります。口ひげとピストすべてについてではなかった - これは本当によく行われます見つける驚いた。それを購入していた ！

生活と自転車の後ろに人々 の習慣についての詳細です。ビットとファッション、ライフ スタイル、技術、すべての日運ぶのサイクリング コースします。この 1 つ上の写真家とデザイナーに脱帽。

日本の場合は、サイクリングのセクションでは。場合は米国では、日本語の本で多分特別な注文を格納します。

ISBN 978-4-7779-3018-0

@mavic @snap @cervelo

#cyclistssnap #mavic #cervelo #hammernutrition #tokyo #japan

Tokyo Bike Tour!

I made a few friends before I came to Japan. I met the first of these a few days ago!

He is a cyclist and likes to hang out with friends on bikes!

We met in Odaiba so I had to pedal in from Edogawa. It's not a bad trip - just tricky to navigate the bridges and paths across the water channels. iPhone is great for these kinds of adventures!

I should say here that I rely heavily on 2 pieces of equipment other than my bike. I use my iPhone to sort out the complicated paths and find what I need. I also use a Garmim 810. The Garmin works here really well but it's not loaded with maps yet. I am looking at different map packages now but it's complicated. The 810 is great because no matter where I end up I can follow my path back by using "breadcrumbs" and returning back to my point of origin. Super amazingly useful and has been a major advantage when I am out exploring. It's really easy to get lost here. 

Anyway, from Odaiba we met for the first time and talked for a bit.

超アクティブな IG 有し、日本に来る前に、いくつかの友達ができています。数日前にこれらの最初に会った ！

彼はサイクリストおよびバイクで友達とたむろするが好き ！

江戸川からのペダルにいたので、我々 はお台場で会った。ない悪い旅行 - ちょうど橋とパス水チャネル間で移動するが難しいです。iPhone は素晴らしいこれらの種類の冒険のです ！

私は、私は大きく依存している装置の 2 部分に私の自転車以外ここで言う必要があります。複雑なパスを整理し、必要なものを見つけるに私の iPhone を使用します。私も Garmim 810 を使用します。ガーミンここで本当によく働くがそれはまだマップで読み込まれません。今異なるマップ パッケージで探していますがそれは複雑です。私は結局どこに関係なくすることができます、「階層リンク」を使用して戻って起源の私のポイントに戻って私の道に従う、810 は素晴らしいです。スーパー驚くほど便利ですしている主な利点を探索しているとき。それは本当にここで迷子になりやすいです。

とにかく、お台場から私たちが初めて会ったし、少し話をしました。

My friend "Gutchie" (short for another couple names) asked if I wanted to visit the Tokyo Sky Tree. So I said yes! We went from Odaiba through part of Ginza. Sky Tree is interesting because it is super huge. You can see it from very far away. You think you are getting close but you are still 10km away!  When you finally arrive it is almost hard to take in. It's really big. Probably bigger than anything you've ever seen. My iPhone couldn't even fit the whole thing in frame from across the street!

私の友人"Gutchie"(別のカップルの名前の略） 東京スカイツリーを訪問したいと私は尋ねた。だから私はそうを言った ！銀座の部分を介してお台場から行きました。それは超巨大スカイツリーは面白いです。それは非常に遠くから見ることができます。近づいてきていますが、あなたはまだ 10 km 離れたと思う ！最後に到着したときにほとんどのハードです。それは本当に大きいです。おそらくあなたが今まで見てきた何よりも大きい。私の iPhone は、通りの向こう側からフレームの全部も収まることができなかった ！

We stopped for a quick break and made another friend unexpectedly!  This guy in a short and tie comes up and starts talking to us!  Turns out he is a cyclist and works upstairs as an illustrator / designer. We exchanged IG names and took a photo!

我々 は迅速な休憩のため停止し、予期せず別の友人を作った ！この男は短いとネクタイやってきて私たちに話し始める ！彼はサイクリストと 2 階のイラストレーターとして作品が判明/デザイナー。IG 名前を交換し、写真を撮った ！

From there we decided to go to Tokyo Tower!  More craziness!  It was about 2pm I think and the roads were getting busier. Well, more busy than they normally are! People in Japan are mostly good drivers. They are super cautious and well trained however that can't be said for everyone. The worst offenders in my opinion and the taxi drivers, simply because there are more of them, and they aren't the most observant people ever. Second, are moms on commuter bikes or "mama-chari" bikes.  They are usually busy talking in the phone with a baby in the front and back, groceries, and they usually aren't the most athletic types ever. I just expect that they will try to kill me and it usually works out in my favor. 

We finally arrived about 30 mins later and I have to say the Tokyo Tower is much more beautiful than Sky Tree. Quieter environment, trees, less populated, and overall much easier to take in. The Sky Tree is cool, just different though. 

We hung out for a bit, took a photo, then we both had to head out and beat the sunset. Japan can be scary by bike at night. Too many small things to hit.

そこから東京タワーへ行くことに決めた ！多くの狂気 ！私と思う 14 についてされ、道路が忙しくなっていた。まあより通常より忙しい ！日本の人々 は、ほとんど良いドライバーです。彼らは超慎重としかできないために言うこと皆よく訓練されています。私の意見とタクシー運転手で最悪の犯罪者単にので、それらの多くがある、彼らは今までに最も鋭い人々 ではないです。第二に、通勤バイクまたは「ママチャリ」バイクのママです。彼らは通常忙しい前面と背面、食料品、赤ちゃんの携帯電話で話している、彼らは通常これまでほとんどの運動の種類ではありません。ちょうど彼らは私を殺すためにしようと、それが通常私の好意にうまくを期待します。

我々 は最終的に後で約 30 分に到着したし、東京タワーがスカイツリーより美しいと言っています。静かな環境、木、人口の少ないと全体的にかなり簡単。スカイツリーはクールでだけ異なるです。

ためにたむろし、両方を頭にあった日没を破った少し、写真を撮った。日本は夜に自転車で怖いことができます。あまりにも多くの小さなものをヒットします。

Made it home just before the sun disappeared. It was a great day! Thank you Gutchie!  Let's do it again!

ホームメイド太陽が消えた前に。それは素晴らしい一日だった ！ありがとう Gutchie ！もう一度やってみましょう ！

Friend From California Visits Japan

Long time no post. Sorry! My buddy Bryan was here from Califonia so we've been out a lot!

I'll let the photos talk for themselves though. We went everywhere!!

Not shown in the photos are his trips for 2 weeks before he got here. He's friends with Yamane of Evisu so he went fishing at Biwa. Definitely off the path - the best way in Japan. 

He got as far as almost Kahoshima I think so I give him credit for rotting on the trains that long!

Check out his Flickr feed!

http://m.flickr.com/#/photos/driftclub/sets/

長い時間ポスト無し。申し訳ありません ！私の友人ブライアンはここですこしからたくさん出てきたので ！

自分自身の話をしかし写真を知らせいたします。われわれはどこ行った ！

彼の旅行 2 週間前に彼はここでは、写真に示されていません。彼は彼が釣り琵琶に行ったのでエヴィスジーンズ山根友人です。間違いなくパスオフ - 日本で最良の方法です。

彼はその長い列車に腐っているための信用に彼を与えると思う Kahoshima ほぼ限りだ ！

彼の Flickr のフィードをチェック ！

http://m.flickr.com/#/photos/driftclub/sets/72157636686378804/

Cervelo Saga Part 3 - VWD

Background since last post... I have been sorting out a bottom bracket issue with the Cervelo S5 for about 8 months. My mechanic at Irvine Bicycles in Irvine California is a rockstar and has really gone to war over this for me. 

Fast forward - I live in Japan now and Cervelo has sent me ANOTHER frame. This is number 3. Refer to previous blogs for background.  I pressed my mechanic and cervelo to sort it out on there end and make this right. And they did just that! I received a VWD version of the S5 frame as an apology for all of this craziness.

From what I gather this is NOT normal and I have talked to other S5 owners and they have no issues.

The problem became complex because the frame arrived 2 days after I left the country for Japan. My brother and friend came to the rescue and the frame is now with me in Japan!

As frustrating as all this has been I need give my shop and mechanic Brian credit and thanks for being so great.  I owe some credit to a cervelo for standing behind their product as well. Race frames are finicky but at least they stand behind their product. I don't know if I could say the same for everyone else.

So next step is get this frame built in Japan. I have been referred to a Cervelo dealer (their are not many) and a trusted mechanic so I will report back after the build.

Special thanks to my brother for connecting the dots and to my good friend for dragging the frame with him and visiting me in Japan.

Thank you again Irvine Bicycles and my mechanic Brian for being such a rockstar. If you need a top end mechanic and shop these are your people in Southern California!

Cheers!

It took a second...

Quick update and follow up...

TSA held my luggage for inspection. 

I arrived in Narita, Japan and as anyone would do I found my way through customs and went to collect everything that I brought with me.  I wa surprised to find all of my cases off the belt and waiting for me. Wha??? A really friendly Japanese representative from Narita asked if I had all my stuff. I counted everything and I was a case short. Then she asked my last name. I confirmed and she told me that my case had been held in LAX without explanation. However, it was cleared by TSA and would be on a plane tomorrow. Apparently it was held for further inspection... After I left the country. Wtf?

Long story short, Japan apologized for what LAX did, said it happens far too often, and they would ship it to my house for free.  They tracked my case from LAX to Narita and called me the next day to tell me it arrived safely that evening and is en route the next day.

It took 3 or 4 days total to see my case again. But to my shock it was never opened of inspected. Locks were still closed and once I opened it I realized quickly everything was completely untouched. I never got an official explanation for what happened. I guess it never made it on the flight. LAX officially blamed TSA but that is all Narita ever knew. 

Moral of this whole rant is that TSA or LAX really sucks at their job. When people travel they are super stressed to begin with. When you move out of the country and spend months planing what you need to pack and have it left behind because TSA / LAX is incompetent it is really a punch to the face. Japan / Narita came through like heros and accepted responsibility for LA's incompetence.

Thank you Narita for personally seeing to the resolution. LAX / TSA please stop effing everyone over.

... End rant...

Steps Part 2

Part 2 of the beurocracy shake down in Japan came in the form of trying to get a bank account. 

Left early this morning for my card registration - next stop was Yokohama Mitsubishi Bank of Japan and is actually the parent company of Union Bank USA formerly Union Bank of California.

I was loaded with all the proper paperwork, my Inkan (official stamp of my last name), and most importantly - money!  Guess what??? No go..  My official residence was too far from the bank I was trying to open an account at. This concept was new to me. The amount of money I wanted to deposit didn't matter. From what I gathered they have become very aggressive about rules regulating where and how you bank in Japan. Why? Not really sure. There is reasoning behind this rule I am sure - I am just not sure what it is yet. All of the bank branches are connected. The exception to the rule is if your work is close to your bank in which case they will make an exception and let you hold an account. You must provide proof (business card) of your work or business in the area and they will grant you an account. Hmm.... Ok. 

This photo is my Inkan. It's a stamp of my last name in Katakana for official business or contracts. 

Anyway, the bank account was a 1/2 busted mission. Opened 1 account and denied the other. What can you do - learn something new every day...

Taking Steps

I was told that everything in Japan can be a bit of a process. Paperwork and beurocracy make this country work. It can work for you or very against your very quickly and I experienced both today!

Upon my entry to Japan I received my foreigner / Gainin residency card. I was directed to a line at the end of the check in counters (closest to the offices) that is reserved for foreign dignataries and special entry permits. I was told to go here because I possessed an entry permit / certificate of eligibility that was pre-approved by the Japanese Consulate in Los Angeles, California USA. Because I had pre approval I was issued a card immediately. They were very clear about the rules of this card and the penalties for not carrying it.

If I am asked for the card by any authority (police, immigration, etc.) and do not have it with me I can be fined ¥200,000 and risk detainment. They are really serious about keeping it on you at all times. Along with a full page of instructions and warnings there was also a paragraph about registering with my local prefecture of residence within 14 days - this is the final step in my imigration to Japan. 

I went to the Funabashi government office in Chiba to register my new card. This was a smooth process but a lengthy one. The local government offices are amazing. Super efficient and organized and amazingly friendly. Such a difference from USA services like the DMV! 

The end result of final registration was a bit of unexpected icing... I have 3 year residency status and unlimited work permission. I am not sure which was the pre-requisite but the girl at the counter "suggested" that I fill out one more piece of paper. It was registration for the national health system! They issued me another card that allows me to see doctors and also covers 30% of my expenses for health related visits. Wha?????  This was a total surprise. I don't want to use it but it's nice to know its there just incase.