Like Sisyphus

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 26

I woke up late, because I didn't have to get up for breakfast like everyone else. I got up, packed my stuff, and then, while waiting for everyone to get back, stretched back out and napped again, knowing my roommates would have to return anyway to pick up their bags.

Thus, I could honestly claim later that I was sleeping when the bikers showed up that morning. We headed off, although I wasn't with the same group I had been the day before. I actually didn't really keep a group this day. People were a lot less group oriented and more in survival mode.

I also remember less of this day.

I had chocolate ice cream again for breakfast.

In Otsu, we passed a giant crab sculpture and a ferris wheel. There was a very nasty bridge in Otsu that arched over the southern tip of the lake. Many people had to walk their bikes, although I made it. At the top, we all took pictures. Josh was there, which surprised me, as I figured he'd go off on a longer one and actually go around the very southern tip. He explained that the traffic is so bad that he hates biking down there and will only do it at 6AM. I felt better.

I headed down the bridge after another group intent on joining them, and thus went quite fast. At the bottom was a police officer with a speed camera and I biked past in a near panic hoping I wouldn't get arrested. I was fine. Luckily, this isn't Shorewood.

We curved around and started back up the eastern side of the lake. Passing home was hard, especially as I could see the giant bright sign of the pachinko parlor in the distance, marking the neighborhood near where I live. It was so tempting to swing that way, drop off some stuff. Just leave... Many other people were doing that... just dropping off as we hit their hometown, but I was determined that I would bike around this lake and I would do it.

I biked on.

North of Omihachiman, we stopped for lunch at a little restaurant overlooking the lake. I ordered spaghetti, which didn't come with the marinara sauce I'd expected. Like many people, my stomach was upset this morning and I'd been hoping for something calming. The seaweed didn't calm it. I ate most of it and wished I'd just ordered toast as I'd originally planned.

We then headed out again. I'd biked the stretch near Omihachiman and as the trip progressed had thought about it more and more. It's a wild, hilly roller-coaster. And, with how my legs had felt the night before, I was worried about making it. As it turns out, I went through this stretch with a second-year girl Penne, and it was definitely not as bad as I was remembering. Lots of hills, yes, but the momentum for one usually helps on the next. That wasn't to say it was painless. It was just nicer than it COULD have been. We cruised on through.

The bike ride from Omihachiman to Hikone took forever. Hikone, too, I spread out, so we were in Hikone for ages before we hit the Starbucks were everyone was gathering. I didn't order coffee, but took out the end of my chocolate and started munching. One boy commented that I was always eating chocolate, which he thought was awesome. I wished I could have chatted with him more, but I had to head out with the rest of the Kinomoto start group. See, all bicylces were due back at 5pm or we'd have to pay for the next day's rental, too. My bike wasn't a rental, but I didn't know the way to Kinomoto myself, so I had to press on with them. Many people were quite happy here as they only had an hour left of biking. Some were stopping sooner.

We had several hours left at a hard clip. It was painful. We eventually spread out and one guy stuck with me, as the rest of the Kinomoto group either fell too far ahead or behind to catch up. I didn't have an iPhone, like most JETs do here, so he wasn't going to leave me alone. So, he told me to bike first and set the pace (as I was getting increasingly slower.) Really, he was very good to stick with me, rather than just going on ahead with his buddies. We wound an obscure way through a neighborhood and just kept going on.

My legs were shot by this point. Not just tired, but no strength and no reserves left. I was pedaling hard, but but going that fast. But, I was determined to finish. I was ready to cry at this point. I had no reaction time, my legs were barely working, my back hurt, and my butt just couldn't sit comfortably any more on the seat. I was just a machine chugging toward the end.

During this time, I thought of Greek Mythology, specifically the story of Sisyphus, who is dammed to push a boulder up a hill only to have it roll back down every time it gets close to the top. I also thought of erg races. The mental brainwashing that went into being a rower definitely helped get me through this section.

Finally, we saw a sign up ahead with a train on it, and I biked furiously toward it, only to see that it was for the station BEFORE mime. One more station to go. I think I let out some sort of primordial sound of pain. We biked on.

And after what seemed longer than it should have been, the station sign appeared directing us the 0.2km to the strain station, to our right. I'll sound like a wimp for saying this, but that was a really hard 0.2km.

We got in, met up with Brian, and I collapsed onto the ground, happy to be free of my bicycle. Others showed up. Brian borrowed my bike to go withdraw money from the ATM as he'd already returned his. As it turns out, the last group showed up 5 minutes before 5 o'clock, meaning all bikes made it in on time.

I laid around a bit more, with no intention of moving. I was not the only one. Travis was also feeling pretty dead. Most of the group was heading off to dinner, but I was going home. I was too tired to think of going out.

I carefully packed my bike back up, then lifted it onto the elevator. Upstairs, I bought a ticket, went to the platform and waited for the train. Got on the train, and settled in for a rest. I was exhausted and this is when it hit me. I needed to stay awake so I wouldn't miss my stop, but I admit, I had to go back and relisten to that part of White Fang.

Back at home, I carried my bike outside, but I was too exhausted to carry it home, so I ripped the covers off there, and popped the front wheel back on and headed out. The last place I wanted to be then was a bike seat, but I also had no desire to walk. And when it comes to either walking or biking, I'll always take the later.

I got in and soaked in the bath. I biked down to the Heiwado to buy a wrench and screwdriver to get my bike back together, but ended up being too tired. I fell into sleep. I figured I'd put my bike back together another night, or better, during the day when it was sunny. I didn't want to carry it up stairs into the house again. It's rather unwieldy, you know.

Also, I need to pick up some wrapping and drop a gift off with my Japanese neighbors to thank them for the tool loan on Friday night.