BaltiCCycle 2023

"From Rio de Janeiro to Tokyo" /continuation of BC 2020/

5th Olympic Expedition

The honour patronage – Polish Olympic Committee

July 1 – August 20, 2023

HOKKAIDO: Wakkanai – Hakodate; HONSHU: Oma – Tokyo

Due to the pandemic of COVID-19, we couldn't complete the BaltiCCycle 5th Olympic Expedition "From Rio de Janeiro to Tokyo" in 2020. Only the first section of the route from Rio to the Iguazu Falls has been done. The lockdown has been extended to 2021, and only in 2022, we could finish the South American part of the Olympic route (2 and 3 parts) while Japan remained closed for foreign tourists. Finally, Japan reopens borders on October 11, 2022, and we announce rescheduled BC plan for the 2023 summer. We are not anymore constrained by the dates of the Olympic Games therefore the start is shifted to July month when it is the best time for visiting Hokkaido island as well as a few more days added making some parts of the route more relaxing and giving more time for visiting national parks.

Hokkaido is called the cycling heaven of Japan. Rolling green hills and farmlands, winding seaside roads, unspoiled national parks with mysterious lakes, volcanoes, and natural hot springs (onsens). We will start cycling from the northernmost city of Japan – Wakkanai and will head at first to the easternmost Nemuro City. Cycling through the Shiretoko Pass and the Cape Nosapu we will take a close look at the southern Kuril Islands – Northern Territory of Japan, occupied by Russia. Further our route will go west through Kushiro-Shitsugen and Akan-Mashu national parks and visit the Olympic town of Sapporo. The route in Hokkaido will end at the charming port city of Hakodate from where we will take a ferry across Tsugaru Strait to the largest island of Japan – Honshu.

The route in Honshu we mostly prepared following the recommendations of the Japan Cycling Navigator. During the rest day in Towada-Hachimantai national park, we will climb Mount Iwate (2038 m) whose shape reminds the sacral Mount Fuji. We will cycle through the scenic Tohoku region from North to South while entering the Tokyo area. This region suffered from the earthquake and tsunami causing Fukushima nuclear accident on March 11, 2011. Before entering Tokyo, we will stop for one day in historical Nikko town to enjoy the beauty of Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples inscribed in UNESCO heritage. We will complete the ride in Tokyo at the Gates of Olympic Stadium.

Join us for a month, a week, a day, or for a whole route! See you on the road!

Ride coordinators:
Sigitas Kučas (Lithuania), bc2022@bicycle.lt, +370 686 59 375
Maryla Zielińska (Poland), bc2023@bicycle.pl, +48 604 255 722

Friends:
catdays.net