We did a mini-bike trip this weekend on the tandem – yea!  We left Saturday morning with our biking buds Bill, Tracy and Pearl.  We drove east about three hours up past Hiroshima to Onomichi where we crossed the bridge to Mukaishima Island.  Here we parked the cars, mounted our steeds and rode this tiny ferry

back across the channel to the world’s tiniest Taco Shop (only five seats at the counter).

The Japanese owner lived in Mexico for a few years and learned how to make tacos.  So she now makes tacos from scratch with all fresh ingredients in this tiny place.  A great way to start a leisurely bike tour.

Then it was back on the ferry and around Mukaishima Island to our first bridge.

This huge bridge was amazing because the bike/pedestrian lanes were under the bridge.  Can you believe it?  Image how cool that would be in the US.

We biked around Innoshima Island and over bridge number two.

Always on a completely separate bike lane.  Oh, and by the way, can you tell that it’s pouring down rain? –  ever since we left the taco shop.

Once on Ikuchijima Island we headed straight for our favorite Dolce ice cream shop

and on to one of the funkiest onsen’s ever but we like it.

Here’s the gang enjoying a Rouge Double Chocolate Stout with peanuts, ready for a hot soak in the bath.

Later that evening several folks from Chris and Bill’s work joined us.  The next morning we hung out waiting for the rain to let up which it did around 1000.  The others rented bikes and we rode with them across another bridge to Omishima Island.  From here they continued on and we turned around and retraced our steps (or treds) back to the car.  Lots of good times except my camera seems to have pooped out – maybe because of the pictures I tried to take in the rain.

*If you’ve not read my previous blogs about our first Islands Ride you should check it out at bikes and bridges.  It’s an amazing riding experience especially if you’re interested in how bike lanes can integrate into such infrastructures as bridges.