Biking Along The Edo River

Mr. Ono is a one of our nomad friends we met in Bali and regularly caught up with there and in Chiang Mai as we made our yearly circuit around SE Asia for the 7 years leading up to the current “reset” attempt. Mr. Ono is a lifelong bachelor, probably in his mid 70’s. Fun character to have lunch or dinner with – which we did many times.

Mr. Ono it turns out, comes from the same district in Tokyo we are now in. He’s returned here as well for the same reason – so we’ve been able to continue catching up with him here. Wife and daughter went out to lunch with him again recently at which time he gave us his extra bicycle. This has been a small godsend for me after a long winter cooped up in the apartment.

For the past couple of weeks, I have been taking near daily rides when the weather is good – which it often is these days. We live right near the banks of the Edogawa (Edo River) – which begins as it splits off from the Tone River in Saitama prefecture to the north of us, and spills out into Tokyo harbor about 10 or 11 kilometers south of us, forming the eastern border of Tokyo.

The river banks along the entire river, on both sides, are groomed into parks, golf courses and athletic fields. Biking and walking paths run the entire length – at least along the sections I have biked so far. It is a massive green oasis just a few minutes ride from our apartment and I am now spending spend around an hour or so each day – weather permitting – pedaling up and down the riverside, enjoying the wide open space, green and water.

The wind tends to blow straight up the river from the harbor, so half the ride I have the wind to my back as I head north towards Matsudo – cruising away with little effort at all. The return ride is when I burn the calories though. Fortunately, the paths are tarred and level. Occassionally, I have to push the bike up one of the ramped staircases that goes from river-level to the top of the raised river banks – there are paths on both levels – but sometimes only the upper or lower one gets you around the many vehicle and train bridges that span the river.

First few days I really felt it – and I didn’t go too far. But I’ve been doing this a couple of weeks now and I already feel a bit stronger and tend to go a little further on each trip out. Really great for a positive mood shift, overcoming cabin fever and getting me out of the wife’s hair while she’s working. I seem to fall asleep quicker and sleep better at night too. Daily terrors have taken a dive in both frequency and intensity as well – thank you endorphins.

Another benefit of riding the bike is seeing everybody else out there enjoying themselves too – the kids playing baseball, ultimate frisbee, rugby and lacrosse and tons of other people jogging, biking, walking their dogs and fishing along the river. On the weekends, it gets downright crowded. We’ve even seen people waterskiing in the river. Dose of sanity for sure.

Daughter doesn’t mind me hogging the bike – she’s into skateboarding now – and often takes off on the train, skateboard in hand – to go catch up with her friends elsewhere in Tokyo and Chiba and do whatever it is teens with skateboards do when they get together. I don’t pry (too much).

Wife is not a fan of biking – except for quick trips to the nearby grocery store. We do take walks together though – often to the river as well, sometimes with a packed lunch. 

The bike has a light on it, but I have not been out at night. You can see a few stars from the apartment on a real clear night, so I’m thinking it might be worth biking or walking over to the river after dark to see what can be seen in the night sky despite the light pollution of Tokyo.

Reading: Just finished “The Starseed Signals” by Robert Anton Wilson. Written around 1973, this is about his work with Timothy Leary on their 8 circuit model of neurological development, their communications with some form of intelligence that appeared to originate in the Sirius star system and Leary’s plans to get humans as a species off earth and out into the stars to meet other intelligent life forms. Most of this happened and written during the time Leary was being held in Folsom prison. The book itself was never published until last year though.

I have read almost all of RAW’s published books. (The notable exception being the 3 volumes of the Historical Illuminatus Chronicles.). I have also listened to countless hours of his recorded lectures and read many articles he wrote for very interesting newsletters from the 1960’s to the 1990’s. RAW’s writings helped me through some very difficult times in my life by teaching me how to change my perspective in very powerful and positive ways and showing me how to quite literally bring more than a little magic into my life. What I learned from Wilson and other sources his works led me to have played a very large role in my adventures and travels around the world over the past decade. Naturally I was very glad to discover this new volume of his early writing. Many new rabbit holes to go down!