Today’s ride was split into two parts, first I rode to Tadanoumi Port to catch the ferry to Okunoshima (Rabbit) Island, then I rode the rest of the way to Onomichi. I underestimated the climbing part in the beginning, it was a 10% gradient on an absurdly narrow road shoulder, so I had to walk it up. As I headed downhill, it started pouring, giant rain drops came down and within a few minutes, both of my socks had puddles in them.

The skies cleared up just as quickly and I made it to a convenience store to get a hot coffee and some snacks while my clothes dried off. It reminded me of my New Zealand tour from 2015. It makes me smile to think about how much I still enjoy the little snacks and treats during unpleasant weather and conditions.

The ferry was really quick, it took just 15 minutes to arrive on the island and see so many cute rabbits. They were spoilt from so many stacks and rushed over to you if you kneeled down or rustled your food bag.

All around the island there were abandoned and sometimes creepy buildings, which were remnants of the poison gas factories that were used during WWII. There was some pretty dark history on the island, but it’s mostly known for the rabbits and their cuteness.

For the second half of the ride, I had some help from the tailwind and made it into town around 6pm. Unfortunately the really popular restaurants close around 6.30pm, so after I showered, I went to look for the town’s specialty. Onomichi ramen has a sweet soy soup base, strips of pork and bits of pork back fat, which was surprisingly good, probably not healthy to eat daily though. The hostel had a scale and it appears that I have lost four kilos on my trip so far, so I could probably afford to eat a few more calories.

I had trouble sleeping that night, because the next day’s ride was very exciting, riding across the Shimanami Kaido Bridges, six bridges across seven islands. But the hostel was quiet and there were no snorers in the room, so eventually I fell asleep.