Back to Sapporo
Saturday was the summer solstice, and I set my alarm for 5:00 AM in Wakkanai Forest Park Campground. The night before, I’d tucked my food wrappers near a tent stake to avoid stepping on them in the dark—by morning, the crows had scattered them across the site. I packed up quickly as a light drizzle began to fall and coasted downhill toward the train station, stopping at a Seicomart for breakfast.
Outside the station, I met two Korean touring cyclists who had ridden all the way from Fukuoka. They’d camped in front of the station because the woman was afraid of bears.
I disassembled my bike and packed it into the rinko bag, boarding the 6:36 express to Asahikawa. I initially stashed my gear behind the rear seat of the last car, but since I didn’t have a reserved ticket, the conductor made me move both myself and the bike to the unreserved section.
The transfer in Asahikawa was just as hectic, but eventually I rolled into Sapporo, greeted by a burst of color and music from the flower festival in Odori Park. I checked into my hotel and later headed to Ramen Alley for dinner.
Sunday was a rest day. I slept in, caught up on much-needed rest, and spent part of the morning organizing photos and maps for my trip reports. In the afternoon, I ventured out for a cappuccino at Love Espresso and wandered the covered shopping arcade, picking up toothpaste and a few souvenirs. I ended up at the fish market where I treated myself to raw scallops and oysters—fresh and fabulous.
Later, I returned to Odori Park to soak in the flower festival atmosphere once more. For dinner, I went to Sapporo Genghis Khan for sizzling grilled lamb, followed by a well-earned IPA at a local bar.
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