【2012年11月26日】 夏井川 の 白鳥飛来地 ( Nov. 26, 2012: Swans at Natsuigawa River )
Today, as the third day of back home, I left Hariyuso Inn of Tamura City and returned to Iwaki-Yumoto Onsen. The route was just the opposite of outward route, along the JR Ban-etsu East Line, via Pref. Route 19, 41, National Route 399 and 6. As shown in the GPS log below, a long and moderate downhill of nearly 30km was the major part and it was a pleasant journey.






途中の 夏井川渓谷 は、往路で紅葉が見頃だったが、一週間後の今日は既に終わりでした。代わりに、その先の 小川郷駅 付近の 国道399号 沿いの 夏井川 に 白鳥 が飛来していました。その写真を紹介します。近くに、写真の 白鳥飛来地 の標識もありました。
Natsuigawa Valley on the way had shown beautiful autumn color at outward tour, but this time after one week later it almost ended. Instead, beyond that point along the Route 399 near the Ogawagou Station I found many swans swimming in the Natsuigawa River. I also found a sign board which said that swans repeatedly come here as migratory. Five pictures are shown above of those views.


本日は天気予報通り、昼前から雨が降り出し、宿へ直行しました。宿は、写真の 新(しん)つた旅館 。2枚目の写真の趣ある露天風呂があります。屋根もあり、雨でも問題ありませんでした。
Today it started to rain before noon just as weather forecast said, and I went straight to today's inn. The inn was Shintsuta Inn as shown in the picture above. This inn had an elegant open air bath as shown in the second picture. There was no problem with rain by its roof.
明日は、ここから国道6号で茨城県の自宅へ戻るので、今回のレポートはここまでとします。
なお、12月から3月は休み、次回は2013年4月からの予定です。自転車で感じた春の福島県の魅力を紹介していきます。
Tomorrow, I will left here and go straight to my home in Ibaraki Pref.; therefor this is the last report on this tour.
From December 2012 to March 2013, I will take a rest, and will restart a bike tour from April 2013. I will then refer to fresh attractiveness of Fukushima in spring season which I will find on bike tour.
【2012年11月25日】 田村市 風力発電所 など( Nov. 25, 2012: Wind Power Plant at Tamura City )
Today, as the second day of back home, I left Kawamata Town and pedaled to Hariyuso Inn of Tamura City, via Towa area of Nihonmatsu City and Funehiki area of Tamura City. This was just the opposite course of outward tour using Route 349 and Pref. Road Route 19.


途中、休憩に 田村市 の市役所がある 船引 に寄りました。写真は、JR 磐越東線 の モダンな 船引駅 です。
On the way, I stopped at Funehiki area in which the City Hall of Tamura City was located. The picture shows elegant Funehiki Station of JR Ban-etsu East Line.


田村市 の 滝根町 に入ると、 阿武隈高地 の上に、上の写真のように、 風力発電 の風車が数多く見えます。 田村市 と 川内村 が設置した 風力発電所 です。実際は、20機以上見えました。
Entering Takinemachi area of Tamura City, I could find many wind turbines for wind power generation far on the Abukuma heights as shown in the pictures above. These were for the wind power plant which had been developed by Tamura City and Kawauchi Village. I could see more than 20 wind turbines.

今夜の宿は、田村市 が運営する 公共の宿 の 針湯荘 。古い歴史のある 針湯鉱泉 があり、日帰り客も多くにぎわっていた。
Today, I stayed at Hariyuso Inn which was a public inn operated by Tamura City. It had historic Hariyu Mineral Spring bath and was clouded with day use guests.
【2012年11月24日】 飯舘村 、 そして 川俣町 へ( Nov. 24, 2012: To Iitate Village and Kawamata Town )
Today, I left Minamisoma City and pedaled west on Pref. Route 12 to Kawamata Town via Iitate Village. This route was also recommended as bypass route by the Government. As shown in the GPS altitude graph below, it was a hard hill climb of 694m elevation gain and average slope of 3.9% during Minamisoma City area. Iitate Village belongs to the upper line of the trapezoid of the graph. After entering Kawamata Town long downhill of 561m elevation fall and average fall slope of 4.2% followed.


写真は、上りの最後、 八木沢峠 で 飯舘村 に入るところです。
The picture above shows entering to Iitate Village at Yagisawa Pass which was the last point after the long hill climb.


最初の写真は、 飯舘村 の入口付近の光景。そのしばらく後に、2枚目の写真の 石ポロ坂トンネル があり、路側帯がせまく自転車は少し通りにくかったです。
The first picture shows a view just after entering Iitate Village. Soon after that, there was Ishiporozaka Tunnel in which the side lane was so narrow that I struggled to ride my bike safe.


飯舘村 は、村の南部分が居住制限区域であるが、県道12号沿いは大丈夫です。しかし、まだ住民の復帰は進行中であり、店は床屋などごく一部のみ開店。除染作業が活発で、写真の「 もりの駅まごころ 」も、本来道の駅的な機能であるが、2枚目の写真のように、除染事務所になっていました。
Southern part of Iitate Village had been designated as Restricted Area for Living; however the area along the Route 12 was safe now. But, still people of this area were preparing to return thus only few stores such as Babar were open. Decontamination works were very active and the Wood Station Magokoro the sign of which was shown in the first picture and which had been operated similar to road station before, was now been used exclusively as decontamination office.

写真は、 川俣町 にはいるところです。ここから長い下りが始まります。
The picture above shows entering to Kawamata Town. A long downhill ride followed hereafter.



川俣町 の中心に来ると、 川俣シャモ の 親子丼 の看板が目立ちました。 国道349号 沿いの写真の店に入ってみました。中は、待ちができるほどの繁盛であり、2枚目の写真の親子丼はおいしかった。後で紹介する道の駅で知ったのであるが、 川俣シャモ は、3枚目の写真のように 福島県ブランド認証 品 でした。
I found many sign boards which displayed Chicken and egg on rice made of Kawamata Gamecock. I entered a restaurant of the kind along the Route 349 shown in the picture above. It was clouded with people waiting, and the rice bowl shown in the second picture tasted good. The road station I referred to later told me that Kamamata Gamecock had been designated as special bland of Fukushima Pref. as shown in the last picture.


近くの国道114号沿いに、 道の駅 「 川俣 」があります。写真は、案内標識と外観です。特産の川俣シャモや、 川俣シルク の製品などを販売していました。
There was Road Station "Kawamata" along the Route 114. The pictures show the guide sign and the outside view. Many original products made of Kawamata Gamecock and Kawamata Silk were on sale.

今夜の宿は、川俣町 の写真の ホテル一期一会 。このホテルは、2011年3月の震災被害で、玄関・食堂部分を復旧工事中。今回は、素泊まりのみ可能でした。
Today I stayed at Ichigo-Ichie Hotel as shown in the picture above which may be the only hotel in Kawamata Town. This hotel had been damaged by the earthquake of March 2011, and the front entrance and its restaurant were still under repair. They only had stay overnight without meal plan now.