『島原半島一周ライド』レポート／Report on the "Shimabara Peninsula Loop Ride"

 5月のライドは4年ぶりの島原半島一周ライドを行いました。お天気にも恵まれて最高に気持ちの良いサイクリングを楽しみました。
For our May ride, We did a cycling trip around the Shimabara Peninsula for the first time in four years. The weather was perfect, and we enjoyed a truly wonderful cycling experience.

今回の島原は11名でライドしました。朝9時のフェリーに乗って長洲港を出発。船で渡ると旅の気分が高まりますね。

This time, 11 of us went on a ride to Shimabara. We departed from Nagasu Port on the 9 AM ferry. Traveling by boat really gets you in the mood for a journey.

多比良港を10時にスタート。15kmのセブンで水分チャージしてから、千々石展望台までアップヒルを登ります。眼下に橘湾の絶景を見ながらひと休み。

We started from Tahira Port at 10am. After replenishing our fluids at a 7-Eleven 15km away, we climbed the uphill to Chijiwa Observatory. We took a break while enjoying the spectacular view of Tachibana Bay below.

ここからは楽しみにしていた旧小浜鉄道の廃線跡を通って小浜温泉へ。木々の間をぬってなだらかな道が続き、トンネルや切り通し、駅の名残が廃線跡らしい雰囲気をかもし出してくれます。右側には美しい海や集落の眺めが。最高に気持ちの良いサイクリングルートでした！

From here, we headed to Obama Onsen via the abandoned railway line of the former Obama Railway, which I had been looking forward to. The gentle path winded through the trees, and the tunnels, cuttings, and remnants of stations created an atmosphere befitting an abandoned railway line. To the right, we enjoyed beautiful views of the sea and villages. It was a wonderfully pleasant cycling route!

予約していたお弁当屋を受け取り、小浜温泉の足湯広場でランチタイム。ここで出会った女性サイクリストはカナダから来てキャンプしながら九州を旅しているとのこと。自転車を通じてしばしの交流が生まれました。

We picked up the bento box We had reserved and had lunch at the footbath area in Obama Onsen. There, We met a female cyclist who was from Canada and traveling around Kyushu while camping. We had a brief exchange through our shared love of cycling.

次は約50km地点の加津佐道路公園で休憩。小浜を過ぎてからクルマが少なくなり、さらに気持ちよいライドが楽しめました。初めての100kmライドに挑む佐藤さんもここまで順調に来ています。

Next, we took a break at Kazusa Road Park, about 50km into the ride. After passing Obama, there were fewer cars, and we were able to enjoy an even more pleasant ride. Sato-san, who is taking on her first 100km ride, has made good progress so far.

65km地点にある原城跡は島原の乱でキリシタンが最後に籠城した激戦地。石垣と天草四郎の像が悲劇を今に伝えていました。

Located 65km from the site, the ruins of Hara Castle were the site of a fierce battle during the Shimabara Rebellion, where Christians made their final stand. The castle's stone walls and a statue of Amakusa Shiro still convey the tragedy to this day.

この後島原市内まではゆるやかなアップダウンが連続し、疲れもあって少し予定時刻から遅れ気味に。そこでフェリーを18時の便に変更し、島原城でゆっくり休むことにしました。名物のかんざらしを食べて元気を回復し、島原城をバックに記念写真をパチリ。

From here, the road to Shimabara city was a series of gentle ups and downs, and due to fatigue, we were running a little behind schedule. So we changed our ferry to the 6 PM departure and decided to rest at Shimabara Castle. We replenished our energy by eating the local specialty, kanzarashi, and took a commemorative photo with Shimabara Castle in the background.

最後の区間は向かい風に苦しめられましたが、17:50に全員が多比良港に帰着。佐藤さんも約105km/680mUPを完走することができました。

The final section was plagued by headwinds, but everyone returned to Tahira Port at 17:50. Sato-san also managed to complete the approximately 105km/680m elevation gain.

夕日を眺めながら長洲港へ帰港。とても楽しい一日でした。遠くに行くのは刺激があっていいですね。また秋くらいに旅ルートを企画したいと思います。ご参加の皆さんお疲れ様でした。We returned to Nagasu Port while watching the sunset. It was a very enjoyable day. It's great to travel far away; it's exciting. I'd like to plan another trip around autumn. Thank you to everyone who participated.