8/21/2007

Mt. Fuji -- Part Three





The day was perfect for hiking, it was a bit hot and humid, (did I say sweaty?!?) but overall it was clear and no major weather lied ahead for the start of our hike.





The start of the hike was great, everything is sooo green and lush, I was getting nervous because as soon as we passed the grand entrance to the trail, the trees and bushes got bigger and bigger. I almost felt like Little Red Riding Hood, with a strange feeling of losing myself into the woods until we landed on to a sign which pointed the way. (Yes I know go up to find the peak, right?)






Okay I think I understand now, that if you take this trail as shown by this line here, you can reach the peak!!! If you click on this picture above, half of the sign is in english. Its all good!





We finally got some elevation going on here, after we cleared the trees, and bushes we turned around a view of the horizon was beginning. The bushes and trees quickly became scarce. The terrain is getting very rocky, not much of a big deal on level ground but can be a little tricky during steep encounters.





Nothing can be seen but just a sea of green. The color is very vivid, it reminds me a lot of Oregon.








Sixth Station was reached, which was kind of cool. Nothing much there except a little shack, and a couple guys posted up to sell stamps. We got our first marking on our hiking stick here, it was actually pretty cool, they have these stakes like what would be used to brand a cow, it was red hot and burned the stage mark onto our sticks the price was decent I guess, nothing is free in this world, 500Yen.

Nakajima-San posted up looking pretty!!!



Nishimoto-San, cute as always!!



The comic relief guy, Morikawa-San




Miyaki-San, usually laid back....








Sixth stage accomplished. Two more to go!!! So I figure I better get my Pocari Sweat together. Not sure if anyone knows "Pocari Sweat" but this is the best invention, it is better than gatorade I think.

The name was chosen by the manufacturers originally for the purpose of marketing the product as a sports drink in Japan, where people generally do not mentally translate names appearing in English and are therefore not bothered by the connotation. It was largely derived from the notion of what it is intended to supply to the drinker: all of the nutrients and electrolytes lost when sweating. (The first part of the name, Pocari, means "like a cloud floating in the sky" or "a situation in which a cloud is floating in the sky" in Japanese, and has a connotation of lightness, buoyancy, and ease. "Sweat" was apparently intended to suggest diligence and its fruits - the idea intending to connote to the user that Pocari Sweat works to make one feel fresh and relaxed. However, some Japanese apparently drop "Sweat" from the name in common usage.







Still trucking on. Our goal is to reach the lodge which should be between Stage Eight and Nine. From the the maps and guide, it is about a six hour hike (beginners) to that point.










A glimpse of the lodges are shown here, of course we are still on stage six area we are looking for Stage eight so still got a ways to go. Stage Seven is just beyond this section. The trail actually goes through most of these lodges which is kind of neat to peak inside and see how they look.



Well!!!!!!
Looks like it is time for another break!!!

To be continued....

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