Ride into the Sun

I actually have a spare moment tonight, since 1. it's Sunday, and 2. I actually accomplished everything I intended to do today. The former condition occurs far more frequently than the latter. Last week was an especially bad case, but that leads to the main story of this blog entry.

I lost two days last week to doctor visits, and while I am continually impressed with the economy and efficiency of the Japanese healthcare system (no need for appointments! never wait more than 10 minutes! two weeks of medicine for under $20!), I also lamented my inability to get any work done. But making the most of a bad situation, I decided to tour around Western Tokyo on my bike since the clinic was in an unfamiliar corner of my district.
Here we have a classic case of an accident waiting to happen. I first headed south toward Tamagawa (the river dividing Tokyo from Kanagawa Prefecture), and was treated to this spectacle in the lee side of a tree-covered hill.

Looks like someone lost at Tetris. I guess this is supposed to stop erosion, but at what cost. This is the above-mentioned Tamagawa, home also to a bunch of squatters who probably do Bo and Luke Duke proud by straddling the prefectural line to avoid prosecution. Note: squatters not pictured.

Getting tired. Rode up the slope to Asama-jinja near Tamagawa Station, and took a breather to watch the commuters on the Toyoko Line. In a way I was glad not to be crowded in there with them. But then again, they didn't have to bike 6 more kilometers back home.