Grand Ending Tunnel Count = 1 I appear to be stuck with awful weather now until my Tour ends in 2 more days. Today it was dull all day virtually with a horrible 20mph wind from the Northwest which made me earn every mile today. It gets worse too, tomorrow ... same, Monday ... 50mph Wind !!!!! and SNOW ! Today I left town past a golf course with a few hardy souls Teeing off and I was routed along the river on the roads running adjacent. I found myself on top of the dyke and getting the full wind, then the tarmac turned into that big gravel thats awkward to cycle on. Progress was painful. There was a cycle path and small roads and whichever I chose rapidly deteriorated to gravel, I even chose a worse surface at timrs to shelter below the dyke. At Fukagawa I came off the river and followed a dead straight road whi had just turned to the Northeast giving me a bit of an easier ride albeit with a big lean to the left. As I approached Asahigawa the plain reached small hills which sheltered me for about 10 mlles either side of the city. I picjed up another cycletrack on an old railway line leaving town - it was great .. and sheltered ! I reavhed a tunnel and proceded with great caution aware I was in Bear Country and in the forest. It was badly lit but only 200yards long and I emerged at an old station where 3 old steam trains had been retired. They were huge and after taking some pics I tried to move on but the path was barriered off.This time I was not going to cross the barrier and instead crossed a white metal suspension bridge which took me onto the National Route 12 which had a great wide cyclepath alongside and when the road went through a tunnel the path diverted along the river running parallel with the closed route on the other side. i skirted Asahikawa and the track ended at a live train station from where I was back on the road and that wind again. Another 7eleven lunch with a coffee to warm me up and I was pleased with 30 milrs to go to hit a climb ... as it was in a forest and offered more shelter. Climb complete and a fast descent delivered me onto another wide flat plain - the last 20 miles were right into the teeth of it and I was down to only 7 or 8mph making it a long and tortuous way into town where I eventually reached tinights Hotel the Shibetsu Grande.