Day 22: Kuma Kogen to Matsuyama

Woke this morning to incredibly strong winds. Wondered if the roof would come off. (It didn't)

As i left the inn, the guy who runs it told me that when the winds stop the rain would start to fall, so i set out hoping the winds would continue.

And they did. As i climbed to the pass where i started the drop down into Matsuyama, the winds were right in my back, pushing me up the hill. On the trail down on the other side of the pass, the winds sounded like a jet was circling overhead.

The rain held off until around noon, when it began to sprinkle on and off. But even when it was on, it wasn't enough to force me into rain gear or to even dig out my umbrella.

I finally had to get out the umbrella about 3:30, for the last half hour of walking to tonight's inn. Once in my room, though, the skies opened up and it started to pour cats and dogs. The weather report says it will blow north tonight and tomorrow will be sunny.

The view from near the top of this morning's pass of Matsuyama and the ocean in the background.

Kōbō Daishi is said to have tried to move this boulder (near T46) by putting a net around it and lifting it to carry it away. He was unsuccessful, but the rock still has the marks left by the net as it cut into the stone because of the heavy weight.

Here's a close up.

The inside of one of today's Daishi Halls.

A Shinto shrine along the road.

I can't believe it is already into May. Time is flying by so quickly. I think i made a decision this afternoon. In order to relieve a little pressure on the schedule, i may not make the climb to Temple 60. I was there in both late March and early April and have already walked it, so it's not as if i was just skipping the temple altogether.

Plus, the lodging i got for the night before when i should make the climb is past Temple 60, and just past Temple 62 as well. Some part of my brain just doesn't want to go backwards to do the T60 climb.

I'll make the final decision over the next few days, but I'm certainly leaning towards just moving forward and gaining a half day in my schedule.

Still planning to return to Temple 1 on the 19th and then heading to Ōsaka and then Mt. Kōya on the 21st.

That means oniy two more weeks of walking!

I need to get back to yoga as soon as i get back home, my hips are really starting to feel the strain of carrying a pack every day for 30 km. And i'm sure any flexibiliy i had in my hamstrings is now gone since i do no stretching. They may kick me out of class and send me down to a beginners class again. :-(

Temples 52 & 53 tomorrow. I stay in some kind of inn in a yacht marina tomorrow. Will get there under sunny skies with a high temperature of about 25° (77°F).