Within minutes after leaving Shimukappu the rain came down with a vengence. I've never ridden a bicycle in such intense precipitation. In the middle of it I came up on a couple undoubtedly well into their 50's, also bicycle touring. It was somehow reasuring to see other people climbing a mountain on bicycles in such miserable weather. I guess it's nice to be reminded sometimes that in fact I'm not the only nut out there. The older, very ambitious man and wife were from Nagoya, touring Hokkaido.