The riding on the east end of Shikoku Island, specifically Tokushima Prefecture, was amazing, remote, and rugged. On day nine, our ride to the night’s onsen, we basically just started going uphill until we were riding above low-hanging clouds. The paved lane, the impressively named Tsurugisan Super Forest Road, was barely wide enough for a truck, and rich, shining green wilderness leaned in on both sides. Finally, the road plateaued and turned to a gravel doubletrack before our 10-mile descent to the hot springs.