Nakasendo Trail Virtual Challenge COMPLETE October 8, 2023

The original finish date for this virtual challenge was set at September 26, I set that day on July 18, the day I started the Nakasendo Trail.  I was not able to keep up with the pace and fell behind.  During the days when the heat and smoke were at their worst and I was not "out & about" in it, I realized I may not be able to meet the deadline.  I changed the finish date goal to October 10.  I had a bit of pressure to get there but it was a more realistic doable date and I knew I could do it. I did it!  

with two days to spare

I put red stars to highlight the start and finish, with the blue line in between being the route.

This shows where the virtual finish line was, in the centre of Tokyo.  

In reality, this was my view today as I was motoring along to complete this virtual challenge.  

In total I received 20 postcards.  This was the final card that popped in just as I crossed the finish line.

"The Nakasendo terminates in Tokyo at Nihonbashi Bridge, “Bridge of Japan” and the heart of Edo where all Japanese roads began. When Tokugawa Ieyasu ordered the construction of the bridge, his intent was to make it the central point from which all distances were measured throughout the country. It essentially made the bridge ‘the nation’s cartological zero point’.

The wooden bridge was replaced in 1911 by a beautiful twin-arched stone bridge with candelabras, four lions at the corners and a kirin statue in the centre. During the 1960s, Japan built a massive expressway directly over Nihonbashi, hugely overshadowing this once highly significant and historical bridge. The views are now long gone but before the expressway, on a clear day, Mt Fuji could be seen from the bridge."

My metal will be in the mail this week.

The Nakasendo Trail was the 14th Virtual Challenge I completed.  At this point, there are no other challenges that appeal to me so I will not be signing up for another one.  I will monitor the website for the new virtual challenges that are presented and if one jumps out at me then I will jump on board.