On the weekend, I was on my way to OMM LITE BIKE 2022, held in Hakuba. I also stopped by "SALLY'S RUNNING DEPT." in Takaoka City, where I've been doing business for a while.

The atmosphere was great both inside and outside the store, which was renovated from a Meiji-era building.

The purpose of this visit was to see with my own eyes the carbide lamp that our company manufactured 70 years ago, which is on display at Takaoka City Museum.

The patent number also matches ours, so there is no mistake.

Its use has changed over the years, from lighting coal mines to street vendors and fishing spots.

The museum staff were also pleased to learn about the manufacturer. *By the way, it is also on display at the World Heritage Site "Iwami Ginzan" in Shimane Prefecture!

Finally, we arrived at our destination, the venue at Hakuba Iwatake. My excitement rose as I finally reached the place I had been longing to visit.

Friday is the eve of the festival.

The weather was unfortunate, but that was okay. Everyone relaxed at the campsite, discussing strategies and enjoying conversations.

The first day started on Saturday. The weather was perfect and the teammates were excited!

Since I don't have much experience reading maps, I follow my buddy. I search for the control point while admiring the magnificent scenery and move forward.

The sky was wide and very blue. I made it to the finish line safely on the first day. The beer after the race was delicious!

There was a live performance in the evening, and the music played by a local band was great! D'Angelo's "Spanish Joint" was playing during the rehearsal, and I was like, "Huh?" and immediately hooked. Lol

This song is really cool so I recommend you check it out.

As an aside, this was a local trio band, and I was impressed by the talented artist who was able to play keyboards, horns, and bass all by himself.

And then the second day.

On the first day, I tackled the north side, so on the second day, I went to the south side. There were some tough spots, but the points were high, so it paid off.

At the end there is a point where you cross a river, which was really fun.

The three days went by in a flash. It was fun to have so many people come and talk to us at the milestone booth!

I look forward to seeing you again at the next event.