funny
Volcano Mode
The highest e-bike assist setting looked like a volcano character, so volcano mode became shorthand for sending it.
June 23-25
Kyoto In Volcano Mode
Kyoto is where the itinerary stopped being a schedule and became a series of increasingly confident decisions, including one e-bike pole negotiation.
Temple morning, Gion, chopsticks at the far Hashi Lab despite a closer one existing near the hotel, Fushimi Inari at sunrise pace, transit scrambling, e-bikes, Sarah almost running into a pole, ramen, Nintendo souvenirs, chicken skins with Nick, karaoke, zen garden, and Arashiyama rain.
Efficient chaos, shrines, markets, and volcano mode.
Days
How this stretch unfolded.
Tuesday / 2026-06-23
Koyasan To Kyoto
Nothing says peaceful temple morning like forgetting to turn off a 6:00 AM work alarm in a room with paper-thin walls.
Accidental 6:00 AM work alarm, temple ceremony, burning ritual, travel to Kyoto, Gion market, earrings for Linda, Hashi Lab chopsticks, and conveyor-belt sushi.
temple ceremonygion markethashi labconveyor sushi
Wednesday / 2026-06-24
Kyoto In Volcano Mode
A sunrise shrine hike, a wrong-direction bus, Sarah nearly introducing herself to a pole, and the discovery that every trip needs a setting called volcano mode.
FamilyMart rice balls, Fushimi Inari in an hour, wrong-direction bus recovery, e-bike volcano mode, Sarah almost running into a pole, Nabura ramen, Nintendo Store Kyoto, chicken skins, and karaoke.
fushimi inarie bike tournabura ramennintendo store
Chapter Moments
funny
Sarah Versus Infrastructure
On the Kyoto e-bike ride, Sarah almost ran into a pole, which gave volcano mode the physical comedy it deserved.