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Trail Description:
This is the Reason For The Ride. It's a twisty, technical downhill plunge through the jungle that might just make you want to do the climb all over again. Watch out for hikers if you're alone or the first in your group, especially near the end of the trail where there are several interesting tombs and caves. The top section is quite difficult for most of us mortals; very narrow with lots of roots, drop-offs, and few (if any) clear lines. You can get through it reasonably well if you're willing to sacrifice your upper body a bit (ok, you have to ride it at least once to understand...) and lay off the front brake. The rest of the trail alternates between very narrow convex and very narrow concave in cross-section; one minute you'll be in a half-pipe with walls over your head and the next you'll be looking at a 50-foot dropoff on either side of you. It's always a rush.
How to get there:
From the observation tower there's a trail that heads sharply down the back (southwest) side of the hill (facing the Hawk missile site and Yomitan). At the bottom of this section (about 30m) the trail turns sharply back and to the right.
Don't miss this turn! It could hurt...alot. There's a sign at this point that says "La Luge - Watch For Hikers!". The remainder of the trail is singletrack all the way to the bottom, with no obvious way to get lost. You'll know you're near the end of the trail when you emerge from a small bamboo thicket and get hit in the face with a spectacular view down the west side of the island. Don't stare longer than a half-second or you'll be off the trail. About 100m past this point you'll plunge back into the jungle and the surface becomes extremely rough. Don't crash here - it's all coral & limestone. A hard left turn at the bottom of this section carries you out of the jungle, where there's a house and a few signs, all in Japanese of course.
Additional Notes:
Visit the Okinawa Mountain Biker's Association website at omba.tripod.com for more instructions.
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