It feels like spring these days. It makes me want to get outside and get some exercise, but many of my favorite places still have lots of snow. So, I put my bike in my car and drove to Suwa. Suwa Lake is not a lake for swimming and fishing, but there is a lovely bike and walking path around the lake. The path is about 16km long and the ride takes about 2 hours. Along the way there are onsens, foot onsens, parks, and museums, so this could become a full day activity. I saw many birds along this path including swans and hawks. I even got a glimpse of Mt Fuji. It made for a very pleasant day. To get there from Matsumoto take the train to either of the Suwa stations or take a car (take route 19 to route 20 in Shiojiri-follow the signs towards Okaya and Suwa and then the signs for Suwa Lake.)