In case of emergency, burn the benches

While walking around Hikarigaoka Park the other day, my husband stopped to look at the map.  I don't know why, being that we walk in the park almost daily.  Right away, he pointed to a symbol he had never noticed before.  He was able to read the description of "emergency firepits."  We had never seen any firepits in the park, so we were very curious to investigate.

When we went to the area where the map indicated, it only took us a moment to realize the benches can convert to firepits!  There is a front plate on the bench base that can be removed, and the top of the bench can also be taken off.

Suddenly I remembered a festival where we enjoyed eating miso soup where they utilized these firepits.  I had just never put two and two together.  (Unfortunately I didn't take a photo of them using the firepits.)

As part of our emergency plan in case of a disaster, we know we will head to the park.  They have special water filling stations in case water isn't available in our house and now we also know there will be cooking stations as well.

Not sure what to write

I'm really not sure what to write today.  As we stay indoors, it feels like the same day over and over again.  I'm not really "experiencing Japan" right now.  I'm just hanging out in my house.

We got an email from the school district today to say that school was going to open next week as scheduled.  This greatly disappoints me as I am expecting to hear that we will be quarantined any day now.  As previously discussed, I'm not convinced the education ministry has released the most thorough recommendations to protect kids.

Time will tell what is going to happen.  Right now we are just in a waiting game.

Waiting for locusts

I woke up this morning to an alternate universe.  Not only are we quarantined, we woke up to snow!  And not just a little snow.  It snowed all morning until we had 3 inches accumulated!  What is next?  It is so crazy!

Despite the snow, I had an agenda today.  I really wanted to go through every food item in my house and get an honest assessment of everything I have in the cupboards, drawers, closet, and yukashitashuno.  It may seem silly, but so many things get lost and overlooked over time.  Next thing you know, there is a bunch of expired stuff back there that just needs to be thrown out.

After pulling everything out, my son helped me categorize everything.  Then we were able to come up with some menu ideas for using up older items.

My son declared "you don't need to buy any snacks for a while.  That should last me at least a week!"

It felt good to get such a big task done.  It has been in the back of my mind for a while now.

As Covid-19 spreads at a rapid pace across Tokyo (Japan reached more than 1,800 diagnoses today, the same number Spain and France had just 18 days ago), it is nice to feel prepared for staying indoors for long periods of time.

Strongly encouraged quarantine

When the governor of Tokyo "strongly encouraged" a voluntary quarantine this weekend, I wasn't concerned.  I have been preparing for this slowly and steadily over the last few weeks.  It is two days, not the weeks that are being asked of for other people around the world.  Then, when my son got sick (with a stomach bug) the other day,  it became even easier for me to stay inside for a couple of days.

In all honesty, I wasn't even tempted to go outside.  Everything I have read and heard about Covid 19 has told me the best ways to combat the disease are 1) wash your hands; 2) don't touch your face; and 3) give space, meaning 3-6 feet.  While social isolation is hard, it is what is necessary right now.  I hear it and accept it.

I was curious to know if others were listening to the advice.  Some people seem to think they are immune from Covid 19.  This past week, I have noticed a huge increase of people congregating in the park when I go there in the early morning to walk.  I'm not talking about other walkers that are solitary in their endeavor.  I am specifically talking about the large groups of people playing basketball, baseball, tennis, and soccer together, as well as the picnickers.  

Hikarigaoka Park sent out a Tweet (on Twitter) notifying the public they were closed this weekend.  They even made the extra effort to barricade certain areas.

Photo credit: Hikarigaoka Park

Photo credit: Hikarigaoka Park

The news showed almost deserted streets.  The reporters interviewed a couple people that were wandering around.  One young woman reported she was going to stay home, but her friend wanted to meet.  I groaned and yelled at my television.  

This virus doesn't care what your neighbor does.  It cares what YOU do.  And if you aren't heeding the advice of doctors, you will get sick.  It is only a matter of time.

So, what did we do on day one of our two day quarantine?  We watched too much TV.  We baked banana bread.  I made several more cloth masks.  I wrote a couple postcards.  My son and I played Monopoly.  It was a laid back day.  My son thought it was great that he got to stay in pajamas all day.

Tomorrow I have a project that I know my boys will love.  *Insert evil laugh here.*

Keeping the virus at bay

When people are afraid, they do desperate things.  They are still buying all the toilet paper in Japan.  I heard today that Costco is no longer selling the big packs of toilet paper, but instead are breaking open the packages and selling smaller units.

It is so frustrating that people take advantage of others during times of crisis.  Just yesterday I was at the store and saw an entire endcap full of products to "keep the virus away."  Using sodium chlorite, the manufacturers are touting safety by handing this on a purse or bag.

It doesn't make sense since sodium chlorite is typically combined with other chemicals to purify and disinfect.  It can be used to treat and purify water, clean surfaces for food preparation, and making an antimicrobial treatment for seafood.

No matter what, the product packages said "virus down" and "virus away."  People are afraid right now and I'm sure that today that shelf is cleared.

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The kiddo is feeling much better (without the need for any weird products)!  Yay!

No post tonight

Sorry everyone.  No post tonight.  My son is sick and I need to take care of him.  No fever.  No cough.  Other stuff.  He'll be okay.  But he needs to snuggle with mommy and take it easy.

Strongly encouraged

Just after 8 pm tonight, the governor of Tokyo gave a press conference urging the people of Tokyo to stay home this upcoming weekend.  It was a plea, not a demand or an order.  They even specified it is not a lockdown.

Covid-19 numbers are shooting up in Tokyo, with 41 new diagnoses just today (16 on Monday and then 17 on Tuesday), totaling 74 in 3 days.

Considering the forecast calls for rain all weekend in Tokyo, maybe people will actually listen.  I certainly hope so.

Opening on schedule

Today we heard on the news that the schools will reopen on schedule.  Right now the kids are out on spring vacation, the break between the fiscal school years.  However, the break started about 2 weeks early for most schools when the government recommended they close the schools back on February 27.

By the time kids go back to school on or around April 6, they will have been out of school for 5 weeks.

Of course things will not go back to normal.  There are recommendations in place to keep the kids safe.

1. No closed rooms - by keeping doors and windows open, the classrooms will have better ventilation
2. No crowds - not having large groups (like assemblies in the gymnasium) and creating spaces between desks will give the recommended social distancing
3. No conversing in close quarters - specifically don't let the kids talk to each other so they don't accidently spit on each other

I fully support the no closed rooms and no crowds, but how on earth are they expecting kids not to talk to each other?  I don't know about your kid, but mine isn't capable of playing the "quiet game" longer than a couple minutes.

The authorities also recommend kids should wear masks daily.  I don't know where we can even buy masks anywhere!  Good thing I know how to sew them.  But what are other families supposed to do?

Taking temperatures daily will be required as well.  This is an easy thing for us to do.  We did it the last couple weeks of kindergarten.  If a kid does have a temperature, they will immediately have to stay away from school for a specific amount of time.

Last, but not least, if a child is exposed to anyone with confirmed Covid-19, they will be immediately removed from school and it will be up to the school if it closes for a quarantine period.  

At this point, I can't imagine sending my son into this high stress environment.  By holding off starting school for another 2 weeks or so makes sense to me.  But I am not in the majority here.

People want to get back to work.  I understand that.  But I also see that Tokyo has had 32 new cases diagnosed in the past 2 days.  People are relaxing their diligence regarding social distance, enjoying hanami (picnicking under the cherry blossoms), and gathering for a variety of other reasons, more and more.  My family walks in the park each morning before 8 am, when the park has very few people in it.  By the time we leave, we have seen several baseball teams gathering, as well as many other groups.  On Sunday, we saw herds of people heading to the park with picnic supplies.

I just can't help thinking this is a mistake.  We are trying to resume normal lives too quickly and it is going to come back to bite us.  Please let me be wrong.  Please.

How do you like your toast

If cereal isn't your thing, maybe you prefer toast to start your day.  My husband loves to have bread for breakfast.  I often oblige his desire to have a thick slice of toast.

I also try to provide a variety of toppings for the toast.  I have made him persimmon jam and persimmon butter, as well as almond butter.  I have bought him sugar-free jams and sugar-laden spreads, too.

While at the market on Sunday, there were several things I jokingly offered to buy for him.

These squeeze pouches send two flavors of sugar onto your toast.  Pick from black & white chocolate; chocolate & peanut butter; honey & butter flavor cream; and strawberry & butter flavor cream.

If you don't want something sweet, there are these other tubes that offer savory options.

Your toast can be adorned with garlic, basil, mentai (a spicy fish egg, very popular in Japan), or porchini mushrooms.  Each flavor is blended with margarine to make a spreadable paste.  It is intended to be smeared on bread and then toasted.

I still love to find new to me items on the store shelves.  What will they think of next?

A spoonful of sugar

My husband wanted to go on an adventure today.  He's tired of staying at home and wants to explore.  I understand his desire.  When I agreed to go, I thought we were going on a bike ride.  But as we were walking out the door, he grabbed masks and asked our son why he was getting his helmet.  It was then that we were notified he was planning on riding the train.

I immediately felt stressed by this, but followed him, dragging my feet the whole time.  As we walked to the station, my stress increased more and more.  I get that many people in Japan are no longer paying attention to the recommendations to avoid crowds, but it doesn't mean I have to do the same.

As we were about to enter the station, I voiced my concern.  I was really starting to freak out.  I get that the numbers of new Covid-19 infections in Japan are not skyrocketing, but if we relax now, that is exactly what is going to happen!  My mind was spiraling.

Instead of giving me a hard time, my husband just said "Okay.  Then we won't go."  He didn't make a fuss or try to make me feel bad.  He heard my stress and put my needs before his.

Since we weren't getting onto the train, we decided to pick some things up from the store and head back home.  I wanted to make kumquat chicken for dinner with some kumquats a friend had gifted to me.

While in the store, we grabbed the things I needed for dinner as well as stocked up on a couple other pantry items.  My husband needed a new jar of jam as he likes to mix a spoonful of it into the yogurt I make at home.  Right next to the jam is the selection of cereals.  It isn't a huge selection, maybe 1/3 of what is in an average American cereal aisle.  Rice and toast are the preferred carbs at breakfast.  But for those that do like cereal, it is an easily sourced option.

Muesli cereal reigns supreme in Japan's cereal ranks.  There are other forms of cereal, but I would say it is one box of "other" to three or four options of muesli.  A mixture of rolled grains and dried fruit, it is considered to be a healthy option.

While most muesli is pretty basic, sometimes there are some eyebrow raising flavors as well.  I, for one, don't think I will ever be found buying curry-flavored muesli.

If you don't want muesli, there are usually a couple granola options.  However, they don't tend to be as crunchy as American granola and far fewer nuts.

This premium granola has roasted soy beans in it.

Most other cereals I have found here are far from healthy.  They are usually copious quantities of sugar, offering a sugar rush guaranteed to start anyone's day with a jolt, followed by a serious crash an hour or two later.

Corn and wheat flakes are often found on the shelved, usually doused in sugar.

Strawberries and bananas with chocolate cornflakes.

The classic frosted flakes.

Other cereals don't even bother trying to hide that they are more of a dessert and less of a breakfast.  Their labels say it all.

Considering my favorite cereals are plain Cheerios, original Life, and cinnamon Quaker Oat Squares, I don't see myself indulging in the Japanese selection of cereals.  But they're sure fun to look at.

We didn't take any cereal home with us.  The extras we found were pineapple, orange juice, and a black sesame seed spread.

After returning home, my husband and son went out for lunch while I stayed home.  I didn't want to join them, but I also didn't mind them going someplace close to home and practicing safe dining practices (wash hands at restaurant, use sanitizer after touching the menu, only order food that requires cutlery, and wash again after eating).

No elbow room

We are trying to start each morning with a walk in the park.  Even though today was Saturday, I asked my boys if they were still interested in going.  They were game, so we headed out to get some fresh air.

During our stroll we took a turn out of the park.  My husband wanted to see the early morning selection at the onigiri (rice ball) shop.  He usually goes later in the day and wanted to see if the selection was better in the morning (it was).

When we were done perusing the rice bundles, we decided to wander around the neighborhood instead of heading back to the park.  It was my husband who spotted it first - land that was marked to build houses on.  The sight made me sad.

I understand that land is at a premium here, but I will never understand wanting to live in a house that you could reach out your window and touch your neighbor's house.  Why not just live in a row house?  Or a condo (which is called a mansion in Japanese)?

In the area of (I'd estimate) a half acre, there were 13 houses slotted to be built, plus driveways.  I'm sure that once built, they will be filled with happy families.  But I just can't fathom not having any outdoor space of my own.

Is this because I was born in the US and always had a yard?  My husband grew up in a house with about 2 feet of dirt between the house and a tall cement wall around the perimeter of his house.  He does not understand my obsession.  He does miss our house and yard in the US (especially our chickens), but he does not miss mowing the lawn.

I get that having a yard is not a standard thing in Japan, but I can't help always imagining myself with one.  I'm so grateful for my little courtyard, but it will never fulfill the desire for a space of my own.

The library is take-out only

While out walking with my son, we decided to swing by the library.  I had a book to return and it gave us a destination.

Since we've been watching Doodling with Mo Willems on YouTube, my son wanted to see if the library had a copy of "Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus".

As we walked in the door, I immediately noticed there was a barricade preventing patrons from going anywhere other than the check out desk.  There were a few people milling around on the other side of the barricade, but they were easily identifiable as employees (they were wearing masks, aprons, and name badges).  

The woman at the desk explained that they were only allowing pick up of holds and returns for the remainder of the month.  I didn't know how to put anything on hold, so she looked up two books and placed a hold on them for my son.  

We'll have to wait to pick them up, but at least we can still have new reading materials.

Although it is difficult not living our "regular lives," it is so nice to have little bits still available to us.

Sticking close to home

The feeling of being trapped is a very real feeling these days.  Luckily, I could put those feelings aside by having a plan.  With my son home full-time, I made a schedule for us to stick to.  First thing on the list was getting up at 7 am.  This is so easy for my son.  He has always been a morning person.  I used to be one, until I had a kid!

Although my body wanted to stay in bed, my mind did not.  Our son had come into our room at 6:30 and announced he had an idea that he just had to get onto paper.  After a little encouragement, he headed downstairs to draw.  At seven, I was eager to head down and see what he had wanted to draw.

After watching a great doodling with Mo Willems video on YouTube, he has been obsessed with drawing.  He had drawn a bat in a cave with crystals on top.  It was really good!  I thought it was totally worth getting up for.

We had a quick breakfast and got dressed.  We wanted to be out the door by 7:45.  With a few seconds to spare, we made it out right on schedule.  He and I headed to the park to stroll amongst the trees.  There were hardly any people in the park.  We found ourselves wandering along the path in a wooded area that was really invigorating.

Looking at blooming flowers and breathing fresh air was the perfect way to start the day.

We had a great day.  By following the schedule, there was always something to do and lots to look forward to.  And several times, I found myself appreciating the fact that we were staying close to home this school break.  Getting the chance to stop and smell the roses is great.  My son was super happy with everything we did today - finding bugs in our courtyard, doing yoga, and drawing, as well as talking with his best friend on FaceTime.

The funny thing is, I didn't feel trapped at all today.  I felt relaxed and enjoyed the moment.

A ceremony for the littles

I keep telling my son to stop growing so fast and stay little forever.  He assures me that he'll still love me "even when he's an adult."  I want to get this in writing...

All joking aside, my son graduated from kindergarten today.  Goodness me!  Time flies.

He attended a 2-year kindergarten program (unlike the typical 3-year program in Japan).  It was a play based school, filled with learning by doing.  It was a great fit for him.

Today's ceremony was really dialed back due to Covid-19.  The two classes had separate ceremonies and seats were only provided for 1 parent (although most families had both parents and siblings attend, the other family members just stood in the back of the room).  The parents all wore masks, and everyone had to report their temperature before entering the gymnasium.

The school tried to make it as formal as they could, but still reducing the time we were all in the gym together.  Songs were sung by both the kids and parents, as well as one by the younger class (they filed in, sang their song, and filed right back out).  A few speeches were made by the vice-principal, principal, and the kid's teacher.  The highlight of the ceremony was when each kid was called up to the front to accept their diploma.  My son has informed me that it is in fact a "ticket to get into elementary school."

The whole ceremony flew by.  As we exited, the class that sang to the kids lined up outside along with their parents to applaud us as we walked off the school grounds for the last time.

It was a very nice little ceremony that meant a lot for my son.  He enjoyed this special day.  From singing with his classmates one last time to accepting his special "ticket", it was something for him to remember as a special event for a long time.

Connection is key

So many times in my life, I have wished for... more time.  More time with loved ones.  More time to learn something.  More time to get stuff done.

As people all over the world are self-isolating and quarantining, I have a message for you - NOW is YOUR chance!  What do you want more time for?

I am always wanting more time with loved ones.  So, while my son isn't in school for the next couple weeks (due to spring vacation, not because schools were closed since his never shut their doors), I am looking forward to spending more time with him.  We have drafted a schedule to keep us motivated and to make sure we don't go into a downward spiral of television zombification.

One item we made sure to include was time for phone calls.  We are going to be making sure to connect with loved ones.  Of course, there are limits for how long a 6 year old can last on a phone.  So, we will also be pulling out our letter writing supplies to surprise people with bonified, sent in via the postal service, letters!

I often get caught up in the day to day chores of life and overwhelmed schedule of being a mom.  So, my son and I will focus on learning new things.  In just 30 minute increments, we will be taking time to seek out knowledge.

Since my son only had a half day of school today, we were able to use part of the schedule and my son was super excited to read in Japanese with mommy (which was great practice for both of us) and do a science experiment with seeds.  He also happily did some yoga during a "free time" break (using the YouTube channel Cosmic Kids Yoga) and played in the courtyard while I cooked dinner.  He really appreciated the schedule and I appreciated having the guide.

In the schedule, I also included cleaning/laundry time, because when my house is in chaos, I feel like I am out of control.  Having a little bit of time set aside to get stuff done is crucial to my mental health.

While we stick close to home during this confinement, I will challenge myself to constantly look at the positive.  What things do I want to focus on?  What will I look back at with fond memories?  Will I be proud of us growing together and making it through this very trying time as a team?  Only time will tell.


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Some may wonder where my husband fits into all this.  He will be working upstairs in our bedroom, getting his job done.  Luckily, he can join here and there as his schedule allows.  But, he is here, too.

An American bento

For my son's final bento as a yochien (kindergarten) student, I made him an American lunch.  I've always prepared him traditional bentos with rice, a small amount of meat, and vegetables.  I also include a little bit of love into each one.  Of course, the American lunch would also include that.

I've always made more traditional bentos for my son so his lunch would not be the focus on anyone's attention.  We've all heard stories of immigrant kids lunches being the focus of a lot of negative attention.  And I just wanted him to avoid this.

As a last hurrah, my husband thought it would be fun to skip the rice and give him a sandwich instead.  After finding the requisite baby carrots in a grocery store, I humored him.

The lunch featured a cashew and jelly sandwich, using cashew butter I made with my son and some homemade bread.  The sides were string cheese (purchased at Costco, the only place in Japan I've ever seen "real" string cheese), baby carrots with a zesty vinaigrette, grapes, and dried blueberries with a few cashews.

When my son returned home, he told me that everyone was interested in his lunch.  But it was less the contents and more the container.  They had never seen a bento box like the one I had sent with him - a fantastic box called BentGo.  It is much larger than a traditional Japanese bento box.  Instead of smashing all the foods together in the same compartment, with the exception of rice, the Bentgo has several separate compartments.

Once my son starts elementary school, he will enjoy a hot school lunch.  I will no longer send bentos with him each day.  But the work I put into making his lunch will be replaced with something else.  Another gift a parent gives a child.

Friends not invited

After a hard day yesterday, I ended my day by doing some yoga.  Instead of heading to a studio, I dialed into Yoga With Adriene on YouTube.  This way, I was doing something good for my body (reducing stress!!!) without going to a gym.  Regardless of where I did the yoga, it really helped me to fall asleep and get a much more restful night.

This morning I woke up ready to go.  Well, go outside that is.  While I packed a picnic, my boys got everything else ready for a day at the park.  We got out the door and walked to the park.

The cherry blossoms have not made a huge appearance, so I was not expecting very big crowds.  Although, Hikarigaoka Park is a pretty popular destination every weekend, so a crowded park isn't unusual.  Despite the government encouragement of social distancing, there were lots of families in Hikarigaoka Park.  However, I did notice the groups were mostly smaller in size.  I only really noticed one group that was obviously several families.  Most of the park goers were in small groups, consisting of 2 to 5 people.

We had a lovely day at the park.  By the time we headed home, we had spent 6 glorious hours in the sunshine.

As we headed out of the park, we spotted a large sign that encouraged social distancing.

"To prevent the spreading of Covid-19 virus, parties including eating and drinking is highly not recommended"

"However, this does not mean we are not recommending picnics with families.
Due to the current Coronavirus situation, avoid forming large crowds.  Still enjoy your picnic."

Translation = If you're a family, go ahead and have a picnic.  But if you're a group of friends, abstain.

While I do think that people were doing a good job of this today, it will be interesting to see how if they are able to stay strong as the cherry blossoms reveal themselves.  It is a huge part of Japanese culture to picnic under the beautiful pink trees each year.  The annual celebration welcomes spring and gets people out of hibernation (ha, ha).

But with Covid-19, the government is deterring people from crowding into parks and packing pathways in search of the glorious sight.  Will people listen?  Time will tell.  I hope for the health of Japan, they heed this important advice.

My husband heard other local parks were packed today.  That is pretty disheartening.

The stress of it all

I honestly think my stress level has only increased with the spread of Covid-19.  As it has infected the US as a rapid pace, I am worried about loved ones.  A friend stopped by today, excited to tell me about her upcoming visit to her home country, only to find out later today that New Zealand has enacted a 14-day quarantine for most arrivals.  This means she cannot go see her family because the trip would have been shorter that 14 days.

While I try to remain positive for my son, I have realized that I'm simply internalizing the fear and worry.  He had a great day - including testing various types of parachutes, doing a kid's yoga video, baking a pineapple upside-down cake, and watching Pinocchio for the first time.

I, on the other hand, checked the news incessantly and fought back heartburn and coped with tense neck muscles.

In the afternoon, snow fell out of the sky in huge flakes.  I watched from inside our living room, floored by the strange weather.  Just two days ago I was wearing short sleeves!  All I could think was "every time I think things can't get weirder, they do!"

Tomorrow the weather is forecast to be very nice.  I will go for a walk and clear my head.  Until then, I'll be thinking of you.

The name game

After buying all the required pencils, pens, and so forth for school, it is time to label absolutely everything.  It feels a bit ridiculous, but every single item needs my son's name on it.

While shopping for said pencils, pens, and so forth, we also picked up a stamp that can be customized using letter stamps to make the name.  We grabbed some rub on labels as well.  In case we didn't have enough things to use to affix his name to various items, we already had a labeling machine at home.

Once home, we got busy attaching labels and stamping as requested.  Pen cases, erasers, and even gym clothes were all properly labeled.

We are now officially one step closer to elementary school.

Hidden parking

While my son was at school, I ran across town to meet a friend for lunch.  She had a bag of clothes for my kid that I was going to pick up.  I could have taken the train to meet her, but I am trying not to take the train as much as possible.  So, I hopped on my bike and rode 40 minutes to meet her at a restaurant next to Wako Station.

When I arrived, I was greeted with signs everywhere indicating no bicycle parking.  After riding around the block twice, I was stumped.  Where was I supposed to park?  

I stopped my bike right in front of the restaurant and ran inside.  The woman hostess understood my inquiry and took me to the window.  There, she pointed to a ramp that went underground.  I thanked her and rushed back to my bike, hoping that a ticket wouldn't be attached to it.  Luckily there wasn't!  

I unlocked my bike and took it over to the ramp.  With stairs down the middle, there was a ramp on either side to wheel my bike down into the underworld.  Two floors down, I finally found a sea of parked bikes.  With a quick sense of relief, I parked my bicycle.  But then I noticed all the other bikes had tickets attached to them.  I didn't know where I needed to pay!

I looked around and made an educated guess as to where the ticket machine was located.  As I turned the corner, I found an employee standing in front of the ticket machine.  He had me grab my bike and bring it to where he was.  He then took my ¥140/$1.35 and deposited into the machine.  After the ticket printed, he affixed it to the back of my bike.  Then he showed me where to park.  

I, personally, don't think I really needed his help.  But, it was nice to know I was doing the right thing in this vast underground parking lot.  

Now that my bike was settled, I was able to go have a lovely lunch with my friend.  I mentioned the bike parking situation and she said it was quite common.  I guess I just never noticed since I had no idea what to even look for!

After lunch, I needed to pick up my bike.  I hiked back down to the parking lot and found my bicycle.  Another employee approached me and asked if I needed any help.  I did not.  In fact, I didn't even need help getting my bike up the two floors of ramps because there were little conveyor belts for the bikes.  

I don't know why my bike got to ride back up and I had to walk, but that's just the way it was.