Jeffrey E.F. Friedl's Blog, page 10

Nigel’s Birthday Craziness: Ascending Hanase Pass on a Mamachari

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Crazy Birthday Boy

Nigel Randell cycling up to Hanase Pass on a mamachari

ナイジェルさんは誕生日に際して花背峠まで登った、ママチャリで。

Nigel Randell usually does something sort of crazy on his birthday, such as
this ride two years ago that I joined in on for
a short portion.

This year, Nigel rode his heavy rusty mamachari (built-like-a-tank city bike) up to Hanase Pass,
the 600+ meters of climb (2,000') being a challenge on the best road bike.

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Meeting Up In the City








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Family in Tow

his wife and daughter and other friends follow








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High Five for Uncle Joshua

More friends arrive for the main event; Nigel's wife and daughter see us off








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The Holts Join the Group

Nigel poses with Tomoko








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Ready To Attack Hanase Pass

L→R: Neil, Geoffrey, Joshua, Nigel, Antti, Andy+Asa, Me, Lianca, Henry, Tomoko








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Not a Family-Friendly Gate

Andy's kid-carying bike had a difficult time passing








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Neil and Tomoko

Neil, whom we've seen on my blog here and
here, among others, is an extremely strong rider,
but today on the occasion of Nigel's mamachari ride, was creating a challenge for himself by
riding an old used bike with the seat dropped all the way down, and instead of proper kit, wearing his wife's
lab coat. With the big sun glasses, he had a bit of a Dr. Horrible vibe going on.
(I posed about this amazing video short when it came out nine years ago.)

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Wow

this “cyclist” was puffing on a cigarette, and had his ears plugged with earphones








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Through Kurama








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Epitome of Style

though I'm sure Vincent would cringe at the ergonomics








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Starting the Main Climb

Just 500m of climb to go

( It'll be my 31st time up this climb )








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Easy Rider

Andy powers with the battery off

These “modern mamachari” electric-assist city family bikes are really great, so long as the battery
lasts. They can be quite heavy otherwise, like riding through molasses. And that's on a nicely-paved, flat
city street. Even with the battery it's quite a bit of work powering up this kind of steep road.

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Our Smoking Friend From Earlier

throwing up, or dunking his head in a river, or something

At some point he had made a big show of flying by our group (we're going slowly because
Nigel is riding the cycling equivalent of a cast-iron anchor), but we soon caught up and passed him. We never saw him again.

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Helping Hand

Geoffrey gives Nigel a momentary boost. You can see in this short video from the ride (of him doing it another time) that it
really does help him along:

Some things to explain: I was breathing quite heavily because I had rushed to catch up after having stopped to take photo of
others earlier. I put out an average of 470 watts for a minute and a half (and 750 watts for 20 seconds), which is a lot for me.

At one point I yell “car” when it seems apparent that everyone already sees the car and it's too late anyway, but I was yelling it
for the benefit of those coming up from farther back, behind the blind hairpin.

One can sometimes make the entire climb without seeing a car, or on a busy
day, you might see half a dozen cars during the whole ascent. But today was
crazy... dozens and dozens of cars. Maybe because it's Golden Week. The first time I
tried to take a video, cars just kept coming, and my voice yelling “car” is horribly annoying.
In this video upload, I lowered the audio level substantially, but it's still
annoying...

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“Happy Birthday”

two cyclists wish Nigel a Happy Birthday on the way by








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Arriving At Hanase Pass

花背峠への到着








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More Arrivals

Josh riding one of the mini folding bikes he uses for his tours









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Group Shot

at Hanase Pass

I'm at far right in the shot above, taken by a passing motorcyclist. I'm wearing a Yahoo! jersey that Mike Bennett sent me over the winter. I wore it for the first time today, it
being warm enough to not need a jacket that would cover it. I worked at Yahoo! during the early days of the World Wide Web, when
Yahoo! was relevant and was synonymous with “Internet” to the average person. The purple and yellow bring a tear of pride
to my eye.

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Bidding Adieu

Andy and Asa would turn back from here

We continued down the other side for a while...

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... then came to an old gravel road that jutted back up into the mountain.

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Very Steep

I had never done this “road” (I thought it was just a mountain trail), and I probably won't do it again. It was quite steep (700m at an average of 13%, with some sections
approaching 20%).

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Hard Going








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Old Hanase Pass

旧花背峠

We would continue on up the road in the background before descending down toward Seryo Pass.

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Unexpected Encounter

We couldn't believe a car was on this “road” and just assumed that
they were lost, so it was quite surprising when they said that they knew where they were and where they were going. The car is a Mitsuoka Ryugi, which I'm
sure you've never heard of.

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Full Bloom

shakily taken while descending on a gravel road

The gravel road dumped us out in a tiny village below Seryo Pass. A cherry tree was blooming
at the Seryo Lodge, and the owner kindly snapped a photo for us.

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芹生ロッジ








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Heading Up to Seryo Pass








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Small Detour

The proprietor at the Seryo Lodge told us about a house that had pretty booms at the moment, so I made a short detour to see
it. It was much nicer than came out in this photo.

The descent from Seryo Pass down toward Kyoto is one of the worst
around.... long and steep (3km at 11%), with a horrible bumpy road surface that shakes your teeth from your skull at anything
faster than a walk. Nigel did this on his mamachari as well.

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Smokin'!

upon reaching civilization, his brakes were smoking










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Ready To Go Home

at Kibune Shrine Okumiya (貴船神社奥宮)









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Parking-Lot Traffic

Traffic was worse than I'd ever seen








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Clear of the Crowds

taken at 40 kph (25 mph)








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taken at 50 kph (31 mph)








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Back on its Home Turf








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Getting Falafels for Lunch

at Falafel Garden








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Riverside-Picnic “Cheers”








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Swarms of Kites

there must have been three or four dozen of these hawk-like birds








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Reinforcements Arrive

Nigel's daughter comes bearing beer for all (well, all except herself)








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Easy Lunch

the instant after the bird had grabbed a sandwich from the boy's hand

In the moments before the bird swooped down to grab the sandwich, you could feel a few of them paying close attention, coming
in for a better look, which is why I had my camera pointed that way in the first place, just in case. In retrospect it seems clear
that I should have warned them, but there were plenty of times someone's food looked like it might be a target, but never was,
so maybe my warning would have just bothered them. In any case, the three barely flinched, as if they were expecting it. It was decidedly odd.

Anyway, happy birthday Nigel. I'll have to make sure I'm out of town this time next year.

Century of Wazuka Climbs, Part 1

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Working The Tea Fields

high up in Wazuka, Japan (和束)

I had a nice ride through the mountains of Uji and Wazuka (Japan, near Kyoto/Nara) the other day. Both Uji (宇治) and Wazuka (和
束) have been famous for their tea for centuries, and have tea fields tucked away in the most seemingly-unlikely nooks and
crannies of their mountains.

Here's the ride at Strava:

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I had a number of specific goals when embarking on this ride:

Goal: ride at least a “century” of distance (100 miles, 161km).

Actual: 167km / 105 miles.

Goal: vertical climb of at least 3,000m (9,850').

Actual: 3,506m / 11,503'

Goal: get a PR (personal record) on the “Omine East” climb.

Actual: beat my former PR of 22 minutes by almost a minute and a half.

Goal: hit three particular descents with gusto, perhaps earning the “KOM” (“King of the Mountain” — fastest recorded time) for them.

Actual: KOM'd all three.

Goal: do the heinous Yaruki Jizo climb again, preferably without killing myself.

Actual: survived

All goals acheived, so yeah for me.

Wild Cherry Blossoms and Fun Fast Descents

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Full Bloom

in front of the Joshokoji Temple (常照皇寺)

in the mountains north of Kyoto, Japan

Cherry-blossom season in Kyoto is always hectic for someone like me who likes photography, made all the more
busy because I now like to cycle and these are some of the first warm days of the season. I've been out with the camera
and the bike a lot lately, but sort of punted on blogging about it because schedule already left me overwhelmed.

So, I'm getting back into the swing of things with a writeup on my most recent ride.

First I popped over the mountains from Kyoto to Lake Biwa...

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Straight Shot Down to the Lake

1.4km / 0.9mi away








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At Lake Biwa

moments before my bike fell in it








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Fishermen








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Short, Intense Climb

looking back from the top,

300 straight meters @ 13.3%

I got 4th overall on this straight, steep climb; I should have gotten
2nd, but my Garmin's Edge 820's GPS track had drifted and part of my rest after finishing it was counted in my climb. I'll do
better next time, and hope my Garmin will as well.

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Another Short Straight Climb

400m at 7.8%

it's neither long nor steep, but the straightness makes it mentally tougher for me








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Rural Farming








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My first destination on this ride was a temple in the middle of nowhere in the mountains. I had ridden by it
numerous times, but had never stopped in to check it out.

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Me and my Kongorikishi Friend

at the Imurudani Fudodo Temple (飯室谷不動堂)












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Still a Few Blossoms








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Not Sure

but they remind me of this place








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Back Where it Belongs

one of the lanterns had fallen; I returned it to its spot








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Serpent








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More Lanterns

From there I continued along undulating mountain roads away from Kyoto...

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Getting Gray








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Preparing for Planting








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Wild Cherry

There were blossoming trees here and there in the mountains, providing a lovely touch of softness wherever they were. This
batch was on a long mountain climb on a road that seems to have no reason
to exist... it doesn't lead to anything, nor connect anything not already connected by less rustic roads. Makes for a pleasant ride,
though.

The long twisty descent has some very rough, very steep patches of pavement (a bit you can see in this photo) and the ever-present potential for oncoming traffic, so
one must be particularly careful. It could be quite fun if I were in the mood to push a fast descent, but I wasn't, so I took it
easy, and as so often seems to happen, I surprised myself by beating my former KOM time to set a new KOM (fastest registered time). It tickles me
to no end when this happens.

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Proper Lunch








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Happy-go-Lucky Fellow








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About to Momoi

Still not halfway into my plan, it was time for the heinous Momoi East
climb, which I wrote about here the first time I did it. Today's was the
fourth, and I noticed as I did it that I had no worries about falling over on the steep sections, illustrating to myself how far
I've come.

I did the full Momoi climb, followed by the subsequent even-worse western descent (I think the worst section of road in
Kyoto), then continued up through Hanase Pass to Sugino Pass. I went at a plodding pace and the whole trip (distance of 12km / 7.2mi, with a vertical climb of 715m / 2,350') took almost
an hour. I was surprised to find that I got the “KOM” on this segment as well, not something I ever get on long climbs, but here
it was because I was apparently the first and only to have ever done it, at least among those using Strava. I didn't expect it to be super popular, but no one else? That surprised me.

Oddly enough, after all these years of no one having ever done that route, someone else did do it two days after I did, a few seconds
slower than I had, so I keep my cheap “KOM” for the moment.

ROTOR Valiantly Succeeds in Avoiding my Money

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Michael Powers Up to Mochikoshi Pass

with his ROTOR chainrings of some sort

Chainrings — the big gears at the pedals of a bicycle — are normally round, but there is the idea that
slightly oval ones can be more efficient because they can take advantage of the naturally-strong part of the pedal stroke
by placing more leverage there, and less where the stroke is weakest.

I was thinking to get some to try, but the company that makes them, ROTOR, is apparently willfully, egregiously not
interested in selling them. They make a dizzying number of different models of oval chainrings, with scant
information on their site about the difference among the various lines.

Every first-time buyer will have the same set of questions.... which ones fit my bike, and among those, which are right
for me, and in what sizes? They leave most of this for you to somehow figure out on your own (or, failing to have confidence,
just abandon the idea of buying them).

Their willfully-stupid site makes me wonder whether their products are also willfully stupid, and it should have been a sign to
walk away, but I thought I'd at least ask, so I sent them this request:

Hi, I'd like to buy some chainrings, but I'm not sure of compatibility.

I currently have Shimano Ultegra 6800 with a semicompact 36/52 up front and 11-34 in the back. It seems that for replacement chainrings I can choose from among “Q-Rings Aero Shimano 110x4”, “QXL Shimano 110x4”, and “Q-Rings Shimano 110x4”, though after reading everything I could find at your site, I'm still at a loss as to the difference among them.

I often spin out at high speed, so I'd like a bigger big chain ring. Would a 36/54 combo (“Q-Rings Aero Shimano 110x4” or “QXL Shimano 110x4”) work, or would it hit some limit with the Ultegra front derailleur? What about a 34/54 combo?

In any case, whether I can go with a bigger range or I must stick with a 36/52 combo, what's the difference among the three product lines?

Thanks much,


Jeffrey

It's so frustrating when a company seems to care so little about what they sell that they don't bother describing the product
sufficient for even the most basic purchase decisions. I guess I shouldn't have been surprised when the reply
didn't even try to answer any of my questions:

ROTOR Customer Service

Hi Jeffrey,

Thank you for get in contact with Rotor. Based on your information, you will need to purcharse the Rotor oval Q-rings BCD110x4 specific for Shimano crankset which we recommend at the first time with oval chainrings. You will notice the advantage with your pedal stoke using our Q-rings.

Best regards,

Enzo.

Ticket status has been changed to Closed

That last line was the end of it... the ticked was closed and there was no avenue to reply. Notice their customer-service email
address? “no-reply@rotorbike.com”. At least it's not “fuckoff@rotorbike.com”.

Wow. Just wow. Of all the companies in the world trying to avoid accepting my money, these guys really go the extra mile.
That's too bad, because my friends that have them like them, though it's a mystery to me how they knew what to buy.

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Andy Photographs his ROTOR Chainrings

along with the rest of his fine steed

Cycling From Kyoto to Amanohashidate and Back

Note: this article may not appear properly in news readers.

This article contains interactive aspects that are likely removed by most news readers. Please see this particular article directly on Jeffrey's blog for full functionality.

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Overlooking Amanohashidate (天橋立)

155km (96mi) into a 293km (182mi) ride

in the furthest corner of Kyoto Prefecture, Japan

The other day I made an impromptu decision to ride to Amanohashidate
(see at Wikipedia) the next morning. It's pretty far away, and in the end
the big loop turned out to be 293km (182mi), putting it well past
my 260km (160mi) “Cycling to Nagoya for Coffee” ride as my longest.

The evening before I made a clockwise route, but that morning decided to do it the other direction, thinking to put
the easier leg on the return trip, so I made a new counterclockwise route (or, I should say, I whipped up a program to reverse
route waypoints and re-map the route on GraphHopper.com).

I finally got out of the house at 8am.

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About Ready To Start

7:59am








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Last Tobidashi-kun for a While

passing through Ohara

8:32 AM (from start: 33 min / 13 km / 8.3 miles)

I see Tobidashi-kun all over the villages around here,
but saw very few on this trip.

I made reasonable time north, but a headwind started developing after Hanaore Pass, and it grew
stronger the farther north I got. It wasn't all that bad, though, and I
eventually made my way north enough to find snow on the road, just north of Kutsuki...

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A Not-so-Chilly 15°C (59F)

10:12 AM (from start: 2h 13m / 48 km / 29.7 miles)








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Oops

motorcycle hemorrhages coolant after a crash

I came across a group of motorcyclists moments after someone had crashed, just as they were righting the bike.
They had passed me not long before, driving carefully and conservatively, so I'm at a loss to guess how someone
dropped his bike. I'm sure that they all had phones, but I stopped to ask whether they needed assistance anyway,
to which they thanked me but said no. No one seemed injured, except I suppose the pride of whoever had dropped
the now disabled bike.

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Leaving Them to Themselves

with my best wishes for a speedy resolution









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Selfie at Misaka Pass (水坂峠)

10:32 AM (from start: 2h 33m / 54 km / 33.9 miles)

From here it was 22 downhill kilometers to the city of Obama. The first little bit was a twisty mountain road, to reach the main
national road, which was then a long fast downhill where speed so far has been limited by traffic having the audacity to
go the speed limit (50kph).

This time was no exception, and I found myself drafting a dump truck lumbering downhill at 50kph. I love drafting big trucks
and buses... it's as close to one can get to a magic carpet ride. But the road was pristine and otherwise empty, so on a long
clear straightaway I blew past him. I kept on the same road for another 10 minutes before turning off, but I never saw him
again.

Eventually I got out of the mountains and moved to a much smaller road that cuts through flat farmland. I thought I'd had the “magic carpet ride” drafting the truck on the downhill, but suddenly it was another plain
altogether, with what was certainly the strongest tailwind I'd ever experienced. I was flying without even trying.

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/200 sec, f/5, ISO 200 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Rocket-Propelled Missile

a mild effort assisted by God's own tailwind

10:49 AM (from start: 2h 50m / 65 km / 40.4 miles)

taken at 52 kph (32 mph)

I was shocked to be hitting 60kph (37mph) on a flat without even trying. Normally on a flat without wind, I can hold 50kph (31mph) for a minute
if I kill myself (Exhibit A), but here it was
surreal. I was sitting up holding the camera with two hands, turning around to photograph the mountains
behind me, and still easily exceeding 50kph. It was wonderful.

(As wonderful as it was, let's keep things in perspective. At yesterday's
Paris-Roubaix race, the winner kept up an average of 45kph for almost six hours, and that includes
the time spent crashing and waiting for his team to bring a new bike.)

Anyway, I made a Strava segment to cover the straight 1.9km (1.2mi) magic-carpet section, and easily
got the KOM (“King of the Mountain” — the fastest registered time). I named it
“Tailwind Sprint”. Oh how I wish I could go back and put away
the camera and really give it a good effort.

Last week, on this ride beset by string headwinds, I did have one section with a zippy tail wind, and I ended up with the 2nd-fastet time
out of more than 20,000 recorded. Again, if I had only known, I would have really tried to take advantage of the situation.

At one point I had to jig 90° to a parallel road, and so for that little bit I was broadside to the winds.
Even though I was holding on tightly with two hands and expecting the gusts, it was a challenge to stay upright. The wind was very strong.

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/160 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Little-Used Road

10:51 AM (from start: 2h 52m / 66 km / 41.2 miles)

taken at 43 kph (27 mph)

The lovely road seen above didn't exist on the maps that Strava uses, which is perhaps one reason
that so few people have ridden it (I made a segment, but it
shows only three people have ridden it). I've since added that road to the map data. It took about 10 seconds to add the road, but about three hours before I could make myself stop fixing things. The data in this rural
area was horrible.

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/800 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Made it to Obama

11:20 AM (from start: 3h 21m / 77 km / 47.7 miles)

Mermaid Beach (人魚の浜海水浴場)









iPhone 6+ + front camera — 1/1500 sec, f/2.2, ISO 32 —
map & image data — nearby photos

The Obama Mermaid

This was my fifth time to ride to Obama
(previous visits covered
here,
here,
here, and
here), but on this ride I was only halfway to the halfway spot. If those tailwinds were to continue, though, I'd make short work of the rest.

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 32mm — 1/250 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 —
map & image data — nearby photos

I Need Some Genky

Noon (from start: 4h 1m / 94 km / 58.6 miles)

Unfortunately, the same wind what provided the boost into Obama became a cross/headwind as I rode along the coast, and the next 75km were hellatious. I needed some of the
“Genky” seen above. 元気 (genki) is
the Japanese word for health and vitality... someone who is not ill is genki; someone very old who still gets around is genki;
young children can be too genki for their weary parents; someone fighting feirce headwinds for 75km sees the genki seep out of
them.

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 75mm — 1/200 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 —
map & image data — nearby photos

You Shall Not Pass

unexpected “no bicycles / no pedestrians” section on my route

12:42 PM (from start: 4h 43m / 109 km / 67.8 miles)

The circular road sign at left indicates that bicycles and rickshaws and the like are not allowed
on the bridge, so I had to make an unexpected detour. I've since updated the map data so that this mistake won't
happen to others.

iPhone 6+ — 1/15 sec, f/2.2, ISO 50 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Refilling the Tank

1:02 PM (from start: 5h 3m / 111 km / 69.1 miles)

穂のか食堂

Especially after the horrendous fatigue that struck me on this long ride the
other day, I built restaurant stops into my plan. I was in good shape, but weary from the wind, so I was happy to stop for a
while.

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/125 sec, f/3.5, ISO 200 —
map & image data — nearby photos

A Headwind

is a relatively small problem to have

1:44 PM (from start: 5h 45m / 114 km / 70.9 miles)








Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/250 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Bicycle Corridor

“52 kiloparsecs”?

2:01 PM (from start: 6h 2m / 122 km / 75.9 miles)

The first thing I thought of when seeing “kp” was “kilo-pascals”, but that makes no sense (52 kilopascals is
about half atmospheric pressure, and would normally be written as “52kPa”, not “52kp”). Then I thought
“kilo-parsec”, but 52 kilo-parsec is sort of a long way to ride a bike (it's about 1,600,000,000,000,000,000,000 meters),
so it's probably not that. I did some digging and found that it means “kilo-post” (キロポスト), and marks the distance
in kilometers from some starting location.

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 75mm — 1/400 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Boat

don't see many military-looking boats in Kyoto

2:20 PM (from start: 6h 21m / 131 km / 81.6 miles)








Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/125 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Another “No Bicycles” Section

2:29 PM (from start: 6h 30m / 136 km / 84.3 miles)

taken at 33 kph (20 mph)








Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/125 sec, f/5, ISO 200 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Arrived!

2:51 PM (from start: 6h 52m / 145 km / 90.3 miles)

Amanohashidate (天橋立)

This is the same rotating bridge seen on my blog nine years ago.

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/125 sec, f/3.2, ISO 200 —
map & image data — nearby photos

This is It

3:04 PM (from start: 7h 5m / 147 km / 91.6 miles)

Amanohashidate is a strand of land a mile or two long bisecting a bay, comparable to San Diego's Silver Strand, but
much smaller. From the ground, there's really nothing interesting to see about it.

iPhone 6+ + front camera — 1/120 sec, f/2.2, ISO 32 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Coffee Photo Op

3:08 PM (from start: 7h 9m / 148 km / 92.0 miles)

I wanted to share a photo on my Facebook page to show that I had reached the place, but the typical scene from the ground wouldn't have
indicated much about where I was, so took a photo in front of a sign board with the name. I continued the
silly “long ride for a cop of coffee” thing I started in “Cycling to Nagoya for Coffee” by using a can of coffee from a vending machine as a prop.

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 60mm — 1/125 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Next Stop

up there

3:19 PM (from start: 7h 20m / 149 km / 92.3 miles)

It wasn't on my original plan, but I was feeling good and I didn't have to be home by a particular time,
so I decided to cycle up a mountain to a scenic view spot. Most folks go up the cable car seen above,
but there's a road as well, 2.8km @ 10%.

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 47mm — 1/125 sec, f/3.5, ISO 200 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Mini Shrines on the Road Up

3:31 PM (from start: 7h 32m / 151 km / 94.1 miles)

on the way to the Nariai-ji Temple (成相寺)








Panasonic LX100 at an effective 32mm — 1/125 sec, f/2.2, ISO 500 —
map & image data — nearby photos








Panasonic LX100 at an effective 72mm — 1/125 sec, f/3.5, ISO 200 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Horrible Road Surface

not quite cobblestones, but not very far from it

3:33 PM (from start: 7h 35m / 152 km / 94.3 miles)








Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/125 sec, f/2.8, ISO 200 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Roadside Spring

3:35 PM (from start: 7h 36m / 152 km / 94.4 miles)








Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/125 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Up Up Up

3:38 PM (from start: 7h 39m / 152 km / 94.6 miles)








Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/125 sec, f/5, ISO 200 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Steeper Section

3:44 PM (from start: 7h 45m / 153 km / 95.0 miles)

The steep lead up seen at right was brutal, especially coming after kilometers of climb, so I was happy to have the excuse to
take a photo as a reason to stop. But then, after the hairpin, it got even worse, reaching Nasty 20+% levels. At least for this section the road surface was fine.

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 34mm — 1/125 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Sense of Scale

In this shot there's a car at the next hairpin down

The maps in this area were atrocious so I was playing it by ear, but from what I could gather,
after I had climbed up to a temple, it was just a short ride over to the scenic-view spot. It turns out, though, that the “short ride”
included 150m (500') of steep descent:

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/125 sec, f/5, ISO 200 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Pitching Down

to the scenic-view spot

3:52 PM (from start: 7h 53m / 154 km / 95.5 miles)

I don't quite get what's going on with this road. It's a public road (“Kyoto Prefectural Road 616”),
but there's a makeshift sign saying that only buses and pedestrians are allowed (no vehicles allowed, not even bicycles).
I hadn't seen this makeshift sign on the way in, but even if I had, I'm not sure I would have let it deter me. The government has specific signs it uses on public roads to indicate vehicular limitations, such as the “no bicycles
and rickshaws” signs seen above; I question whether a makeshift sign expressing one person's desire for the road
eclipses my (tax-paying, I might add) right.

Anyway, I didn't have these philosophical thoughts on my mind at the time, with the need to return up the same steep
road filling my thoughts.

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/125 sec, f/4, ISO 200 —
map & image data — nearby photos

View From The Scenic-View Spot

3:56 PM (from start: 7h 57m / 155 km / 96.0 miles)

overlooking Amanohashidate (天橋立)









Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/125 sec, f/3.5, ISO 200 —
map & image data — nearby photos

The Pedestrian Path From Sea Level








Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/125 sec, f/4.5, ISO 200 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Taking in the Scene

upside down, by looking through your legs

( this is apparently the thing to do here )

After relaxing for a bit, I made most of the 150m climb back up towards the temple, but just before
arriving realized that I had dropped my taillight. Upon reaching the sandy path an hour earlier I'd wanted to make
sure it was fully charged for the long ride home which would be mostly in the dark, so I attached it to my portable
charger. It's easy to fall out, so I wrapped the pair in a bag and stuck it in the back pocket of my jersey.

Apparently, it had poked through the bag and fallen out. I figured it must have been at the scenic-view spot, so I
descended to get it. It wasn't there, so I made the 150m climb back up to the temple.

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/125 sec, f/4, ISO 200 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Temple Pagoda

4:27 PM (from start: 8h 28m / 158 km / 98.2 miles)

just before pitching down the 20+% descent

One of the draws for me to have made the long climb up to begin with, besides the view, was to leave my KOM mark in
the area by hitting the descent in my traditional
manner. That plan fell by the wayside as I descended slowly, to try to find my taillight that had presumably fallen by the wayside.
Besides not wanting to be out a $50 light, I sort of wanted to have the light for the return trip home.

Didn't find it.

I hadn't been planning to return to the sandy landbridge, but did so looking for the light. Never found it. It's got my name
and phone number on it, so perhaps I'll eventually get it back. It is Japan, after all.

Finally giving up, at 5pm, after just a bit over 100 miles of riding, I started on the return trip home. I planned a more direct route than the one I came on (the return would be just 130km / 81mi), a route that went over some mountains
but didn't seem to — in the rough research I'd done the night before — have all that much climbing.

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/125 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Lovely Cycling Road

( that had been marked as a normal road on the map, though I've since fixed it )

5:17 PM (from start: 9h 18m / 172 km / 107.1 miles)

My biggest stress for the return was battery management. By law and common sense I needed lights in front and back
for the many hours I'd be riding in the dark. I didn't care about the front so much except in a city, but I always needed
to care about the back. My Fly6 rear camera functions as a tail light, but I worried how much battery I had. I also worried about running out of battery on my phone and on my Garmin cycling computer (the latter of which was
recording my ride, and displaying my route so I knew when to turn). I had one portable recharger battery, but managing it
so that I could keep everything important going filled my thoughts.

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 67mm — 1/125 sec, f/3.5, ISO 200 —
map & image data — nearby photos

First Return Climb Awaits

5:47 PM (from start: 9h 48m / 182 km / 113.0 miles)

I didn't think the overall return had much climbing, but I knew it had one doozy at the beginning. But first,
my plans called for dinner at a restaurant I'd mapped out at the foot of the climb....

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/125 sec, f/3.5, ISO 200 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Inexplicably Closed

no dinner for me

5:53 PM (from start: 9h 54m / 183 km / 113.7 miles)








Panasonic LX100 at an effective 72mm — 1/125 sec, f/2.8, ISO 320 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Heading Up There

5:58 PM (from start: 9h 59m / 184 km / 114.1 miles)








Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/125 sec, f/1.7, ISO 200 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Happy

that I don't have to take the steep road on the right

(except I do)

5:59 PM (from start: 10h 0m / 184 km / 114.2 miles)

It turns out that this road often splits and rejoins, with one branch being the original straight (steep) way, and the other
being a longer, twisty, more mild climb. My routing software had given me the
shortest route, which was of course the steepest. I would have chosen exactly that had I paid attention, but it turns out that not many would, because only three people using Strava have taken it. By
comparison, fifteen have taken the easiest route, and seventy have bailed on
the road altogether to take the easier modern bypass. All in all I guess the point is that few people ride here at all. /-:

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 33mm — 1/125 sec, f/2.2, ISO 1250 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Rare

mix of trees and bamboo

6:01 PM (from start: 10h 2m / 184 km / 114.3 miles)








Panasonic LX100 at an effective 75mm — 1/125 sec, f/2.8, ISO 1000 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Looking Back Where I Came From

6:14 PM (from start: 10h 15m / 186 km / 115.5 miles)








Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/25 sec, f/1.7, ISO 3200 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Darkness Fell Quickly

it's much brighter in the photo than it was in real life

6:52 PM (from start: 10h 53m / 201 km / 125.0 miles)








Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/8 sec, f/1.7, ISO 3200 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Brightly-Lit Area

long stretches between villages had nothing but the half moon

7:32 PM (from start: 11h 33m / 210 km / 130.6 miles)








Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/15 sec, f/1.7, ISO 3200 —
map & image data — nearby photos

I Must Be Getting Near Kyoto

8:04 PM (from start: 12h 5m / 218 km / 135.7 miles)

At 8pm I was still 3½ hours from home.

I had been very wrong about there not being much climbing. There was lots, and I was slow. I got home around 11:30pm.

Here's the Relive.cc video of the ride:

Putzing Around Kyoto on a Fine Spring Day

It took a casual spin around Kyoto last weekend, as the cherry
blossoms were starting to come in.

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 55mm — 1/250 sec, f/6.3, ISO 160 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Kids Oblivious to the Blossoms

Kyoto Imperial Palace Park (京都御所公園)








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24mm — 1/100 sec, f/9, ISO 280 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Cherry-Blossom Picnic








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 70mm — 1/640 sec, f/2.8, ISO 100 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Typical Kyoto Scene








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 66mm — 1/640 sec, f/2.8, ISO 100 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Very Little Person

very great cuteness








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 28mm — 1/500 sec, f/2.8, ISO 100 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Obnoxiously Rude

In pointing the camera at these ladies,

I took their attention from their ricksha-driver photographer.








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24mm — 1/640 sec, f/2.8, ISO 100 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Calculated Chaos

Despite the crowds, the photographer can get great shots because

if it's not in frame, it doesn't exist








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24mm — 1/500 sec, f/2.8, ISO 100 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Dress-up Play

dressed as a maiko (apprentice geisha), but probably not one








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 70mm — 1/640 sec, f/2.8, ISO 100 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Parking Lot

traffic in this part of town slows to a crawl this time of year








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 70mm — 1/320 sec, f/2.8, ISO 100 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Maruyama Park (円山公園)

still as ugly this time of year as it was 12 years ago








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 58mm — 1/250 sec, f/2.8, ISO 320 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Temporarily Closed

to traffic








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 70mm — 1/320 sec, f/2.8, ISO 360 —
map & image data — nearby photos








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 29mm — 1/400 sec, f/5, ISO 100 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Construction of Some Kind

as happens often, I couldn't remember what had been there

Looking down the street from next to the construction, toward the right, it was a mad house:

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 60mm — 1/250 sec, f/5, ISO 200 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Not Going to Even Try

So, instead I went up the steep road that goes under the shrine arch
seen two photos above.

Not long past the shrine gate, I noticed a huge statue off to the side, and wondered how long it had been
there and how I had never noticed it before:

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24mm — 1/100 sec, f/13, ISO 160 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Huge Statue

to the far left

It turns out that it's been there since 1955, and is 24m (80') tall. I guess I'm not very attentive.

I ended up taking the long way around to the other side of the “not going to even try” street, where it was just as
crowded.

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 40mm — 1/160 sec, f/13, ISO 2500 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Still as Crowded

near the Kiyomizu Temple








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 70mm — 1/320 sec, f/9, ISO 560 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Less Photogenic Approach

to the Kiyomizu Temple








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 70mm — 1/320 sec, f/9, ISO 400 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Ugh

I'll find another way








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 32mm — 1/125 sec, f/9, ISO 140 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Side-ish Approach

Kiyomizu Temple (清水寺)








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24mm — 1/100 sec, f/9, ISO 125 —
map & image data — nearby photos

So Much Less Crowded








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24mm — 1/100 sec, f/9, ISO 250 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Kyoto's Lombardi Street

there are plenty of zig-zags all the way down

I'd never noticed this street that pitched down in zig-zag curves like a snake, so was happy to try it despite
the bumpy cobblestones.

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24mm — 1/100 sec, f/8, ISO 400 —
map & image data — nearby photos

It eventually brought me to a service road where a trash-truck driver was replacing a “do not enter” rope. I guess there was normally
one at the top, but it had been placed aside for him. So, I don't think I'll be able to take the road again,
now that I know I wasn't supposed to have the first time.

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24mm — 1/125 sec, f/8, ISO 100 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Near the Eastern Gate

Popping out of the eastern gate, I made my way up to Shogunzuka, where I used to go often to try to catch a nice sunset.

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 44mm — 1/200 sec, f/8, ISO 110 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Blah and Hazy

Shogunzuka Overlook (将軍塚)

The “nearby photos” link under the photo brings you to some of the many posts I've done from up here,
including some amazing sunsets like this
and this and this.

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24mm — 1/100 sec, f/8, ISO 360 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Best I Could Come Up With

for something interesting








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 31mm — 1/125 sec, f/5.6, ISO 800 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Visiting Larry Ellison's Kyoto Digs

the same place seen in this lovely snow shot

This ride was the first this year not to wear full-on winter gear. It was lovely to be out.

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 56mm — 1/250 sec, f/9, ISO 2500 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Nanzen Temple (南禅寺)

main gate from the side








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 70mm — 1/320 sec, f/9, ISO 2000 —
image data

Start of the Philosopher's Trail

哲学の道

the blossoms haven't even started here








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 70mm — 1/320 sec, f/9, ISO 2800 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Back Street








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 70mm — 1/320 sec, f/9, ISO 720 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Pitch








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 70mm — 1/320 sec, f/9, ISO 2200 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Some Kind of Dance Performance

in the plaza in front of the Heian Shrine (平安神宮)








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 38mm — 1/160 sec, f/9, ISO 400 —
map & image data — nearby photos

My Local Park

taken over by some festival or another








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24mm — 1/100 sec, f/9, ISO 280 —
map & image data — nearby photos

People Streaming from the Festival

Moriyama Criterium: The Category-4 Races

This is the final installment about the races introduced earlier in
“Watching My First Cycling Road Race”, cycling races held on closed streets in Moriyama, Shiga, Japan, about an hour's drive northeast from Kyoto.

After the “youth races” were some “C4” races, races for
inexperienced riders (or riders who are experienced but slow). If I were to ever try a race, I'd start in “C4”.

This event broke C4 into three different races: “C4H” for men above
a certain age (40?), “C4L” for men below the
certain age, and “C4W” for women.

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 200mm — 1/1600 sec, f/3.2, ISO 110 —
map & image data — nearby photos

C4H Rolling Start

As before, I situated myself at a pinch point in the course loop, so I could catch them twice during each loop.
Sometime during the first loop, the motorcycle pulls away and the race is on.

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 200mm — 1/2000 sec, f/2.8, ISO 100 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Comedian on the Backstretch

folks seem to be laughing at something the guy at far right is saying







Nikon D4 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 200mm — 1/2000 sec, f/2.8, ISO 100 —
map & image data — nearby photos

波多野一隆さん

Kazutaka Hatano

Kazutaka Hatano, whom I would meet a week later on my “bullet train view ride”,
was in this race, and I happened to catch some photos of him.

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 120mm — 1/2000 sec, f/2.8, ISO 100 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Field Getting Strung Out

during the second of four laps







Nikon D4 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 130mm — 1/2000 sec, f/2.8, ISO 100 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Hatano-san Near the Front

I'm at a loss to explain how or why he put himself here

As I discussed in the first installment, it's much more efficient
to draft behind someone than to be the leader, who is essentially an “air plow” for those smart enough to follow close enough
behind. I've never raced so my understanding is in theory and not practice, but generally one doesn't want to be the leader until
the last seconds of the race, camping behind others conserving energy until releasing all the pent-up savings in a final explosive
sprint to the finish.

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 90mm — 1/2500 sec, f/2.8, ISO 100 —
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“Won't Someone Come Up and Lead?”

what I imagine the guy in black thinking as he finds himself in front







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Cartoonish Processing

just playing around in Lightroom







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Back in an Efficient Spot







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Sprint Finish

this guy was strong enough to break away a bit early and win by five seconds







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“Love Me Tender”







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Fighting for Third

seven seconds behind the winner, and two seconds behind 2nd place

Something strikes me odd about this photo. I know it's a sprint finish and that these guys are all fighting against each other
for a spot on the podium. They're giving everything they have, probably going 50~60kph (~35mph). Yet, other than the expression on
their faces, there's no sense of movement or urgency in this shot. Even their body positions are not all that aggressive looking.
Just feels odd to me.

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Lone Woman

I didn't realize until it was over, but they started the women's C4 race a half a lap after the men's, so I totally missed it. )-:

Then it was time for C4L, the younger men's C4 race. Before it starts, I'll note that the winner of the older men's C4 race
(Mr. Love Me Tender) would have placed 42nd, in the back of the pack, had he been in the C4H race.

Inout, who we saw riding in the pairs race with Stephanie in the first
post, would be in this solo C4L race as well.

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C4L Rolling Start







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Ionut Sandu







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The Race is On

I said earlier that one doesn't want to be up front (except during the last few seconds of the race), but a notable exception is
when working as a team. Two or more riders working together might work to pave the way for the fastest sprinter to take charge
during the final sprint. Until then, the support riders plow the way, burning their energy in the long leadup to the finale so
that the sprinter can conserve.

I don't know whether that was the plan for the rider seen leading above, but there were two others behind him with identical
jerseys, so presumably on the same team. If it was their plan, though, it didn't work, as the fastest among the three finished
in 30th place (which perhaps sounds much worse than it is... 30th place was five seconds behind the winner).

SC-02H at an effective 26mm — 1/67000 sec, f/1.7, ISO 400 —
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Me Photographing Ionut

who's in the middle of the pack during this first lap

photo by Manseki Kanemitsu







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Starting the Second Lap

after a hairpin turn at the end of the long backstretch







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Breakaway Attempt

Another reason to not ride behind someone is if you're so much stronger than everyone else that you can ride faster alone than
the others working in a group. This “stronger than everyone else” thing is usually more wishful thinking than fact, so it's
common to see such attempts crumble as the energy is squandered.

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Ionut Smartly in a Group

down the front stretch of the second lap

After the stretch above, the riders disappear from my view for 30 seconds or so, to reappear at the start of the long backstretch...

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What On Earth.....?







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Ionut Leading the Pack

what on earth are you doing Ionut????

(besides plowing the way for the earlier breakaway rider who has now returned to the fold?)







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Enough Energy to Smile

The reaction of me and those with me was “oh no, Ionut, what are you doing!? Big mistake... get behind someone!”.
Those who had raced said that until you had experience, it was difficult to moderate oneself during the heat of the race.

However, yet another reason one might want to be at the front of the race is to control the pace, either setting it
fast because you think you can burn out sprinters who might be fast at the end but who don't have the endurance to keep
up a blistering pace for the whole race, or to keep things slow so that you yourself don't get burnt out.

It's this final reason, to slow the pace, that Ionut later said was his plan. But we didn't hear that until later,
and didn't think of it ourselves at the time, so the whole time he was in front we were cringing.

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Field Getting Strung Out

on only the second lap

(but they're still almost all faster than me)







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Spectator Shift

to the other side of the loop







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Tactical Game

After the hairpin that ends the loop, there's a descent (seen in the background above) where speeds can get quite
high if someone attacks (tries to break away), so I imagine there's a lot of jostling for position during this section.
Ionut is finally not leading, but he's also still not drafting so the performance penalty is the same.

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In the Lead Again

as his spectating friends shake their head in wonder







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Starting the Last Lap

still not drafting )-:

In the photo above, Ionut isn't drafting, but someone is drafting him, the guy in the center of the photo
in red and black clothes, with a GoPro slung under his white handlebars. He posted the video from the GoPro on
YouTube... this link opens the video at the spot the photo above
was taken; you can watch from there or move around to see the whole race or just the finish (he came in 9th,
1.5 seconds after the winner).

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Final Sprint

Mr. Blue won, Mr. Red Hat came in second, and Orange Socks came in third

Blue is Satoshi Yoshida (吉田聡), Red is Masayoshi Hieda (稗田正佳), Orange is Seiya Iwata (岩田聖矢)







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Fierce Competitor

middle-schooler Seiya Iwata beating Ionut and 55 other adults

Orange Socks — Seiya Iwata (岩田聖矢) — is in middle school (about 14 or 15 years old) and, according to my web
research, has been racing like this for a decade longer than I've been cycling at all. He doesn't appear in any of the photos
except these two at the finish because he was always tucked in behind someone, drafting, and not sitting photogenic (but inefficiently) at
the head of a pack. He may well be the most experienced rider of the group. That's not saying much for a “C4” race, I suppose. One expects that he should be moving up to “C3”, at least if the rules allow someone that young to do so.

In the photo above, Ionut is at the far left. He came in 6th place, 1.2 seconds after the winner. Full results are
published here.

There were, of course, higher-level races held at this event, all the way up to the semi-pro "C1", but I didn't see those races.

Some Gritty Drizzly-Dusk Shots in Kyoto

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Early Drinks and Fine Company

Cafe in the Gion area of Kyoto, Japan

I went out for a walk with my camera around Gion in yesterday's drizzly dusk, and snapped a few photos. The combination of the hour and the weather makes them a bit “gritty”.

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Nameless Alley








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Weeping Cherry

about to bloom








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Shirakawa River








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Some Gritty Drizzy-Dusk Shots in Kyoto

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Early Drinks and Fine Company

Gion area of Kyoto, Japan

I went out for a walk with my camera around Gion in yesterday's drizzly dusk, and snapped a few photos. The combination of the hour and the weather makes them a bit “gritty”.

Nikon D4 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — 1/60 sec, f/1.4, ISO 6400 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Nameless Alley








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Weaping Cherry

about to bloom








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Shirakawa River








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Youth Races at the Moriyama Criterium

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Perfect Form* of Youth

*not really

The cycling races in Moriyama, Japan that I wrote about last week included
some youth races. I was struck by the form of the child in the photo above... to my untrained, still-wet-behind-the-cyclist-ears
eyes, her form seemed so beautiful and efficient.

However, I don't want to appear stupid on my own blog — at least more stupid than I normally do — so I had the
sense to ask an expert about her form as it appears in the photo: I asked professional bike fitter Vincent Flanagan, and his short reply was an education
in my own ignorance. Here's his reply:

I'd say they appear comfortable though looking at the left leg extension the angle at the knee length. I think the seat height is
a tad insufficient. Also her position on the drops really compromised her ability to expand her lungs. The bars maybe too close.

The handlebar shape looks similar to a track bike bar and the curve from the tops down to the shifter
bracket would force the wrist into extension while holding them. On the point of breathing. See how her elbows come back way
behind the knees.

Now that you mention it, her leg doesn't look to extent quite as much as it should, combined with the too-close handlebars and
she's all squished up with no where for her lungs to expand.

About her elbow coming back behind the knee, it seems there's often some overlap when getting really aero,
at least if you don't have aerobar extensions, but her's seems extreme. Compare with this photo from the earlier post,
of a lady with minimal overlap despite that she's sitting way forward on the seat:

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Anyway, it's a joy to see children enjoying sport, so I was happy to click some photos when they raced.

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Slow “Rolling Start” Leadout








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Me Snapping Away

photo by Manseki Kanemitsu










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Looking Super Pro!








SC-02H at an effective 26mm — 1/7200 sec, f/1.7, ISO 50 —
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photo by Manseki Kanemitsu









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Get'em Started Early








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Peanut Gallery Enjoys the Races








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Tot Race Starts








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U-Turning

into a disaster?

The tot “race” was a short out-and-back affair. I don't know who thought it was a good idea to launch inexperienced children
down a lane directly into a sudden hairpin U-turn, but the results were entirely predictable.

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Too Fast To Turn

this too-big-for-me bike








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Horrific Crash

oops








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Turn Turn Turn

photo by Manseki Kanemitsu

It was bedlam for a short while as kids lost control at slow speed, and kids behind them attempted to react.

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More “Relaxed” Wave Approaches








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Home Straight








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Helping Hand

to get restarted

This little boy couldn't have been much past his third birthday. He'd hit the corner too fast and ended up dropping
the bike, causing some accessories to fall off. I and a few other adults tried to help him get going, but it took
a while to figure out how to get things remounted, and the whole time I was struck with the poise this child possessed. He was clearly intent on finishing the race, and was clearly a bit shaken up by the “crash”, but he never cried
and remained calm and steady and on task. Were it that I had such poise under pressure.

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But Defiantly Not Least

Continued here...