Jeffrey E.F. Friedl's Blog, page 11

Visiting That Temple I Saw From The Bullet Train Last Week

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The Day's Riding Partners

Hatano-san, Okabe-san, Yano-san

In my previous post about a visit to Tokyo last weekend, I mentioned that
on the bullet-train ride there I'd passed by a mountain with a temple nestled at the top, and thought it might be nice to
investigate the presumably steep road up there. It turns out that it was.

The mountain in question is one of a pair of monadnocks in an area that's otherwise flat as a pancake. Here's the view from
Google Earth (with elevation exaggerated for effect):

Google Earth view

The taller of the two rises about 350m (1,165') above the surrounding plain, which isn't all that tall, but
at least on the map the roads looked to be “interesting”. So, I made a plan to investigate some of the roads on them. It turns out that a couple of friends could join me, so we made a plan to meet yesterday morning on the other side of
Lake Biwa, nearer to the mountains.

On the way there, I passed by the entrance to a short but steep side road up to a mountain-top golf course. I had done the 1.1km @ 11% climb only once before, and hadn't planned on doing it on this
ride except that I'd lost the KOM (“King of the Mountain” — the fastest registered attempt) when someone rode it faster the
previous day, so why not? I tried it again and regained my KOM. It's a hollow crown, though, because, inexplicably, only two other
folks have ever attempted it.

Meeting Ram and Krish Kulkarni in Tokyo

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Old Friends

“old” as in “since a long time ago”, and “old” as in “old farts”

I made a weekend trip to Tokyo to visit two old friends also visiting Tokyo, brothers Ram and Krish Kulkarni. (“Ram”, short for
“Ramchandera”, rhymes with “prom”)

Ram has been my best friend for 30 years, since grad school at the University of New Hampshire. When I then moved to Japan, his twin brother Krish, who was at the time a graduate
student at the University of Tokyo, picked me up at the airport.

When I got married almost 20 years ago, Ram was living near Mt. Fuji and came down to Kyoto to be my
best man. Fumie and I were at his wedding in Ahmedabad, India, the previous year.

I hadn't seen Ram since a visit to his house three years ago. I hadn't
seen Krish since a visit at Kyoto Station as he was passing through the year prior to that.

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Snowy Mountains of Shiga

from the window of the bullet train

I never tire of looking out the window of a bullet train to watch
the countryside pass at 300kph (185mph). I thought I'd done various “out the window of a bullet train” posts in the past,
but at the moment the only ones I can find are
this and this.

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Inviting Temple

nestled near the top of the mountain

taken while moving at 258 kph (160 mph)

These kind of scenes catch my eye as I think of the lovely road that must lead up to it. In the case of this temple,
it turns out that there are three routes up, including this Strava segment. The location is a ways beyond where the cycling races were held the other day... I should be able to get there in about two hours. (It had taken the train 12 minutes.)

I didn't do much in Tokyo except hang out with Ram, Krish, and Akemi, Krish's friend of 30 years who kindly let us crash at her
place for the duration. But we did go out for a walk one day.

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Little Inari Shrine

not quite a dazzling as its Kyoto parent shrine








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Out-of-Focus Tokyo Tower

rushing during the red light, I screwed up what could have been a nice photo opportunity








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Ginza Dusk








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Food Arrives

at the Raj Mahal Restaurant, Ginza Tokyo

Ram got along famously with the waiter, or so it seemed from their happy animated banter in Hindi. Thankfully for me, the
waiter also spoke Japanese and English.

I know little about Indian food, so I was happy to let Ram and Krish order, and was not disappointed. We all agreed that it was
very, very good.

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Sweet Chai

a most splendid end to the meal

Krish currently lives in India, while Ram is currently on long-term assignment in Europe, so we never know when we'll be able
to meet, but with both of them, the years melt away when we get together, so whenever it is, this meeting will feel like
yesterday.

My Most Brutal Ride: Round Trip to Mt. Rokko

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Apparently Not a Good Day

This tobidashi-kun doesn't look too happy

at the 138km (86mi) point of a very long ride

On Wednesday I did what must have been the roughest ride of my short cycling life, a ride that left me absolutely
exhausted to the bone before I was even a third done with it. In the end I rode the entire big loop I'd planned,
175km (110mi) to Kobe City's Mt. Rokko and back, but it took 12 hours and a lot more willpower than I thought I had.

It was almost a spur of the moment, and I didn't think it'd be all that difficult for me, and I left the house in
good spirits.

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About To Enter the Mountains

(well, they're still 9km away, but I'm heading there)








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Odd Tobidashi-kun

( Tobidashi-kun are explained here )

The first climb of the day is the nasty Osaka East segment
mentioned in my blog post about better Strava segments.
Overall it's only 8% for 4km, but it has some very steep sections.

It's always beautiful.

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Heading Up

I wasn't particularly trying, but it turns out that on a 23-minute effort I missed my PR by 15 seconds. Had I known I was
so close I might have tried, but at the same time, I knew I had a long day, so I was trying to be efficient more than fast.

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Selfie

after the first climb

It was a bit chilly (5℃), made worse by the strong headwind that appears once I got over the pass. I was glad that light spring/fall gloves aside, I was still in full winter kit.

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Isolated Shrine Gate

along a road cutting through rice fields

(I suspect the shrine is nestled in the mountains nearby)

Not long after this gate begins a long, lovely descent that I'd never taken
(though I'd climbed it the other direction twice before, including this ride). It was long and sweeping and fast, so I would have loved to have fun with it, but with the wind I felt like I was trying to
swim upstream, so I just let gravity do its thing and hoped it was enough to overcome the wind.

By this time I was just following the route on my Garmin cycling computer, so I had little idea where I actually was,
but for the most part it was deserted mountain roads...

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Typical Scene








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Halfway To the Halfway Spot

at one of the many small villages along the way








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Steep Tobidashi-kun

I ended up chatting with the guy seen in walking in the background. He excitedly told me that more and more
cyclists were coming by this area, in groups. He seemed to like the idea, and was amazed by it (as the road
is quite steep).

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Typical Non-Mountain Scene








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12% Descent

Most of the route was new roads for me, so other than what was around Kyoto, and the main destination of the climb
(Mt. Rokko), I didn't have any sense for what awaited me, so I never knew what was around the next curve. In this case,
it was a steep descent, which is always nice.

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Way Up There

on a really hazy day








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Mino Dam

I'd passed by twice before; this time taking the road that cuts across it

Taking the new road, I was rewarded with a long 12% climb
that was most brutal in its layout: it was long and mostly straight, so you could see the long rising road waiting for you.
For me, this is much more difficult than the same climb on a twisty road, since I can't see (and be daunted) by what lies ahead.

In the end, though, I got a nice (but still super hazy) view.

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Again, I didn't know this road so didn't know what might be coming next, but I assumed there would be some sort
of descent eventually, and I was not disappointed. The descent from turned out to be
a lovely 6km at 6%.
And again, I tickled myself by just taking it easy yet still registering a top-10 time (in this case out of 446 people who
have done it a combined 1,400 times).

And that's where, a third of the way into the trip, the day effectively ended for me.

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10km of This

That long lovely descent ended in a big city, near the Osaka Itami Airport, and the moment I got into city traffic, a profound
weariness hit me like the most crushing of post-Thanksgiving-dinner food comas. It was amazing in its abruptness, as if a switch
had been turned off. At first I thought it might have been because I used so much energy concentrating during the descent, but
even after resting for 10 minutes and eating again, I didn't feel any better.

I didn't think it was the dreaded bonk (cycling version of
“hitting the wall”) because I had eaten before leaving, and on a regular schedule along the way. I didn't know what it was, but
hoped I could shake it off during the 10km of city riding I had to get through to reach the start of the main climb of the day, Rokko East, whose 880m (2,888') of vertical gain averages out at 8% over
its 11.6km (7.2mi).

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Gentle But Unrelenting Start

to the day's main climb

I had hoped that the easy city riding would let me shake off the deep fatigue I felt, but it didn't. I was so tired, that closing my eyes for a second brought the most wonderful feeling of complete comfort,
to be followed at the end of the second by the dread of not being able to keep them closed.

A minute or so in, I gave in and stopped, parked the bike, lay down, and closed my eyes for 45 minutes.

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Looking Back

at the small area of pebbles that was my roadside bed

It felt wonderful to lie down, close my eyes, and just quietly listen to the passing sounds, but in the end
it didn't do anything to help, so after 45 minutes I collected myself and trudged upward on the unrelenting
climb.

When thinking of the big climb up Mt. Rokko, I'd had in mind how easy it was the only other time I'd done it, but it had dawned on me
during the 10km across the city that my previous climb was over a 25km route, and that this time I'd
be doing the same elevation over less than half the distance (and thus the slope was twice as steep). Ugh, what a stupid mental mistake.
But anyway, I was here now and I just had to get through it.

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Kids In Over their Head

taken while slowly plodding up at 8 kph (5 mph)

The only other people I saw going up, besides the occasional car, was one hiker and some kids (junior high or high school) on
heavy mamachari city bikes. Well, they weren't “on” them, since
they were pushing slowly uphill. I let them know how much farther it was (4.2km), which shocked them,
but they kept on.

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Another “12%” Slope

but just what I need.... this time it's uphill

There are absolutely no services of any kind during this long climb, except at the main road's pass there's
a restaurant and some vending machines, but you're not quite at the top yet, because from there there's
a short intense climb (300m @ 15%) to the top...

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Getting Close to the Top

Restaurant at left, final bit of road at right

I guess a lot of cyclists don't know about the last little bit to the top, or choose not to take it. It's really daunting
if you're not used to steep stuff, especially after having killed yourself for an hour to get here. I'd been wanting to make a Kyoto-Rokko round trip for a long time, and was inspired to actually do it now by
an acquaintance's ride a few days prior. He's much stronger than me (his time up to the restaurant was an hour faster than mine), but for whatever reason he didn't
make the final push to the top.

In fact, of all the friends and acquaintances I follow on Strava, only one has ever made the full eastern climb I was doing,
and even then, the two other folks he was riding with opted to skip that last steep climb.

I didn't skip it, and was surprised that my two-minute effort was only 12 seconds slower than my PR.

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At The Top

The mask, by the way, is to warm the air as I breath. My tonsils are apparently very “sensitive” to cold,
and even a short spell of exertion without the mask would give me flu symptoms for the next couple of days. A combination of some allergy medicine and this cheap ($7) mask makes it possible for me to cycle in the winter.

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Blah, Hazy View

Summit of Mt. Rokko (六甲山山頂)

( better photos last time )

I didn't stick around. Being inactive at the top meant that I was starting to get chilly,
and knew I'd freeze on the long descent so for the first time in
months I put on a windbreaker as an extra layer. The long descent should have been thrilling,
but I just plodded along.

The second half, the gorgeous Ura Rokko descent,
should have been the highlight of my day, but my fingers were so cold I could barely feel the brake levers,
which is not any more conducive to a safe descent than my fatigue.

I wasn't hungry, but thought that a real meal might help. Unfortunately, I
didn't come across a restaurant in a timely fashion, so I made do with a convenience store and had a cup of
coffee, some bread, and a natto rice wrap.

This was followed by some more steep climbs, but nothing as long as Mt. Rokko.

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Raccoon Tobidashi-kun








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Arima Wanda Garden

有馬わんわんランド

At the top of one climb I came across this forlorn sight.
“Wanda” is verbal play meaning more or less “the woof”, so it seems it was some kind of
doggie amusement park. Indeed, I found this
urban-explorer report on the place.

Eventually came the next big descent, which turned out to be one of my favorites,
the Arima Highway (5km @ -6%). It was long and mostly straight,
which means one can really get up a head of steam. I spent most of the time stuck behind a truck spewing dark blue fumes,
and then when he kindly let me by I quickly got blocked by an elderly driver in a tiny tin box, but it's just as well. The light meal at the convenience store had perked me up much more than any of the other food I'd been eating, but I still
wasn't fit for a mentally-challenging descent.

I had to make my way through some urban areas for a while...

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Pretty River, Ugly Road








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Not Particularly Fun








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Back to the Grind

next climb starts off at 10%








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Mini-Plot Farms

just another day in the countryside

After a long while of climbing and descending, I started to feel lethargic again,
which told me that it was indeed the light meal at the convenience store that had perked me up. I have no idea why the yokan and calorie cookies
I normally use weren't doing it for me this time, but I finally decided to find a real restaurant. I came across towns and villages, but it took a while to find an appropriate restaurant where I could
park the bike safely, but at the 120km (75mi) point in the ride, I did, and I ate.

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Beef and Chicken Set

and Coke and coffee and tea

かめたに

More ups and downs ensued; I eventually started to feel much better.



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More Mountains








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Getting Late








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Happy Tobidashi-kun








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Roadside Entrance

to a shrine that should be spectacular when cherry-blossom season hits in a week or two

The wind, which had been brutal in the morning but then had subsided for me on the other side of Mt. Rokko, had
picked up again for hours around the restaurant stop, but mercifully turned into a lovely tailwind toward the end
of the ride in Kameoka. That, combined with the energy from the meal, and I was felt good for the first time since
the first climb.

I actually didn't feel so bad by the time I got home; I just wish I could have said the same for the bulk of the ride. The ride savaged me, and I'm still not sure why. I want to do it again, but with energy next time, so I'll bring a bike lock so I can stop
more easily to eat.

Overall at 176km (109mi) it was my sixth-longest ride ever, and with 3,491m (11,453') of vertical climb it ranked fourth
toughest of my rides so far. But on the “painful grind” scale, I think it ranks #1.

First Bigish Group Ride in a Long While

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Ride's Crew

L-R: Arthur, Geoffrey, me, Ionut, Jason, Andy, Kevin, Yifen

( we didn't notic until the ride was done, but other than Ionut from Romania, we're all Americans )

I joined a big group ride for the first time in a long while last week, Andy's “LSD” (long slow distance) ride. I was happy to
finally meet Kevin from Kobe and Geoffrey from Otsu, whom I'd conversed with online but had never met in person.

For me the ride (view at Strava) was 116km (72mi) at mostly an easy
pace, though the times I tried to keep up with the others quickly took their toll on me. I've been doing long rides lately, but
not much fast and not much climbing, so I'm out of shape.

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Andy Arrives for Coffee

that his valet, Ionut, has prepared







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New People, New Bikes

Geoffrey (at right) on his first ride with us Cycling Kyoto folks







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Caption Contest







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Ready to Head Out

Kevin from Kobe chats with Yifen







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Moving Through The City

taken while cycling at 28 kph (18 mph)







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Hotta-san!

As much riding as I do in these parts, it's rare for me to happen across another rider that I know, but I did just
that early in the ride when Hotta-san and I crossed paths. I've ridden on a few rides with him in the past, and most
recently he was the cycling adviser for a cycling-related movie in which I appeared as an extra.

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Water Stop

as Andy flashes his VOID

at the spring seen in prior posts, here and here







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First Descent

taken while cycling at 25 kph (15 mph)







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taken while cycling at 35 kph (22 mph)







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Plodding Slowly Up

taken while cycling at 28 kph (17 mph)







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taken while cycling at 35 kph (22 mph)









image data

I'm the Yellow Blur

photo by Ionut Sandu









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Fast Descent

taken backwards, one-handed, while cycling at 63 kph (39 mph)







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Stopping To Inspect the Troops

taken while cycling at 21 kph (13 mph)







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Tally Ho!

taken while cycling at 20 kph (13 mph)







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Crossing a Valley

taken while cycling at 29 kph (18 mph)







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Enjoying the Day

taken while cycling at 25 kph (16 mph)







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taken while cycling at 25 kph (15 mph)







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Twins

taken while cycling at 28 kph (17 mph)







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Strung Out

taken while cycling at 36 kph (22 mph)







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Paceline

taken while cycling at 46 kph (29 mph)

As I mentioned in yesterday's post, drafting as seen in the photo above is
a great way for a pair or group to work together to go overall faster than they could individually, but the act of taking the
photo caused me to slow down just enough that I lost the benefit, and they quickly pulled away, leaving me to (slowly) fend for
myself.

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Geoffrey's Impeccable Form

taken while cycling at 58 kph (36 mph)

At the races this weekend I noticed several riders wearing the exact same team jersey as Geoffrey, such as this guy:

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“Strada Racing”

wearing the same jersey as Geoffrey did

( from this event )









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taken while cycling at 58 kph (36 mph)

I've never seen a pro cyclist in person, so I can only imagine what their form looks like in real life,
but that mental image became incarnate during this ride when watching Geoffrey descend. His form was like art...
I've no other way to explain it. I'd never seen anything like it. It was truly beautiful and mesmerizing.

I doubt it comes through very well in video, but here's a video of a descent we did toward the end of the ride, taken with my Cycliq Fly12 front camera:

Anyway, we stopped for a break at Hiyoshi Dam...

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Ionut took advantage of the “足湯” (ashiyu) hot foot bath, which is apparently fed by a hot spring. It seems to be
available 24/7. I've used it before... it's nice, but one needs to remember to bring a small towel.

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Heading Back

along the northern edge of the lake created by the dam

taken while cycling at 26 kph (16 mph)







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Nice Road

that apparently, by the looks of the guardrail, recently had a tree fall across it

taken while cycling at 27 kph (17 mph)







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Pleasant

taken while cycling at 33 kph (20 mph)







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Passing Through a Small Village

taken while cycling at 21 kph (13 mph)







Panasonic LX100 at an effective 28mm — 1/80 sec, f/6.3, ISO 640 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Struggling to Keep Up

taken while cycling at 22 kph (14 mph)

This is a lovely road that I've featured on my blog before, here,
here, and here. I tried to keep up with the fast folks, and did so for the first half or so, but my legs just gave out. I finished two minutes behind
(15 min vs. 13 min).

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/100 sec, f/1.7, ISO 200 —
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Snow







Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/60 sec, f/6.3, ISO 400 —
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Pretty Descent

taken while cycling at 45 kph (28 mph)








Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/125 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 —
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Post-Ride Riverside Relaxation

Watching My First Cycling Road Race

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 150mm — 1/2500 sec, f/2.8, ISO 100 —
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Race

I saw my first cycling road race yesterday, a small local affair. Road racing is quite a bit different
than the only other kind of bicycle racing I've seen, cyclocross, so
it was a great experience.

The races yesterday were 「第5回守山野洲川クリテリウム」, the fifth Moriyama City Yasugawa River
Criterium, with short races all day over a loop on closed-off public roads.

It was a 32km (20mi) ride to get there, so I left with some friends from Kyoto early, to arrive in time
to watch some other friends race.

SC-02H at an effective 26mm — 1/5500 sec, f/1.7, ISO 50 —
image data

En Route

photo by Manseki Kanemitsu








SC-02H at an effective 21mm — 1/1700 sec, f/1.7, ISO 50 —
image data

photo by Manseki Kanemitsu

I brought my Nikon D4 and big Nikkor 70-200/2.8, schlepped in a backpack,
so I don't have shots of the uneventful-anyway ride there.

I had researched the event the previous day, and taking into account the course, what roads would be closed, good vantage for
photography, etc. I picked a spot that gave me easy access to riders at two opposite sides of the loop.

We arrived while the first race was going on, and so I used the opportunity to practice with the camera...

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 200mm — 1/1600 sec, f/2.8, ISO 100 —
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Break-Away Leader









Nikon D4 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 200mm — 1/1250 sec, f/2.8, ISO 100 —
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Pack Follows Behind








SC-02H at an effective 26mm — 1/2800 sec, f/1.7, ISO 50 —
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Me in Action

photo by Manseki Kanemitsu








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 200mm — 1/1250 sec, f/2.8, ISO 100 —
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Huge Lead

This particular race was 12 laps around the 2.2km (1.4mi) loop, so I had plenty of opportunity to try
different approaches.

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 200mm — 1/500 sec, f/7.1, ISO 220 —
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I think this guy went on to win by a 20-second margin.

The second race of the day was the one I came to watch, a pairs time trial
where teams of two riders start at 15-second intervals, racing against the clock for three laps (taking about 11~12 minutes).

SC-02H at an effective 21mm — 1/320 sec, f/1.7, ISO 50 —
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Ionut and Stephanie

in orange

photo by Manseki Kanemitsu

We've seen both Ionut (pronounce yo-notes) and Stephanie on my blog in the past,
Stephanie here,
here,
and here, and Ionut
here and here.

They were to be the second team to start, so I was down at my spot waiting with the camera.

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 200mm — 1/1600 sec, f/3.5, ISO 280 —
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First Team

husband and wife








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 170mm — 1/1600 sec, f/3.5, ISO 280 —
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Second Team








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 200mm — 1/1600 sec, f/3.5, ISO 250 —
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Fourth Team

Higuchi-san and Oyama-san

I also knew that Higuchi-san (the lady in the shot above) would be riding this race. Manseki and I did
a ride with her last year, and I often stop by a cafe
where she works on the way home from a ride.

Higuchi-san had mentioned that the sixth team was strong, so I watched out for them as well...

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 200mm — 1/1600 sec, f/3.5, ISO 220 —
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Sixth Team

It's much easier to ride directly in the slipstream behind someone, rather than being forced to push through the air all by
yourself. When both riders in the team are of comparable strength, they'll take turns at the front, but in these male/female
pairs, generally the man rides in front the whole time, allowing the woman to go much faster than she would on her own, thereby
allowing the team as whole to finish more quickly.

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 200mm — 1/1600 sec, f/3.5, ISO 180 —
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Half a Lap Done









Nikon D4 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 200mm — 1/1600 sec, f/3.5, ISO 140 —
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Nikon D4 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 120mm — 1/1600 sec, f/6.3, ISO 1250 —
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The difference in posture among the three pairs is striking, with the final pair
in a much more aero posture. They clearly had experience doing this.

Not only is the individual position of each rider on the bike important, but even more-so
how closely tucked in the second rider is to the first, to take maximum advantage of the draft. In my limited experience, it's difficult to stay tucked in closely, especially on a course
like this where the road rises and falls and turns. If the front rider is too strong out
of a turn or up an incline, the second rider is dropped and draft is destroyed. If the first
rider is not strong enough, the whole team goes slower than they need to. I suppose they
need a lot of communication and experience to stay tightly in sync.

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 200mm — 1/1600 sec, f/6.3, ISO 720 —
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Not Quite Tight

but still getting a benefit of the draft








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 80mm — 1/1600 sec, f/6.3, ISO 720 —
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Tight

this pair worked as one








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 200mm — 1/1600 sec, f/6.3, ISO 720 —
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One of the Male-Male Teams

a different race, but running at the same time








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 90mm — 1/1600 sec, f/6.3, ISO 450 —
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Very Aero

it's as uncomfortable as it look, but is fast








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 200mm — 1/1600 sec, f/6.3, ISO 500 —
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Not so Areo

but having a grand time

One more comparison of the three teams I was watching:

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 200mm — 1/1600 sec, f/2.8, ISO 250 —
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Nikon D4 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 200mm — 1/1600 sec, f/2.8, ISO 320 —
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Nikon D4 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 160mm — 1/1600 sec, f/2.8, ISO 280 —
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She's so far back in that last photo that she's not getting any benefit from the draft.

It seems clear who's in their first race and who seems to have a lot of experience. I shudder to think what I'd look like. Maybe next year I'll enter and we'll find out.

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 200mm — 1/1600 sec, f/5.6, ISO 360 —
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Consistently Tight Formation








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 200mm — 1/1600 sec, f/5.6, ISO 720 —
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Final Sprint








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 200mm — 1/1600 sec, f/2.8, ISO 140 —
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All Done








SC-02H at an effective 26mm — 1/1400 sec, f/1.7, ISO 50 —
image data

Stephanie and Ionut

win eggs for third place

photo by Manseki Kanemitsu

Stephanie and Ionut got third place, which is pretty darn good for their first race. (Stephanie has a long history of solo
triathlons, but I think this was her first pair time trial.) Their prize was a dozen eggs each.

The pair whose form I liked came in second place and won gyoza. Amazingly, for all their better form,
their time was only two seconds faster per lap (6 seconds overall) than Ionut and Stephanie, which just goes
to show how strong Ionut and Stephanie are to begin with.

I never saw the team that won, probably because they started in a slot that put them opposite the teams I was watching.
They won by a 35-second margin.

While milling around after the race, I noticed (and immediately respected) this guy:

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 70mm — 1/1600 sec, f/2.8, ISO 360 —
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Man of the Year

little girl is so happy because she has the world's most cool daddy

There were still races all day, but I'd seen what I came for, so I headed off to explore some nearby mountains,
but I'll leave that for another post.

To be continued...

Behind Suntory’s Yamazaki Whisky Distillery

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 48mm — 1/500 sec, f/2.8, ISO 100 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Shiio Shrine

椎尾神社、サントリー山崎蒸溜所の裏

behind the Suntory Yamazaki Whisky Distillery

As I posted the other day, I made a visit to Suntory's Whisky Distillery
in the Yamazaki area just south of Kyoto. Eric and I arrived early
for the tour, so we wandered a bit.

A public road bisects the distillery campus, and while the road then turns 90° to wrap up behind and beyond the campus, the
logical straight-ahead continuation brings you to Shiio Shrine, apparently on Suntory property.

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 27mm — 1/500 sec, f/2.8, ISO 100 —
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With Eric

from the public road that bisects the campus

The public road heads off to the right, pitching up sharply (~15% grade). It looked inviting to cycle, so I came back later by bicycle to poke around. I also made a Strava segment for this road, starting with the slow climb from the
distillery entrance until this turn, continuing then with the steep climb after the turn.

But for today's visit, Eric and I were on foot, so we wandered into the shrine. The entrance path has two
stone gates.

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 29mm — 1/160 sec, f/2.8, ISO 100 —
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Between the Gates

Just to the left of the steps in front of the gate in the photo above is a light pole, on which there's
an old (and to me, odd) forest-fire warning sign...

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 36mm — 1/200 sec, f/2.8, ISO 100 —
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“Mountain Forest File Prevention”

“Risky! You can burn the mountains with your fire”

As best I can tell, the character in the sign is a chameleon smoking a cigarette. Lovely

Not far away is a little alcove with a water-fountain feature. It seems like it should be photogenic,
but I wasn't feeling it....

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 66mm — 1/320 sec, f/2.8, ISO 2500 —
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Wide View








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24mm — 1/100 sec, f/2.8, ISO 450 —
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Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 70mm — 1/125 sec, f/7.1, ISO 6400 —
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Meh








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 32mm — 1/125 sec, f/7.1, ISO 900 —
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Looking Back

The small temple building itself is apparently so un-notable that I didn't even taking a picture as I moved
to the mountain trails that start behind it.

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 28mm — 1/125 sec, f/14, ISO 1600 —
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Temple Roof

from the mountain trail behind










Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24mm — 1/100 sec, f/14, ISO 2500 —
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Warning

at the start of another trial

(the pink fungus is poisonous even to the touch)








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24mm — 1/100 sec, f/14, ISO 6400 —
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Distillery from Behind









Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24mm — 1/100 sec, f/5, ISO 4500 —
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Pretty Bamboo








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 32mm — 1/125 sec, f/2.8, ISO 1100 —
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Uncommonly Thick








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 55mm — 1/250 sec, f/2.8, ISO 500 —
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Splash

It's a pleasant place to wander around a bit, so if you visit the distillery for a tour, some time before or after
for the bamboo will be rewarding.

Exploring the Steep Nooks and Crannies Near the Suntory Yamazaki Whisky Distillery

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/125 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 —
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Toddlers Waving to a Train

in front of the Suntory Yamazaki Whiskey Distillery

Instead of writing up the full blog post about my visit the other day
to Suntory's Yamazaki Distillery, I instead did a short bicycle ride to the area, to investigate all the short-but-steep roads
nestled in where the city meets the mountain.

On the way, I went through the belly of the sprawling
Yamazaki Junction, mentioned in a comment on the blog post where I featured
photos
of the rat's-nest Kumiyama Junction....

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 50mm — 1/250 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 —
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Approaching the Yamazaki Junction

山崎JCT

It's much more complex than the one I wrote about before, but much less photogenic...

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/320 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 —
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Panasonic LX100 at an effective 40mm — 1/125 sec, f/4.5, ISO 200 —
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It's more complex in that it includes an entrance and an exit that can be reached by either of the two expressways that cross.
Looking at the area on the map is dizzying. But it's spread over
a fairly wide area, and unlike the other junction I wrote about, a bicycle can't get to much of it. So from any one spot, you can
see a few trees, but have no sense for the magnitude of the forest.

Oh, and one other things this junction has is a bus stop on the expressway. Passengers reach it from the normal surface
roads:

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 29mm — 1/500 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 —
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Expressway Bus-Stop Entrance

高速バス停の入り口

Anyway, I continued over toward the small (but steep) mountain that Yamazaki nestles up against....

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 75mm — 1/125 sec, f/4.5, ISO 200 —
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Heading Toward Yamazaki

Once I reached the mountain, I skirted it and took every road that turned in toward the mountain.
Many didn't go far, but some brought enjoyable surprises, such as a big temple...

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 40mm — 1/125 sec, f/2.8, ISO 200 —
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Small Shrine

on the steep road to a temple (Yamazaki Shouten / 山崎聖天)








Panasonic LX100 at an effective 44mm — 1/125 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 —
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Discussing the View








Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/125 sec, f/2.8, ISO 200 —
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The Temple








Panasonic LX100 at an effective 35mm — 1/125 sec, f/3.2, ISO 200 —
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Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/125 sec, f/2.8, ISO 200 —
map & image data — nearby photos








Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/80 sec, f/1.7, ISO 200 —
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Heading Back Down

I made a Strava segment for the 370m @ 11% climb, but it seems
few folks have done it.

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 49mm — 1/100 sec, f/2.7, ISO 640 —
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Uninviting

no car, no scooter, no bike, no pets, no backpacks, no fun

Near Suntory's distillery is something called the “Asahi Beer Oyamazaki Villa Museum of Art”.
Asahi is a competitor of Suntory, and I assume that they put this thing nearby on purpose, and if so, it seems a bit slimy to me. The road up to the entrance is very steep, and past that it's even steeper as a service road to the rear of the site. It's just as well I wanted to do that steep service road, because as the signs at the entrance indicate multiple times,
bicycles (and much else) aren't welcome.

Then it was time for the main climb I knew to be in the area, the
short but steep climb to the Hoshakuji Temple (宝積寺)
It averages 15.6% for its 350-meter length....

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 75mm — 1/125 sec, f/4.5, ISO 200 —
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Start of the Climb

just beyond the tracks









Panasonic LX100 at an effective 56mm — 1/125 sec, f/3.5, ISO 200 —
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天王山の登り口

宝積寺への登り口

I tried to put in an effort, but it didn't feel like I was getting much out of it. My legs are weak from not having done
this kind of powerful effort all winter. Normally it's my lungs that limit me, but this time it was my legs... at least until a
trash truck didn't feel like sharing the road, and I had to stop to let him by. Really burst my bubble.

I didn't like that I was interfered with, so I turned around and did it again.

On the way down in between, I snapped a photo showing how high one gets in such a short distance:

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 34mm — 1/125 sec, f/4.5, ISO 200 —
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View From

(just below the)

Hoshakuji Temple

Anyway, I got to the bottom, turned around, and did it again, sans trash truck.

Holy cow, the second time was so much worse than the first. My willpower just collapsed and I ended up barely inching forward
toward the middle, or so it felt. But by the time I got near the top, the last few meters had me — and this was a first for
me — almost throwing up. I guess the problem is that I attempted an effort that I could have done at the start of the
winter, but not now at the end.

It had taken just two minutes, but I was wiped out to the core.

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 28mm — 1/125 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Collapsed on the Steps

with just enough energy for a selfie

Once I got moving again, I was drained, so I took everything for the rest of the ride really easily.

I started poking around the mountain again.

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 26mm — 1/200 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Blast from the Past

this scene brought back 25-year-old memories

In the center of the photo above, there's a narrow path going down; a woman and a toddler are walking up it. The path is
so particular that I immediately recalled it from my commute by motorcycle, done most days between 1990 and 1995.

I also came across a preschool that I recall having gone past all the time, but this time I noticed a small street
beside it pitching up the mountain, so I took it. It eventually entered the woods and got even steeper...

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/125 sec, f/3.2, ISO 200 —
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Ridiculous

ridiculously steep, and

ridiculous road surface that looks like a toddler's crayon drawing









Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/500 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 —
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View from the Top

I made a segment for this climb as well, 450m @ 13%,
but I'm the only one to have done it so far.

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 32mm — 1/640 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Heading Down to Suntory

this road arrives at the back of the distillery








Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/125 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 —
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Back of the Distillery

with a public road then cutting through the center toward the front









Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/125 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 —
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Front

Suntory Yamazaki Whisky Distillery

The smells from the distillery are heavenly, another thing I remember from the few seconds that I passed
in front of the place on my daily commute 25 years ago. In particular, the steam emanating from this truck
had a lovely rich smell that I just sat and took in for a bit...

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 50mm — 1/100 sec, f/2.7, ISO 1250 —
map & image data — nearby photos

The back road down to the distillery seemed to make a nice climb, so I retraced my steps and did it, then made it
into a Strava segment. Overall it's a mild 500m @ 8%,
but the first third is relatively flat, then the next third is about 12%.

My effort was 3rd-overall best.... out of four total.

Suntory Yamazaki Whisky Distillery Tour (2017) Preview

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24mm — 1/15 sec, f/2.8, ISO 6400 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Lots of Whiskey

Suntory Yamazaki Whisky Distillery

I made my first visit in a long while to the Suntory Whisky Distillery down in Yamazaki today. I wrote about it five years ago in “Japan’s First Whisky: Suntory’s Yamazaki Distillery”.

The grounds also includes a “whisky museum”, which I wrote about at about the same time in
“Suntory Yamazaki Distillery Photogenic Whisky Museum”.

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24mm — 1/100 sec, f/5, ISO 4500 —
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Display at the Whisky Museum

To be continued...

Plum Blossoms and Some Mountain Climbs

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 28mm — 1/125 sec, f/5, ISO 200 —
map & image data — nearby photos

About That Time of Year Again

plum blossoms at the Kitano Tenman-gu Shrine (北野天満宮), Kyoto Japan

Some photos from this ride that I did yesterday...

On the way out of the city, I swung by the Kitano Tenmangu Shrine to see their famous plum blossoms...

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/500 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Little-Used Side Entrance







Panasonic LX100 at an effective 31mm — 1/125 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 —
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Panasonic LX100 at an effective 35mm — 1/1250 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 —
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Panasonic LX100 at an effective 35mm — 1/200 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 —
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I don't wash my bike during the winter, it seems,

and it shows







Panasonic LX100 at an effective 32mm — 1/200 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 —
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Panasonic LX100 at an effective 75mm — 1/320 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 —
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Staff

looks like they're waiting around for someone







Panasonic LX100 at an effective 75mm — 1/200 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 —
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Main Entrance

The Kitano Tenmangu Shrine is known for its plum blossoms
(seen many times on my blog, such as
here,
here,
and here),
but is also richly photogenic in its own right.

I then headed over to Arashiyama and mountains west...

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

Feels Like a Tobidashi-kun

but it's inviting you to come in and eat mochi







Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/125 sec, f/4.5, ISO 200 —
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Entrance to the Mountains

at a spot were cyclists often stop for photos

(as I do, as attested by the “nearby photos” link under the picture)







Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/125 sec, f/5, ISO 200 —
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Road Closed Due to Landslide

thankfully, I hadn't planned to go that way







Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/640 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 —
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Tobidashi-kun

( a concept explained here )

After taking the photo above, I realized that I'd never taken the road leading off to the left, so did.

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 27mm — 1/400 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 —
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Farmstead Storage Building







Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/320 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 —
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Field Access

the headwind I'd had all day was particularly strong here







Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/200 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 —
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Old Sign

about some construction that ended four years ago







Panasonic LX100 at an effective 28mm — 1/400 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 —
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Hiyoshi Dam

日吉ダム







Panasonic LX100 at an effective 47mm — 1/320 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 —
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Dam-Top Road







Panasonic LX100 at an effective 58mm — 1/160 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 —
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“Hiyoshi Velodrom”

four laps is about a kilometer

(I intended to do this after lunch, but by then I'd forgotten)







Panasonic LX100 at an effective 28mm — 1/125 sec, f/2.5, ISO 200 —
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Lunch







Panasonic LX100 at an effective 38mm — 1/125 sec, f/4.5, ISO 200 —
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Random Shrine Along the Way

(the trees look to be cherry, so they'll be blooming in six weeks)

Taji Shrine (多治神社)







Panasonic LX100 at an effective 33mm — 1/125 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Typical Countryside







Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/125 sec, f/9, ISO 320 —
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Oops, There's Still Snow Here

Hara Pass (原峠)

It was fine until I got to the pass, then snowy like this on and off down the northern descent







Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/125 sec, f/2, ISO 200 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Super-Messy Road







Panasonic LX100 at an effective 47mm — 1/160 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Bleak

A far cry from the first time I took in this view. But at least today there's a white-tailed deer, though it's almost impossible to find if you don't know
exactly where to look... even harder than this find-the-deer shot
from two weeks ago.

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/125 sec, f/1.7, ISO 500 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Even Messier than Before

if that's even possible







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

Home-Made Tobidashi-kun







Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/125 sec, f/2, ISO 200 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Ceder Harvest







Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/125 sec, f/1.7, ISO 2500 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Coffee, Cheesecake, and a Laugh

the same smile as on my first visit six years ago

Yama no Ie Hasegawa (山の家はせがわ)









Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/125 sec, f/1.7, ISO 2500 —
map & image data — nearby photos







Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/125 sec, f/1.7, ISO 2500 —
map & image data — nearby photos







Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/125 sec, f/2.5, ISO 1250 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Unexpected Pond

at Kyomi Pass (京見峠)

It's apparently been there the whole time, but I never noticed

I ended up doing 1,850m (6,000') of vertical climb, which isn't all that much by my own standards
— it ranks 43rd on my most-climb list — but it's the most in over two months,
since this ride in December. So that's nice.

Kyoto Marathon 2017

Nikon D4 + Sigma “Bigma” 50-500mm OS @ 240mm — 1/1000 sec, f/6, ISO 180 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Running Along the Kamo River

Kyoto Marathon 2017

Here are some more photos of last week's Kyoto Marathon, which I posed about earlier in
“Winning the Kyoto Marathon 2017 (Papa Division)”

Nikon D4 + Sigma “Bigma” 50-500mm OS @ 240mm — 1/1000 sec, f/6, ISO 360 —
map & image data — nearby photos

With a Smile







Nikon D4 + Sigma “Bigma” 50-500mm OS @ 500mm — 1/2000 sec, f/6.3, ISO 360 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Heavier Crowds







Nikon D4 + Sigma “Bigma” 50-500mm OS @ 500mm — 1/2000 sec, f/6.3, ISO 640 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Silly Hat

Lady with the Rilakkuma hat laughing with

gray-haired ponytail man holding a Rilakkuma sign







Nikon D4 + Sigma “Bigma” 50-500mm OS @ 340mm — 1/1600 sec, f/6.3, ISO 400 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Elena

acquaintance from my gym that I knew would be running







Nikon D4 + Sigma “Bigma” 50-500mm OS @ 500mm — 1/2000 sec, f/6.3, ISO 640 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Running with a Smile







Nikon D4 + Sigma “Bigma” 50-500mm OS @ 50mm — 1/1250 sec, f/4.5, ISO 100 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Just 10km To Go

After Elena passed, I went to another location to try to catch her again, where there's a turnaround so I could
get a view of the runners coming directly at me.

Nikon D4 + Sigma “Bigma” 50-500mm OS @ 500mm — 1/2000 sec, f/6.3, ISO 1800 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Approaching a Turnaround

Unfortunately, Police wouldn't let anyone linger at the one good viewing spot, despite it being the one spot anywhere nearby
where a gathered crowd wouldn't inconvenience others. It made no sense, but it's just as well because it turns out that Elena
had passed before I got there.

So, I moved to a spot a few minutes before the finish.

Nikon D4 + Sigma “Bigma” 50-500mm OS @ 380mm — 1/1600 sec, f/7.1, ISO 1000 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Easy to Find in a Crowd







Nikon D4 + Sigma “Bigma” 50-500mm OS @ 460mm — 1/2000 sec, f/6.3, ISO 720 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Papa's Reward

from the aforementioned earlier blog post







Nikon D4 + Sigma “Bigma” 50-500mm OS @ 500mm — 1/2000 sec, f/6.3, ISO 720 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Auspicious Hat

see this post for why a sea-bream hat would be auspicious







Nikon D4 + Sigma “Bigma” 50-500mm OS @ 340mm — 1/1600 sec, f/6.3, ISO 1000 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Staff Pace Runner

running at a four-hour finish pace

Despite having looked for the pace runners when I was at my initial location earlier in the day, I hadn't seen any until now. The two little balloons and the vest weren't as visually conspicuous as I remember from years past. She was right on pace, though...
the folks around her with bib numbers all finished within 20 seconds of the 4:00:00 mark.

Nikon D4 + Sigma “Bigma” 50-500mm OS @ 240mm — 1/1000 sec, f/6.3, ISO 360 —
map & image data — nearby photos

“As Seen on TV”

staff video crew follow this guy for a while







Nikon D4 + Sigma “Bigma” 50-500mm OS @ 170mm — 1/800 sec, f/6.3, ISO 280 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Reaching Cruising Altitude

this guy was in a good mood and having a grand time







Nikon D4 + Sigma “Bigma” 50-500mm OS @ 290mm — 1/1250 sec, f/6.3, ISO 1000 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Soft-Serve Ice-Cream Hat?

“DMC”: Doshisha Masochist Club







Nikon D4 + Sigma “Bigma” 50-500mm OS @ 500mm — 1/2000 sec, f/6.3, ISO 1250 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Elena Arrives







Nikon D4 + Sigma “Bigma” 50-500mm OS @ 140mm — 1/640 sec, f/6.3, ISO 280 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Thumbs Up

as she notices me

Everywhere near the finish line is off limits to non-runners, so I wandered over as close as I could get...

Nikon D4 + Sigma “Bigma” 50-500mm OS @ 50mm — 1/800 sec, f/6.3, ISO 100 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Finish Line

is back there somewhere, behind the big gate







Nikon D4 + Sigma “Bigma” 50-500mm OS @ 210mm — 1/1000 sec, f/6.3, ISO 180 —
map & image data — nearby photos

The big area in front of the gate was also off limits, for no apparent reason.

Right at the gate was a pathway for spectators, then on the other side of the gate was where runners emptied into
after they finished.

Nikon D4 + Sigma “Bigma” 50-500mm OS @ 50mm — 1/640 sec, f/6.3, ISO 100 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Finish Corral

from the pedestrian pathway under the big gate

(Good luck trying to find a friend or family member in this big mess)







Nikon D4 + Sigma “Bigma” 50-500mm OS @ 500mm — 1/2000 sec, f/6.3, ISO 640 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Supplies







Nikon D4 + Sigma “Bigma” 50-500mm OS @ 58mm — 1/320 sec, f/6.3, ISO 100 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Finish Line

sort of... one supposes it's near the clock.

This was as close as I could get

This year's finish design seems egregiously unfriendly for the spectator or supporter.
The design for the 2014 race was much better.