More on Friday’s Fall-Foliage Outing to the Ochiba Shrine

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 35mm — 1/125 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Ochiba Shrine Nov 18

not peak, but getting closer

This post is a longer version of Friday's “Checking On the Carpet
of Yellow at the Ochiba Shrine”, in which I posted two quick photos from a ride that day to check out the colors at the Iwato
Ochiba Shrine (岩戸落葉神社) in the mountains northwest of Kyoto. I started writing this followup post the next day, but have been
so busy since I'm only finishing it today.

I normally like long rides, I guess to amortize the once-per-ride overhead of dealing with everything (the before and after
of clothes, bike, electronics, data, and self), but I didn't get started until after noon, so I just thought to pop up to see
how the Ochiba Shrine was doing fall-foliage wise.

Along the way up the first climb into the mountains, where there's little traffic, I was surprised to find
Manseki coming the other way. He had just visited the same shrine with his wife.

SC-02H at an effective 26mm — 1/50 sec, f/1.7, ISO 64 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Impromptu Shot

photo by Manseki's wife

I then continued on toward the shrine, and went a bit past to check out a little garden I know to be nearby...

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 75mm — 1/125 sec, f/2.8, ISO 200 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Secret Garden

Kyoto cyclists go by this all the time,

but likely have no idea it's there.








Panasonic LX100 at an effective 62mm — 1/125 sec, f/2.8, ISO 320 —
map & image data — nearby photos

This last one isn't quite as good as this comparable shot
from last year that I posted a few months ago.

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 34mm — 1/125 sec, f/2.8, ISO 200 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Typical Japan

wires, maple, dump truck, thatched farmhouse, guardrail








Panasonic LX100 at an effective 43mm — 1/125 sec, f/4, ISO 200 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Mostly the Same Thing

sans dump truck








Panasonic LX100 at an effective 60mm — 1/125 sec, f/4.5, ISO 200 —
map & image data — nearby photos

What Is the Point of This Ugly Photo?

The point is the yellow in the center background. It's washed out in the sunlight in this photo,
and I guess the scale is hard to grasp, but the yellow ginkgo trees are towering. They're from where
the “Fallen-Leaf Shrine” gets its name.

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/400 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Same Trees

closer up

I noticed for the first time that the green hedge next to the shrine was partially yellow,
right below where some of the ginkgo branches had dipped down to touch it. It's as if the
yellow was contagious to the shrub:

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 75mm — 1/160 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Chameleon Shrub

It turns out that the yellow section of hedge is actually a different kind of plant
(the leaves look like some kind of mini maple to me, but I dunno whether such a thing
even exists)...

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 75mm — 1/640 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Two Kinds of Leaves

Anyway, I thought it was interesting.

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

iPad Traffic Mirror Selfie








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

His Probably Turned Out Better

I took the opportunity to ride a dead-end road that starts near the shrine, diving up into the mountain to a small village,
but otherwise leading nowhere.

It was a pleasant ride on a wonderful day, and I stopped often for photos.

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

Steep Driveway








Panasonic LX100 at an effective 25mm — 1/80 sec, f/1.8, ISO 250 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Typical Rural Japan








Panasonic LX100 at an effective 58mm — 1/125 sec, f/3.2, ISO 200 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Farmer











Panasonic LX100 at an effective 28mm — 1/125 sec, f/3.2, ISO 200 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Farmer's House

just lovely








Panasonic LX100 at an effective 75mm — 1/125 sec, f/4, ISO 200 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Just Old

no fire damage is visible, so it's probably just old and neglected

I also tried a few little offshoots that were likely forestry or dam-construction roads.

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/125 sec, f/1.7, ISO 320 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Pleasant








Panasonic LX100 at an effective 32mm — 1/100 sec, f/2.2, ISO 200 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Architecture Unburdened

with the constraints of right angles








Panasonic LX100 at an effective 28mm — 1/40 sec, f/2.1, ISO 3200 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Tempting-Looking Road

once you reach the middle of nowhere, find the least-used offshoot and you'll be here








Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/60 sec, f/1.7, ISO 800 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Slippery Moss

with some road peeking through








Panasonic LX100 at an effective 34mm — 1/80 sec, f/2.3, ISO 800 —
map & image data — nearby photos

End of My Line

road turns to full-on gravel from here








Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/60 sec, f/1.7, ISO 500 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Heading Back Down








Panasonic LX100 at an effective 31mm — 1/80 sec, f/2.2, ISO 200 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Tall, Encroaching Grass

After exploring all the nooks and crannies the dead-end road beyond the shrine had to offer, I headed home via the
Takao area of Kyoto, which has some very nice temples,
the most famous of which is Jingoji, which appeared on my blog here,
and Kosanji (often incorrectly referred to as “Kozanji”), which appeared here.
Anyway, even the drive through on National Route 162 is pretty, and that's all I saw this time through...

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 31mm — 1/80 sec, f/2.2, ISO 200 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Village Between the Temples








Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/60 sec, f/1.7, ISO 400 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Rust-Colored Leaves

and rust-colored rust








Panasonic LX100 at an effective 75mm — 1/125 sec, f/2.8, ISO 800 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Roof

Saimyoji Temple (西明寺)

Finally I did the a little side climb
to a hilltop cemetery. It's short — just half a mile (600m) — but it averages 15% and
the final 110m is 23~25%.

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 41mm — 1/100 sec, f/2.5, ISO 200 —
map & image data — nearby photos

View To Die For

Narutaki Reien Cemetery (鳴滝霊園)

On the way home I stopped by a hotel where a friend had a photo exhibition opening...

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 60mm — 1/50 sec, f/2.8, ISO 3200 —
map & image data — nearby photos

I felt a bit odd showing up in cycling gear, but it was fine and so where the photos.

In the end my “short little ride” turned out to be 77km (48mi),
which isn't short, but not quite up to recent par. The median of the last 30 days I've ridden (more than 25km)
is 101km.