Snowy Cycleversary Mountain-Ride Challenge, Part 1



Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 70mm — 1/320 sec, f/7.1, ISO 640 —
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Typical Japanese-Cycling “Impromptu Portrait”

from my two-year cycleversary ride the other day







I started cycling two years ago when I naïvely went on this ride, joining only because I had no clue about
what was intended. We ended up doing 55km (34 miles), which was probably 10× what I had ever ridden before. I was invigorated to have done so easily what I would have imagined would be impossible, so I decided to set out on a “real” ride, a longer, hillier one done with
intention.



So a week later, on Feb 7 2015, I did another ride — what I now
consider my first “real” bicycle ride — a 91km (57mi) course
through snowy mountains. I blogged about it in “Attempting a 100km Bike Ride in the Mountains of
Kyoto
” and its followup. The long mountainous course went through the middle of nowhere, far from any kind of services; I could consider such a ride, particularly
in the middle of winter, only because I was woefully, stupendously, sumptuously ignorant of
everything involved.




Earlier this week, on the two-year anniversary of that “first real ride”, I repeated it. This time, I headed into it with
15,000km (9,300mi) of cycling experience.





Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 45mm — 1/30 sec, f/2.8, ISO 3200 —
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Ready To Head Out

bundled up against the cold









Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 60mm — 1/800 sec, f/2.8, ISO 100 —
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Mountains North of Kyoto

mountains I'll be entering look a bit frosty








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 60mm — 1/250 sec, f/8, ISO 220 —
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A Bit Blustery

though I'll remain to one side of this particular mountain








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24mm — 1/100 sec, f/3.5, ISO 100 —
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Getting Closer

to the snow








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 38mm — 1/200 sec, f/3.5, ISO 100 —
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Beautiful Frosty Look








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 50mm — 1/200 sec, f/10, ISO 2000 —
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Just Gorgeous

though, sadly, I'm not able to capture it in the photo






On the initial ride two years ago, a photo of this exact spot shows
no trace of snow. Despite the snow this time, the road surface was still fine.





Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 42mm — 1/200 sec, f/10, ISO 160 —
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Kurama Temple

鞍馬寺








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 52mm — 1/200 sec, f/10, ISO 360 —
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Snowy Kurama

compare to this snowless shot two years ago








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 29mm — 1/125 sec, f/10, ISO 320 —
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Start of the First Big Climb

Kurama Onsen (Kurama Hot Spring)






By the time the first big climb started at the Kurama Hot Spring, the road had some slush on it but it was easily ridable,
but I didn't have to go much farther for the road surface to become much more difficult:





Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24mm — 1/100 sec, f/7.1, ISO 500 —
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Slush Continues to Encroach

this was the last of the “easy” riding for a long time








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 70mm — 1/320 sec, f/7.1, ISO 1100 —
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Memorable Spot

from my first ride






A particular curve on the road holds special memory for me, as the first place I actually stopped for a rest on that first
climb (mentioned here). As I rode the same mountain again over
subsequent months, riding past this point without stopping became somewhat symbolic for me, until I was finally able to do the
whole thing without stopping.



Today was different, though. By this time the road surface had become difficult to ride on. The
difficulty was not because there was too much snow, but because of its nature: it was hard-packed “almost ice” that sometimes the bike could ride on, and sometimes
not. When the bike could ride on the surface of this stuff, it was a bit slippery, but easy
going. But more often, the weight of the bike caused each tire to break through the surface, and the
tire would have to shove through this hard thick layer like an ice breaker struggling against thick ice (which uses its
power to push the bow up onto the ice until enough weight is over the ice to break through).



It was like riding with two brakes on; it was very slow going.






Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 35mm — 1/160 sec, f/7.1, ISO 125 —
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Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 44mm — 1/200 sec, f/7.1, ISO 500 —
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Road-Clearing Backhoe








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 27mm — 1/125 sec, f/7.1, ISO 320 —
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Post-Backhoe Road

actually worse than before; still as much ice, but now more slippery








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24mm — 1/125 sec, f/7.1, ISO 100 —
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Turnoff to Momoi

and a city bus with chains on the rear tires








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24mm — 1/100 sec, f/7.1, ISO 560 —
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Pretty

but slow going









Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24mm — 1/100 sec, f/7.1, ISO 250 —
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Hairpin

the same one seen in the opening photo










Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24mm — 1/160 sec, f/7.1, ISO 100 —
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Another Hairpin

there are eight of them on this climb, all beautiful in their own way








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24mm — 1/100 sec, f/7.1, ISO 320 —
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Final Climb








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24mm — 1/200 sec, f/7.1, ISO 100 —
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Hanase Pass

花背峠








iPhone 6+ + front camera — 1/1050 sec, f/2.2, ISO 32 —
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Arrival Selfie








I wasn't kidding when I said that the road surface made for slow going. It's not that I was trying for speed in the first
place, but it took ridiculously long to get here from the hot spring.



On that initial ride two years ago it took 48 minutes, and I was much faster on subsequent attempts, eventually reaching my
current PR (personal record) of just under 29 minutes. But on this two-year anniversary ride, my 29th
climb up this hill, it took more than 58 minutes! I knew I was slow, but this was shocking.



As slow as the climb was, the descent down the other side was even worse, taking more than 4× as long as typical. On the way up I had to contend with the “ice
breaker” effect of the road surface, but on the descent I also had to
worry that when in “ice breaker” mode, the front tire would get a mind of its own as far as direction.



Also, just like an icebreaker that rises over the ice until heavy enough to break through, repeating this sequence over and
over, sometimes the tires would do this as well, making it feel like I was riding a jackhammer instead of a bicycle.



It was dicey at times, and combine with the
general slippery nature of things, I went very slowly, far more slowly than even climbing the same road.
Instead of my best-ever time of 11:24 for the descent, it took 47:20. My best time to make the same
climb is 28:54



It was slow going, but beautiful.





Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 62mm — 1/250 sec, f/7.1, ISO 125 —
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Descent into a Snowy Village








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

closed for the winter








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 38mm — 1/160 sec, f/7.1, ISO 180 —
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Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24mm — 1/200 sec, f/7.1, ISO 100 —
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Gorgeous Scenery








Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24mm — 1/100 sec, f/7.1, ISO 140 —
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I dressed well, and was warm for the whole ride, except during the descent my fingers became bitterly cold. It seemed sudden, the change from “warm and toasty” to “so freain' painful I can't stop crying”.



There's some kind of park-related cafe on the route... the only business/services of any kind for the bulk of the ride,
and I was hoping to make it there for coffee and noodles before having to do something about my fingers.
But I just couldn't
stand it, and had to stop to put in little hand-warmer heater packs I'd brought along. Trying to first warm up my fingers by
shoving them under my armpits did indeed warm them up, but it was exquisitely painful. I should have stopped sooner
to put in the hand warmers; it was a miscalculation to think the two pair of gloves I had would be sufficient.



My toes were getting a bit chilly, and I had extra warmers to put in, but I'd wait until I got to the cafe.



By the time I got to the cafe, I was so ready for a hot cup of coffee and a warm space heater.





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

“Park closed today”






To be continued...

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Published on February 09, 2017 23:40
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