Miyama Cycling Tour with Joshua and Manseki, Part 1

Nikon D700 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — 1/2000 sec, f/2.2, ISO 200 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Just Another Day at the Office

would rob us of this experience

— Joshua Levine rides through the countryside of Miyama, Japan —

taken while riding at 9 kph (6 mph)

A week ago, I did a nice long bicycle ride in the mountains north of
Kyoto (route and
data). Manseki
Kanemitsu and I tagged along with Joshua Levine
on a route that he does often.

It totaled out at 131km (81 miles), making it my longest ride so far.

Nikon D700 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — 1/5000 sec, f/1.4, ISO 200 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Ready to Roll

The route took us up the mountain toward Hanase Pass (花背峠), a 500m
(1,650') climb that holds a special place in my heart as my first real mountain
climb, and every time I've done it since I've done it faster than the
previous time.

That would not happen this time, as we paused before the pass at a
natural spring where I sometimes see folks filling up water jugs.

Nikon D700 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — 1/1250 sec, f/1.4, ISO 800 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Fill'er Up

Josh mentioned early on that we'd stop here, so I somewhat slacked off the whole
climb knowing the pause would kill the time-to-the-top measurement. So later when
I checked the data for
the climb, I was shocked to realize that had I not stopped, I would have easily broken my record.

Part of the attraction of cycling is the joy of seeing and discovering
the countryside at a slower pace, but also part of it is the feeling of
accomplishment I get when I make a new PR (personal record) on a section of
mountain. It's quite superficial, I know, but I was inept at physical
activity for the first 47 years of my life, so I'm simply amazed that I can
now do some of these things. If someone else does it, I think “well sure,
because they're normal people in good shape and it's natural for them”, but
for me, it's like a dog making scrambled eggs: it's not the accomplishment
itself so much as who's doing it.

Anyway, we went down the other side of the mountain, past
Cowbell, and farther north until eventually
we got to a road I'd never been on. It's always nice to ride a road for the first time, and since
Joshua was leading, I didn't need to pay attention to the route at all. It was nice.

I finally had to stop and pull the camera out when we passed a rice
field being planted completely by hand. I would have loved a lens with more
reach, but this is what I got:

Nikon D700 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — 1/1250 sec, f/6.3, ISO 2200 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Rice Planting, Old-School Style

It's a bit hard to see what's going on, but the adults are in the paddy
planting rice seedlings one by one, and the kids are penned off under the
tent to the right.

Two of the adults have infants strapped to their back.

The road eventually worked its way back up to another climb, this time toward Sasari Pass (佐々里峠).

Nikon D700 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — 1/1250 sec, f/6.3, ISO 4000 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Steep Section

10:14am - taken while riding at 7 kph (4 mph)








Nikon D700 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — 1/1250 sec, f/6.3, ISO 1800 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Flying By

Josh showed me a spot to stop and photograph a wonderful vista, but the photos didn't end up well.
I'll just have to go back and try it again.

Cresting the 735m pass earns you a long, lovely downhill. It was a bit
dicey at times trying to juggle the camera, brakes, and steering while
plummeting down the mountain, but I wanted photos showing the lean of the
bike in a curve....

Nikon D700 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — 1/1250 sec, f/4, ISO 1600 —
map & image data — nearby photos

taken while riding at 24 kph (15 mph)








Nikon D700 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — 1/1250 sec, f/4, ISO 1800 —
map & image data — nearby photos

taken while riding at 30 kph (19 mph)









Nikon D700 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — 1/1250 sec, f/4, ISO 640 —
map & image data — nearby photos

taken while riding at 31 kph (19 mph)








Nikon D700 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — 1/1250 sec, f/4, ISO 1000 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Takin' it Easy

taken while riding at 19 kph (12 mph)









Nikon D700 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — 1/1250 sec, f/4, ISO 900 —
map & image data — nearby photos

The Breakaway

10:48am - taken while riding at 35 kph (22 mph)

After the descent the road mostly flattened out for a
long while, and Josh stepped on the gas a
bit. Manseki noticed this and kept up, refusing to be left behind,
drafting just inches behind Josh's rear wheel. I was
slow to notice, and even if I had, I wouldn't have been able to keep up.

Josh just kept going faster, and Manseki just kept staying right with
him. Two minutes later they were almost out of sight...

Nikon D700 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — 1/1250 sec, f/4, ISO 800 —
map & image data — nearby photos

10:50am - taken while riding at 35 kph (22 mph)

... and half a minute later they went around a curve, and I'd not see them again until they stopped 10 minutes later.

Nikon D700 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — 1/1250 sec, f/4, ISO 560 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Bye-Bye...

10:51am - taken while riding at 34 kph (21 mph)








Nikon D700 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — 1/1250 sec, f/4, ISO 500 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Cornucopia of Architectural Styles

11:01am - taken while riding at 16 kph (10 mph)








Nikon D700 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — 1/1250 sec, f/4, ISO 320 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Friendly Wave

there were a lot of cyclists out that day

11:03am - taken while riding at 32 kph (20 mph)








Nikon D700 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — 1/1250 sec, f/4, ISO 400 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Fixing a Flat

11:03am - taken while riding at 33 kph (21 mph)








Nikon D700 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — 1/1250 sec, f/4, ISO 360 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Drafting

11:07am - taken while riding at 30 kph (19 mph)

I tried drafting with them for a while, but especially with my long
history as a driver (car and motorcycle), I felt uncomfortable with so
little time buffer in front. I understand why professionals do it,
but I'm not a professional. Perhaps I'll try again after I get a suitable amount
of experience (and after I put the camera down