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Nikon D700 + Sigma “Bigma” 50-500mm OS @ 140 mm — ¹/1250 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Looking Back
to where we'd just come from

This post picks up from yesterday's post about our relaxing bike ride over the long Kurushima Kaikyo Bridge in Imabari Japan. The photo above is from the bike path that juts out a bit from the bridge proper as it makes its way around one of the huge suspension towers. The island and tower visible in the foreground are at about the halfway point of the bridge.

We paused for a bit...

Nikon D700 + Sigma “Bigma” 50-500mm OS @ 95 mm — ¹/800 sec, f/5.6, ISO 280 — map & image data — nearby photos
Anthony/Mommy Photo Op
( Because they're in the shade, the color balance is disconcertingly different from most of the other photos, sorry. )

Nikon D700 + Sigma “Bigma” 50-500mm OS @ 95 mm — ¹/800 sec, f/5.6, ISO 320 — map & image data — nearby photos
Checking The Results

Nikon D700 + Sigma “Bigma” 50-500mm OS @ 170 mm — ¹/800 sec, f/5.6, ISO 400 — map & image data — nearby photos
Shadow Looks Sort of Interesting
at least it did at the time

We eventually made our way to the end of the bridge, at which point the bike path peels off, and the expressway eventually dives into a tunnel.

The “peel off” is via a nice long loop that looked to be fun....

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/3200 sec, f/2.5, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Heading Down

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/3200 sec, f/2.5, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/4000 sec, f/2.5, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Zoomin'

The bike path then followed city streets down to a small village, where we stopped for lunch, and had ice cream with our feet hanging over the edge of a small pier.

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/6400 sec, f/2.5, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
View From Our Ice-Cream Spot
that loop is for scooters; the loop we took is on the other side

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/8000 sec, f/2.5, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Just Chillaxin'

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Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/4000 sec, f/2.5, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Enjoying The Bike

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/4000 sec, f/2.5, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos

Eventually we continued on the surface streets on a path that would link us back up with the expressway, but it soon involved an unfun, steep uphill portion...

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 28 mm — ¹/3200 sec, f/2.8, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Falling Behind

At that point we decided to turn around and head home. We'd ridden only about 6.5km, but it was fun and enjoyable.

We made our way back under the bridge to the windy path that eventually leads back up to the bridge deck. Part of the path was really pretty, and Fumie wanted to go back and do it several times, so Anthony and I took the opportunity to rest, and take a few pics. Anthony tried with my camera, so I got one of him with the compact camera...

Canon IXY DIGITAL 700 + 7.7-23.1mm @ 7 mm — ¹/250 sec, f/7.1, ISO 50 — full exif
Using My Big Camera

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 70 mm — ¹/800 sec, f/5, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Mommy and Daddy Chatting
Photo By Anthony

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/5000 sec, f/2.5, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Return Path
For reference, the post's lead photo was taken from the 2nd tower from the left, facing away

Things had changed quit a bit in the two hours since we had last been on the bridge. The air was much more hazy, but the water had changed considerably as the tide had gone out, and the surface of the water had become an almost white-water-rafting kind of churning cauldron of tidal-whirlpool frenzy.

It doesn't come out in the photo very well, of course, but here's sort of what it looked like...

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/6400 sec, f/2.5, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Imabari City
in the deepening haze

Nikon D700 + Sigma “Bigma” 50-500mm OS @ 290 mm — ¹/640 sec, f/10, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Layers and Layers of Mountains
the tall building at left is our hotel

Once we got back and returned our bikes to where we'd rented them (Sunrise Itoyama, サンライズ糸山), and checked out their cafe. The view was fantastic...

Nikon D700 + Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 32 mm — ¹/1250 sec, f/2.8, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Ready for a Late-Afternoon Snack

... but the food was better...

Nikon D700 + Voigtländer 125mm f/2.5 — ¹/500 sec, f/5.6, ISO 4000 — map & image data — nearby photos

We'll definitely go back for the cafe if we pass this way again.

So, that's the end of the bike ride, but not the end of the day: having exercised quite a bit, we certainly deserved a bit of hot-springs-spa relaxation, and so we headed south to the city of Matsuyama.

Continued here...