Snowy Ride With Lots of New-Expressway Construction
A Little Snowy on a ride two weeks ago 二週間まえの雪の後 -- Nagaokakyo, Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2017 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/ -- This photo is licensed to the public under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ (non-commercial use is freely allowed if proper attribution is given, including a link back to this page on http://regex.info/ when used online)
Panasonic LX100 at an effective 31mm — 1/200 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 — map & image datanearby photos
A Little Snowy
on a ride two weeks ago
二週間まえの雪の後

Two weeks ago we had a fair bit of snow in Kyoto (a rarity, since many years we have none), so that probably meant that the mountains in the north (which get lots of snow) were impassable, so I took a bicycle ride south-west towards Kobe. I still found snow.

Here's the 100km ride:

The first climb was the eastern Yanagidani climb, which I had descended before but never ridden up. I took my time, stopping for photos like the above when I ascended above the snow line, and at one point to help a group of elderly hikers find their way.

Local Peak 60m below the pass -- Nagaokakyo, Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2017 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/ -- This photo is licensed to the public under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ (non-commercial use is freely allowed if proper attribution is given, including a link back to this page on http://regex.info/ when used online)
Panasonic LX100 at an effective 49mm — 1/125 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 — map & image datanearby photos
Local Peak
60m below the pass
More Snow -- Nagaokakyo, Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2017 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/ -- This photo is licensed to the public under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ (non-commercial use is freely allowed if proper attribution is given, including a link back to this page on http://regex.info/ when used online)
Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/200 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 — map & image datanearby photos
More Snow
Blacktop Harder to Find -- Mishima-gun, Osaka, Japan -- Copyright 2017 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/ -- This photo is licensed to the public under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ (non-commercial use is freely allowed if proper attribution is given, including a link back to this page on http://regex.info/ when used online)
Panasonic LX100 at an effective 47mm — 1/125 sec, f/4.5, ISO 200 — map & image datanearby photos
Blacktop Harder to Find
Nope I had planned to take this road, but bailed due to snow and ice -- Takatsuki, Osaka, Japan -- Copyright 2017 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/ -- This photo is licensed to the public under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ (non-commercial use is freely allowed if proper attribution is given, including a link back to this page on http://regex.info/ when used online)
Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/200 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 — map & image datanearby photos
Nope
I had planned to take this road, but bailed due to snow and ice

Just after I took this photo, a station wagon came by with writing on the side along the lines of City of Ibaraiki Bicycling Support, which piqued my interest. I have no idea what the two guys in city-worker uniforms intended, but they apparently didn't have snow tires and their trip stopped when they hit this road and their wheels just spun on the ice. I asked whether they needed a push, but they waved me off, so I took a less-snowy road down the mountain into the city.

Along the way I came across construction for the Shin-Meishin Expressway (New Kobe-Nagoya Expressway), which is slicing through sparsely-habited mountains, and redrawing maps with construction closures and reroutings.

Massive Construction Project one little bridge out of hundreds of bridges and tunnels -- Takatsuki, Osaka, Japan -- Copyright 2017 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/ -- This photo is licensed to the public under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ (non-commercial use is freely allowed if proper attribution is given, including a link back to this page on http://regex.info/ when used online)
Panasonic LX100 at an effective 41mm — 1/320 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 — map & image datanearby photos
Massive Construction Project
one little bridge out of hundreds of bridges and tunnels

The cost of leveling mountains and filling in valleys, of making huge concrete bridges and boring long tunnels, must be huge. The cost of just the one massive bridge above is inconceivable to me, but it's just one small piece of the whole thing, slated to be done in another six years.

The social and economic benefit to the first trans-national expressway is pretty easy to understand, but since this new expressway more or less parallels the current one (+/- 20km), the benefits seem marginal at best... is it really worth the cost in money and in displaced people (and displaced serenity)? Eminent domain is a very big hammer best used exceedingly sparingly and with specific purpose. I realize that I'm utterly ignorant on this project, but at first blush my mind boggles.

Some Undisturbed Serenity -- Takatsuki, Osaka, Japan -- Copyright 2017 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/ -- This photo is licensed to the public under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ (non-commercial use is freely allowed if proper attribution is given, including a link back to this page on http://regex.info/ when used online)
Panasonic LX100 at an effective 38mm — 1/125 sec, f/4.5, ISO 200 — map & image datanearby photos
Some Undisturbed Serenity

Working my way through the suburbia and back up into the mountains, I took the next old mountain road I could find.

Pleasant a bit messy, but pleasant -- Takatsuki, Osaka, Japan -- Copyright 2017 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/ -- This photo is licensed to the public under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ (non-commercial use is freely allowed if proper attribution is given, including a link back to this page on http://regex.info/ when used online)
Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/60 sec, f/1.7, ISO 1000 — map & image datanearby photos
Pleasant
a bit messy, but pleasant
Takatsuki, Osaka, Japan -- Copyright 2017 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/ -- This photo is licensed to the public under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ (non-commercial use is freely allowed if proper attribution is given, including a link back to this page on http://regex.info/ when used online)
Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/125 sec, f/1.7, ISO 800 — map & image datanearby photos
Osaka, Japan -- Copyright 2017 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/ -- This photo is licensed to the public under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ (non-commercial use is freely allowed if proper attribution is given, including a link back to this page on http://regex.info/ when used online)
Panasonic LX100 at an effective 49mm — 1/100 sec, f/2.7, ISO 1250 — map & image datanearby photos
Where's My Road? The road I take dives down to the left, out of sight -- Osaka, Japan -- Copyright 2017 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/ -- This photo is licensed to the public under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ (non-commercial use is freely allowed if proper attribution is given, including a link back to this page on http://regex.info/ when used online)
Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/80 sec, f/1.7, ISO 200 — map & image datanearby photos
Where's My Road?
The road I take dives down to the left, out of sight
Discovering More Construction -- Ibaraki, Osaka, Japan -- Copyright 2017 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/ -- This photo is licensed to the public under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ (non-commercial use is freely allowed if proper attribution is given, including a link back to this page on http://regex.info/ when used online)
Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/200 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 — map & image datanearby photos
Discovering More Construction
Old Bridge as the map is redrawn around it -- Ibaraki, Osaka, Japan -- Copyright 2017 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/ -- This photo is licensed to the public under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ (non-commercial use is freely allowed if proper attribution is given, including a link back to this page on http://regex.info/ when used online)
Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/125 sec, f/5, ISO 200 — map & image datanearby photos
Old Bridge
as the map is redrawn around it

I wanted to go down to look at the obviously-old bridge, but there was no access to it anymore. Looking at Historical Imagery in Google Earth, I could see that even just 15 years ago, it led to a couple of farmsteads (that had been on the flat areas to the left in the photo above), but then about 10 years ago the big bridge I took the photo from was built, obliterating the farms.

Now, the road along the right side of the river has been taken over by construction for an exchange for the new highway, so the little old bridge looks like it will be forever cut off.

Old Little Bridge with remnants just beyond of a temporary construction-use bridge -- Osaka Prefecture -- Ibaraki, Osaka, Japan -- Copyright 2017 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/
Panasonic LX100 at an effective 50mm — 1/125 sec, f/5, ISO 200 — map & image datanearby photos
Old Little Bridge
with remnants just beyond of a temporary construction-use bridge
Another New Road new, but still steep -- Ibaraki, Osaka, Japan -- Copyright 2017 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/ -- This photo is licensed to the public under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ (non-commercial use is freely allowed if proper attribution is given, including a link back to this page on http://regex.info/ when used online)
Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/400 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 — map & image datanearby photos
Another New Road
new, but still steep
Quaint Pass -- Ibaraki, Osaka, Japan -- Copyright 2017 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/ -- This photo is licensed to the public under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ (non-commercial use is freely allowed if proper attribution is given, including a link back to this page on http://regex.info/ when used online)
Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/125 sec, f/1.8, ISO 200 — map & image datanearby photos
Quaint Pass
“ Watch Out for Kids ” -- Ibaraki, Osaka, Japan -- Copyright 2017 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/ -- This photo is licensed to the public under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ (non-commercial use is freely allowed if proper attribution is given, including a link back to this page on http://regex.info/ when used online)
Panasonic LX100 at an effective 28mm — 1/400 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 — map & image datanearby photos
Watch Out for Kids
Square Tunnel under the new expressway, in what used to be the middle of nowhere -- Ibaraki, Osaka, Japan -- Copyright 2017 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/ -- This photo is licensed to the public under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ (non-commercial use is freely allowed if proper attribution is given, including a link back to this page on http://regex.info/ when used online)
Panasonic LX100 at an effective 40mm — 1/320 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 — map & image datanearby photos
Square Tunnel
under the new expressway, in what used to be the middle of nowhere
Hidden Thatched Roof caught my eye from the road above, so I went back to look... -- Ibaraki, Osaka, Japan -- Copyright 2017 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/ -- This photo is licensed to the public under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ (non-commercial use is freely allowed if proper attribution is given, including a link back to this page on http://regex.info/ when used online)
Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/125 sec, f/9, ISO 2500 — map & image datanearby photos
Hidden Thatched Roof
caught my eye from the road above,
so I went back to look...
Looks Fun Madama Mura Cafe (まだま村カフェ) -- Ibaraki, Osaka, Japan -- Copyright 2017 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/ -- This photo is licensed to the public under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ (non-commercial use is freely allowed if proper attribution is given, including a link back to this page on http://regex.info/ when used online)
Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/125 sec, f/3.5, ISO 200 — map & image datanearby photos
Looks Fun
Madama Mura Cafe (まだま村カフェ)
Dodged a Bullet the new-expressway construction slices through a few bus-lengths behind me -- Ibaraki, Osaka, Japan -- Copyright 2017 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/ -- This photo is licensed to the public under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ (non-commercial use is freely allowed if proper attribution is given, including a link back to this page on http://regex.info/ when used online)
Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/125 sec, f/4, ISO 200 — map & image datanearby photos
Dodged a Bullet
the new-expressway construction slices through a few bus-lengths behind me
Small Roadside Shrine also spared the eminent-domain hammer -- Ibaraki, Osaka, Japan -- Copyright 2017 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/ -- This photo is licensed to the public under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ (non-commercial use is freely allowed if proper attribution is given, including a link back to this page on http://regex.info/ when used online)
Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/125 sec, f/2.2, ISO 200 — map & image datanearby photos
Small Roadside Shrine
also spared the eminent-domain hammer
Not So Lucky -- Ibaraki, Osaka, Japan -- Copyright 2017 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/ -- This photo is licensed to the public under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ (non-commercial use is freely allowed if proper attribution is given, including a link back to this page on http://regex.info/ when used online)
Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/320 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 — map & image datanearby photos
Not So Lucky

When I got to a local pass, I noticed a road heading up to the side, so I gave it a try, and found a short but pleasant area that I bet would be wonderfully cool in during a hot summer...

Pleasant Side Road -- Ibaraki, Osaka, Japan -- Copyright 2017 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/ -- This photo is licensed to the public under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ (non-commercial use is freely allowed if proper attribution is given, including a link back to this page on http://regex.info/ when used online)
Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/125 sec, f/1.7, ISO 500 — map & image datanearby photos
Pleasant Side Road

It led to a little village with a few houses, a restaurant, and this unexpected find:

Ibaraki City Christian Artifact Museum 茨木市立キリシタン遺物史料館 -- Ibaraki City Christian Artifact Museum (茨木市立キリシタン遺物史料館) -- Ibaraki, Osaka, Japan -- Copyright 2017 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/ -- This photo is licensed to the public under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ (non-commercial use is freely allowed if proper attribution is given, including a link back to this page on http://regex.info/ when used online)
Panasonic LX100 at an effective 28mm — 1/200 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 — map & image datanearby photos
Ibaraki City Christian Artifact Museum
茨木市立キリシタン遺物史料館

They didn't have all that many artifacts inside, but I was surprised to learn that the first Catholic church in the area dated to 400 or so years ago.

I gave the small restaurant a try...

Gyudon Lunch -- ポピー -- Ibaraki, Osaka, Japan -- Copyright 2017 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/ -- This photo is licensed to the public under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ (non-commercial use is freely allowed if proper attribution is given, including a link back to this page on http://regex.info/ when used online)
Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/60 sec, f/1.7, ISO 1250 — map & image datanearby photos
Gyudon Lunch

It was getting late, so I headed out of the mountains and through the ugly city until I got to the riverside path presented in the previous post (Discovering a New Cycling Route from Kyoto to Osaka), and headed home.

Lots of Photographers lined up like this for kilometers -- Takatsuki, Osaka, Japan -- Copyright 2017 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/ -- This photo is licensed to the public under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ (non-commercial use is freely allowed if proper attribution is given, including a link back to this page on http://regex.info/ when used online)
Panasonic LX100 at an effective 60mm — 1/320 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 — map & image datanearby photos
Lots of Photographers
lined up like this for kilometers

Every time I go by this wetland area I see some photographers lined up with big lenses, standing around looking cold, but this time there were hundreds stretching as far as the eye could see. I stopped to ask someone what was going on... it seems that there's some kind of owl that they're trying to photograph. Good luck to'em.

On the way home I stopped by the Morning Glory Cafe for crepes and coffee...

Crowded Parking -- Cafe Morning Glory -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2017 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/ -- This photo is licensed to the public under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ (non-commercial use is freely allowed if proper attribution is given, including a link back to this page on http://regex.info/ when used online)
Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/125 sec, f/4, ISO 200 — map & image datanearby photos
Crowded Parking
End-of-Ride Reward -- Cafe Morning Glory -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2017 Jeffrey Friedl, http://regex.info/blog/ -- This photo is licensed to the public under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ (non-commercial use is freely allowed if proper attribution is given, including a link back to this page on http://regex.info/ when used online)
Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/60 sec, f/1.7, ISO 250 — map & image datanearby photos
End-of-Ride Reward

All 3 comments so far, oldest first...

“More Snow” is interesting. No matter how long I study it, I cannot tell if the road is going steeply up or steeply down.

I can’t either, but checking the map tells me that it’s steeply up. —Jeffrey

— comment by Marcina on February 2nd, 2017 at 1:56pm JST (7 years, 2 months ago) comment permalink

I’ve been wondering… have you met any wild animals while riding through the mountains?

You mean besides other cyclists? 🙂 Monkeys, wild boar, deer, snakes, and something similar to a groundhog. Some have seen bear, but I’ve not. —Jeffrey

— comment by Che-Cheh on February 2nd, 2017 at 5:28pm JST (7 years, 2 months ago) comment permalink

Its going downward, for hints, look closely at the concrete blocks alignment behind the fence

Ah, you’re quite right! It’s on a road that I was going up, but I must have turned around to take a photo of where I had come. —Jeffrey

— comment by Chan on February 3rd, 2017 at 12:23am JST (7 years, 2 months ago) comment permalink
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