
Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/200 sec, f/5, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Crazy Birthday Boy
Nigel Randell cycling up to Hanase Pass on a mamachari
ナイジェルさんは誕生日に際して花背峠まで登った、ママチャリで。
Nigel Randell usually does something sort of crazy on his birthday, such as this ride two years ago that I joined in on for a short portion.
This year, Nigel rode his heavy rusty mamachari (built-like-a-tank city bike) up to Hanase Pass, the 600+ meters of climb (2,000') being a challenge on the best road bike.

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 35mm — 1/800 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Meeting Up In the City

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/160 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Family in Tow
his wife and daughter and other friends follow

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 44mm — 1/400 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
High Five for Uncle Joshua
More friends arrive for the main event; Nigel's wife and daughter see us off

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/1250 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
The Holts Join the Group
Nigel poses with Tomoko

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 31mm — 1/400 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Ready To Attack Hanase Pass
L→R: Neil, Geoffrey, Joshua, Nigel, Antti, Andy+Asa, Me, Lianca, Henry, Tomoko

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/500 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Not a Family-Friendly Gate
Andy's kid-carying bike had a difficult time passing

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/125 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Neil and Tomoko
Neil, whom we've seen on my blog here and here, among others, is an extremely strong rider, but today on the occasion of Nigel's mamachari ride, was creating a challenge for himself by riding an old used bike with the seat dropped all the way down, and instead of proper kit, wearing his wife's lab coat. With the big sun glasses, he had a bit of a Dr. Horrible vibe going on. (I posted about this amazing video short when it came out nine years ago.)

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 34mm — 1/400 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Wow
this “cyclist” was puffing on a cigarette, and had his ears plugged with earphones

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/1600 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Through Kurama

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/1250 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Epitome of Style
though I'm sure Vincent would cringe at the ergonomics

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/125 sec, f/2.8, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Starting the Main Climb
Just 500m of climb to go
( It'll be my 31st time up this climb )

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 37mm — 1/125 sec, f/4, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Easy Rider
Andy powers with the battery off
These “modern mamachari” electric-assist city family bikes are really great, so long as the battery lasts. They can be quite heavy otherwise, like riding through molasses. And that's on a nicely-paved, flat city street. Even with the battery it's quite a bit of work powering up this kind of steep road.

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 47mm — 1/320 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Our Smoking Friend From Earlier
throwing up, or dunking his head in a river, or something
At some point he had made a big show of flying by our group (we're going slowly because Nigel is riding the cycling equivalent of a cast-iron anchor), but we soon caught up and passed him. We never saw him again.

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/125 sec, f/5, ISO 640 — map & image data — nearby photos
Helping Hand
Geoffrey gives Nigel a momentary boost. You can see in this short video from the ride (of him doing it another time) that it really does help him along:
Some things to explain: I was breathing quite heavily because I had rushed to catch up after having stopped to take photo of others earlier. I put out an average of 470 watts for a minute and a half (and 750 watts for 20 seconds), which is a lot for me.
At one point I yell “car” when it seems apparent that everyone already sees the car and it's too late anyway, but I was yelling it for the benefit of those coming up from farther back, behind the blind hairpin.
One can sometimes make the entire climb without seeing a car, or on a busy day, you might see half a dozen cars during the whole ascent. But today was crazy... dozens and dozens of cars. Maybe because it's Golden Week. The first time I tried to take a video, cars just kept coming, and my voice yelling “car” is horribly annoying. In this video upload, I lowered the audio level substantially, but it's still annoying...

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/125 sec, f/2.2, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
“Happy Birthday”
two cyclists wish Nigel a Happy Birthday on the way by

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 35mm — 1/320 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Arriving At Hanase Pass
花背峠への到着

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 38mm — 1/400 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
More Arrivals
Josh riding one of the mini folding bikes he uses for his tours

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 28mm — 1/125 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Group Shot
at Hanase Pass
I'm at far right in the shot above, taken by a passing motorcyclist. I'm wearing a Yahoo! jersey that Mike Bennett sent me over the winter. I wore it for the first time today, it being warm enough to not need a jacket that would cover it. I worked at Yahoo! during the early days of the World Wide Web, when Yahoo! was relevant and was synonymous with “Internet” to the average person. The purple and yellow bring a tear of pride to my eye.

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 60mm — 1/125 sec, f/5, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Bidding Adieu
Andy and Asa would turn back from here
We continued down the other side for a while...
... then came to an old gravel road that jutted back up into the mountain.

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 58mm — 1/125 sec, f/2.8, ISO 800 — map & image data — nearby photos
Very Steep
I had never done this “road” (I thought it was just a mountain trail), and I probably won't do it again. It was quite steep (700m at an average of 13%, with some sections approaching 20%).

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 31mm — 1/125 sec, f/2.2, ISO 250 — map & image data — nearby photos
Hard Going

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/125 sec, f/2.5, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Old Hanase Pass
旧花背峠
We would continue on up the road in the background before descending down toward Seryo Pass.

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/125 sec, f/2.8, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Unexpected Encounter
We couldn't believe a car was on this “road” and just assumed that they were lost, so it was quite surprising when they said that they knew where they were and where they were going. The car is a Mitsuoka Ryugi, which I'm sure you've never heard of.

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/125 sec, f/5, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Full Bloom
shakily taken while descending on a gravel road
The gravel road dumped us out in a tiny village below Seryo Pass. A cherry tree was blooming at the Seryo Lodge, and the owner kindly snapped a photo for us.

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/125 sec, f/3.5, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
芹生ロッジ

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/125 sec, f/4, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Heading Up to Seryo Pass

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/125 sec, f/4.5, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Small Detour
The proprietor at the Seryo Lodge told us about a house that had pretty blooms at the moment, so I made a short detour to see it. It was much nicer than came out in this photo.
The descent from Seryo Pass down toward Kyoto is one of the worst around.... long and steep (3km at 11%), with a horrible bumpy road surface that shakes your teeth from your skull at anything faster than a walk. Nigel did this on his mamachari as well.

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 50mm — 1/125 sec, f/2.7, ISO 320 — map & image data — nearby photos
Smokin'!
upon reaching civilization, his brakes were smoking

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 30mm — 1/125 sec, f/2.8, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Ready To Go Home
at Kibune Shrine Okumiya (貴船神社奥宮)

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/125 sec, f/3.5, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Parking-Lot Traffic
Traffic was worse than I'd ever seen

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 28mm — 1/160 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Clear of the Crowds
taken at 40 kph (25 mph)

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 50mm — 1/125 sec, f/5, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
taken at 50 kph (31 mph)

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/800 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Back on its Home Turf

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/320 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Getting Falafels for Lunch
at Falafel Garden

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/500 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Riverside-Picnic “Cheers”

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/400 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Swarms of Kites
there must have been three or four dozen of these hawk-like birds

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 49mm — 1/200 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Reinforcements Arrive
Nigel's daughter comes bearing beer for all (well, all except herself)

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 46mm — 1/250 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Easy Lunch
the instant after the bird had grabbed a sandwich from the boy's hand
In the moments before the bird swooped down to grab the sandwich, you could feel a few of them paying close attention, coming in for a better look, which is why I had my camera pointed that way in the first place, just in case. In retrospect it seems clear that I should have warned them, but there were plenty of times someone's food looked like it might be a target, but never was, so maybe my warning would have just bothered them. In any case, the three barely flinched, as if they were expecting it. It was decidedly odd.
Anyway, happy birthday Nigel. I'll have to make sure I'm out of town this time next year. 😉
Update: Henry made a great video that really captures the vibe of the day.
Now I put “mama-chari” into the search but I didn’t find the post where a 60-year-old gentleman joined your group on a trip to Ôtsu/Biwako(?), IIRC, which actually inspired me for my own mama-chari ride up the Kyomi Pass to Sugisaka and back via Takao. I thought if this elderly man can do it, me too!