Search ResultsSix years ago, while on an exploratory scooter trip into the mountains (the kind of trip I now do by bicycle), I came across an abandoned restaurant next to the entrance of an equestrian park. This abandoned building did appear on my blog once, five and a half years ago in "My Faux-Mat Photoshop Script is Out", but while other photos from that photogenic outing made it to my blog (here, here, and here), and on that trip I "discovered" the "Middle-of-Nowhere Sokushouji Temple", posting about this abandoned restaurant has remained on my to-do list. It came to my mind [...] View full post » I went out on a leisurely photo-expedition drive the other day with Paul Barr and Anastasiya Bulkavets, whom Paul and I met a couple of years ago in a story I've been meaning to tell, during this outing when she happen to recognize Damien and his red hat from having seen them on my blog. We all occasionally get together since. I've lived in this area for more than a decade and have driven in the mountains many times over the years, but until I started cycling through them last year, I didn't really have a sense for locations and [...] View full post » My timing is getting all mixed up, but two days ago I posted about the Ochiba Shrine, with pictures from two weeks ago when it was in its full carpet-of-leaves splendor. By the time I'd posted it (two days ago) the splendor had passed; this post contains photos from a visit two days ago. On the way home, we stopped by the Yama no Ie Hasegawa restaurant for coffee... And dinner... And dessert... A visit here is always a nice way to end an outing. View full post » I had a nice ride the other day with Andy Clark and Michael Edwards. While meeting up in the morning, Nigel Randell happened to stop by on his way to work... And we were approached by an American tourist passing by who saw our nice bikes and just wanted to say "hi"... It turns out that he works for Strava, the running/riding community site where your activities can be mapped and compared to your prior efforts and to others. In the nine months since I started cycling, I've been absolutely shocked at how motivating Strava has been for me; upon [...] View full post » Only a month and a half late, I'm finally getting around to posting about Stage Two of Bridget and Sarah's Tour de Kyoto. These two visitors from Australia were introduced in Bridget and Sarah’s Tour-de-Kyoto, Part 1 and Part 2. The morning had revealed that Sarah's tire did not survive the previous day's puncture-festival, but Manseki kindly loaned her a wheel, so she could ride for the day. These pictures at the entrance to the Kurama Temple were on our way to the first big climb of the day, Kyoto's big "Hanase Pass", which rises 500m over 5.8km for an [...] View full post » |