Obama Hosts My First Bicycle Visit to the Sea
Fruits of My Recent Bicycle Ride Shirahama Beach, Takahama Village, Fukui Prefecture (福井県高浜町 の 白浜海水浴場) 1:35 pm (from the start of the ride: 9h 11m / 107 km / 66.4 miles) -- Shirahama Beach (白浜海水浴場) -- Takahama, Fukui, Japan -- Copyright 2015 Jeffrey Friedl, https://regex.info/blog/
Panasonic LX100 at an effective 46mm — 1/125 sec, f/10, ISO 200 — map & image datanearby photos
Fruits of My Recent Bicycle Ride
Shirahama Beach, Takahama Village, Fukui Prefecture (福井県高浜町白浜海水浴場)
1:35 pm (from the start of the ride: 9h 11m / 107 km / 66.4 miles)

Tuesday was the Sea Day holiday in Japan, so I took the opportunity to make my first bicycle ride to the sea. Kyoto is about as far from the sea as a big city gets in Japan, so even though I've been to a lake that looks like an ocean, I'd not yet been by bicycle to the actual ocean.

この間のは海の日で初めての海までのサイクリングをしました、京都市内から。二時間の帰り電車を含めて17時間掛かりました。157キロを走っ、一番山が多い道を選びました。 獲得高度は2,800mでした。 楽しかった。

Me and the Mermaids Mermaid Beach, Obama Japan (人魚 の浜 、福井県小浜市) 4:32 pm (from the start of the ride: 12h 8m / 145 km / 90.3 miles) photo by Antti -- Mermaid Beach (人魚の浜海水浴場) -- Obama, Fukui, Japan -- Copyright 2015 Jeffrey Friedl, https://regex.info/blog/
Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/4000 sec, f/2.8, ISO 200 — map & image datanearby photos
Me and the Mermaids
Mermaid Beach, Obama Japan (人魚の浜、福井県小浜市)
4:32 pm (from the start of the ride: 12h 8m / 145 km / 90.3 miles)
photo by Antti

It was a long trip.

I left the house at 4:24am, and returned 17 hours later at 9:33pm, though two hours of that was the return from the ocean by train. All in all it was 151km (94 miles) of cycling to and along the ocean, followed by a train back to Kyoto, then another 6km (4mi) of cycling from Kyoto Station to home.

Befitting the length of the trip, this post is also long.

I was joined by Antti, whom we saw shining in this day of mishaps last month, and Eric Findlay, who I'd run into by chance the day after that ride when he recognized me from my blog while we were both at the same bicycle shop.

We met at 4:30am in the early-morning dusk (sunrise was 4:58am) and headed north towards the mountains. Before diving into the mountains for the real climbs of the trip, we stopped at a convenience store that would be our last access to food for about five hours...

5am Selfie 5:08 am (from start: 44 min / 11 km / 7.1 miles) Ichihara Lawsons (ローソン 静市市原) -- Ichihara Lawsons (ローソン 静市市原) -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2015 Jeffrey Friedl, https://regex.info/blog/
Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/125 sec, f/4.5, ISO 200 — map & image datanearby photos
5am Selfie
5:08 am (from start: 44 min / 11 km / 7.1 miles)
Ichihara Lawsons (ローソン 静市市原)
Eric Cooling Off having just poured refrigerated water over his head ( it was already hot at 5 am ) -- Ichihara Lawsons (ローソン 静市市原) -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2015 Jeffrey Friedl, https://regex.info/blog/
Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/125 sec, f/2.5, ISO 200 — map & image datanearby photos
Eric Cooling Off
having just poured refrigerated water over his head
( it was already hot at 5 am )

I picked a route with as many mountain passes as I could fit in... Hanase Pass (花背峠/760m/2500'), Sasari Pass (佐々里峠/739m/2400'), Gonami Pass (五波峠/656m/2200'), and two smaller unnamed passes.

With this in mind, I took it easy going up the first and biggest climb of the day, Hanase, only to be shocked the next day when looking at the stats for that climb that I missed my PR (34:20) by only 10 seconds. Not only wasn't I trying, the road in many places was a shallow river due to runoff from a typhoon that had hit two days prior, and one can feel the slowdown as the tires have to cut through the water.

I did keep the camera in the back bag instead of around my neck, so perhaps that sped me up a bit.

Antti wasn't even trying either, it seems, since his time was almost 5 minutes slower than his best, but even then he was 2½ minutes faster than me.

Typical Misty-River Scene 6:46 am (from start: 2h 22m / 31 km / 19.6 miles) taken while cycling at 20 kph (12 mph) -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2015 Jeffrey Friedl, https://regex.info/blog/
Panasonic LX100 at an effective 72mm — 1/200 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 — map & image datanearby photos
Typical Misty-River Scene
6:46 am (from start: 2h 22m / 31 km / 19.6 miles)
taken while cycling at 20 kph (12 mph)

It was absolutely beautiful in the mountains, perhaps in part because of the early time of day. The first six or seven hours of the ride were the most beautiful I'd ever done.

Antti 6:56 am (from start: 2h 31m / 35 km / 21.7 miles) taken while cycling at 24 kph (15 mph) -- 原地中の町(バス) -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2015 Jeffrey Friedl, https://regex.info/blog/
Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/125 sec, f/2.5, ISO 200 — map & image datanearby photos
Antti
6:56 am (from start: 2h 31m / 35 km / 21.7 miles)
taken while cycling at 24 kph (15 mph)
Eric 7:04 am (from start: 2h 39m / 38 km / 23.6 miles) taken while cycling at 28 kph (17 mph) -- Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2015 Jeffrey Friedl, https://regex.info/blog/
Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/1250 sec, f/2.2, ISO 200 — map & image datanearby photos
Eric
7:04 am (from start: 2h 39m / 38 km / 23.6 miles)
taken while cycling at 28 kph (17 mph)
Rescuing a Turtle 亀を救出する 7:58 am (from start: 3h 34m / 55 km / 34.3 miles) photo by Antti -- Nantan, Kyoto, Japan -- Copyright 2015 Antti
iPhone 6 Plus + iPhone 6 Plus back camera 4.15mm f/2.2 at an effective 29mm — 1/460 sec, f/2.2, ISO 32 — map & image datanearby photos
Rescuing a Turtle
亀を救出する
7:58 am (from start: 3h 34m / 55 km / 34.3 miles)
photo by Antti

While flying down a long hill between Sasari and Gonami Passes, we came across a turtle smack in the middle of the lane. Both sides of the road were extremely steep slopes — one up the mountain as seen above, the other down to a river — so even if the turtle didn't get smooshed by a truck, his outlook wasn't good.

I found a slightly less-sleep slope heading down to the river, and left the turtle in the ferns. Hopefully it's a good spot for him.

Not long after that, at the turnoff to Gonami Pass, we were surprised to find a cafe that was sort of open. They were hosting overnight river-rafting customers for breakfast and so weren't really open, but they kindly spared some coffee for us.

Coffee Break Tautasya Cafe (田歌舎) 8:11 am (from start: 3h 46m / 58 km / 35.7 miles) -- Tautasya Cafe (田歌舎) -- http:, Nantan, Kyoto -- Copyright 2015 Jeffrey Friedl, https://regex.info/blog/
Panasonic LX100 at an effective 50mm — 1/160 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 — map & image datanearby photos
Coffee Break
Tautasya Cafe (田歌舎)
8:11 am (from start: 3h 46m / 58 km / 35.7 miles)
Tautasya Cafe (田歌舎) -- http:, Nantan, Kyoto -- Copyright 2015 Jeffrey Friedl, https://regex.info/blog/
Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/320 sec, f/2, ISO 200 — map & image datanearby photos
Making-Them-Wait Selfie -- Tautasya Cafe (田歌舎) -- http:, Nantan, Kyoto -- Copyright 2015 Jeffrey Friedl, https://regex.info/blog/
Panasonic LX100 at an effective 28mm — 1/640 sec, f/2.1, ISO 200 — map & image datanearby photos
Making-Them-Wait Selfie

Once on the bike again, it was all new roads for me, starting with my first ascent to Gonami Pass. 23 minutes later, a the peak we cross into Fukui Prefecture.

“ Gonami Pass ” 9:09 am (from start: 4h 45m / 63 km / 39.3 miles) -- Gonami Pass (五波峠) -- Oi-gun, Fukui, Japan -- Copyright 2015 Jeffrey Friedl, https://regex.info/blog/
iPhone 6 Plus + iPhone 6 Plus front camera 2.65mm f/2.2 at an effective 31mm — 1/60 sec, f/2.2, ISO 40 — map & image datanearby photos
Gonami Pass
9:09 am (from start: 4h 45m / 63 km / 39.3 miles)
Antti Setting Up for his “ Gonami Pass ” shot -- Gonami Pass (五波峠) -- Oi-gun, Fukui, Japan -- Copyright 2015 Jeffrey Friedl, https://regex.info/blog/
Panasonic LX100 at an effective 28mm — 1/80 sec, f/4.5, ISO 1000 — map & image datanearby photos
Antti Setting Up
for his Gonami Pass shot
Signpost -- Gonami Pass (五波峠) -- Oi-gun, Fukui, Japan -- Copyright 2015 Jeffrey Friedl, https://regex.info/blog/
Panasonic LX100 at an effective 41mm — 1/125 sec, f/4.5, ISO 200 — map & image datanearby photos
Signpost
Heading Down the Other Side 9:15 am (from start: 4h 51m / 64 km / 39.6 miles) taken while cycling at 14 kph (9 mph) -- Oi-gun, Fukui, Japan -- Copyright 2015 Jeffrey Friedl, https://regex.info/blog/
Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/40 sec, f/4, ISO 3200 — map & image datanearby photos
Heading Down the Other Side
9:15 am (from start: 4h 51m / 64 km / 39.6 miles)
taken while cycling at 14 kph (9 mph)
Amazing Views 9:18 am (from start: 4h 54m / 65 km / 40.1 miles) -- Oi-gun, Fukui, Japan -- Copyright 2015 Jeffrey Friedl, https://regex.info/blog/
Panasonic LX100 at an effective 31mm — 1/320 sec, f/4, ISO 200 — map & image datanearby photos
Amazing Views
9:18 am (from start: 4h 54m / 65 km / 40.1 miles)
First Flat of the Day while a road crew cleans up after the typhoon the other day 9:43 am (from start: 5h 19m / 67 km / 41.9 miles) -- Oi-gun, Fukui, Japan -- Copyright 2015 Jeffrey Friedl, https://regex.info/blog/
Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/125 sec, f/4, ISO 200 — map & image datanearby photos
First Flat of the Day
while a road crew cleans up after the typhoon the other day
9:43 am (from start: 5h 19m / 67 km / 41.9 miles)

This is Eric's first long mountain ride with his new Trek bike (the one he was ordering when we met), and so the rock-strewn road was perhaps new as well.

On The Road Again 9:54 am (from start: 5h 30m / 68 km / 42.2 miles) taken while cycling at 42 kph (26 mph) -- Oi-gun, Fukui, Japan -- Copyright 2015 Jeffrey Friedl, https://regex.info/blog/
Panasonic LX100 at an effective 54mm — 1/125 sec, f/4, ISO 640 — map & image datanearby photos
On The Road Again
9:54 am (from start: 5h 30m / 68 km / 42.2 miles)
taken while cycling at 42 kph (26 mph)
More Vistas that the photos are not doing justice 9:58 am (from start: 5h 34m / 69 km / 42.9 miles) -- Oi-gun, Fukui, Japan -- Copyright 2015 Jeffrey Friedl, https://regex.info/blog/
Panasonic LX100 at an effective 65mm — 1/125 sec, f/9, ISO 800 — map & image datanearby photos
More Vistas
that the photos are not doing justice
9:58 am (from start: 5h 34m / 69 km / 42.9 miles)
Supersteep too steep even for the road to be cut into the mountain, the road is a ledge wrapping around the mountain 10:06 am (from start: 5h 42m / 73 km / 45.2 miles) taken while cycling at 39 kph (24 mph) -- Oi-gun, Fukui, Japan -- Copyright 2015 Jeffrey Friedl, https://regex.info/blog/
Panasonic LX100 at an effective 27mm — 1/125 sec, f/9, ISO 320 — map & image datanearby photos
Supersteep
too steep even for the road to be cut into the mountain,
the road is a ledge wrapping around the mountain
10:06 am (from start: 5h 42m / 73 km / 45.2 miles)
taken while cycling at 39 kph (24 mph)
Flattening Out 10:08 am (from start: 5h 44m / 74 km / 46.0 miles) taken while cycling at 27 kph (17 mph) -- Oi-gun, Fukui, Japan -- Copyright 2015 Jeffrey Friedl, https://regex.info/blog/
Panasonic LX100 at an effective 27mm — 1/125 sec, f/4, ISO 500 — map & image datanearby photos
Flattening Out
10:08 am (from start: 5h 44m / 74 km / 46.0 miles)
taken while cycling at 27 kph (17 mph)
Picturesque River like so many of them tucked among the mountains of Japan, filled with fly fishermen 10:13 am (from start: 5h 49m / 77 km / 47.7 miles) taken while cycling at 13 kph (8 mph) -- Oi-gun, Fukui, Japan -- Copyright 2015 Jeffrey Friedl, https://regex.info/blog/
Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/500 sec, f/4, ISO 200 — map & image datanearby photos
Picturesque River
like so many of them tucked among the mountains of Japan, filled with fly fishermen
10:13 am (from start: 5h 49m / 77 km / 47.7 miles)
taken while cycling at 13 kph (8 mph)
Crossing a Small Valley 10:38 am (from start: 6h 14m / 79 km / 48.9 miles) 10:38am - taken while cycling at 24 kph (15 mph) -- Oi-gun, Fukui, Japan -- Copyright 2015 Jeffrey Friedl, https://regex.info/blog/
Panasonic LX100 at an effective 28mm — 1/1000 sec, f/4, ISO 200 — map & image datanearby photos
Crossing a Small Valley
10:38 am (from start: 6h 14m / 79 km / 48.9 miles)
10:38am - taken while cycling at 24 kph (15 mph)
Fukui, Japan -- Copyright 2015 Jeffrey Friedl, https://regex.info/blog/
Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/250 sec, f/7.1, ISO 200 — map & image datanearby photos
Gorgeous Farmstead 10:41 am (from start: 6h 17m / 80 km / 49.8 miles) taken while cycling at 24 kph (15 mph) -- Fukui, Japan -- Copyright 2015 Jeffrey Friedl, https://regex.info/blog/
Panasonic LX100 at an effective 60mm — 1/250 sec, f/7.1, ISO 200 — map & image datanearby photos
Gorgeous Farmstead
10:41 am (from start: 6h 17m / 80 km / 49.8 miles)
taken while cycling at 24 kph (15 mph)

After crossing the small valley, we could have continued on a fairly flat and direct route to the sea, but instead we jigged west for 20km (12mi), taking a little-traveled road over two unnamed mountain passes. I don't think we saw a single car for over two hours.

Just after the first little pass at 342m (1,125'), 7 hours after starting the trip, we got our first distant and hazy view of the ocean...

Ocean View (Sort Of) through the haze of an increasingly-hot day 11:19 am (from start: 6h 55m / 89 km / 55.6 miles) -- Fukui, Japan -- Copyright 2015 Jeffrey Friedl, https://regex.info/blog/
Panasonic LX100 at an effective 75mm — 1/200 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 — map & image datanearby photos
Ocean View (Sort Of)
through the haze of an increasingly-hot day
11:19 am (from start: 6h 55m / 89 km / 55.6 miles)

Along with our first view of the ocean, we got our second view of a flat tire...

Flat #2 Eric's other wheel's tube calls it a day -- Fukui, Japan -- Copyright 2015 Jeffrey Friedl, https://regex.info/blog/
Panasonic LX100 at an effective 37mm — 1/125 sec, f/3.5, ISO 200 — map & image datanearby photos
Flat #2
Eric's other wheel's tube calls it a day

A bit farther down the mountain there was a little lookout with a nice view of the ocean...

Antti's Best Smile 11:33 am (from start: 7h 9m / 90 km / 56.0 miles) -- Fukui, Japan -- Copyright 2015 Jeffrey Friedl, https://regex.info/blog/
Panasonic LX100 at an effective 44mm — 1/250 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 — map & image datanearby photos
Antti's Best Smile
11:33 am (from start: 7h 9m / 90 km / 56.0 miles)

I didn't realize it while taking the photos, but in looking at them after the fact, I find it odd to realize that Antti is never smiling in any of the shots. He's such a pleasant guy to ride with and chat with, such that I always see him as smiling, but I guess it doesn't come across to the camera.

Respite From the Heat repairing a flat under an overpass 12:23 pm (from start: 7h 59m / 98 km / 61.0 miles) taken while cycling at 10 kph (6 mph) -- Oi-gun, Fukui, Japan -- Copyright 2015 Jeffrey Friedl, https://regex.info/blog/
Panasonic LX100 at an effective 70mm — 1/80 sec, f/5, ISO 3200 — map & image datanearby photos
Respite From the Heat
repairing a flat under an overpass
12:23 pm (from start: 7h 59m / 98 km / 61.0 miles)
taken while cycling at 10 kph (6 mph)
This Time It's Antti's Tire -- Oi-gun, Fukui, Japan -- Copyright 2015 Jeffrey Friedl, https://regex.info/blog/
Panasonic LX100 at an effective 28mm — 1/80 sec, f/5, ISO 1600 — map & image datanearby photos
This Time It's Antti's Tire
Curvy Highway -- Oi-gun, Fukui, Japan -- Copyright 2015 Jeffrey Friedl, https://regex.info/blog/
Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/250 sec, f/5, ISO 200 — map & image datanearby photos
Curvy Highway
Denied public road over a mountain inexplicably closed off ( we had to go through a 700m tunnel instead ) 12:51 pm (from start: 8h 27m / 101 km / 62.5 miles) -- Oi-gun, Fukui, Japan -- Copyright 2015 Jeffrey Friedl, https://regex.info/blog/
Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/60 sec, f/5, ISO 800 — map & image datanearby photos
Denied
public road over a mountain inexplicably closed off
( we had to go through a 700m tunnel instead )
12:51 pm (from start: 8h 27m / 101 km / 62.5 miles)
Finally About To Arrive 1:18 pm (from start: 8h 54m / 106 km / 66.0 miles) taken while cycling at 14 kph (9 mph) -- Oi-gun, Fukui, Japan -- Copyright 2015 Jeffrey Friedl, https://regex.info/blog/
Panasonic LX100 at an effective 30mm — 1/160 sec, f/5, ISO 200 — map & image datanearby photos
Finally About To Arrive
1:18 pm (from start: 8h 54m / 106 km / 66.0 miles)
taken while cycling at 14 kph (9 mph)
Ocean Selfie taken with the iPhone so that I could send to Fumie 1:19 pm (from start: 8h 55m / 106 km / 66.1 miles) -- Torihama Beach (鳥居浜海水浴場) -- Takahama, Fukui, Japan -- Copyright 2015 Jeffrey Friedl, https://regex.info/blog/
iPhone 6 Plus + iPhone 6 Plus front camera 2.65mm f/2.2 at an effective 31mm — 1/2400 sec, f/2.2, ISO 32 — map & image datanearby photos
Ocean Selfie
taken with the iPhone so that I could send to Fumie
1:19 pm (from start: 8h 55m / 106 km / 66.1 miles)
Group Selfie taken with the iPhone so that I could send to Cycling Kyoto -- Torihama Beach (鳥居浜海水浴場) -- Takahama, Fukui, Japan -- Copyright 2015 Jeffrey Friedl, https://regex.info/blog/
iPhone 6 Plus + iPhone 6 Plus front camera 2.65mm f/2.2 at an effective 31mm — 1/1300 sec, f/2.2, ISO 32 — map & image datanearby photos
Group Selfie
taken with the iPhone so that I could send to Cycling Kyoto
Surprisingly Uncrowded Torihama Beach, Takahama Village, Fukui Prefecture (福井県高浜町 の 鳥居浜) 1:23 pm (from start: 8h 59m / 106 km / 66.1 miles) -- Torihama Beach (鳥居浜海水浴場) -- Takahama, Fukui, Japan -- Copyright 2015 Jeffrey Friedl, https://regex.info/blog/
Panasonic LX100 at an effective 35mm — 1/160 sec, f/10, ISO 200 — map & image datanearby photos
Surprisingly Uncrowded
Torihama Beach, Takahama Village, Fukui Prefecture (福井県高浜町鳥居浜)
1:23 pm (from start: 8h 59m / 106 km / 66.1 miles)
Touching the Water to make it official -- Torihama Beach (鳥居浜海水浴場) -- Takahama, Fukui, Japan -- Copyright 2015 Jeffrey Friedl, https://regex.info/blog/
Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/125 sec, f/10, ISO 250 — map & image datanearby photos
Touching the Water
to make it official

We moved east along the beach on a beach-front bicycle path, and upon rounding a bend found the crowds that I'd have expected on a holiday...

Looks Unfun Wakasawada Beach (若狭和田海水浴場) 1:38 pm (from start: 9h 13m / 107 km / 66.7 miles) taken while cycling at 14 kph (9 mph) -- Wakasawada Beach (若狭和田海水浴場) -- Takahama, Fukui, Japan -- Copyright 2015 Jeffrey Friedl, https://regex.info/blog/
Panasonic LX100 at an effective 67mm — 1/400 sec, f/10, ISO 200 — map & image datanearby photos
Looks Unfun
Wakasawada Beach (若狭和田海水浴場)
1:38 pm (from start: 9h 13m / 107 km / 66.7 miles)
taken while cycling at 14 kph (9 mph)

Without the tree cover of the mountains, the sun was really hot, with a temperature to being with of 35℃ (95℉). The route called for a little excursion to a view spot on a nearby mountain, but Eric was feeling tired, so he relaxed in the shade at a temple while Antti sprinted up and I plodded up.

It took me 11 minutes to climb the 160m (530') to the top (Antti just nine), and by the time I got there the heat was sucking energy from me at an alarming rate. The view was worth it, though...

View from 165m Up Yasuragi Park (安らぎ公園) the beaches we'd ridden past are in the center ( water at right is the sea; water at left is an inlet ) 1:57 pm (from start: 9h 33m / 110 km / 68.5 miles) -- Yasuragi Park (安らぎ公園) -- Takahama, Fukui, Japan -- Copyright 2015 Jeffrey Friedl, https://regex.info/blog/
Panasonic LX100 at an effective 25mm — 1/500 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 — map & image datanearby photos
View from 165m Up
Yasuragi Park (安らぎ公園)
the beaches we'd ridden past are in the center
( water at right is the sea; water at left is an inlet )
1:57 pm (from start: 9h 33m / 110 km / 68.5 miles)

We descended back to the beaches to collect Eric and load up on cold drinks, and continued East.

Aoto Bridge we'd be going across that later 2:38 pm (from start: 10h 13m / 117 km / 72.7 miles) taken while cycling at 27 kph (17 mph) -- Oi-gun, Fukui, Japan -- Copyright 2015 Jeffrey Friedl, https://regex.info/blog/
Panasonic LX100 at an effective 70mm — 1/2000 sec, f/8, ISO 200 — map & image datanearby photos
Aoto Bridge
we'd be going across that later
2:38 pm (from start: 10h 13m / 117 km / 72.7 miles)
taken while cycling at 27 kph (17 mph)

There's a train station across the bridge, and Eric took up my suggestion to avail himself of it to head home. He was clearly quite tired, but never once complained or asked us to go slowly or in any way modify our plans. Of course we would have, but he didn't want to impose.

I don't think he estimated the level of the ride quite right, but having done 118km over more than 10 hours and 2,300m (7,575') of vertical climb, it was more than enough to be proud of.

So, as Eric headed across the bridge to a train station, Antti and I headed for the next big mountain climb.

Except we didn't make it... it turns out that the road we intended to take becomes rough gravel:

Not Appropriate For Road Bikes 3:27 pm (from start: 11h 2m / 124 km / 77.2 miles) -- Oi-gun, Fukui, Japan -- Copyright 2015 Jeffrey Friedl, https://regex.info/blog/
Panasonic LX100 at an effective 43mm — 1/320 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 — map & image datanearby photos
Not Appropriate For Road Bikes
3:27 pm (from start: 11h 2m / 124 km / 77.2 miles)

My usually-meticulous route preparation had failed us this time, as I thought it was paved the whole way. I was bummed because I was really hot and tired, but had resigned myself to just exit my body and do it semi-consciously. I was also hoping to get great shots from 500m up.

Instead I had to make do with a rare break in the foliage on the way back down the little paved road that we'd done...

3:28 pm (from start: 11h 4m / 124 km / 77.3 miles) -- Oi-gun, Fukui, Japan -- Copyright 2015 Jeffrey Friedl, https://regex.info/blog/
Panasonic LX100 at an effective 75mm — 1/400 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 — map & image datanearby photos
3:28 pm (from start: 11h 4m / 124 km / 77.3 miles)

Since the beaches, we'd been heading deeper out onto a peninsula, so had to double back to the bridge to return to the mainland.

View from the Aoto Bridge (青戸 の 大橋) of the inlet created by the peninsula. 3:47 pm (from start: 11h 23m / 130 km / 81.0 miles) -- Aoto Bridge (青戸の大橋) -- Oi-gun, Fukui, Japan -- Copyright 2015 Jeffrey Friedl, https://regex.info/blog/
Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/800 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 — map & image datanearby photos
View from the Aoto Bridge (青戸大橋)
of the inlet created by the peninsula.
3:47 pm (from start: 11h 23m / 130 km / 81.0 miles)

Then it was 20km or so along big roads and bicycle paths toward the town of Obama.

4:09 pm (from start: 11h 45m / 138 km / 85.5 miles) -- Obama, Fukui, Japan -- Copyright 2015 Jeffrey Friedl, https://regex.info/blog/
Panasonic LX100 at an effective 56mm — 1/500 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 — map & image datanearby photos
4:09 pm (from start: 11h 45m / 138 km / 85.5 miles)
4:14 pm (from start: 11h 50m / 139 km / 86.5 miles) taken while cycling at 17 kph (10 mph) -- Obama, Fukui, Japan -- Copyright 2015 Jeffrey Friedl, https://regex.info/blog/
Panasonic LX100 at an effective 25mm — 1/640 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 — map & image datanearby photos
4:14 pm (from start: 11h 50m / 139 km / 86.5 miles)
taken while cycling at 17 kph (10 mph)
Obama Comes into View 4:28 pm (from start: 12h 4m / 145 km / 89.8 miles) taken while cycling at 35 kph (22 mph) -- Obama, Fukui, Japan -- Copyright 2015 Jeffrey Friedl, https://regex.info/blog/
Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/800 sec, f/2.8, ISO 200 — map & image datanearby photos
Obama Comes into View
4:28 pm (from start: 12h 4m / 145 km / 89.8 miles)
taken while cycling at 35 kph (22 mph)
Taking a Dip in the Ocean at Mermaid Beach ( I didn't think it was possible to have whiter skin than me, but the boy from Finland proved me wrong ) 5:48 pm (from start: 13h 24m / 149 km / 92.7 miles) -- Mermaid Beach (人魚の浜海水浴場) -- Obama, Fukui, Japan -- Copyright 2015 Jeffrey Friedl, https://regex.info/blog/
Panasonic LX100 at an effective 35mm — 1/400 sec, f/3.2, ISO 200 — map & image datanearby photos
Taking a Dip in the Ocean
at Mermaid Beach
( I didn't think it was possible to have whiter skin than me, but the boy from Finland proved me wrong )
5:48 pm (from start: 13h 24m / 149 km / 92.7 miles)
On The Train Back Toward Kyoto 6:59 pm -- Obama, Fukui, Japan -- Copyright 2015 Jeffrey Friedl, https://regex.info/blog/
Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/125 sec, f/3.2, ISO 3200 — map & image datanearby photos
On The Train Back Toward Kyoto
6:59 pm

Antti and I both brought bike bags so that we could bring our bikes on the train. But I'd loaned mine to Eric earlier in the day, and Antti had forgotten his at the beach. But we stopped by a 100-yen shop and bought some bicycle covers, tape, and Velcro... we then removed the front wheel of the bike and used Velcro to afix it midbike, then covered everything and taped up the bottom.

I wasn't sure that the train company would let this haphazard cover through — I'd heard that they were quite strict — so I was fairly stressed about it, but it turns out to have been just fine. Being the end of a three-day weekend, the trains were packed and we had to stand most of the way, but we got a great connection and it took only two hours to reach Kyoto Station.

A short ride from there to home, and I was enjoying a cool shower by 9:45pm and a cold beer by 10pm.

I was quite achy the next day, but got talked into riding up to Hanase Pass again. This time I actually did go very slowly, but it somehow seems to have broken the achy feeling, and I actually felt better after that.


One comment so far...

Hi Jeffrey,
I died laughing at your ‘Antti’s best smile’ photo. You might not know many Finns, but my mom is full blooded. They’re pretty famous for their ‘exuberant’ (snark…) expressions. I’ve listened to my dad joking about it for the last 40 ish years.

Here’s just a little example :

http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2015/02/five-bad-american-habits-i-kicked-in-finland/385140/

Great blog!
Geoff

Interesting read, but as an American I take issue with his describing his own personal bad traits as “American”. Bad traits are bad whosoever they are. Only the coffee one seems to be a culturally-specific issue (and neither good nor bad, I think). The one about silence seems cultural as well, but not even Finns would like “uncomfortable silence”. Perhaps he should have explained it as “silence doesn’t make Finns uncomfortable in the way it makes Americans”. He’s certainly a good writer, though… his blog has some interesting things. —Jeffrey

— comment by Geoff Hudson on August 15th, 2015 at 9:26am JST (9 years, 4 months ago) comment permalink
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