Today we did a simple little “Hanase Support” ride, where a few of us with experience making the climb to Hanase Pass helped out those who have never done it. Lianca and Stephanie made the climb for the first time, being encouraged by Manseki, Antti, and me.

The southern climb to Hanase Pass is Kyoto's premier climb, averaging 8.6% for 5.8 km (3.6 miles) of unrelenting grade. Through sheer ignorance I happened to choose it for my first-ever real bike outing, in the snow and ice of early February last year, when it took 48 minutes to finish. I've climbed it 27 times since, with my best now 28:59, done a month ago.

(Antti has done the climb 33 times, including 18 times one day last August when he Everested it!)

On today's trip, Antti accompanied Stephanie, and I rode with Lianca...

Stephanie is a former world-class triathlete, but is not used to big climbs nor descents, and would prefer to do neither. Nevertheless, she tackled both today, doing the climb up in 37:29 (11th overall for women). She really doesn't care for descents, so took her time and descended at about the same speed I climb. 🙂

But it's a pretty descent, so nice to take slow, I guess.

It was chilly (2C/36F) at the pass, so after descending we stopped for hot coffee and to defrost our toes. Then on the way to our next destination we stopped by the entrance to the Joshokoji Temple (常照皇寺)...

The temple is nice to visit, and has appeared on my blog many times, including this part of a ride report, and a post about its entrance path. We'll have to repeat this ride during the spring cherry-blossom season.

(I visited the temple the other day by car with my nice camera, but I've yet to look at the photos.)

Then we made our way to the Ochiba “Fallen Leaf” Shrine, which was not yet peak when I visited five days ago. Today it had a full carpet...

We stopped by the ever-wonderful middle-of-the-mountains restaurant that first appeared on my blog six years ago in Kyoto Mountain Restaurant “Yama no Ie Hasegawa” (meaning “Mountain House Hasegawa”, where “Hasegawa” is a family name), and many times since, as the “nearby photos” link under the photo will attest to.

For me today's ride was 85km (53 mi), so unfortunately it doesn't contribute to my Eddington Number, which currently sits at 56, but it was relaxing and fun. Great day.