As I posted the other day, I've got a new camera to use while cycling, a Panasonic LX100. I used it on yesterday's 140km mountain ride, but couldn't use the viewfinder because the viewfinder focus (the “diopter control”) stopped working, and the view via the viewfinder was completely fuzzy (including the information displays that should be sharp and clear even if the image through the lens is not yet focused).

A search on the web quickly showed that this was a common problem sometimes fixed by fiddling with the diopter dial, but usually resulting in a return or a replacement of the product.

Not wanting the hassle of a return, I looked into fixing it myself, and was able to do so easily.

The bottom side of the viewfinder housing has a single small screw, which I removed:

Nikon D4 + Venus 60mm Super Macro f/2.8 — ¹/500 sec, f/2.8, ISO 560 — map & image data — nearby photos
LX100 From Below
with the small housing screw removed

Removing the screw allows the cowling to be removed, leaving some of the innards exposed...

Nikon D4 + Venus 60mm Super Macro f/2.8 — ¹/500 sec, f/2.8, ISO 450 — map & image data — nearby photos
With Viewfinder Cowling Removed

Nikon D4 + Venus 60mm Super Macro f/2.8 — ¹/250 sec, f/2.8, ISO 6400 — map & image data — nearby photos
Close Up
of the diopter-adjustment wheel
along with its inside “related something-or-other”

The little bit of plastic highlighted in the photo above seemed to be close to the wheel, though I couldn't really see what it was for or even weather it moved, but I gently poked at it with the screwdriver. (In retrospect, I should have used a toothpick.)

That gentle poking in its general area, along with more movement of the wheel, seems to have done the trick... I could now focus the viewfinder so that I could see the display sharply.

I don't know exactly what I did or why whatever it is worked, but it was easy enough, so I thought I'd mention it in case anyone else has the same problem.

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24mm f/1.4 — ¹/1000 sec, f/1.4, ISO 100 — map & image data — nearby photos
Seeing...

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — ¹/200 sec, f/1.7, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
...Double

Paul Barr at the Toji-in Temple (等持院) in Kyoto, Japan, in photos taken by two different cameras (whose names are included in the data under each photo).

最近小さいカメラ(パナソニックLX100)を買いました、サイクリングをする時に使うと思います。 僕の普通のカメラ(大きいなニコンのD4)と比べると質はどうでしょうか。京都市の等持院でテストをしました、同時二つのカメラを使って、だいたい同じ写真二枚を撮った。結局LX100は結構良かった。この記事の写真の下にカメラ名が付いている。

When I started cycling earlier in the year, I brought along my big Nikon D4, carried slung across my back like this so that I'd have it ready to shoot when I wanted (like this).

It's a heavy camera to carry, especially on steep uphill mountain rides, but I like the quality of photograph that it allows me to get. I don't think I'd be able to get these kinds of shots with a smartphone.

But the D4 is big, so for some of the more mountainous rides like this, I reverted back to my older, lighter Nikon D700.

Still, I hoped for something a lot lighter without sacrificing too much image quality, and after some mild searching, decided to give a Panasonic LX100 a try. Among other reviews, the review at DP Review was glowing, and this camera won out on its “Enthusiast Compact Camera Roundup”, which looks at “compactish” cameras from the point of view of someone used to a high-end SLR.

In the conclusion to the roundup they declare the LX100 the best with:

The LX100 offers just about everything you could ask it to: a fast, bright lens with an adequate zoom range, a large sensor, and well-thought-out, responsive controls. DSLR and mirrorless slingers searching for an all-in-one compact that will satisfy their needs for control and image quality will not be disappointed with the LX100

Good enough to give it a try.

The first thing I did when I got it was set it to record images in raw and not JPEG (because working with the raw sensor data gives you so much more latitude to work with in post processing, and to recover from exposure disasters that might happen).

Other than that I've not done much more than skim the 332-page manual, so I'm sure I'm not using the camera to its potential, but I'm quite pleased with it so far.

The first cycling outing I used it on was this jaunt with Manu, and then on the 330km ride around Lake Biwa, but before those I put it head to head with my Nikon D4 on a trip to the Toji-in Temple (等持院) with Paul Barr and Damien Douxchamps, a wonderful “hidden treasure” location that I learned about on a tour with NORU last month.

I tried to take comparable shots, and processed them in Lightroom to taste. It's a very unscientific test... sometimes I screwed up the exposure on one or the other, and had to recover it in Lightroom, but this is what I do anyway, so it's a real-world (for me) test.

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — ¹/1600 sec, f/2, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24mm f/1.4 — ¹/1250 sec, f/2.2, ISO 100 — map & image data — nearby photos

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24mm f/1.4 — ¹/320 sec, f/4, ISO 100 — map & image data — nearby photos

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — ¹/1600 sec, f/1.7, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — ¹/400 sec, f/1.7, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24mm f/1.4 — ¹/100 sec, f/1.4, ISO 125 — map & image data — nearby photos

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24mm f/1.4 — ¹/100 sec, f/9, ISO 110 — map & image data — nearby photos

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — ¹/125 sec, f/8, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24mm f/1.4 — ¹/100 sec, f/6.3, ISO 900 — map & image data — nearby photos

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — ¹/60 sec, f/7.1, ISO 1000 — map & image data — nearby photos

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24mm f/1.4 — ¹/100 sec, f/5.6, ISO 1400 — map & image data — nearby photos

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — ¹/60 sec, f/5, ISO 1250 — map & image data — nearby photos

Nikon D4 + Nikkor 24mm f/1.4 — ¹/800 sec, f/5.6, ISO 100 — map & image data — nearby photos

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — ¹/500 sec, f/6.3, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos

Overall, given the convenient size and reasonable quality, I'm happy with the camera. I still need to understand more on how to use it best.

I've only two complaints so far. One is that you can't easily set the time to the exact second, something important when you intend to combine photos with those taken with another camera, or when you intend to geoencode the photos from a tracklog. You'd think that when you set the time to a specific minute, the seconds would start at “:00”, but it doesn't seem to be that way all the time. I haven't figured out a pattern yet.

The second is that I'd like to have the lens ring, which you can have perform a variety of functions, always be manual focus. That's what the ring does when you're specifically in manual-focus mode, but I'd like it to override autofocus mode temporarily and dump me into manual-focus mode if when activate it.

Wednesday's Outing
230km (143 miles) by bicycle

I had a nice bicycle outing on Wednesday with friends, riding around Lake Biwa (the largest lake in Japan). I ended up covering about 230km (143 miles).

Despite being almost twice as long as my previously-longest ride, it was much easier for two reasons: it was mostly flat (just 1,600m / 5,250' of vertical climb over the 230km, compared to, for example, 2,500m / 8,300' over 99km), and I was much better at keeping myself filled with calories. I'm starting to discover that it's easier to ride the bicycle when you have energy.

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — ¹/200 sec, f/5, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Gathering
in front of Sanjo Starbucks, Kyoto Japan
Gorm Kipperberg, Kumiko Naka, and Joshua Levine
5:38 AM (+12 min) - 1.3 km (0.8 miles)

To explain the last line of the caption, the photo was taken at 5:38am, 12 minutes (and 1.3km) after I left my house. Most photos are denoted this way to help give a sense of travel. The elapsed time (“+12 min” in the example above) is just how long since I left the house, so it includes both travel time and pauses (traffic, chatting, snacks, sightseeing, etc.)

I'm not one to get up that early, much less be out and about already that early, but we knew we had a long day ahead of us, so the meeting time was set for 5:30am. As ridiculously early as that is, the sun is up even earlier... it rose at 4:42 that day. The sun rises early in the Land of the Rising Sun. (I didn't realize until checking the data while writing this post, but the sunrise at 4:42 that day is the earliest of the year.)

Anyway, before we could go around the lake, we had to get to the lake, so we got going and headed over the small mountains in between. This involved two little climbs totaling 200m (650') of elevation gain. We arrived at the lake in great spirits ready to go.

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — ¹/2500 sec, f/4, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Arriving at Lake Biwa
6:22 AM (+55 min) - 13 km (8.1 miles)
taken while cycling at 14 kph (8 mph)

The cyclist at the left in the photo above is not part of our group. He looks to be setting up his bike for a picture, likely before he starts his own trip around the lake.

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 44mm — ¹/4000 sec, f/4, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Photo on the Go
6:23 AM (+56 min) - 13 km (8.2 miles)
taken while cycling at 25 kph (15 mph)

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — ¹/1000 sec, f/4, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
My Attempt at a “Selfie”
6:23 AM (+57 min) - 14 km (8.4 miles)
taken while cycling at 18 kph (11 mph)

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 75mm — ¹/12800 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Dawn at the Lake
6:26 AM (+59 min) - 15 km (9.1 miles)
(it wasn't really dawn, the sun having been up for almost two hours, but it still felt that way to me.)

We soon stopped at a picturesque spot to take some photos before starting the circumnavigation loop in earnest...

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 56mm — ¹/2500 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Memorial Photo
6:31 AM (+1h 4m) - 16 km (9.9 miles)

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 75mm — ¹/10000 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Misty Morning

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 67mm — ¹/3200 sec, f/2.8, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Shooting the Breeze

This was the first attempt at a trip around Lake Biwa for all of us but Joshua, who has done it many times, and his laid-back demenor rubbed off, and we all felt at ease.

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 32mm — ¹/6400 sec, f/2.2, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Bottom of the Lake
6:35 AM (+1h 8m) - 16 km (10.0 miles)
taken while cycling at 19 kph (12 mph)

The huge lake narrows in the south to eventually become a river. The bridge seen in the background of the photo above cuts across the bottom of the lake/river, so our route takes us over it to the eastern side of the lake.

The view from the bridge was pretty...

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 65mm — ¹/2000 sec, f/8, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
View from the Bridge
6:39 AM (+1h 13m) - 18 km (10.9 miles)

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Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — ¹/250 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Waiting At The Trail Start
6:41 AM (+1h 14m) - 18 km (11.4 miles)

Immediately at the end of the bridge one can get onto a walking/cycling trail that runs up much of the eastern side of the lake. I had stopped for a minute to take photos, so they waited for me there. Then it was time to being the ride in earnest...

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 75mm — ¹/200 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
6:43 AM (+1h 16m) - 19 km (11.7 miles)
taken while cycling at 23 kph (14 mph)

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 32mm — ¹/320 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Many Facets of the Shore Area
7:06 AM (+1h 39m) - 29 km (18.2 miles)
taken while cycling at 24 kph (15 mph)

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — ¹/125 sec, f/7.1, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Biwako Rainbow Bridge
7:17 AM (+1h 50m) - 35 km (21.5 miles)
taken while cycling at 26 kph (16 mph)

Before the lake really opens up, there's one area where it narrows to less than a mile across, and so there's a big bridge over it at that point. Joshua wouldn't have time to do the whole trip around, so we stopped at the bridge for snacks before he left us with parting advice on the upcoming route, then took the bridge heading back toward Kyoto.

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 33mm — ¹/200 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Pause that Refreshes
snacks and stretches
7:23 AM (+1h 57m) - 35 km (21.8 miles)

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — ¹/125 sec, f/5, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
My Caffè Latte
it's mellow and rich

After the break, the three of us (Gorm, Kumiko, and I) continued the trip around. We still had almost 200km (125mi) to go.

At one point we came across a truck with a jet engine mounted on it, shooting its massive exhaust into the trees...

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 75mm — ¹/200 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Recycled Jet Engine?
8:00 AM (+2h 33m) - 43 km (26.6 miles)
taken while cycling at 25 kph (16 mph)

It was spraying some kind of insecticide, I suppose. They had us wait while they turned it off so that we could pass.

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — ¹/640 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Rice Paddies
8:02 AM (+2h 35m) - 44 km (27.2 miles)
taken while cycling at 27 kph (17 mph)

At one point we came near a twisty access road for a temple high up on a mountain (Choumeiji Temple / 長命寺). Gorm and Kumiko kindly waited while I popped up the 150m of vertical climb up a 12% grade. I couldn't access the temple grounds proper with the bicycle, so I didn't have any nice view from up there, but a third of the way back down the access road, a nice view opened up:

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 72mm — ¹/500 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Nice View from 100m Above (a little snippet of) the Lake
8:34 AM (+3h 7m) - 53 km (33.1 miles)

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 40mm — ¹/200 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Continuing
8:45 AM (+3h 19m) - 57 km (35.4 miles)
taken while cycling at 26 kph (16 mph)

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — ¹/60 sec, f/5.6, ISO 400 — map & image data — nearby photos
Gorm Always has a Smile
8:48 AM (+3h 21m) - 58 km (36.0 miles)
taken while cycling at 21 kph (13 mph)

I don't know how common a name “Gorm” is in Norway, where Gorm is from, but had I heard it prior to meeting him I would have thought it was the name of a medieval overlord who ate children for breakfast. But with his incessant smile from the first moment I met him, he's forever made the name “Gorm” synonymous with “robust friend of cheery attitude”. (Wikipedia lists various meanings for the word, including a king from the 900s.)

For the record, I have no evidence that Gorm eats children for any meal whatsoever, though as a professor of economics with a PhD from UC Davis, he may well be similar to a medieval overlord; you'd have to ask his students.

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 28mm — ¹/80 sec, f/5.6, ISO 500 — map & image data — nearby photos
8:51 AM (+3h 24m) - 59 km (36.6 miles)
taken while cycling at 21 kph (13 mph)

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — ¹/500 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Passing Over an Inlet River
click through for a wide panorama
9:05 AM (+3h 39m) - 65 km (40.3 miles)
taken while cycling at 23 kph (14 mph)

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — ¹/2000 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Interesting Sky
I like the shadow of the contrail on the apparently-slightly-lower layer of clouds
9:06 AM (+3h 39m) - 65 km (40.4 miles)
taken while cycling at 24 kph (15 mph)

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 26mm — ¹/800 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
More Rice Paddies
a common sight along much of the east side of the lake
9:09 AM (+3h 42m) - 67 km (41.5 miles)
taken while cycling at 30 kph (19 mph)

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 46mm — ¹/1000 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Gulf
the lake is about 16km (10mi) wide here
9:52 AM (+4h 25m) - 78 km (48.5 miles)

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — ¹/800 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Right Along the Lake
9:53 AM (+4h 26m) - 78 km (48.7 miles)
taken while cycling at 27 kph (17 mph)

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 40mm — ¹/320 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Somewhat of a Tropical Feel
10:51 AM (+5h 25m) - 103 km (64.2 miles)
taken while cycling at 23 kph (14 mph)

We still hadn't gone even half way yet, and what we'd done so far was mostly flat, though with many small undulations up and down along the way. Some major climbs awaited before we turned the metaphorical corner and started heading home.

Continued here...

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — ¹/125 sec, f/4, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Well-Earned Refreshment
Manu Mohan at Seryo Pass (芹生峠)
680m of elevation (2,230')
Kyoto Japan

Today I went with Manu Mohan on his first “real” cycling ride.

Manu is a National Scholar student of linguists at Kyoto University who happens to part-time at the convenience store near me, and his easy smile and cheerful attitude made me want to connect with him beyond the 30-seconds snippets at the cash register. When he saw on Facebook that I was into cycling, he expressed interest.

So today we got together for an easy, untaxing first ride.

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — ¹/250 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Meeting Spot
Nijo Castle (二条城)

I somehow had it in my head that he lived near Nijo Castle halfway across town from me, so I suggested that we meet there. It turns out that he lives a short walk from me, so it was silly that we both went over there to meet! But it wasn't totally out of the way from where we were going to go.

Wanting an easy yet satisfying route for his first ride, I thought of my first ride earlier in the year, so we headed north up the gentle slope that is Kyoto city proper toward the mountains.

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 67mm — ¹/125 sec, f/2.8, ISO 250 — map & image data — nearby photos
10:19am - taken while cycling at 15 kph (9 mph)

Manu's Wachen BF-70F folding bicycle is designed for convenient city travel, and not really appropriate for hills, but he hit his first hill better than I did...

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 38mm — ¹/125 sec, f/4, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Unfazed by the Hill
10:23am - taken while cycling at 27 kph (17 mph)

He seemed to be fine to continue, so we headed into the mountains, up toward Kibune.

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 49mm — ¹/100 sec, f/2.7, ISO 320 — map & image data — nearby photos
On the Way to Kibune
at the same location we stopped the first time I rode here

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 50mm — ¹/100 sec, f/2.7, ISO 250 — map & image data — nearby photos
Through Kubune
11:03am - taken while cycling at 8 kph (5 mph)

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 75mm — ¹/125 sec, f/2.8, ISO 1600 — map & image data — nearby photos
Kibune Shrine
貴船神社

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 75mm — ¹/125 sec, f/2.8, ISO 800 — map & image data — nearby photos

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — ¹/60 sec, f/1.7, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos

Manu is a native speaker of English and an Indian language I don't recall (Hindi?), and even though I came to Japan before he was born, he's much better at Japanese than me. He also speaks Chinese and French, and dabbles in others. Out of my league.

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — ¹/125 sec, f/2.8, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Getting Steeper
11:16am - taken while cycling at 12 kph (7 mph)

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — ¹/125 sec, f/1.7, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
The Top of Kibune
Kibune Shrine Okumiya (貴船神社奥宮)

Manu's bike is not appropriate for the mountains... it's designed for convenience in the city. It can fold up into a conveniently small space, and it's intended for moving in city traffic.

At 14kg (31 lbs) it's heavy, it has short cranks so that you don't get much leverage on the pedals, and its lowest gearing is still a heavy 52/28 (1.86 front-to-rear ratio), meaning that for every revolution of the pedals, you have to give it enough power to rotate the tires 1.86 revolutions. If you're going up a steep slope, that's a lot of power needed each time around.

(By contrast, I think my bike has a lowest gear ratio of about 0.8, meaning it's much easier to keep going up a steep hill.)

Nevertheless, I asked whether he'd like to try continuing farther up the mountain. Beyond where we were, the road quickly becomes quite steep and twisty, and I thought perhaps a taste of this would be useful information for the future.

So we forged on...

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 40mm — ¹/125 sec, f/2.5, ISO 500 — map & image data — nearby photos
Going Vertical
11:29am - taken while cycling at 7 kph (4 mph)

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 40mm — ¹/125 sec, f/2.5, ISO 2000 — map & image data — nearby photos
Getting Really Tough
11:29am - taken while cycling at 7 kph (4 mph)

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — ¹/125 sec, f/2, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Manu's “This is Not Humanly Possible” Face
11:31am - taken while cycling at 9 kph (6 mph)

Before turning around, I wanted to give his bike a try, and let me tell you it was difficult. Much much much more difficult than mine. When he tried mine, he felt like he was flying...

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 56mm — ¹/125 sec, f/2.8, ISO 1250 — map & image data — nearby photos
A Different Experience

With my bike he thought he could continue, so we switched and continued on...

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — ¹/125 sec, f/1.7, ISO 800 — map & image data — nearby photos
Ridiculously Difficult
the photo makes it look like I'm going downhill, but it's very, very uphill
photo by Manu Mohan

Besides being inappropriate for the mountains, Manu's bike is really inappropriate for me. It's probably a bit too small for Manu to begin with, but for me it felt like I was riding a toy like this.

I took it as a challenge... my first assault (if you could call such a slow-motion effort) of Seryu Pass from the difficult southern approach would be on this bike.

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — ¹/125 sec, f/1.7, ISO 640 — map & image data — nearby photos
Barely Enough Speed
to be considered “movement”
photo by Manu Mohan

We took our time... we'd ride for 50~100m, then rest, then ride again, then rest again. It got ever steeper.

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — ¹/100 sec, f/1.7, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Pausing
near the site of the famous snowball-in-the-wife's-face incident

Manu never gave up, never complained... just kept pushing on. After 3.3km (2mi) of ridiculous 12% grade, we made it to Seryo Pass (芹生峠). It was my first time by bicycle to the pass from this side.

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — ¹/125 sec, f/4.5, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Top of the World

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — ¹/125 sec, f/4.5, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Elated
to make it at all, but especially so on such a bike
photo by Manu Mohan

By this time it had started to rain — it's now the rainy season in Japan — so we headed down slowly and carefully. It's easier going down.

Some of the views were really nice, though the photo doesn't capture it at all 🙁

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — ¹/60 sec, f/5, ISO 250 — map & image data — nearby photos
Really Great View

We got quite chilly on the way down, so we stopped in Kibune for hot tea and hot noodles. But by the time we left, the rain was coming down in earnest, so we got soaked in no time, and absolutely froze heading home. The UnderArmour “Storm” windbreaker I brought along and used for the first time was not as waterproof as I had been led to expect, making it the first UnderArmour product (among very many) that I've been disappointed in.

Chilly return aside, it was a fun day and I really enjoyed to get to know Manu more. He's busy with school and work, so I don't know how much time he'll have for cycling (or, with that bicycle, how much inclination), but I hope we ride again soon.

Nikon D700 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — ¹/1250 sec, f/4, ISO 320 — map & image data — nearby photos
The Road Ahead
may it forever be more interesting than the one behind

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Continuing from “Miyama Cycling Tour with Joshua and Manseki, Part 1”, this post picks up after we (Joshua Levine, Manseki Kanemitsu, and I) had left the main road to take an old road over a mountain instead of a new, flat, boring tunnel through it.

Nikon D700 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — ¹/1250 sec, f/2.8, ISO 5000 — map & image data — nearby photos
Pleasant Mountain Path
offically a “road”

Nikon D700 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — ¹/1250 sec, f/5, ISO 3200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Nice Lighting
12:29pm - taken while riding at 13 kph (8 mph)

Nikon D700 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — ¹/1250 sec, f/11, ISO 2200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Solitude
is not quite as nice as a good riding companion

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When we turned a corner and were presented with this vista, I jokingly asked Josh to return so I could have some “human interest” in my photo, and even though I was obviously joking, being the mensch he is, he hesitated only long enough to flash a big grin, and bolted down. Just as quickly, and without words, Manseki followed.

I enjoyed a rest while they headed back down, then snapped some photos as they came back up.

Nikon D700 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — ¹/1250 sec, f/4, ISO 500 — map & image data — nearby photos
Photo Finish

So they both get an extra 30m (100') of vertical climb added to their trip over mine.

The road got considerably more strewn with debris once we crossed the pass at the top and headed down...

Nikon D700 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — ¹/1000 sec, f/4, ISO 6400 — map & image data — nearby photos
Debris-Filled Road
requires considerable care
1:00pm - taken while riding at 15 kph (9 mph)

Nikon D700 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — ¹/1250 sec, f/4, ISO 4500 — map & image data — nearby photos
Depressing Reality
A common sight in rural Japan
1:03pm - taken while riding at 12 kph (8 mph)

I don't know what's so attractive about the beauty of Japanese nature that makes a small but highly-impactful segment of society want to so incessantly dump garbage at every conceivable spot of beauty. Trash disposal depends on the municipality, but is generally really cheap, so this makes no sense aside from “some people are just monumentally selfish” angle.

Nikon D700 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — ¹/1250 sec, f/4, ISO 450 — map & image data — nearby photos
Tucked-Away Village

Nikon D700 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — ¹/1250 sec, f/4.5, ISO 1250 — map & image data — nearby photos
Riding on the Edge
cut into the mountain
1:18pm - taken while riding at 19 kph (12 mph)

Nikon D700 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — ¹/1250 sec, f/4.5, ISO 640 — map & image data — nearby photos
View from the Edge
1:18pm - taken while riding at 20 kph (12 mph)

Nikon D700 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — ¹/1250 sec, f/4.5, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Big Wooden Building
of a forestry company
1:28pm - taken while riding at 27 kph (17 mph)

Nikon D700 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — ¹/2500 sec, f/4.5, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
“Kura” Fire-Proof Storage Building
I love the ornate windows
1:29pm - taken while riding at 29 kph (18 mph)

Nikon D700 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — ¹/1600 sec, f/4.5, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Impressive Property
1:29pm - taken while riding at 30 kph (19 mph)

I didn't get much chance to check out the property (the same one with the kura seen above) as I flew by, but it was impressive. It was probably just an old farmstead, but it certainly caught my eye. I'd like to revisit at a slower pace some day.

Nikon D700 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — ¹/2000 sec, f/4.5, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Opportunity Missed
checking out the map makes the road at right look inviting
1:31pm - taken while riding at 22 kph (14 mph)

Toward the end I was quite tired, so I'm actually happy we didn't do too many more little highly-vertical side trips, but now, after the fact, I can lament a bit.

Nikon D700 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — ¹/4000 sec, f/2.5, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Sales Pitch
“Active Charge Miu”

Its light grapefruit flavor was quite tasty.

Nikon D700 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — ¹/1250 sec, f/2.8, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
More Friendly Folk
this was a common scene along the route
1:43pm - taken while riding at 13 kph (8 mph)

Nikon D700 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — ¹/2500 sec, f/2.8, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
The 100km Point
heart rate 106 bpm, speed 20.6 kph, elapsed time 6:04:57
1:44pm - taken while riding at 21 kph (13 mph)

Nikon D700 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — ¹/250 sec, f/2.8, ISO 6400 — map & image data — nearby photos
Tunnel #1
this one was uphill; Manseki is in front of me pulling away
1:58pm - taken while riding at 14 kph (8 mph)

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Nikon D700 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — ¹/2000 sec, f/2.8, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
“I've Got a Little Something For You, My Pretty”
2:00pm - taken while riding at 19 kph (12 mph)

Nikon D700 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — ¹/4000 sec, f/2.8, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Masked Rider
I saw a couple of highly sun-averse ladies like this
2:03pm - taken while riding at 23 kph (14 mph)

Nikon D700 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — ¹/1250 sec, f/2.8, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Stupidity on Display
our tax yen at work
2:09pm - taken while riding at 22 kph (14 mph)

A short segment of main city road in the eastern part of Kyoto city proper is currently under construction to cut the number of lanes in half, and double the level of inconvenience. Someone in city government deems it worthy to spend the money (and the diverted attention of every driver going by) to note that fact on this sign in the far northwest mountains an hour's drive away. The changing messages on the sign asks people to stay away from the half-mile stretch of road that they are unlikely to come anywhere near in the first place.

To get there, you would literally have to drive for an hour, snaking your way through the mountains into the completely opposite side of the city nowhere near the road in question.

Just stupid. There was another electronic sign like this five minutes later, imploring the same thing.

Nikon D700 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — ¹/200 sec, f/2.8, ISO 6400 — map & image data — nearby photos
Tunnel #2
so very pleasantly downhill; Manseki is a smudge in the distance
2:10pm - taken while riding at 44 kph (27 mph)

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Just after exiting the tunnel, we passed by the Ochiba Shrine (“Fallen-leaf Shrine”), which has a gorgeous carpet of yellow in the fall. I'd first heard of this place years ago when a friend had bicycled here, and it seemed to me at the time impossibly far away for a bicycle... even on the scooter it took an hour. Never would I have believed I'd be riding a bicycle out here myself, much less after having ridden 100+km first.

Nikon D700 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — ¹/1600 sec, f/2.8, ISO 200 — map & image data — nearby photos
Word of Warning
“Frequent Cycle Accidents; Be Wary of Oncoming Traffic”
2:17pm - taken while riding (carefully) at 31 kph (19 mph)

We eventually got onto a smaller more up-and-downy road that brought us by the “Yama no Ie Hasegawa” restaurant that I visit a few times a year. Josh had business to attend to so continued straight home, while Manseki and I paused for coffee and cheesecake...

Nikon D700 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — ¹/1250 sec, f/2, ISO 800 — map & image data — nearby photos
The Pause that Refreshes
Yama no Ie Hasegawa (山の家はせがわ)

Nikon D700 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — ¹/1250 sec, f/2, ISO 1250 — map & image data — nearby photos
Mine
Cheesecake and Coffee

From there it's almost all downhill until home...

Nikon D700 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — ¹/1250 sec, f/2.2, ISO 500 — map & image data — nearby photos
Fast and Fun
3:24pm - taken while riding at 30 kph (19 mph)

It's mostly downhill unless you go out of your way for some hills, such as the ridiculous 22% grade that I wrote about before.

Nikon D700 + Sigma 35mm F1.4 DG HSM — ¹/1250 sec, f/3.5, ISO 900 — map & image data — nearby photos
Less Fast, Less Fun
photo by Manseki Kanemitsu

Back in the city, Manseki showed me a really interesting temple I'd not heard about... its story to get its own post at a later date..

iPhone 6 Plus + iPhone 6 Plus back camera 4.15mm f/2.2 at an effective 29mm — ¹/290 sec, f/2.2, ISO 32 — image data
Interesting Temple
not your normal Buddhist paraphernalia

Later that evening, I got to finally meet Manseki's wife when we all got together for dinner...

map & image data — nearby photos
Interesting Company
Manseki and his wife, Mariko
Saikontan Restaurant (菜根譚)
photo by Manseki Kanemitsu

Like Manseki, she's smart and easy going, and so the conversation flowed. I had a great time.

All in all, a good day.