{"id":1804,"date":"2011-06-22T22:01:35","date_gmt":"2011-06-22T13:01:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/2011-06-22\/1804"},"modified":"2011-06-22T22:01:35","modified_gmt":"2011-06-22T13:01:35","slug":"scenes-from-mountain-roads-in-northern-kyoto","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/2011-06-22\/1804","title":{"rendered":"Scenes From Mountain Roads in Northern Kyoto"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n
\nNOTE<\/b>: Images with an icon next to them have been artificially shrunk to better fit your screen; click the icon to restore them, in place, to their regular size.\n<\/div>\n\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 14-24mm f\/2.8 @ 19mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>320 sec, f<\/span>\/14, ISO 2000 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nThe Road Ahead<\/span>\ncan sometime be rocky\n<\/div>\n\n

Last week I posted “Deep In The Mountains Above Kyoto's Kumogahata Village<\/a>” and\nits followups, featuring photos from a rainy<\/span> car trip into some remote\nmountains. The weather<\/span> was nice yesterday, so I went<\/span> back on my scooter,\nand could probe deeper than I could<\/span> with the car.<\/p>\n\n

Today's simple post just shows some scenes of the roads I was<\/span> on, or of\nareas just off the road.<\/p>\n\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 14-24mm f\/2.8 @ 14mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>800 sec, f<\/span>\/2.8, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nLopped Off<\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n

Fallen trees looped off at the road line was a frequent<\/span> sight. The mountain<\/span> is covered with trees, and they fall from time to time, and if\nthey block the road, they're cleared away just enough so that they're no\nlonger blocking the road.<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 14-24mm f\/2.8 @ 16mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>320 sec, f<\/span>\/13, ISO 4000 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nScarred<\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n

I don't know why sections of mountain appeared this way, but my guess is\nthat a whole<\/span> section of trees became flattened with heavy snow (perhaps\nwith a Domino<\/span> effect of one tree falling into a few<\/span> below, and so on).\nSince this area of tree-flattening happened to have easy access from the\nroad, someone came in and salvaged what they could of the lumber.<\/p>\n\n

This next photo shows a similar situation, but without the salvage, since it's across a small<\/span> river gorge from the road...<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 14-24mm f\/2.8 @ 19mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>160 sec, f<\/span>\/14, ISO 6400 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nBendy<\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 14-24mm f\/2.8 @ 17mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>160 sec, f<\/span>\/8, ISO 6400 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nBallet-Slipper Trees<\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n

Some trees in one area were marked with criss-crossed ribbon. I don't<\/span>\nknow what it was for, but I suspect<\/span> it was to mark trees that should or\nshouldn't be harvested. Some fallen trees were marked as well, which brings\nup the question of whether they were marked before or after they fell (and\nif after, what the mark could mean)...<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 14-24mm f\/2.8 @ 17mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>320 sec, f<\/span>\/8, ISO 1800 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nSome of the trees that fell over the river were also marked\n<\/div>\n\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 14-24mm f\/2.8 @ 14mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>320 sec, f<\/span>\/8, ISO 560 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nWhere I Turned<\/span> Around Last Time<\/span>\nbut the scooter could pass, so I forged<\/span> ahead this time\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 14-24mm f\/2.8 @ 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>320 sec, f<\/span>\/5, ISO 1600 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nA More<\/span> Manageable Problem<\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 14-24mm f\/2.8 @ 18mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>320 sec, f<\/span>\/5, ISO 800 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nSure to be an Ongoing Problem<\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Voigtl\u00e4nder 125mm f\/2.5 — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>400 sec, f<\/span>\/8, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nSweeping View of Kyoto<\/span>\nat least it would be if the air were clear\n<\/div>\n\n

I didn't notice it when I was there, but I see<\/span> now that Kyoto Tower<\/a> is\nvisible just to the left of center. It's 10 miles<\/span> (17 km)<\/span> away.<\/p>\n\n

There weren't many vista views throughout the drive because the altitude\nis always well below where the trees would start to thin out (the mountains\nin this area top out at about 900m). When I did<\/span> get one, most were like this...<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 14-24mm f\/2.8 @ 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>320 sec, f<\/span>\/13, ISO 560 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nJust a Bunch<\/span> Of Mountains<\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n

At some point on the way up the road changed from the\npaved-but-often-challenging type seen in the various photos above, to a\nmuddy<\/span> rock-and-rut-filled not-intended-for-normal-vehicular-traffic\ntranspiration nightmare. I was prepared<\/span> at any point for the path to become\ntotally impassible on my scooter and turn around, but it never did and\neventually I got<\/span> back to semi pavement.<\/p>\n\n

Also above a certain point the bugs became positively insane... I've\nnever seen anything like it. I was pelted<\/span>, literally, incessantly by dozens\nof large insects that would just ram me and the bike over and over. I have no<\/span> idea what was going on, or whether they were doing it for sport or out\nof malice, but it was crazy. At some point<\/span> prior to this my progress had\nbecome sufficiently slow (walking pace) and the prospect of meeting anyone\nor anything on the “road” were so slim that I'd removed my helmet, but with\nthe frenzy of the bugs I put<\/span> it back on, and felt like I was<\/span> in a hail<\/span>\nstorm. Have never seen anything like it.<\/p>\n\n

Eventually I descended out of it, and life was good again. Which brings\nme to these next two photos, which illustrate nicely the problem I\nmentioned<\/span> in “A\nPhotographic<\/span> Challenge of Monumental Scale<\/a>”...<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Voigtl\u00e4nder 125mm f\/2.5 — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>320 sec, f<\/span>\/2.5, ISO 640 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nCarpet of Green<\/span>\n
Vertical Desktop-Background Versions<\/b>\n\n\n1050×<\/span>1680<\/a>  ·  1200×<\/span>1920<\/a>  ·  1600×<\/span>2560<\/a><\/small><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

The photo above is looking up a very<\/span> steep notch in the mountain formed\nwhere two slopes come together. It's rising<\/span> away from the camera at a good<\/span>\n40° angle, but in the photo it appears to be a lazy<\/span> incline, at\nbest.<\/p>\n\n

Now, compare that with a photo taken from the same location, pointing to\nthe same location (the very center of the next photo is exactly the scene\nabove), but with a much<\/span> wider lens...<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 14-24mm f\/2.8 @ 14mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>320 sec, f<\/span>\/14, ISO 4500 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nSame Scene @ 14mm<\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n

The second one does convey a sense of slope and scale, but does so at\nthe expense of all photogenic worthiness.<\/p>\n\n

I ventured up the slope a ways on foot, to the area with the carpet of\ngreen. It was a<\/span> wonderfully peaceful place to visit, and wonderfully\nproductive photo-wise.<\/p>\n\n

It also offered a valuable lesson in watching out for deadly\nmamushi<\/i> pit vipers, which I now<\/span> know can be found in these woods.\nTheir bite can be fatal, but most often results in only a slight<\/span> case\nof MOF<\/a>\nthat requires a mere<\/span> week or two in the hospital and a month<\/span> of followup\nhome care, sometimes accompanied by touch of limb amputation. All and all<\/span>,\nit doesn't sound all that fun.<\/p>\n\n

As for my lesson, I got away<\/span> with merely a sudden<\/span> need for new\nunderwear, and as a bonus,<\/span> found out that my heart works just fine under\nsudden adrenal-fueled surprise, a question<\/span> that might have been left over\nafter my recent minor\nheart issues<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 14-24mm f\/2.8 @ 14mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>400 sec, f<\/span>\/9, ISO 1800 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nImpromptu Bridges<\/span>\nmore remains of trees that had fallen across the road\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 14-24mm f\/2.8 @ 18mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>125 sec, f<\/span>\/9, ISO 2500 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nOverpass<\/span>\ntrees fallen across the road, but way above the road\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 50mm f\/1.4 — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>200 sec, f<\/span>\/1.6, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nMore Overpasses<\/span>\nthey look small and in the way, but they're huge and large trucks could easily pass\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 14-24mm f\/2.8 @ 14mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>125 sec, f<\/span>\/6.3, ISO 2500 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nPretty Road<\/span>\nfor some definitions of “road”\n<\/div>\n\n

The photo above and the photo below nicely show how steep many of these larger slopes were.\nSome were much steeper still, bordering on cliffs, but the majority were in the 40°–50° range.<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 14-24mm f\/2.8 @ 18mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>125 sec, f<\/span>\/6.3, ISO 320 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 14-24mm f\/2.8 @ 16mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>125 sec, f<\/span>\/10, ISO 500 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nMore Scars<\/span>\nseemingly untouched after the fact, leading me to believe it was snow\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 14-24mm f\/2.8 @ 15mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>125 sec, f<\/span>\/10, ISO 1000 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nAnother Scar<\/span>\nbut this time well picked over\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Voigtl\u00e4nder 125mm f\/2.5 — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>400 sec, f<\/span>\/4, ISO 2800 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nMountain Monorail<\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n

I saw perhaps half a dozen of these things winding up into the woods in\nvarious areas. (You'll recall I wrote<\/span> about one such track a couple<\/span> of weeks\nago<\/a>.)<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Voigtl\u00e4nder 125mm f\/2.5 — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>500 sec, f<\/span>\/2.5, ISO 1250 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nPleasant<\/span>\n
Vertical Desktop-Background Versions<\/b>\n\n\n1050×<\/span>1680<\/a>  ·  1200×<\/span>1920<\/a>  ·  1600×<\/span>2560<\/a><\/small><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 14-24mm f\/2.8 @ 19mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>500 sec, f<\/span>\/2.8, ISO 1100 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nEnd of the Road<\/span>\nThis particular road just stopped, right here\n<\/div>\n\n

Stepping just into the woods beyond the end, a wide<\/span> angle shows the heights well.<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 14-24mm f\/2.8 @ 14mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>125 sec, f<\/span>\/11, ISO 6400 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\n30 Meters Straight Up<\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D700 + Nikkor 14-24mm f\/2.8 @ 14mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>500 sec, f<\/span>\/3.5, ISO 2000 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nLooking Back at my Scooter<\/span>\nthe road starts here\n
Vertical Desktop-Background Versions<\/b>\n\n\n1050×<\/span>1680<\/a>  ·  1200×<\/span>1920<\/a>  ·  1600×<\/span>2560<\/a><\/small><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

It's a shame that Google doesn't allow me to build a Lightroom<\/span> uploader\nfor their Panoramio service, which supplies photos for Google Earth. I've\ngot so many photos from uncommon areas around Japan that I'd share if it\nwere just a bit<\/span> easier to do so.<\/p>\n\n

Continued here...<\/a><\/i><\/p>\n\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Last week I posted \"Deep In The Mountains Above Kyoto's Kumogahata Village\" and its followups, featuring photos from a rainy car trip into some remote mountains. The weather was nice yesterday, so I went back on my scooter, and could probe deeper than I could with the car.<\/p>

Today's simple post just shows some scenes of the roads I was on, or of areas just off the road.<\/p>

Fallen trees looped off at the road line was a frequent sight. The mountain is covered with trees, and they fall from time to time, and if they block the road, they're [...]","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,2,6,25],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1804"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1804"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1804\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1804"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1804"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1804"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}