{"id":2262,"date":"2013-05-27T17:24:00","date_gmt":"2013-05-27T08:24:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/2013-05-27\/2262"},"modified":"2013-05-27T17:24:00","modified_gmt":"2013-05-27T08:24:00","slug":"my-mt-hiei-climb-challenge-2013-part-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/2013-05-27\/2262","title":{"rendered":"My Mt. Hiei Climb Challenge 2013, Part 2"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n

Picking up from yesterday's Part 1<\/b> of “My Mt. Hiei Climb Challenge\n2013<\/a>”, where that post ended with a short<\/span> pause at a clearing<\/span> half way up...<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>800 sec, f<\/span>\/2.8, ISO 100 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nTransition into Darkness<\/span>\nangle of the sun on the engraved writing makes for some hard shadows\n<\/div>\n\n

From the clearing, the path up actually goes down sharply for a short<\/span> while...<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>200 sec, f<\/span>\/2.8, ISO 2000 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nLooking Down<\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n

The trail goes up and down very steeply as it crosses several small river\nravines, and this is where I worried<\/span> that my knees would become\ndebilitatingly painful. To my great<\/span> relief it turned out fine, either\nbecause of the stretching I did<\/span> (mentioned in Part 1), and\/or because I was<\/span>\nwearing a pair<\/span> of knee compression\nstraps<\/a> that are said to help ease the kind of pain I had.<\/span><\/p>\n\n

(A note to my mom: the knee straps are fairly bulky, which is why the self portrait in Part 1 showed me wearing very baggy jeans.)<\/p>\n\n

I'll have to try the hike again without the straps, to test whether they were of material help.<\/p>\n\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 31mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>400 sec, f<\/span>\/2.8, ISO 100 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nSmall Stream<\/span>\nthe source of the ravine\n<\/div>\n\n

The trail crosses several tiny streams like this, each entailing five\nminutes of very steep downhill, a hop<\/span> across, and five minutes of very\nsteep uphill.<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 70mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>1000 sec, f<\/span>\/2.8, ISO 100 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nBreak for Lunch<\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n

This intersection of trails is where St\u00e9phane stops for an energy snack (at least\nwe did last year<\/a>), so I did<\/span> so as well,\nhaving one of my rice balls<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n

The other trail that joins here originates near the Shugakuin Imperial\nVilla<\/a>, and is apparently The Trail for kids on school trips to use when\nhiking this mountain. I surmise<\/span> this because starting from here I came<\/span> across many\njunior-high kids before I got<\/span> to the top....<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 70mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>200 sec, f<\/span>\/2.8, ISO 280 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nFirst Batch of Many<\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n

There were many groups from many schools strung along the paths,\ntotaling perhaps 500 kids. All 500, it seems, took the opportunity of my\nobvious foreignness to spit out a poorly<\/span>-pronounced “Hello” in English.\nThis may sound polite at first blush, but it's done with the same spirit as\nyelling “Moooo....” out the window as you pass a field<\/span> with cows.<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 70mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>200 sec, f<\/span>\/2.8, ISO 1000 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n

And just as with the cows, imagine how frozen with shock you'd be if a cow<\/span>\nstarted mooing back, asking how you're doing, where you're from, and such. I got that<\/span> kind of deer-in-the-headlights look whenever I responded<\/span> in English. But mostly<\/span> I just<\/span> excused myself (in Japanese) as I passed.<\/span> The kids, understandably,\nprogress pretty slowly.<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>200 sec, f<\/span>\/10, ISO 1100 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nHamming it Up<\/span>\nthe kid with both hands up has his eyes so crossed they've almost switched places\n<\/div>\n\n

At one point I came across a photographer that had been asked to\ndocument the event for the kids, dressed in street clothes and lugging a\nlarge,<\/span> hard camera case. It looked<\/span> very uncomfortable...<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 50mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>60 sec, f<\/span>\/10, ISO 6400 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nSeemingly Unprepared<\/span>\nyet with a smile on his face\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>125 sec, f<\/span>\/10, ISO 6400 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\n
Desktop-Background Versions<\/b>\n1280×<\/span>800<\/a>  ·  1680×<\/span>1050<\/a>  ·  1920×<\/span>1200<\/a>  ·  2560×<\/span>1600<\/a>  ·  2880×<\/span>1800<\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>200 sec, f<\/span>\/2.8, ISO 800 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nUp. Up. Up.<\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>200 sec, f<\/span>\/2.8, ISO 1400 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nThe Kids<\/span>\nare down there somewhere\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>200 sec, f<\/span>\/7.1, ISO 2500 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nStraight as an Arrow<\/span>\n
Vertical Desktop-Background Versions<\/b>\n\n\n1050×<\/span>1680<\/a>  ·  1200×<\/span>1920<\/a>  ·  1600×<\/span>2559<\/a><\/small><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>200 sec, f<\/span>\/5.6, ISO 5000 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nScale<\/span>\nthe kids provide a bit\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 D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>200 sec, f<\/span>\/2.8, ISO 640 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nThe Path Ahead<\/span>\ncarved into the side of the steepness\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

Finally past the\npoint of much laughing<\/a> during last year's climb, I reached<\/span> the tiny\nabandoned ski run, where groups of school kids were having their bento\nlunches...<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>640 sec, f<\/span>\/2.8, ISO 100 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nPleasant Day<\/span>\nat the top of Kyoto\n<\/div>\n\n

A bit further and I got to \u3064\u3064\u3058\u30f6\u4e18,<\/span> the hillside of Azaleas that was\npast its prime when I went<\/span> last year, which is why I went<\/span> a couple<\/span> of weeks\nearlier this yet....<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 70mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>200 sec, f<\/span>\/9, ISO 400 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nAzalea Hill<\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 70mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>200 sec, f<\/span>\/14, ISO 1600 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nNice View<\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n

And finally I got to the rest\/view area that was last year's destination...<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>200 sec, f<\/span>\/14, ISO 720 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nRelaxing in Silhouette<\/span>\nat the rest area at right\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>200 sec, f<\/span>\/10, ISO 220 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>200 sec, f<\/span>\/7.1, ISO 180 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 70mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>640 sec, f<\/span>\/2.8, ISO 100 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nContemplative View<\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n

I sat down to have another rice ball, and eventually was joined by Hiroshi (he of hat-saving mountain biking from Part 1),\nwho had already been to the top and was pausing on the return trip before hitting the main descent.<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>640 sec, f<\/span>\/2.8, ISO 100 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n

I said I'd take his portrait, and when I pointed<\/span> the camera his way I expecting<\/span> to start directing him to a nice<\/span> pose, but\ninstead he suddenly made a tremendous<\/span> leap...<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Voigtl\u00e4nder 125mm f\/2.5 — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>400 sec, f<\/span>\/8, ISO 1000 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nHiroshi<\/span>\nleap\n<\/div>\n\n

That was impressive, but I spent the extra few seconds for a quick<\/span> normal portrait...<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Voigtl\u00e4nder 125mm f\/2.5 — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>400 sec, f<\/span>\/8, ISO 900 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nHiroshi<\/span>\npose\n<\/div>\n\n

He eventually went on his way down the mountain, but I intended<\/span> to continue my own climb to the top.<\/p>\n\n

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

Picking up from yesterday's Part 1<\/b> of \"My Mt. Hiei Climb Challenge 2013\", where that post ended with a short pause at a clearing half way up...<\/p>

From the clearing, the path up actually goes down sharply for a short while...<\/p>

The trail goes up and down very steeply as it crosses several small river ravines, and this is where I worried that my knees would become debilitatingly painful. To my great relief it turned out fine, either because of the stretching I did (mentioned in Part 1), and\/or because I was wearing a pair of knee compression straps that [...]","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8,1,2,10,25],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2262"}],"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=2262"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2262\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2262"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2262"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2262"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}