{"id":2595,"date":"2015-07-06T21:45:12","date_gmt":"2015-07-06T12:45:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/2015-07-06\/2595"},"modified":"2015-07-06T21:45:12","modified_gmt":"2015-07-06T12:45:12","slug":"bicycle-ride-around-japans-largest-lake-part-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/2015-07-06\/2595","title":{"rendered":"Bicycle Ride Around Japan\u2019s Largest Lake, Part 2"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n
<\/a>\nPanasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>800 sec, f<\/span>\/5.6, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nChoppy Day on Northern Lake Biwa<\/span>\n11:38 AM (+6h 11m) - 105 km (65.5 miles)\ntaken while cycling at 28 kph (17 mph)\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

\u4e00\u30f6\u6708\u524d<\/span>\u306e\u7435\u7436\u6e56\u4e00\u5468<\/span>\u306e\u7269\u8a9e<\/span>\u3092\u7d9a\u304d\u307e\u3059\u3002\u7b2c\u4e00\u5e55<\/span>\u306f\u3053\u3061\u3089<\/a>\u3002<\/p>\n\n

I'm finally getting around to continue the story from\n“<\/span>Bicycle Ride Around Japan\u2019s Largest Lake, Part 1<\/a>”<\/span>,\na 230km<\/span> (143 mile) ride I did<\/span> with a few<\/span> friends a month<\/span> ago. I've done a bunch<\/span> of long\nrides since (115km, 143km<\/a>, 147km,\n 145km<\/a>, 50km<\/a>, and 140km), but this remains my longest ride so far.<\/p>\n\n

Here I'll repeat the map that leads the first post:<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\n230km (143 miles) by bicycle\n<\/div>\n\n

In the upper-rightish is the city of Nagahama, and that's about where\nthe first post ended, so that's where this one picks up. We're moving\naround the lake in a counter<\/span>-clockwise direction,\nso we're still not half way.<\/p>\n\n

For a while north of Nagahama there's no road along the shore, so we have to head inland a bit.<\/span>..<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nPanasonic LX100 at an effective 25mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>1000 sec, f<\/span>\/5.6, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nAmber Waves of Grain<\/span>\n11:44 AM (+6h 17m) - 107 km (66.6 miles)\ntaken while cycling at 21 kph (13 mph)\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nPanasonic LX100 at an effective 52mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>1000 sec, f<\/span>\/5.6, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\n11:44 AM (+6h 17m) - 107 km (66.7 miles)\ntaken while cycling at 20 kph (13 mph)\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nPanasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>1600 sec, f<\/span>\/5.6, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\n11:44 AM (+6h 18m) - 107 km (66.7 miles)\ntaken while cycling at 20 kph (12 mph)\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nPanasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>800 sec, f<\/span>\/5.6, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nStardestroyer<\/span>\n11:48 AM (+6h 21m) - 109 km (67.6 miles)\ntaken while cycling at 22 kph (14 mph)\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

There wasn't much traffic this far north in the boonies, but at one\npoint a huge<\/span> crane slowly passed us, making me feel like Princess Leia\nconsular vessel being slowly overtaken and consumed by Darth Vader's\nImperial Stardestroyer.<\/p>\n\n

At about our half-way point, the main road goes through a long<\/span> modern tunnel under some mountains. We'd rather<\/span> go over the mountains, so we got onto the old original road and climbed the 50 vertical meters to\nan old tunnel...<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nPanasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>60 sec, f<\/span>\/9, ISO 1000 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\n12:03 PM (+6h 36m) - 113 km (70.5 miles)\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

The name, written above the entrance (backwards) is \u300c\u8ce4\u30f6\u5dbd\u96a7\u9053\u300d,<\/span>\nusing the old word (suido<\/i>) that's since been replaced by the\nJapanification of the English word “<\/span>tunnel”<\/span>. According to a plaque<\/span> just\ninside the entrance, it took a bit<\/span> more than a year<\/span> of digging to break through\nthe 1,260 shaku<\/i> of length (382m \/ 418yd), and another two and a half<\/span> years\nto actually finish the tunnel in 1927 at a cost<\/span> of 279,642 yen. I\ndon't<\/span> know what the exchange rate was 88 years ago, but today that's about\n$2,250.<\/p>\n\n\n

<\/a>\nPanasonic LX100 at an effective 30mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>20 sec, f<\/span>\/13, ISO 1600 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Inside the tunnel it was pitch black except for a splash<\/span> of light in the\ncenter. Even in the day where you can easily see both openings, I wouldn't<\/span>\nwant to do it without a light,<\/span> for fear of monsters and creepy things. Ugh.<\/p>\n\n

But a slow shutter can see in the dark, so after I got<\/span> home I got<\/span> to actually see what the inside\nof the tunnel looked like:<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nPanasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>8 sec, f<\/span>\/1.7, ISO 1600 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nBetter Off Not Knowing<\/span>\n12:07 PM (+6h 40m) - 114 km (70.6 miles)\ntaken while cycling at 11 kph (7 mph)\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

Through to the other side, we were treated to a nice<\/span> view of the lake....<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nPanasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>1250 sec, f<\/span>\/3.5, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\n60m Above Lake Biwa<\/span>\n12:09 PM (+6h 43m) - 114 km (70.8 miles)\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

This is pretty much at the exact spot where the green arrow in the map above touches at the top.<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nPanasonic LX100 at an effective 65mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>200 sec, f<\/span>\/7.1, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nHeading Back Down<\/span>\n12:16 PM (+6h 49m) - 115 km (71.1 miles)\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

The most direct path around the lake cuts off a peninsula<\/span> of mountains that pierces the lake at its top,\nbut of course we wanted to hug the lake as much as possible, and climb the mountains as much as possible...<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nPanasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>400 sec, f<\/span>\/5.6, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nHeading Into the Mountains<\/span>\n12:40 PM (+7h 14m) - 120 km (74.4 miles)\ntaken while cycling at 19 kph (12 mph)\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

Half an hour of hard climbing later...<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nPanasonic LX100 at an effective 28mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>250 sec, f<\/span>\/10, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nView Of Lake Biwa<\/span>\nfrom 280m above the surface\n1:13 PM (+7h 46m) - 126 km (78.0 miles)\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nPanasonic LX100 at an effective 54mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>100 sec, f<\/span>\/10, ISO 640 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nWell-Earned Rest<\/span>\n1:15 PM (+7h 48m) - 126 km (78.0 miles)\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nPanasonic LX100 at an effective 50mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>160 sec, f<\/span>\/6.3, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nAnother Pause Lower Down<\/span>\n240m above\n1:36 PM (+8h 9m) - 130 km (80.6 miles)\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nPanasonic LX100 at an effective 32mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>250 sec, f<\/span>\/6.3, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nPlummeting Down<\/span>\n1:43 PM (+8h 17m) - 131 km (81.4 miles)\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

I went ahead and tried to set up for a panning<\/span> “<\/span>action”<\/span> shot of Gorm\nflying by, hoping I'd get everything blurry except him....<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nPanasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>60 sec, f<\/span>\/6.3, ISO 500 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\n1:47 PM (+8h 21m) - 134 km (83.0 miles)\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

He's sort of blurry too, but I'll claim partial success.<\/p>\n\n

Once we alighted from the mountain, we had a pretty<\/span> simple\/flat 60-or-so\nkilometers (~40mi) shot down along the shore to complete our loop.<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nPanasonic LX100 at an effective 35mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>160 sec, f<\/span>\/6.3, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nAnnoying Japanese Habit<\/span>\n2:32 PM (+9h 6m) - 147 km (91.4 miles)\ntaken while cycling at 25 kph (15 mph)\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

Japanese people seem to love to smolder plant clippings, spreading smoke\neverywhere. One farmer<\/span> deciding to get rid of some cuttings can ruin a\nwhole<\/span> town's futons and other fabrics hug out to dry. It boggles<\/span> my mind,\nbut people just seem to think it's natural.<\/p>\n\n

Two hours after descending the mountain, we catch our first sight of the\ngate for the Shirohige Shrine, which we'd visited from the other (closer to\nKyoto) direction a month<\/span> prior on my first ride that exceeded 100km. That\nwas the subject of “<\/span>Pleasant 105km Bike Ride\nTakashima\u2019s Shirohige Shrine<\/a>”<\/span>...<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nPanasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>400 sec, f<\/span>\/5.6, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nFirst Sight of the Shrine Gate<\/span>\n(I think ... it'd be pretty tiny in this photo)\n3:51 PM (+10h 24m) - 170 km (105.6 miles)\ntaken while cycling at 15 kph (9 mph)\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

20 minutes and 8km later, we're much closer...<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nPanasonic LX100 at an effective 25mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>320 sec, f<\/span>\/6.3, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\n4:12 PM (+10h 45m) - 178 km (110.8 miles)\ntaken while cycling at 26 kph (16 mph)\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nPanasonic LX100 at an effective 28mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>1000 sec, f<\/span>\/3.5, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nArrival<\/span>\n4:15 PM (+10h 48m) - 179 km (111.1 miles)\nShirahige Shrine (\u767d\u9b1a\u795e\u793e)\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

This was the first thing around the whole lake that was familiar, and at\nleast to me signaled the end of the challenge. Now we just<\/span> had to get\nhome, but that was still a few<\/span> hours off.<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nPanasonic LX100 at an effective 29mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>125 sec, f<\/span>\/5.6, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nLabor-Intensive Farming<\/span>\n5:11 PM (+11h 44m) - 198 km (123.0 miles)\ntaken while cycling at 29 kph (18 mph)\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

Finally at 6:00 in the evening we overlapped our morning path, completing our trip around the lake.<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nPanasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>1000 sec, f<\/span>\/2.2, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nObjective Achieved<\/span>\n6:00 PM (+12h 33m) - 216 km (134.0 miles)\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

This was taken near the site of this photo from the\nmorning<\/a>, almost 12 hours earlier.<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nPanasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>800 sec, f<\/span>\/2.2, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

Now that we had completed the loop, we had to pop back over to Kyoto,\nwhich first involved a 105m<\/span> climb over a small<\/span> mountain...<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nPanasonic LX100 at an effective 75mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>125 sec, f<\/span>\/2.8, ISO 500 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nCresting the Pass<\/span>\n6:35 PM (+13h 9m) - 219 km (135.8 miles)\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

I'm happy with the amount of blur I get<\/span> in the wheels and spokes at this shutter speed.<\/p>\n\n

Kumiko was happy because she could do the hill (and indeed the entire\nday) in her clip-in shoes. It gave her<\/span> a lot<\/span> of confidence with them.<\/p>\n\n

Gorm was happy because he got to have a nice<\/span> rest while waiting for us; he flew<\/i> up that mountain.<\/p>\n\n

Part of the descent down the other side is really steep, but the effect\nis enhanced by being right next to a highway.<\/span>...<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nPanasonic LX100 at an effective 75mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>160 sec, f<\/span>\/2.8, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nLanding Approach<\/span>\n6:37 PM (+13h 10m) - 219 km (136.2 miles)\ntaken while cycling at 20 kph (12 mph)\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

After that, just before arriving home, there was one final 50m hill. The other<\/span> side of the hill was the first\nlittle climb of the day, and I was<\/span> happy to find out when looking at the data later that I made<\/span> a personal<\/span>-best fast time on\nboth the climb leaving Kyoto that morning<\/a>,\nand the climb returning home that evening<\/a>.\nBoth little climbs were ones that I had<\/span> given my all on before, so it was all the more gratifying to make PRs on them\nas bookmarks to my longest ride (in time and distance).<\/p>\n\n

I returned home after almost 14 hours on the bike, and felt great. I guess<\/span> distance doesn't tire me out, just vertical\nclimb, and this one had only about 1,500m (4,800 ft). The rides<\/span> I've done since are shorter, but usually have\nmuch more mountain climbing.<\/p>\n\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u4e00\u30f6\u6708\u524d\u306e\u7435\u7436\u6e56\u4e00\u5468\u306e\u7269\u8a9e\u3092\u7d9a\u304d\u307e\u3059\u3002\u7b2c\u4e00\u5e55\u306f\u3053\u3061\u3089\u3002<\/p>

I'm finally getting around to continue the story from \"Bicycle Ride Around Japan\u2019s Largest Lake, Part 1\", a 230km (143 mile) ride I did with a few friends a month ago. I've done a bunch of long rides since (115km, 143km, 147km, 145km, 50km, and 140km), but this remains my longest ride so far.<\/p>

Here I'll repeat the map that leads the first post:<\/p>

In the upper-rightish is the city of Nagahama, and that's about where the first post ended, so that's where this one picks up. We're moving around the lake in a counter-clockwise direction, so we're still [...]","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[30,1,2,6,10],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2595"}],"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=2595"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2595\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2595"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2595"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2595"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}