{"id":2702,"date":"2016-06-04T23:27:47","date_gmt":"2016-06-04T14:27:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/2016-06-04\/2702"},"modified":"2016-06-04T23:27:47","modified_gmt":"2016-06-04T14:27:47","slug":"my-first-climb-up-kobes-mt-rokko","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/2016-06-04\/2702","title":{"rendered":"My First Climb up Kobe’s Mt. Rokko"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n
<\/a>\nPanasonic LX100 at an effective 25mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>640 sec, f<\/span>\/5.6, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nMt. Rokko Summit<\/span>\nKobe Japan\n\u516d\u7532\u5c71\u5c71\u9802\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

\u3053\u306e\u9593\u3001\u91d1\u5149\u4e07\u77f3\u3055\u3093\u3068\u4e00\u7dd2\u306b\u516d\u7532\u5c71\u3092\u767b\u308a\u307e\u3057\u305f\u3001\u795e\u6238\u7a7a\u6e2f\u304b\u3089924m\u306e\u5c71\u9802\u307e\u3067\u3002\n\u4e57\u3063\u305f\u30eb\u30fc\u30c8\u306f\u8ddd\u96e2\u306f\u9577\u304b\u3063\u305f\u306e\u3067\u3001\u5742\u306f\u3060\u3044\u3042\u3044\u30de\u30a4\u30eb\u30c9\u3067\u3057\u305f\u3002\u697d\u3057\u304b\u3063\u305f\u3002\n(\u30dd\u30fc\u30c8\u30a2\u30a4\u30e9\u30f3\u30c9\u3068\u795e\u6238\u7a7a\u6e2f\u306e\u30b5\u30a4\u30af\u30ea\u30f3\u30b0\u306f\u3064\u307e\u3089\u306a\u304b\u3063\u305f\u3051\u308c\u3069\u3082\u3002)\n\u4e00\u756a\u30ad\u30c4\u30a4\u9053\u306f16\u53f7\u7dda\u304b\u3089\u5c71\u9802\u307e\u3067\u306e300m\u306e\u4e38\u5f62\u6ed1\u308a\u6b62\u3081\u9053\u300215%\u306e\u51f8\u51f9\u5742\u3067\u3059\u304c\u3001\u884c\u3063\u3066\u826f\u304b\u3063\u305f\u3002\u5c71\u9802\u304b\u3089\u306e\u666f\u8272\u306f\u672c\u5f53\u306b\u826f\u304b\u3063\u305f\u3067\u3059\u3002<\/p>\n\n\n

On Thursday I made my biggest single bicycle climb so far, at least mathematically, by riding from sea level in Kobe Japan, to\n924m (3,030') near the summit of Mt. Rokko<\/span> some 25km (16mi) distant.<\/p>\n\n

Despite its mathematical ranking, the route I\ntook<\/span><\/a> was apparently the easiest route, and wasn't at all challenging. It was just<\/span> fun.\nOverall, the day saw 78km (48mi) with 1,800m (6,000') of\nvertical climb. (Activity at Strava<\/a>)<\/p>\n\n

But the fun belies how totally stressed and apprehensive I was<\/span> in the week leading up to it. Mt. Rokko<\/span> is hundreds of meters higher than the 500m climb of my candlestick Hanase climb<\/a>, which is a tough<\/span> climb\nfor me, so I expected<\/span> this Mt. Rokko<\/span> climb to be all the worse.<\/p>\n\n

I was also worried about forgetting something. I was going<\/span> to be in Kobe to deliver something to\na friend,<\/span> so took the opportunity to load the bike in the car as well and base my first Kobe ride from\nthere. For some reason<\/span> I was<\/span> ridiculously<\/i> stressed about forgetting\nsomething.<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nPanasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>60 sec, f<\/span>\/8, ISO 800 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nReady To Start<\/span>\nphoto by Zak Braverman<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

It turns out that I didn't forget anything in Kyoto, but I realized<\/span> later that I\ndid<\/span> forget one of my water bottles in the car before heading off. Sigh. I had meticulously<\/span>\nresearched the whole route via Google Street View (thank you Google) and had already been worried about a\nlack<\/span> of drink along the way. Now my carrying<\/span> capacity was cut in half. Sigh.<\/p>\n\n

In leaving Zak's place tucked up at the city\/mountain edge overlooking Kobe, I had to<\/span> descent slope\nas steep as 20% to get down to the main part of the city...<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nPanasonic LX100 at an effective 72mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>400 sec, f<\/span>\/5.6, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\n15%-Average Residential Street<\/span>\nYikes, I'm going to have to return up this hill<\/a> at the very end of my ride\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

Manseki and his bike had squished into the car with me on the ride from Kyoto, and he explored Kobe while I\nvisited<\/span> with Zak. We met back<\/span> up at Sannomiya Station in downtown Kobe to start our ride\ntogether. Before heading up to the mountain, we first planned to head out to the far end of Kobe Airport, built out in the ocean\non an artificial island (which itself is beyond another artificial island, Port Island, just off the Kobe City mainland.<\/p>\n\n\n

<\/a>\nPanasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>125 sec, f<\/span>\/5.6, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nCycling\/Pedestrian Bridgeway<\/span>\nover to Port Island\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nPanasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>500 sec, f<\/span>\/5.6, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nLots of Bridges of Various Kinds<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nPanasonic LX100 at an effective 28mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>125 sec, f<\/span>\/5.6, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nCrossing Kobe Bridge<\/span>\n\u795e\u6238\u5927\u6a4b\ntaken while moving at 29 kph (18 mph)\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nPanasonic LX100 at an effective 28mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>125 sec, f<\/span>\/5.6, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nStopping for Photos<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nPanasonic LX100 at an effective 58mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>125 sec, f<\/span>\/3.2, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nSelfie<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nPanasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>250 sec, f<\/span>\/5.6, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nRiding Through Port Island<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

Port Island is a big artificial island with big wide streets that we could ride on, but I wanted<\/span> to\ntry the cycling\/pedestrian paths. Somehow in my imagination I thought<\/span> that they might be quaint, but\nfrankly it would have been nice only if I'd been on a city<\/span> bicycle with the family.<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nPanasonic LX100 at an effective 38mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>160 sec, f<\/span>\/5.6, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nThis Was Nice<\/span>\nprotected from the sun, and those are peoplemovers in the distance!\n(sadly, no, we didn't ride the bikes on them)\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nPanasonic LX100 at an effective 38mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>250 sec, f<\/span>\/5.6, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nNice Wide Path<\/span>\nand a contender for “<\/span>World's Ugliest Building”<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

Once you make the several-kilometer trip through Port Island, you reach the half-as-long Kobe Sky Bridge over to the airport.<\/p>\n\n\n

<\/a>\nPanasonic LX100 at an effective 28mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>1000 sec, f<\/span>\/5.6, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nLooking Back at Port Island<\/span>\nfrom the Kobe Sky Bridge (\u795e\u6238<\/span>\u30b9\u30ab\u30a4\u30d6\u30ea\u30c3\u30b8)\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nPanasonic LX100 at an effective 28mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>1000 sec, f<\/span>\/5.6, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nPanasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>500 sec, f<\/span>\/5.6, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nKobe Airport<\/span>\n\u795e\u6238\u7a7a\u6e2f\ntaken while moving at 32 kph (20 mph)\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

Actually reaching the airport was disappointing and anti-climactic, as there were no planes or crowds or really much of anything around.\nOther than the sign saying “<\/span>Kobe Airport”<\/span>, we might not have realized we were at an airport.<\/p>\n\n

We continued past to the farthest reaches of the island that the public was allowed.<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nPanasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>640 sec, f<\/span>\/5.6, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nThe End<\/span>\nabsolutely nothing to see, except maybe the wind sock in the distance\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

I'd been thinking that the trek out across the man-made islands and to the airport would somehow be interesting, but it was\na waste<\/span> of time other than satisfying my curiosity: now I know<\/span> that it's a boring,<\/span> tedious ride.<\/p>\n\n

The one saving grace might have been the last section of road that parallels the runway. You can't see the runway and have no\nsense that you're near an airport, but it's a perfectly<\/span> straight 1,000-meter section with no traffic, so\nit makes a nice<\/span> opportunity for a\nfast<\/span> one-kilometer sprint<\/a>.<\/p>\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>\nStart Your Engines<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

Unfortunately, we had a strong headwind, so we didn't even bother.<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nPanasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>320 sec, f<\/span>\/5.6, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nHeading Back onto the Mainland<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n
<\/a>\nPanasonic LX100 at an effective 75mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>400 sec, f<\/span>\/5.6, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nOur Destination<\/span>\nis the little bump of a tower barely visible on the ridgeline at the far right\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

While making our way through the city, Manseki noticed a bicycle<\/span> shop so I\nbought<\/span> another water bottle. Then we headed inland, toward the entrance to the mountains...<\/p>\n\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>\nSloping Up<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

Of the three main routes out from Kobe City up to the top, we took what turned out to be the easiest, the Oku-Saido Driveway\n(\u5965\u518d\u5ea6<\/span>\u30c9\u30e9\u30a4\u30d6\u30a6\u30a7\u30a4). I guess<\/span> it's easiest because it's longest... the\nascent is spread out over a longer<\/span> distance.<\/p>\n\n

But it starts out quite sharply at about 14%...<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nPanasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>800 sec, f<\/span>\/4, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nHere We Go<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

... and within a minute we're getting an impressive view...<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nPanasonic LX100 at an effective 28mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>125 sec, f<\/span>\/4.5, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nOne Minute In<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

But there aren't many views from then on, as they're all obscured by mountains or trees. The slopes<\/span>\nare not so steep, so it's just a matter<\/span> of keeping on, though there are occasional switchbacks that look\nimpressive, such as this one 12 minutes in...<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nPanasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>320 sec, f<\/span>\/5.6, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nThis One Looks Fun<\/span>\ntaken while moving at 10 kph (6 mph)\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nPanasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>160 sec, f<\/span>\/5.6, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\ntaken while moving at 8 kph (5 mph)\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

Soon after, I got my first view since the one near the start, so had to stop for a photo<\/span>:<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nPanasonic LX100 at an effective 75mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>800 sec, f<\/span>\/5.6, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nFirst Real View<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

I wasn't paying attention to the map or the numbers, but looking at it now I see<\/span> that the elevation\nof that photo is 260m, so it's just a bit<\/span> over a quarter<\/span> of the way up.<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nPanasonic LX100 at an effective 56mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>100 sec, f<\/span>\/2.8, ISO 1600 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\n“<\/span>Curve #51”<\/span><\/span>\nevery curve was conveniently numbered\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nPanasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>2000 sec, f<\/span>\/6.3, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\n“<\/span>Warning: Grooved Pavement”<\/span><\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

Though many roads don't seem to have it, by law roads over 7% steepness are apparently\nrequired to have anti-slip technology<\/a>,\nsuch as groves cut into the pavement, or some kind of stipple pressed into the pavement (like the doughnuts seen\nin “<\/span>Here We Go<\/a>”<\/span> above).<\/p>\n\n

The doughnuts like in “<\/span>Here We Go”<\/span> are horrible for cyclists\nbecause the bumps actually decrease traction quite a bit.<\/span> I hate them<\/span>. The ridges<\/span> used on this 21% slope<\/a> make travel by bicycle\nalmost impossible. The grooved<\/span> pavement being warned about above, at least, is not a\nproblem.<\/span><\/p>\n\n

The bigger problem on this route are the occasional yellow stripes painted across particularly steep sections, such as seen in\n“<\/span>This One Looks Fun<\/a>”<\/span> above. Some of the stripes\nare as thick as a plank<\/span> of wood, so they're super bumpy to go over. I suspect<\/span>\nthat's exactly the intention, to grab the attention of the daydreaming driver (though with 100 curves in just a\nfew<\/span> miles, I don't<\/span> see how such drivers would live long enough to get to this point).<\/p>\n\n

The problem is that these are really dangerous and bone-jarringly uncomfortable for cyclists. As a\ncar<\/span> driver I never<\/span> would have given it a thought,<\/span> but this is the\njob<\/i> of folks that work in highway planning. Shame on them.<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nPanasonic LX100 at an effective 56mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>1000 sec, f<\/span>\/5.6, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nManseki Arrives at the Summit<\/span>\n\u516d\u7532\u5c71\u5c71\u9802(925m)\u5230\u7740\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

One thing that makes the climb both easier and harder than it might first appear is that it undulates quite a bit.<\/span> This means that it has some very nice fast downhill sections on which to have fun and rest, but it also\nmeans that the total amount you have to climb is more than the simple difference from the lowest spot to the highest.<\/p>\n\n

Strava reports that this route<\/a> has an elevation difference of 922m, but\nthat's an utterly meaningless thing to report because it ignores the undulation. In this case<\/span>, it\nunder-reports more than 200m of vertical climb one must do to reach the top.<\/p>\n\n

Another problem with the undulation is that if you're not familiar with the route (or the mapping app on your phone), you don't\nreally know when you're near the summit... the start of a nice<\/span> downhill section may mean you're at the\nsummit, or may just mean a minute's<\/span> reprieve before you continue on up again. Manseki found this out all\ntoo well when a few<\/span> kilometers from the summit he asked someone whether he was at the summit, and was\ntold yes, he was. So Manseki<\/span> spent 15 minutes looking for me. But we\neventually<\/span> got in contact and he came charging up to the real summit.<\/p>\n\n

The main road is Rt 16, and it passes close to the summit, but to get to the top you have to take\n\na steep<\/span> bumpy (doughnut-filled)\nroad<\/a> for 300m up an average 15% grade (max 23% grade) until the pavement ends, and then you're just a\nshort<\/span> stroll to the very top.<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\n\nimage data<\/a><\/span>\nSummit of Mt. Rokko<\/span>\n\u516d\u7532\u5c71\u5c71\u9802\n\n<\/div>\n\n

I think most cyclists don't know about the road, or don't bother with it. It seems<\/span> from looking at\nthe various segments on Strava that most just consider the restaurant near the entrance (the building at right in the screenshot\nabove) to be “<\/span>the top”<\/span>. That's just lazy in my book. I went as<\/span> far as there was pavement. The restaurant<\/span> isn't even at the highest point\non Rt. 16... that's a few<\/span> hundred meters south.<\/p>\n\n

On the plus side, there are drink vending machines at the restaurant, which is nice.<\/p>\n\n

As marked in the map, there's a viewing<\/span> area just above the end of the paved road, but it's horrible because someone's marched\na bunch<\/span> of utility wires smack dab in front, destroying and sense of view.<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nPanasonic LX100 at an effective 54mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>1000 sec, f<\/span>\/5.6, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nTypical Japan<\/span>\nfacepalm-worthy aesthetics\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n
<\/a>\nPanasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>320 sec, f<\/span>\/5.6, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nAngling To Avoid the Visual Garbage<\/span>\nIgnoring the vast expanse of Osaka, one can get part of Kobe without too many utility wires\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nPanasonic LX100 at an effective 75mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>500 sec, f<\/span>\/5.6, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nReverse Angle View<\/span>\nblessedly free from wires, but on this day not from haze\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Rather than waste time at the visually-neutered viewing spot, it's better to return a bit down,<\/span>\nto just past a little<\/span> gazebo. The view from<\/span> there is not free of utility crap, but it's much better,\nand the full vastness of the Osaka Concrete Jungle leaves one in awe. (My photos do not even come close\nto capturing the sense of huge that exists.)<\/p>\n\n

Here's a side-to-side scrollable panorama of Osaka and what we can see of Kobe:<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\n<\/div>\n
←    panorama    \u30d1\u30ce\u30e9\u30de    →<\/center>\n
Osaka and a bit<\/span> of Kobe, from Mt. Rokko<\/span>\n\u5927\u962a<\/span>\u3068\u795e\u6238\u3001<\/span>\u516d\u7532\u5c71\u5c71\u9802<\/span>\u304b\u3089<\/center>\n