{"id":2773,"date":"2017-02-10T16:40:21","date_gmt":"2017-02-10T07:40:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/2017-02-10\/2773"},"modified":"2017-02-10T16:40:21","modified_gmt":"2017-02-10T07:40:21","slug":"snowy-cycleversary-mountain-ride-challenge-part-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/2017-02-10\/2773","title":{"rendered":"Snowy Cycleversary Mountain-Ride Challenge, Part 1"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 70mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>320 sec, f<\/span>\/7.1, ISO 640 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nTypical Japanese-Cycling “<\/span>Impromptu Portrait”<\/span><\/span>\nfrom my two-year cycleversary ride the other day\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n

I started cycling two years ago when I na\u00efvely<\/span> went on this ride<\/a>, joining only because I had<\/span> no clue about\nwhat was intended. We ended<\/span> up doing 55km (34 miles), which was probably 10× what I had<\/span> ever ridden before. I was invigorated<\/span> to have done so easily what I would<\/span> have imagined would be impossible, so I decided<\/span> to set out on a “<\/span>real”<\/span> ride, a longer,<\/span> hillier one done with\nintention.<\/p>\n\n

So a week later, on Feb 7 2015, I did another<\/span> ride — what I now<\/span>\nconsider my first “<\/span>real”<\/span> bicycle ride — a 91km<\/span> (57mi) course\nthrough snowy mountains. I blogged<\/span> about it in “<\/span>Attempting a 100km<\/span> Bike Ride in the Mountains of\nKyoto<\/a>”<\/span> and its followup<\/a>. The long mountainous<\/span> course went through the middle of nowhere, far from any kind of services; I could<\/span> consider such a ride,<\/span> particularly\nin the middle of winter, only because I was<\/span> woefully, stupendously, sumptuously<\/i> ignorant of\neverything involved.<\/p>\n\n\n

Earlier this week, on the two-year anniversary of that “<\/span>first real ride”<\/span>, I repeated<\/span> it. This time, I headed<\/span> into it with\n15,000km (9,300mi) of cycling experience.<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 45mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>30 sec, f<\/span>\/2.8, ISO 3200 —\nimage data<\/a><\/span>\nReady To Head Out<\/span>\nbundled up against the cold\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 60mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>800 sec, f<\/span>\/2.8, ISO 100 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nMountains North of Kyoto<\/span>\nmountains I'll be entering look a bit<\/span> frosty\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 60mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>250 sec, f<\/span>\/8, ISO 220 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nA Bit<\/span> Blustery<\/span>\nthough I'll remain to one side of this particular mountain\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>100 sec, f<\/span>\/3.5, ISO 100 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nGetting Closer<\/span>\nto the snow\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 38mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>200 sec, f<\/span>\/3.5, ISO 100 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nBeautiful Frosty Look<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 50mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>200 sec, f<\/span>\/10, ISO 2000 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nJust Gorgeous<\/span>\nthough, sadly, I'm not able to capture it in the photo\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

On the initial ride two years ago, a photo<\/span> of this exact spot<\/a> shows\nno trace of snow. Despite the snow this time, the road surface was still fine.<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 42mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>200 sec, f<\/span>\/10, ISO 160 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nKurama Temple<\/span>\n\u978d\u99ac\u5bfa\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 52mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>200 sec, f<\/span>\/10, ISO 360 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nSnowy Kurama<\/span>\ncompare to this snowless shot<\/a> two years ago\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 29mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>125 sec, f<\/span>\/10, ISO 320 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nStart of the First Big Climb<\/span>\nKurama Onsen (Kurama Hot Spring)\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

By the time the first big climb started at the Kurama Hot Spring, the road had some slush on it but it was easily ridable,\nbut I didn't<\/span> have to go much farther for the road surface to become much more difficult:<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>100 sec, f<\/span>\/7.1, ISO 500 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nSlush Continues to Encroach<\/span>\nthis was the last of the “<\/span>easy”<\/span> riding for a long<\/span> time\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 70mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>320 sec, f<\/span>\/7.1, ISO 1100 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nMemorable Spot<\/span>\nfrom my first ride\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

A particular curve on the road holds special memory for me, as the first place I actually<\/span> stopped for a rest<\/span> on that first\nclimb (mentioned here<\/a>). As I rode<\/span> the same mountain again over\nsubsequent months, riding past this point without stopping became somewhat symbolic for me, until I was<\/span> finally able to do the\nwhole thing without stopping.<\/p>\n\n

Today was different, though. By this time the road surface had become difficult to ride on. The\ndifficulty<\/span> was not because there was too much snow, but because of its nature: it was hard-packed “<\/span>almost ice”<\/span> that sometimes the bike could ride on<\/i>, and sometimes\nnot. When the bike could ride on<\/i> the surface of this stuff, it was a bit<\/span> slippery, but easy\ngoing. But more often<\/span>, the weight of the bike caused each tire to break through the surface, and the\ntire would have to shove through<\/i> this hard thick layer like an ice breaker struggling against thick ice (which uses its\npower to push the bow up onto the ice until enough weight is over the ice to break through).<\/p>\n\n

It was like riding with two brakes on; it was very slow going.<\/p>\n\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 35mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>160 sec, f<\/span>\/7.1, ISO 125 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 44mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>200 sec, f<\/span>\/7.1, ISO 500 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nRoad-Clearing Backhoe<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 27mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>125 sec, f<\/span>\/7.1, ISO 320 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nPost-Backhoe Road<\/span>\nactually worse than before; still as much ice, but now more slippery\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>125 sec, f<\/span>\/7.1, ISO 100 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nTurnoff to Momoi<\/span>\nand a city bus with chains on the rear tires\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>100 sec, f<\/span>\/7.1, ISO 560 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nPretty<\/span>\nbut slow going\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>100 sec, f<\/span>\/7.1, ISO 250 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nHairpin<\/span>\nthe same one seen in the opening photo\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>160 sec, f<\/span>\/7.1, ISO 100 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nAnother Hairpin<\/span>\nthere are eight of them on this climb, all beautiful in their own way\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>100 sec, f<\/span>\/7.1, ISO 320 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nFinal Climb<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>200 sec, f<\/span>\/7.1, ISO 100 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nHanase Pass<\/span>\n\u82b1\u80cc\u5ce0\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\niPhone 6+ + front camera — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>1050 sec, f<\/span>\/2.2, ISO 32 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nArrival Selfie<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

I wasn't kidding when I said that the road surface made for slow going. It's not that<\/span> I was<\/span> trying for speed in the first\nplace, but it took ridiculously long to get here from the hot spring.<\/p>\n\n

On that initial ride two years ago it took 48 minutes, and I was<\/span> much faster on subsequent attempts, eventually reaching my\ncurrent PR (personal record) of just under 29 minutes. But on this<\/span> two-year anniversary ride, my 29th\nclimb up this hill, it took more than 58 minutes! I knew I<\/span> was slow, but this was shocking.<\/p>\n\n

As slow as the climb was, the descent down the other side was even worse, taking more than 4× as long as typical. On the way<\/span> up I had<\/span> to contend with the “<\/span>ice\nbreaker”<\/span> effect of the road surface, but on the descent I also<\/span> had to\nworry that when in “<\/span>ice breaker”<\/span> mode, the front tire would get a mind<\/span> of its own as far as direction.<\/p>\n\n

Also, just like an icebreaker that rises over the ice until heavy enough to break through, repeating this sequence over and\nover, sometimes the tires would do this as well, making it feel like I was<\/span> riding a jackhammer<\/span> instead of a bicycle.<\/span><\/p>\n\n

It was dicey<\/span> at times, and combine with the\ngeneral slippery nature of things, I went very<\/span> slowly, far more slowly than even climbing the same road.\nInstead of my best-ever time of 11:24 for the descent, it took 47:20. My best time<\/span> to make the same\nclimb is 28:54<\/p>\n\n

It was slow going, but beautiful.<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 62mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>250 sec, f<\/span>\/7.1, ISO 125 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nDescent into a Snowy<\/span> Village<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>100 sec, f<\/span>\/7.1, ISO 125 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nCowbell<\/span>\nclosed for the winter\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 38mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>160 sec, f<\/span>\/7.1, ISO 180 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>200 sec, f<\/span>\/7.1, ISO 100 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nGorgeous Scenery<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>100 sec, f<\/span>\/7.1, ISO 140 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

I dressed well, and was warm for the whole ride, except during the descent my fingers became bitterly cold. It seemed<\/span> sudden, the change from “<\/span>warm and toasty”<\/span> to “<\/span>so freain' painful I can't<\/span> stop crying”<\/span>.<\/p>\n\n

There's some kind of park-related cafe on the route... the only business\/services of any kind for the bulk of the ride,\nand I was<\/span> hoping to make it there for coffee and noodles before having to do something about my fingers.\nBut I just<\/span> couldn't\nstand it, and had to stop to put in little hand-warmer heater packs I'd brought along. Trying to first warm up my fingers by\nshoving them under my armpits did indeed warm them up, but it was exquisitely<\/i> painful. I should<\/span> have stopped sooner\nto put in the hand warmers; it was a miscalculation<\/span> to think the two pair of gloves I had<\/span> would be sufficient.<\/p>\n\n

My toes were getting a bit chilly, and I had<\/span> extra warmers to put in, but I'd wait until I got<\/span> to the cafe.<\/p>\n\n

By the time I got to the cafe, I was<\/span> so<\/i> ready for a hot<\/span> cup of coffee and a warm<\/span> space heater.<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nNikon D4 + Nikkor 24-70mm f\/2.8 @ 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>125 sec, f<\/span>\/7.1, ISO 100 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nDoh!<\/span>\n“<\/span>Park closed today”<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

To be continued...<\/i><\/p>\n\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I started cycling two years ago when I na\u00efvely went on this ride, joining only because I had no clue about what was intended. We ended up doing 55km (34 miles), which was probably 10× what I had ever ridden before. I was invigorated to have done so easily what I would have imagined would be impossible, so I decided to set out on a \"real\" ride, a longer, hillier one done with intention.<\/p>

So a week later, on Feb 7 2015, I did another ride -- what I now consider my first \"real\" bicycle ride -- a 91km (57mi) [...]","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],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2773"}],"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=2773"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2773\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2773"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2773"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2773"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}