{"id":2777,"date":"2017-02-23T23:01:04","date_gmt":"2017-02-23T14:01:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/2017-02-23\/2777"},"modified":"2017-02-23T23:01:04","modified_gmt":"2017-02-23T14:01:04","slug":"insanity-shopping-trip-to-costco-by-bicycle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/2017-02-23\/2777","title":{"rendered":"Insanity!? Shopping Trip to Costco by Bicycle"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n
<\/a>\niPhone 6+ + front camera — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>30 sec, f<\/span>\/2.2, ISO 64 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nI Must<\/span> Be Nuts<\/span>\nshopping trip to Costco by bicycle\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

On a recent<\/span> bicycle ride<\/a> I was<\/span> surprised to find myself passing\nthe nearest Costco to Kyoto, about 25km (15mi) away. I was a<\/span> member years ago, and mentally, it was a long<\/span> way away, taking\n45 minutes to drive there through traffic, with $15 of tolls along the way. Unfun. My driving<\/span> geographic knowledge often never\nconnects to my cycling geographic knowledge, so I'm surprised in this way often.<\/p>\n\n

Anyway, I made a ride<\/span> to Costco<\/a> yesterday, explicitly to sign up for\na membership<\/span> and do some shopping. Manseki was going to be heading in the general direction, so we met up and rode with each other\nfor the first while.<\/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>\nMeeting Up with Manseki<\/span>\nhe's the black smudge on the ramp at left\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>\nHeading South<\/span>\ntaken while riding at 27 kph (17 mph)\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nPanasonic LX100 at an effective 62mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>500 sec, f<\/span>\/5.6, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nPhoto Op<\/span>\nwith some of his cold-weather gear, before the warm weather comes\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nPanasonic LX100 at an effective 37mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>400 sec, f<\/span>\/5.6, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nOther Direction<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nSC-02H at an effective 21mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>2900 sec, f<\/span>\/1.7, ISO 50 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nphoto by Manseki Kanemitsu<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

Not long after these photo ops, we went our separate ways, and I continued<\/span> on for 15 more minutes to Costco.<\/p>\n\n

As you can see in the shot above, I was wearing<\/span> full cycling kit, which look really strange to those not accustomed to it, so\nto advertise that I was<\/span> a cyclist<\/span> (and hence explain the strange clothes), I kept my<\/span> helmet on inside.<\/p>\n\n

Inside looks like every other Costco on the planet.<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\niPhone 6+ — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>30 sec, f<\/span>\/2.2, ISO 32 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nGeneric Costco<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\niPhone 6+ — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>15 sec, f<\/span>\/2.2, ISO 32 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nSame Evil Products<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\n\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nTesting my Will Power<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\niPhone 6+ + front camera — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>30 sec, f<\/span>\/2.2, ISO 64 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nWall of “<\/span>Happy Turn”<\/span><\/span>\nI never really paid attention to the name beyond “<\/span>Happy”<\/span>, but\nit turns out<\/a> to mean “<\/span>turn back to happy times”<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\niPhone 6+ — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>15 sec, f<\/span>\/2.2, ISO 64 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nI'd Get a Couple<\/span> of These<\/span>\nbut I don't quite have enough space in my backpack\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

Costco is both a blessing and a curse.<\/span> If you need<\/span> a 78<\/span>-roll pack of toilet paper, it's great. If you don<\/span>'t need 78 rolls right\nthis moment, it can be a curse<\/span> because the low price in dollars (or yen) can blind you to the price in storage and logistics.<\/p>\n\n

Shopping at Costco by bicycle means that I'm limited to what I can<\/span> consume on site or carry home. I have to<\/span> really think about\neach item. So no gazebo<\/span> or fire pit for me today.<\/p>\n\n

Some things can be consumed on site...<\/p>\n\n\n

<\/a>\nPanasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>60 sec, f<\/span>\/1.7, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nStandard Costco Cafe<\/span>\nHot dog and unlimited soad: $1.60\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\niPhone 6+ — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>60 sec, f<\/span>\/2.2, ISO 32 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nI Know<\/span> I'm Going To Regret This<\/span>\n(it actually wasn't so bad... a few<\/span> burps on the ride home, and that was it)\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\niPhone 6+ — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>430 sec, f<\/span>\/2.2, ISO 32 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nMy Purchases<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

The main thing I wanted was the nuts, which I think<\/span> is a better<\/span> evening snack than more-junky things like popcorn and potato chips.\n(Omitting them altogether would be better still, but I'm mortal.)<\/p>\n\n

I was surprised that I could fit ten<\/i> of the big tubs of nuts into my backpack. 10! Each is 2,198 yen. I could<\/span> get them delivered via Amazon Prime for 2,732\nyen<\/a>, meaning I'd save 534 yen each, or 5,340 yen ($47) just on this trip alone. That's more than enough to pay for the\n4,400-yen yearly membership fee. Plus, I get a<\/span> cycling ride out of it.<\/p>\n\n

Unfortunately, I didn't quite save that much because I made<\/span> a rookie<\/span> Costco mistake: I didn't<\/span> have quite enough cash. So I ended<\/span> up having to leave one of the tubs of nuts at the register. Doh!<\/p>\n\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>\nReady To Return Home<\/span>\nat 16.2kg (36lb), the backpack weights more than 2× the bike\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

Since I wasn't pressed for time, I wandered<\/span> around a bit<\/span> in the area...<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nPanasonic LX100 at an effective 72mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>125 sec, f<\/span>\/5, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nOddly-Named Horse<\/span>\nA this nearby horse-riding school, the stalls are marked with the horse's name;\nthe nearest one, according to the sign, is named “<\/span>Shoeing Station”<\/span> \ud83d\ude42\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nPanasonic LX100 at an effective 46mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>250 sec, f<\/span>\/5.6, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nUnique Building<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

This building (or whatever it is) is visible from the highway, and is near the Costco. For the last<\/span> decade I'd wondered what it\nwas, having vaguely assumed it was some sort of religious building, but it turns out (if Google Maps it to be believed) that it's\nrelated to the municipal waterworks (a pumping<\/span> station, reserve tank, or the like). Interesting.<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nPanasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>125 sec, f<\/span>\/4.5, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nApparently-Unused Path<\/span>\nwith a tree growing in the middle, at the top of a flight<\/span> of steps\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nPanasonic LX100 at an effective 33mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>125 sec, f<\/span>\/2.5, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nThankfully Not My Intended Route<\/span>\nbut a pleasant surprise while poking along a construction<\/span> road\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nPanasonic LX100 at an effective 58mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>200 sec, f<\/span>\/5.6, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nHeading North to Kyoto<\/span>\nalong a cycling path that parallels the #2 Keihan Expressway<\/i>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

The “<\/span>#2 Keihan Expressway”<\/span> connects southern Kyoto with Osaka in a fairly<\/span> direct manner, and didn't exist 20 years ago.\nIn fact, I wrote<\/span> about the final parts of its construction nine years ago in A Kinki<\/span> Drive: The No. 2 Keihan Expressway<\/a>\".<\/p>\n\n

It's elevated for its entire 18-mile length, with a regular<\/span> public-artery road built in parallel underneath that a bicycle<\/span> can\ngo on. A bicycle<\/span> can also go on the minor parallel roads that flank the expressway\/artery stack for much of the way, or the\nwalking\/cycling path that also parallels much of the way.<\/p>\n\n

<\/a>\nPanasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>200 sec, f<\/span>\/5.6, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nLooking Down from a Bridge<\/span><\/span>\non a cycling path I've taken many times\nthat leads to Ide, Nara, and other points south\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nPanasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>125 sec, f<\/span>\/5, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nComplex Intersection<\/span>\nwell, not really, at least not compared to what's coming up\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nPanasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>125 sec, f<\/span>\/5, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nNow This<\/i> is a Complex<\/span> Intersection<\/span>\nthe Kumiyama Junction (\u4e45\u5fa1\u5c71JCT)\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
<\/a>\nPanasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>125 sec, f<\/span>\/5, 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>160 sec, f<\/span>\/5.6, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

This rat's nest of bridges and tunnels is four unrelated layers of transportation:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Old, very minor surface roads providing farmers access to their fields.<\/li>\n
  2. Over them, Two new major<\/span> city-connecting surface streets cross here.<\/li>\n
  3. Cycling roads on both sides of the two surface streets connect in an elevated cycleway that allows\ntransfer among any of the eight cycling roads without stopping or interacting with any motor-vehicle traffic.<\/li>\n
  4. Floating above this all is a full<\/span> all-direction interchange between two major expressways.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n

    Just to keep things interesting, there's a river<\/span> just north, and a creek<\/span> just south.<\/p>\n\n\n

    The look in Google Earth is impressive:<\/p>\n\n

    <\/a>\nView in Google Earth<\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
    <\/a>\nPanasonic LX100 at an effective 75mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>160 sec, f<\/span>\/5.6, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nStuff Heading Off in One Direction<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
    <\/a>\nPanasonic LX100 at an effective 25mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>125 sec, f<\/span>\/5, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nLittle-Used Farmer Access Road<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
    <\/a>\nPanasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>125 sec, f<\/span>\/4.5, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nView From That Road<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\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>\nFrom a Distance<\/span><\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
    <\/a>\nPanasonic LX100 at an effective 32mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>125 sec, f<\/span>\/5.6, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nAnother Local-Access Road<\/span>\nsomeone's taking a nap in the parked car\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

    It was fun to poke around this complex at my leisure. This part of the highway was completed perhaps 14 years ago. I actually<\/span> mention it in my fifth-ever blog post<\/a> 12 years ago.<\/p>\n\n

    When I was done, it was time to get back to the major trunk road, which at this point was at a level<\/span> well above the\nsurrounding ground:<\/p>\n\n\n

    <\/a>\nPanasonic LX100 at an effective 26mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>200 sec, f<\/span>\/5.6, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nStairs+Ramp Up<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

    I rode up the ramp and encountered the biggest problem with the heavy backpack:\nit's side-to-side movement as I chugged<\/span> up the super-steep ramp almost threw me off balance. It was a<\/span> dicey 10 seconds.<\/p>\n\n\n

    <\/a>\nPanasonic LX100 at an effective 65mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>125 sec, f<\/span>\/5.6, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nRice Harvest<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\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>\nLong, Flat Bridge<\/span>\nover the Uji-River flood plain\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>\nReed Harvest?<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n
    <\/a>\nPanasonic LX100 at an effective 75mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>200 sec, f<\/span>\/5.6, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nPicturesque Bundles<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n
    <\/a>\nPanasonic LX100 at an effective 75mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>125 sec, f<\/span>\/5.6, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nDiving Into Kyoto City Proper<\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

    While crossing the Uji-River flood plain, we have three lines of transportation all next to each other at the same level. In the center<\/span> are two lanes in each direction for the expressway. These are flanked by two lanes in each\ndirection for the Route One Bypass. This is all flanked on the outer edges by cycling paths. It feels<\/span> quite odd when they're all parallel at the same level, but once across the river, only the expressway\nlanes remain elevated.<\/p>\n\n\n

    <\/a>\nPanasonic LX100 at an effective 34mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>200 sec, f<\/span>\/5.6, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nSeems Mundane in Comparison<\/span>\nalmost back to an area I know well\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n
    <\/a>\nPanasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>125 sec, f<\/span>\/4.5, ISO 200 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\nLast Step<\/span>\nso to speak\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

    I'd ridden by on the road at the base of the steps many times, but had never even noticed that there were steps leading up to\nthe bridge, or thought much about what the road above might be. It was gratifying<\/span> to add a new<\/span> piece to my geographical puzzle.<\/p>\n\n

    I rode down the steep ramp, only to be surprised at the center pause that the ramp didn't continue for the last step, so the\ndropoff was unexpected. At least<\/span> I was<\/span> less surprised when the same thing happened at the very bottom as well.<\/p>\n\n

    Anyway, I was now retracing the first few kilometers of the ride. Here's\nanother photo from the “<\/span>Meeting Up with Manseki”<\/span> location, but five hours later:<\/p>\n\n

    <\/a>\niPhone 6+ — 1<\/sup>\/<\/big>1100 sec, f<\/span>\/2.2, ISO 32 —\nmap & image data<\/a> — nearby photos<\/a><\/span>\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

    I may have to head back soon, to pick up a gazebo<\/span> or two.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    On a recent bicycle ride I was surprised to find myself passing the nearest Costco to Kyoto, about 25km (15mi) away. I was a member years ago, and mentally, it was a long way away, taking 45 minutes to drive there through traffic, with $15 of tolls along the way. Unfun. My driving geographic knowledge often never connects to my cycling geographic knowledge, so I'm surprised in this way often.<\/p>

    Anyway, I made a ride to Costco yesterday, explicitly to sign up for a membership and do some shopping. Manseki was going to be heading in the general direction, so [...]","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[30,1,2],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2777"}],"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=2777"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2777\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2777"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2777"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/regex.info\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2777"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}