My Latest Ride

304km (189mi) with 3,596m (11,798') of climb

I haven't done a whole lot of riding since last fall, and in particular over the last month or so have been beset on and off by
a persistent throat infection, so I probably bit off more than I could chew with a 300km ride with Gorm, but while he's in town I want to take the opportunity for such epic adventures.

The ostensible goal of the ride was to visit a mountain area of Gifu Prefecture known as “Machu Picchu of Gifu”,
due to a view of it that calls to mind the famous Machu Picchu of Peru.

(I can't remember “Machu Picchu”, so it's somehow morphed to “Pikachu” in my head.)

The simplest route would get us there and back in less than 250km (150mi), but we had other plans.

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 50mm — 1/100 sec, f/2.7, ISO 200 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Gorm Arrives for our Departure

5:25am







Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/125 sec, f/4.5, ISO 200 —
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Empty Streets

We popped over the mountains to Lake Biwa (the largest lake in Japan, introduced four years ago in
“Bicycle Ride Around Japan’s Largest Lake”), and
kept a steady pace along the lake for the 60km to the mountains at its north.

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/160 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 —
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Heading North







Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/2000 sec, f/7.1, ISO 200 —
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Gorm

taken at 33 kph (21 mph)







Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/500 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Passing By

the Shirohige Shrine Gate

two hours in; taken at 34 kph (21 mph)

This shrine gate was first featured on my blog more than 10 years ago, in “Main Gate of the Shirohige Shrine” and also as the
subject of the example photos in “Overexposure and Underexposure, and the Compensation Thereof”. It's a bit special to me now as a cyclist because
it was the destination for my first 100+km ride four years ago, as seen here,
which Gorm also joined on.

Today, we barely slowed down as we passed, along the way to Gorm's first 300+km ride. (My longest ride is 408km / 254mi double loop around the lake; today's ride would become my
second-longest).

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/500 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Lovely Views

a common theme for rides in this area







Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/1600 sec, f/6.3, ISO 200 —
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A Lakeside Shrine Gate

that I had never noticed before







Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/320 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 —
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Riding Through Makino







Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/125 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 —
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Back in the Mountains







Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/320 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Farming Valley







Panasonic LX100 at an effective 52mm — 1/250 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 —
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Panasonic LX100 at an effective 44mm — 1/250 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 —
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Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/250 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 —
map & image data — nearby photos

First Destination Climb of the Day

3½ hours in

In researching areas for the route — research that took much longer than the ride itself — I found what looked to be
a lovely climb (4km /2.4mi at 7%) that for some reason had only a handful of
registered attempts on Strava. Indeed, it was lovely.

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/125 sec, f/2, ISO 200 —
map & image data — nearby photos







Panasonic LX100 at an effective 25mm — 1/125 sec, f/2.2, ISO 200 —
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Dangerous Grating

(not so lovely; need to take extreme care on the descent)







Panasonic LX100 at an effective 28mm — 1/1600 sec, f/2.2, ISO 200 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Gorm Waiting at the Top

Without trying hard or even knowing how long the climb was, Gorm missed the KOM by just five seconds. We still had a very long
day ahead, so it was prudent to pace ourselves, but it makes one want to return to give it an earnest effort.

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/1600 sec, f/2.8, ISO 200 —
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Good Spirits

We descended into yet another fertile valley...

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/2000 sec, f/2.8, ISO 200 —
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Preparing the Rice Paddy







Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/1250 sec, f/2.8, ISO 200 —
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Approaching the Kusaoka Shrine

草岡神社

Part of the day's agenda was to visit the Kusaoka Shrine (草岡神社), the shrine owned by the family of a friend. I had been here two weeks
earlier to photograph a wedding, so had promised to stop by on my bicycle some time.

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 28mm — 1/250 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Towering Trees







Panasonic LX100 at an effective 54mm — 1/400 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 —
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Panasonic LX100 at an effective 25mm — 1/250 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 —
map & image data — nearby photos

After a short visit, we took a detour to Yogo Lake, which looked just lovely in my research. It did not disappoint.
A loop around it took about 11 minutes.

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/640 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 —
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Starting Around Yogo Lake







Panasonic LX100 at an effective 46mm — 1/500 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 —
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Panasonic LX100 at an effective 75mm — 1/320 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 —
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Small Village







Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/250 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 —
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Just Lovely







Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/640 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 —
map & image data — nearby photos







Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/640 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Half Way Around

We actually went around it twice. The first time, not knowing just how lovely it would be, we gave it somewhatg of an earnest effort, and ended up with
the #6-best effort on the loop segment (though bumped down considerably when a group of
five guys did a team effort yesterday). We could have gone quite a bit faster if we didn't have another 200km of ride in front of us.

It was so lovely, though, that we decided to do it again for enjoyment and photos.

I'd noticed a restaurant near the end of the loop, so we stopped in there for lunch.

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/125 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Stop for Lunch








Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/100 sec, f/1.7, ISO 200 —
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Well-Earned Ice Coffee







Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/80 sec, f/1.7, ISO 200 —
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Chicken-Nugget Lunch for Two

We stopped for almost an hour, which was way way too long, but it was certainly enjoyable.

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/200 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Takin' it Easy

it took a while to figure out whether it was real; it was

Now we had a short 25km and a couple of small climbs to get to the start of the big climb of the day...

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/800 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Lovely Rural Area







Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/800 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 —
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Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/200 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 —
map & image data — nearby photos

At the Top

of one of the short climbs







Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/60 sec, f/1.7, ISO 1000 —
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Old Tunnel







Panasonic LX100 at an effective 28mm — 1/200 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 —
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Last Rest Before the Big Climb

The main climb of the day was the eastern approach to Kunimi Pass.
“Kunimi” (国見) in this case means “Kingdom View”, and indeed we were treated with sweeping views that a photo like this
does no justice:

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/250 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 —
map & image data — nearby photos

After almost an hour of slow, hot (but visually stunning) slog, we arrived at the top:

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/200 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Halfway Point: Kunimi Pass

8½ hours into the ride; only 150km remains until home

This was followed by more than 10 minutes of lovely descent, plummeting down the other side of the mountain.

Just before we were to rejoin civilization at a main road, we were suddenly stopped by an elderdly construction worker blocking
the road, saying that the road was closed and that we would have to go back. This was an extremely unappealing proposition for us, as it
would me that we would have to make an hour's climb back to the top, retracing our steps for hours in the opposite direction.

Bicycles and pedestrians can often get by road damage that cars can't, so I wanted to investigate the nature of the closure. The old man
was adamant, though, that “it had been decided” that no one should pass. I was persistent, and eventually could peek around a curve in the road
to see that the road was completely open; it was closed due to a worry that some unstable rocks might fall onto it.

I was willing to take the risk for the one second it would take to pass the area in question, and so told the guy that I was sorry that I'd be making
trouble for him, but that I would accept my own responsibility and proceed. He kept saying “but it's been decided!”, but he can't physically stop
me as he's not a police officer, so Gorm and I proceeded. Indeed we did not die during the one second it took to pass, and as we passed the guard
on the other side, I yelled out farther apologizes.

I feel bad for the guy, just doing his job, but he was given a ridiculous job.

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/125 sec, f/4, ISO 200 —
map & image data — nearby photos

Back in Civilization

With renewed energy we proceeded toward the steep climb that leads to the “Machu Picchu” view. The initial climb to the village itself is a lovely 1.9km @ 9.2% through tea fields.

Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/320 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 —
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Steep







Panasonic LX100 at an effective 24mm — 1/400 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200 —
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Steep Selfie







VTR-L29 at an effective 27mm — 1/730 sec, f/2.2, ISO 50 —
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photo by Gorm Kipperberg







VTR-L29 at an effective 27mm — 1/750 sec, f/2.2, ISO 160 —
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Me

photo by Gorm Kipperberg

I was quite the stylish sight.