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posted: August 31st, 2012 |
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This page begins with August 14th - phase 2 of our vacation, which was a trip to the eastern end of Oze National Park and Ozenuma (Oze Pond), a portion we had never visited before. Our plan was to stay in our tent for 2 nights and also to climb Mt. Hiuchigatake (2,356 m = 7,730 ft) - the highest mountain in the Tohoku Region of Japan. We christened this phase of our vacation "the part with many changes". The changes will be mentioned in the Row Text. Click on any thumbnail to begin.
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| Begin August 14th |
Oh look, it's raining! We took a night bus from Tokyo to this place - Ooshimizu - and arrived here at about 5:00 AM on August 14th. It started raining lightly within one minute of our getting off the bus and soon it was raining hard. It continued to rain pretty hard and we decided to take the first local bus, at 9:15 AM, to Numata Train Station and come back home. It stopped raining at around 8:00 AM though, and we changed our mind about heading for home, and decided to stick it out. We started hiking for Ozenuma (Oze Pond). The 1st photo shows me in the rain at Ooshimizu. The 2nd photo is where we started hiking from and the 3rd photo is a nice creek we hiked beside for a while.
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 Aug14th002 _OoshimizuRC |
 Aug14th005 _OoshimizuRC |
 Aug14th018 _OoshimizuRC |
The first 2 photos here show a very tiny Myrmechis japonica Orchid. The 3rd shot is me at Sanpei Pass - the highest elevation along the trail (1,762 m = 5,781 ft). We arrived here at 10:24 AM.
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 Aug14th023_Ooshimizu _MyrmechisJaponicaRC |
 Aug14th024_Ooshimizu _MyrmechisJaponicaRC |
 Aug14th029_ SanpeiPassRC |
The first shot in this row shows Kazuya at a rest spot very close to Ozenuma (Oze Pond). The 2nd and 3rd photos are Lobelia sessilifolia, a flower we've never seen before today.
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 Aug14_01_OzeNumaArea _Kazuya_RestStopRC |
 Aug14_08_OzeNuma Area_PurpleFlowerRC |
 Aug14_09_OzeNuma Area_PurpleFlowerRC |
And, there's Ozenuma (Oze Pond) - a congregation of birds sitting on some debris quite a ways from shore. At least some of them are Cormorants. The 2nd and 3rd shots are another new flower for us - Inula ciliaris var. glandulosa.
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 Aug14_10_OzeNuma Area_BirdsRC |
 Aug14th043_Ozenuma_ InulaCiliarisVarGlandulosaRC |
 Aug14_16_OzeNuma Area_YellowFlowersRC |
When we arrived at the place where we had to rent a campsite, at about 11:00 AM, we found a sign saying that it would not open until 1:00 PM, please come back then. So, we spent a couple of hours eating the lunch which we had brought with us, drinking a can of beer from the local rip-off "cafe" and then walking around taking pictures. So, the first shot in this row shows Ozenuma and Mt. Hiuchigatake - with its head in the clouds. The 2nd shot is another shot of Inula ciliaris var. glandulosa and the 3rd shot is one more of Lobelia sessilifolia.
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 Aug14_24_OzeNuma Area_MtHiuchigatakeRC |
 Aug14_22_OzeNuma Area_YellowFlowersRC |
 Aug14_28_OzeNuma Area_PurpleFlowerRC |
Now we have rented our tent site and set up our tent - nice, they have wood platforms for the tents. There are only 28 platforms and we managed to get #2 spot. We had checked the place out in advance and spot #2 had lots of rocks sitting around to tie the tent to, and seeing as stakes would not be able to be used, rocks were important. Now we are hiking as much as we want to around the pond, and slowly, the weather is clearing up. The first shot is Lilium leichtlinii, the 2nd shot is Inula ciliaris var. glandulosa and the 3rd shot is Lobelia sessilifolia.
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 Aug14th064_Ozenuma _LiliumLeichtliniiRC |
 Aug14th071_Ozenuma_ InulaCiliarisVarGlandulosaRC |
 Aug14th074_Ozenuma _LobeliaSessilifoliaRC |
In first position is Ozenuma - Oze Pond - with some sun shining through the clouds. The 2nd shot is a beautiful Lilium leichtlinii and the 3rd shot is a distant Waremokou (Sanguisorba officinalis) & a Fly which I zoomed in on.
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 Aug14_36_OzeNuma Area_RC |
 Aug14th079_Ozenuma_ LiliumLeichtliniiRC |
 Aug14_41_OzeNuma Area_WarremokuRC |
Here is a fantastic shot of Lilium leichtlinii and then a zoomed head of some kind of grass. In 3rd position is Mt. Hiuchigatake - it still has its head in the clouds.
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 Aug14th088_Ozenuma_ LiliumLeichtliniiRC |
 Aug14_42_OzeNuma Area_GrassRC |
 Aug14_52_OzeNuma Area_MtHiuchigatakeRC |
Oh my heavens, look at how abundant the Lobelia sessilifolia is here. The 2nd shot is a birch forest which is nicely lighted and the 3rd shot is Mt. Hiuchigatake - with its head slowly becoming clear of clouds.
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 Aug14th098_Ozenuma_ LobeliaSessilifoliaRC |
 Aug14_56_OzeNuma Area_BirchForestRC |
 Aug14th106 _OzenumaRC |
Along this trail the signature is these 3 Larch (Larix sp.) trees, so of course we took some shots of them too. The 2nd shot is a Ligularia dentata and the 3rd shot shows the 3 Larch trees over the top of the Ligularia dentata.
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 Aug14_58_OzeNuma Area_3LarchTreesRC |
 Aug14th141_Ozenuma _LigulariaDentataRC |
 Aug14th152_Ozenuma _LigulariaDentataRC |
There is one small area here which, at the right season, is famous for its Fireweed (Epilobium angustifolium). It is now the correct season!
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 Aug14th162_Ozenuma_ EpilobiumAngustifoliumRC |
 Aug14th164_Ozenuma_ EpilobiumAngustifoliumRC |
 Aug14_83_OzeNuma Area_FireweedRC |
And here are 3 more shots which show this Fireweed (Epilobium angustifolium) area.
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 Aug14th168_Ozenuma_ EpilobiumAngustifoliumRC |
 Aug14_93_OzeNuma Area_FireweedRC |
 Aug14th189_Ozenuma_ EpilobiumAngustifoliumRC |
Kazuya caught this Lilium leichtlinii and Butterfly just perfectly. The 2nd shot shows an area of Lobelia sessilifolia - through the trees. The 3rd shot is the same area of Lobelia sessilifolia, but zoomed in to see just the flowers.
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 Aug14th197_Ozenuma _LiliumLeichtliniiRC |
 Aug14th201_Ozenuma_ LobeliaSessilifoliaRC |
 Aug14_99_OzeNuma Area_PurpleFlowerRC |
Amazing! The clouds have finally all departed from around Mt. Hiuchigatake (2,356 m = 7,730 ft). The tent site office shows that tomorrow's weather is supposed to be heavy rain and our cell phone weather apps show that this area even has HEAVY RAIN WARNINGS for tomorrow - OOPS! We have just decided to forego a climb of Mt. Hiuchigatake. The 2nd shot shows a spruce forest and if you study the photo closely you can see that there are many spruce cones. The 3rd image is 2 shots which have been Tone-mapped with Photomatix Pro - Details Enhancer Option software to bring out the colors and reduce the shadows.
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 Aug14_103_OzeNuma Area_MtHiuchigatakeRC |
 Aug14_104_OzeNuma Area_SpruceForestRC |
 Aug14_108_109_110_TMDE_ OzeNumaArea_MtHiuchigatakeRC |
The 1st image is 3 shots which have been Tone-mapped with Photomatix Pro - Details Enhancer Option software to bring out the colors and reduce the shadows. The 2nd image is 2 shots, which have been given the same treatment. Third shot - now we are sitting on the shore of the pond and cooking/eating our supper and waiting for sunset. We are deciding what to do tomorrow and thinking that maybe we'll attempt to hike around this side of the pond before we leave. Today we hiked around the other side - the side which you can see from this photo.
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 Aug14_111_112_113_TMDE_ OzeNumaArea_MtHiuchigatakeRC |
 Aug14_114_115_TMDE_Oze NumaArea_MarshRC |
 Aug14th248_Ozenuma _MtHiuchigatakeRC |
There is Mt. Hiuchigatake (2,356 m = 7,730 ft) in its full glory. The 2nd shot is zoomed in. The 3rd shot shows the 3 Larch Trees from this side and you can see people on the trail where we were when we took the photos up in Row #10.
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 Aug14_118_OzeNuma Area_MtHiuchigatakeRC |
 Aug14_120_OzeNuma Area_MtHiuchigatakeRC |
 Aug14th256 _OzenumaRC |
In this row are 3 shots of a family of some kind of Herons. The first photo shows the offspring waiting with one of the parents while the other parent (center shot) searches for food some distance away. The 3rd shot is another of the offspring and one parent. Is the parent pointing with its wing, or just cooling off?
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 Aug14_124_OzeNuma Area_HeronsRC |
 Aug14_125_OzeNuma Area_HeronsRC |
 Aug14_129_OzeNuma Area_HeronsRC |
Here is another shot which shows the 3 Larch Trees from this side. The 2nd photo shows Mt. Hiuchigatake and Ozenuma (Pond) and the 3rd shot shows just before sunset. You can see sun rays coming through the trees on the left. There were several people gathered around this area now, trying to get the best shots of the setting sun, but it was pretty plain today - it just went down without any beautiful clouds or anything.
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 Aug14_134_OzeNuma Area_3LarchTreesRC |
 Aug14_140_OzeNuma Area_3LarchTreesRC |
 Aug14_150_OzeNuma Area_MtHiuchigatakeRC |
Here is a 2 shot panorama of the marsh and the 3 Larch Trees area and then a sunset shot showing Mt. Hiuchigatake and the sun.
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 Aug14_153_154_Panorama _OzeNumaAreaRC |
 Aug14_163_OzeNumaArea_Sunset Time_MtHiuchigatakeRC |
| End August 14th, Begin August 15th |
Now it's August 15th and we have changed the plan again - it's totally cloudy/foggy so we are not even going to try and hike around this side of the pond, we're just going to head out and take the first bus at 9:15 AM. The first shot shows me hoofing it along the boardwalk. The 2nd shot is the delicious Soba Noodle lunch we had near Numata Station before catching the train headed for home.
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 Aug15th003_ OoshimizuRC |
 Aug15th008_Numata SobaNoodlesRC |
| End August 15th, Begin August 24th |
On August 24th Kazuya had to work, but I wanted to go out for a "keep in condition" hike, so I climbed Mt. Takao (599 m = 1,965 ft) and Mt. Kobotoke-Shiro (670 m = 2,199 ft). The first shot here shows the view from the summit of Mt. Takao, tne 2nd shot shows a Red Pine (Pinus densiflora) panorama at I-Ccho-Daira and the 3rd shot shows the view from I-Ccho-Daira.
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 Aug24_001_Mt_ Takao_SummitViewRC |
 Aug24_003_004_Panorama_ I_Ccho_Daira_RedPinesRC |
 Aug24_002_I_Ccho _Daira_ViewRC |
The 2 shots in this row show the view from Mt. Kobotoke-Shiro looking towards Tokyo - the first photo is not zoomed at all and the 2nd shot is zoomed a bit. For this time of the year, it's actually quite clear.
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 Aug24_006_Mt KobotokeShiroViewRC |
 Aug24_007Mt KobotokeShiroViewRC |
| End August 24th, Begin August 27th |
Over my years of hiking and mountain climbing in Japan I can't even remember how many pairs of expensive hiking boots I have worn out. The current pair I am using was just purchased in 2009 for some ridiculous price and they have not been worn that many times, but they are literally falling apart. It's so disappointing and frustrating to spend that much money on boots only to have them fall apart so quickly. So, this time I bought about the most expensive boots I could find. My background is in Forestry and woods work, so I first heard of White's Boots about 45 years ago or so and never heard anything but good things about them. They are custom made - you have to wear your boot socks and then trace around your foot on the order blank. In addition you also have to supply several other measurements at various places on your foot. I got the 8" height "Original Smoke Jumper" model. I mailed the order for them on July 12th, received confirmation of payment on July 25th and received my boots by Priority mail on August 23rd. The wait was not bad at all for custom made boots, especially when they told me (via e-mail) that it would take about 2 months from the time they received my payment. The instructions say that it will take from 80 - 100 hours of wear for breaking them in and that until you are sure that you are happy with the fit that you should only wear them inside because scuffed or soiled boots cannot be returned. At this point I have worn them for about 5 hours - I have a long way to go to get them broke in. I hope that this pair of boots will last me for the remainder of my life! By the way, these are the 8 inch height boots.
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 Aug27_1Crop_WhitesSmoke JumperBootsRC |
 Aug27_2Crop_WhitesSmoke JumperBootsRC |
 Aug27_3CropRotate_Whites SmokeJumperBootsRC |
| End August 27th, End Page 4, End August 2012's Photos |
Here are links to separate web pages - all of them will open in a new window (or new tab). The first link shows some photos of our DVD Collection, an AVI Movie of our Home Theater System and 9 photos of our Sharp Aquos TV. The 2nd link shows our entire DVD collection in DVD Profiler (if you're asking yourself what might be good to rent for the weekend). The DVD's will be sorted by date purchased. You can click on the "Title" Column to sort that way if you desire. The 3rd link shows our entire DVD collection in php DVD Profiler, which is much more sophisticated than the plain vanilla DVD Profiler just above it. The 4th link takes you to a set of pages which show you the FRONT cover-art of our entire DVD collection.
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 February 22, 2009 - DVD Collection & Home Theater System   
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