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All across America folks were waking up to the smell of coffee - college football gameday, crisp air and the thought of “no work.”
As I awoke from my comfy bed at the Hyatt Regency in Bethesda, Maryland, all I thought about was how the FullAccess-Maryland Summit would unfold. Little did I know that more than 60 college students with disabilities were about to truly engage with everyone they met – with or without the help of interpreters. In the initial keynote session, we were jolted with encouragement and then challenged to go further by two of most visible people in the DC disability landscape: Kareem Dale and Judy Heumann.
Judy was the first keynote presenter. Naturally she led with her life’s story – and it is such a powerful story. I’m certain the students (as I did) found it to be emotionally moving and uplifting. Judy’s life journey left everyone feeling more empowered. As a bit of background, Judy served in the Clinton Administration as Assistant Secretary of the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services at the US Department of Education from 1993 to 2001. From 2002 to 2006 she served as the World Bank Group’s first Advisor on Disability and Development. She is currently the Director of the Department of Disability Services for the District of Columbia. It was interesting to watch the energy between this very visible and powerful woman and the students in the room. Questions were aplenty after she wrapped up — and there were many students talking with her after the morning session.
Kareem Dale followed Judy … wishing that he had been first (her story is so powerful). Dale is founder and chief executive officer of The Dale Law Group (DLG) in Chicago, and served as the Obama campaign’s Disability Vote Director. Dale is a native Chicagoan and received his bachelor’s degree in Advertising from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He graduated Cum Laude with a law degree and an MBA from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in May, 1999. Dale now serves as special assistant to the president for disability policy.
Mr. Dale, who is partly blind, read from a prepared Braille speech that was very eloquent and thoroughly motivating. He spoke to everyone in the room – not just those with disabilities. In his speech at the COSD, FullAccess Summit in Bethesda, Maryland he shared his views of going further in a world of change. When summing up his thoughts he asked if there were questions from the students … and 20 hands were raised. Naturally this set off a series of movements from interpreters in the room to assist those that needed help in conveying their question(s) properly. The whole process was – well – powerful.
While the college football gameday unfolded, I was snapping images of what I saw, what I felt and the certainly the interaction of some very bright collge students. Herein are some images of the day. Enjoy.
Somewhere around mid-December (this year it’s on December 12th) visions of sugar plums turn into reality for 175 area underprivileged children as they are treated to a day of shopping, lunch, and a party with Santa. The magic begins with 175 children and volunteer chaperones boarding buses to be whisked away to K Mart on Broadway. Each child goes shopping for gifts of their choosing. Following the shopping spree, the children and chaperones are bused back to the Salvation Army Headquarters to enjoy lunch and a party in a festive atmosphere provided by vendors and sponsors of the Weigel’s Family Christmas. Before their special day concludes, Santa arrives to everyone’s delight. The Weigel’s Family Christmas is funded by both Weigel’s Convenience Stores and the proceeds from the annual golf outing.
I was a “worker” and photographer at this year’s event that hosted more that 140 golfers at River Island Golf Course. I’ve enclosed a few pictures herein from my day on the course. The overall event was a tremendous success – bolstered by sunshine, smiling support staff, lots of food and the contributions of many, many partners of Weigel’s. At the end of the day I was reminded that the event is all about the kids.
The 50 ft. Santa Cruz class “Tahoe Cruz” is new to the North Shore of Lake Tahoe. The cabin down below was complete with a galley, marine head and changing berth. Top deck, the Tahoe Cruz’s 12 foot beam and comfortable seating accommodates up to 25 people … and we had 25 folks enjoying the excursion. Sponsored by a great company, the sunset ‘cruz’ was a wonderful diversion from our meetings at the end of the day. Herein you’ll find me at the helm. I was permitted to sail her for a while – and even the captain was impressed with my knowledge and abilities. From this two hour experience I see a boat (smaller!) in my future.
Sure, we were in California/Nevada, but with a sunset on such blue water it felt like the Pacific. Aloha.
Although the mountain itself is not an impressive sight, the views from the summit are among the most spectacular of all the Tahoe Peaks, encompassing a broad swath of mountains from distant Lassen Peak to the North, nearby Castle Peak to the northwest, the peaks surrounding Lake Tahoe, and Round Top to the south. The peak offers superb views of South Lake Tahoe and the Truckee area immediately below. Although the peak can be easily hiked in a half day, we took most of the day. Long story but fun none the less. Enjoy the photos.
I bought this Brinkmann Longhorn Smoker Grill constructed of fully welded, 1/4 inch thick steel and heavy-duty hinged lids from Lowe’s about seven years ago. It’s got recessed lids to give an airtight fit – which keeps the heat and smoke inside. On the left of the firebox it has an adjustable air vent and on the right a smokestack damper that in combination allow me to regulate heat and smoke. What I really enjoy is the large firebox for longer cooking times that converts easily to a grill for cooking smaller meals.
This unit retailed at $1,700 and is no longer available. I’m thankful for my personal version (serial # 35282). I just finished smoking (then BBQ’ing) three pounds of filet, three chicken breasts and a large flank steak. These smoked selections will be enjoyed all week long. Smoke oneth.
When looking into the camera sometimes we see cold scenes which appear stark and empty. More often than not, the abundant life is hidden from the focal point of the camera and buried in the background. Sea-side is a favorite location to capture images, like today’s photo …. which is brimming with life. Most of which is hidden. Naturally it feels cold, but it’s close to the ocean and just heartbeats away from the mainland. Aloha.
After riding my bike 75 miles in truly cold weather, I am exhausted.
I rode from my house to the Dragon and back, and the temp (windchill) was around 34 degrees. Burr.
Actually I rode 37.5 miles from home and turned around … thank goodness. On the return trip, as I crossed the Foothills Parkway, I looked east toward Gatlinburg and North Carolina … wow. Every mountain top was covered in snow. It was a beautiful sight, but the brisk temps made the trek a little “tougher.” I stopped on my return trip to snap the photo of the day. Enjoy.
“The Sea, once it casts its spell,
holds one in its net of wonder forever.”
–Jacques Cousteau
Little did we know that just up the mountain side from us (we stayed in Keauhou) was an inactive volcano. The name? Hualalai.
And it is the third youngest and third-most historically active volcano on the Island of Hawai`i. Six different vents erupted lava between the late 1700s and 1801, two of which generated lava flows that poured into the sea on the west coast of the island. The Keahole Airport, located only 11 km north of Kailua-Kona, is built atop the larger flow.
Though Hualalai is not nearly as active as Mauna Loa or Kilauea, recent geologic mapping of the volcano shows that 80 percent of Hualalai’s surface has been covered by lava flows in the past 5,000 years. In the past few decades, when most of the resorts, homes, and commercial buildings were built on the flanks of Hualalai, earthquake activity beneath the volcano has been low. In 1929, however, an intense swarm of earthquakes lasting more than a month was most likely caused by magma rising to near the surface. For these reasons, Hualalai is considered a potentially dangerous volcano that is likely to erupt again in the next 100 years.
Notice Hualali in the background of the attached photo. It’s close enough to climb, and close enough to blanket the area with lava. Better arrange for a getaway boat, cause we’re gonna need one.
Aloha.
Yes, I missed the mainland. I missed some of the folks at my office. I missed the smell of my home (it’s really nice), the leather seat smell in my car, my bicycle, and the other creature comforts of East Tennessee life. What I miss even more is a 10,700 square mile island whose name is Hawai’i.
Somewhere near sunset on Sunday, November 9th, our flight from KOA (Kona, Hawai’i) took off without delay. That sucked. Just about the time wheels “were up,” a baby in the back of the plane howled.
I muttered under my breath, “exactly!” And with that I looked out the window to gather one last glimpse of the Big Island. The 12 days were not enough. But a ’stay’ isn’t enough, is it? The bright side of this gig is simple: in less than 12 months I’ll be in Hawai’i twice. Yes, two times.
Aloha oe. Aloha.
This beautiful and peaceful park in Hilo is dedicated to Queen Lydia Lili’uokalani – the greatly beloved and final Monarch of the Hawaiian islands. Queen Lili’uokalani ruled Hawai’i from January 17, 1891 until her illegal deposition on January 17, 1893 by American business, political, and military interests. While there I took a bunch of photos – most of which were around high-noon – with direct sunlight just overhead. Ergo, it’s difficult to capture images without blowing them out. Here’s one that survived. Enjoy – aloha.
The drama over image spots began months ago, and I naturally thought it was my lens, not the sensor. Ergo, I cleaned both ends and kept going. Most of my shots were “ok” but there were a few that included blue skys and the nasty buggahs appeared. My “do-it-yourself” attitude arrived just after reading the manual regarding “manual cleaning.” HA! My photos were “ok” prior to my handiwork then corrupted afterward. Thank goodness for Lighthaus Cameras in Kona, Hawai’i. I found them in my (yes, my personal Hawai’i phonebook), but it was the article here that put my not-so-happy ass in the car to visit them. They have a super-kewl store, LOTS of cameras, lenses, filters, bags (Crumpler brand as well), and if you need it they have it. I was TOTALLY surprised – happy I might add. The sensor was spotted up and the dust inside was knee deep. Within an hour Lighthaus took my camera from yucko to perfecto. I returned back to the condo to pack my gear to leave for the day – and snapped this sunny photo prior to venturing South. Aloha.
The images herein are just two of the (many) photos I gathered yesterday while traveling to and from Hilo, Hawai’i. I visited Ken Cameron at Hilo Guitar and purchased a Kanile’a K-1 Tenor ukulele, toured Hilo and basically enjoyed a great vacation day. There is so much to see and do, and honestly I was overwhelmed by the beauty, sounds and views. While I want to share the entire journey, I need to get back to my Kona coffee and the Pacific. Enough for now.
Aloha.
I took these two images last night about 10PM – just before bedtime. The first thing you notice is it’s VERY dark outside. Literally no lights but the stars – and a few lights from Kona just a few miles away. So don’t let these images fool you – it’s super-dark. What you see is a :30 exposure (as in 30 seconds), and I did NOT re-touch these to give them the red glow. When you open them, click all the way to the full sized image – notice the stars in the background. What you see is what I captured.
I’m sipping my Kona coffee (grown and roasted nearby) – about ready to pack and get gone for the day. No need in letting the sunrise be missed. Plenty of time to nap later today. Aloha.
{Lunch location: Kona Canoe Club, Kona, Hawaii. October 29th, 2008}
Can you imagine how difficult it’s been to contain my enthusiasm about a vacation to Hawai’i?
Several months ago I stopped counting the number of people who asked me if I was excited. My external answer consistently was ‘why yes.’ My internal response was vastly different: “No, I cannot live that dream until the wheels touch ‘aina on Kona.” Had I uttered that response I’m certain many of my friends would have wondered if I was smoking pakalolo. (NO – I cannot afford to lose any of my lung capacity!) So, I quit sharing my vacation plans with everyone but the TLGE.
Honestly, what happens when we jump ahead? I mean, it’s easy to jump ahead with a magical thought of “Hawai’i.” Right?! What happens? We set up false expectations of how the journey will unfold, transpire or evolve. I was guilty of that with the TLGE. In fact, so much so that it nearly changed the course of the trip altogether. Nuf said about that for now, but seriously – let’s say you get ‘worked up’ over a trip to Hawai’i and somehow, nearing the date of departure, a close family member dies. Then what?
Change of plans? Yes, of course. Well, unless that family member sucked and you are glad they took the one-way elevator to Hell! LOL.
What goes on in our heads? I tell you what goes on … all sorts of crazy, 99.99999999999% inaccurate thoughts.
The more I’ve focused on staying in the moment, the more my coffee pot full of Kona coffee seemed to brew in my head.
As I picked out shoes to wear each day, the more my Reef flip-flops shouted, “wear me today.”
It gets worse.
When I donned my favorite Aloha shirt, the more my blog posts screamed Aloha and the more I fought the sweet life I live in East Tennessee “today.”
Early in the year I dealt with a particularly nasty asshole in my business world and frankly it was super draining, super disruptive and day-dreaming of Aloha was super easy. Staying in the moment was difficult. I stayed in the cold New England frame of mind because it helped me resolve the issues at hand.
My sister gave me a gift card for Christmas that I saved – for some reason. Each time I thought about going to Guitar Center to purchase a ukulele, I freaked out – thinking it was a leap into the future. Eventually I did purchase a uke, but it was much, much later in the year.
Over the last 9 months the more I’ve focused on ‘right now,’ the more SPF15 I needed. HA! And when my thoughts switched from day-dreaming to living in the future … whew … that’s all I could say. I struggled at times. However, I recognized the shift (just about every time) then immediately turned the channel back to the present moment.
Today when I heard “wheels up,” I officially went “live” with my vacation: Hawaiian tunes on the iPod, travel book in hand, and the MacBook ready for a pre-blog arrival post.
The fact is many folks consider a trip to Hawai’i a dream vacation. In other words, a vacation somewhat out of reach and if enjoyed it would be only once in a lifetime. As such, living it before it’s real can sabotage the enjoyment, relaxation and creation of unique memories. I liken it to folks who live out the Holidays long in advance and then are depressed with the outcome.
This trip marks my sixth visit to Hawai’i – which is an overt way to say Aloha wau ia Hawai’i. As long as I’m alive and the Islands of Hawai’i exist, I’ll continue to go – albeit at the expense of some retirement fund (who wants to surf when they’re 80 – or who can??).
The challenge of financing it, organizing it, making way for it, and living in the moment day-to-day makes the trip even more special (to me anyway). The process, in other words, is enjoyable and rewarding. That’s what I call “living in the moment.”
Now then, it’s here! Let’s get busy with vacationing “in the now.”
Aloha.
Over the last few days I’ve had plenty of time to think about my life, values, perceptions and direction. Much of it feels good, but there are areas which I want to improve in the coming calendar year. The energy of those around me, over the last few days, helped make the attached photos even better. Enjoy.
I woke up at 5AM (PST) and decided to get my camera out so I could snap some early photos of the atrium below my room. Interestingly, the whole room seems to glow on digital but is much softer in real life. It’s time for some coffee before the crowds arrive at the StarChuck’s stand (Starbucks). Later.
At this very moment what I miss most (along with my BGE) is the ability take my bike outside and ride the 22 miles of the Foothills Parkway from Highway 321 to Highway 129. It’s an hour into my trip, I’m headed toward the west coast and I miss the Foothills Parkway.
Honestly, I love that stretch of road.
Figuratively.
Literally.
Sure it’s just a road, a passage or a gateway to 129 for many folks. For me it’s a passage to something I’m addicted to – a heart rate monitor which reads 88-90%. The feeling of riding the first three miles at 13.5mph or even 15mph at times is like nothing else. Sure, it seems slow but it’s a CAT3 climb and I’m 47 (racing age).
I love the Foothills Parkway because it’s smooth, scenic, elevated, and it recharges my batteries as much as it drains them.
People ask me if I bored (or boring – ha!) with riding it. “Nope” is my answer. There is so much to see … and because you’re traveling slower you can soak it up. Sure, the fall leaves usher in motorcycles, leaf-peeps, and crazy locals driving their trucks loaded with huntin’ dogs.
However, the dogs don’t’ chase riders and people usually yield the right of way. Except for drivers from Florida, people are generally kind with cyclists. And, during the bulk of the year, the Look Rock campsite is open and water is accessible – which is a good thing when you ride 80 miles in the mountains of East Tennessee. I suspect I’ll ride the road in the dark this winter (after work) and certainly on the weekends. As I said, it’s a gateway to 129 that leads to Deals Gap, which leads to North Carolina, which gives way to the Cherohala Skyway (and it too is on my diet of winter climbing this year and next).
I’ve learned a few things riding and racing this year, and asked for lots of advice. (I like to learn from others who are more accomplished than me.) One piece of advice stands out (from my friend Dave Hickson) and it’s straight up: either get strong and race like there’s no tomorrow or become pack fodder and tell your buddies a bullshit story about “why you got dropped.”
Getting stronger requires commitment, the ability to suffer and a lifestyle of “discipline.” This is especially true when you ride 95% of your miles alone. Solitude on the bike can become a degrading nightmare or a point of pride when you’ve got to leave the group to make your own way against the wind. Lots of guys race, but very few are willing (or able) to move to the front and make the race happen. Being at the front doesn’t mean you are going to win, it just means you’re not out to be pack fodder.
For me the love of cycling isn’t about the bike nor making the point that I am disciplined. It’s about staying connected to the world in a way which moves a little slower, is fresher and more authentic.
Enough for now. In my mind’s eye I am riding oneth.
Last Friday, after a particularly tough week, I stopped a few miles from home to snap some photos. It felt good to pause and look around for a few minutes.
A lot of the “work-related” tension seemed to flow outward toward to mountains … the Foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains.
While this photo has a lot of “noise” due to the low light and exploded view, it’s indicitive of late afternoons in the fall near my home in Maryville. Enjoy.
I visited my client and friends at Jackson Mountain Homes today. Along for the ride was my Canon 400d – and a little help from the ambient sunlight. Arriving about 15 minutes early, I opted to take a few photos of the roses in the roadside flower beds. Enjoy these fall photos because the frost will get them soon enough.
This photo treatment is based on a smaller photographic file (less than 2MB) with excellent definition. I’ve applied my personal DAE to this photo which took about an hour to assemble. Click on the file to view – it will take a few seconds to load.
Aunt Lucy is a dear lady – who still plays a serious game of cards, wins at dominoes and knits huge afghans to pass the time. I’m not sure she’s seen this photo (maybe), it was taken at Thanksgiving a couple of years ago. Enjoy.
The photo retouch herein suggests what’s possible when working with a warm-colored photograph, which shows good flesh tones and natural light, and then opting to take advantage of Photoshop’s range of colorization effects. Using these effects in moderation — or more importantly — with subtlety, will likely yield spectacular photographs that your friends and family will ‘ooh’ and ‘ahh’ over. Naturally I pushed the levels, saturation and hue to make it dramatic. Photo one is the original and photo two my color treatment now known as the DA Effect (DAE for short). Click to enlarge.
The beautiful weather and cool temperature made for a wonderful start to the 2008 Rocket Run: The Fastest 10K in Tennessee. In its first year as a 10K, The Rocket Run enjoyed a lot of smiling faces and the encouragement of many, many volunteers from Appalachian Bear Rescue of Townsend, Tennessee.
Jeff Day set the course record with a 32:43 and Allison Maurer was the overall women’s winner with a 43:16. All racers were timed by Total Race Solutions.
As Secretary for the Board of Directors, I enjoyed the process of assembling and helping organize the 10K event. Thanks to all those folks that contributed – both those on the Board and those who are “Black Bear-minded.”
Appalachian Bear Rescue is highly appreciative of everyone’s help.
The photo gallery herein recaps the fun at our event.
For 2009, it’ll be even faster.
Rock on.
The Tour was lively today. The news is aplenty … Google it. The advertising on Versus is really BAD. The Lance/Trek ads suck (what’s the big idea??). So do the Saab ads. Millions of viewers would rather enjoy some background music and random cycling shots instead of the same ads over and over again. NO we will NOT consider buying a Saab NOR a Trek.
I spent 4.5 hours riding up/down the Foothills Parkway today. What’s up with Florida drivers???? More close calls than I care to discuss, but three of four were Florida drivers. Other than crazy Floridians it was actually fun to climb, climb and climb some more. (Yesterday I was there for 3 hours doing lots of the same: climbing in big gears making my legs scream, my jersey feel as if I jumped in a swimming pool and my water bottle say, “dang, you refilling again!”)
Today’s image was taken atop the Parkway — an 8,776 pixel width shot, but 1,550 for your viewing pleasure. Click to enlarge.
Oh. Viva Le Tour (the Italian Viva, not the French variety).
(click to enlarge)
On a “recon” mission, I visited Dayton, Tennessee, a quaint little community near the Tennessee River (very close) and just an hour and a half from Maryville. Later this week a bike race will convene at Rhea County Elementary School. Not a swap meet, a race. Ergo, my happy little (emphasis on little) ass visited the school, the community and I rode the course.
As you exit RCES your bike jumps around on Delaware, then Florida, then Brayton Mountain Road. Eventually you begin climbing (for over five miles you climb). Along the way, I passed many trailers (mostly single-wides), dogs on chains (thank-you Lord), Confederate flags (“Hey, I’m from Memphis, deep in the South ….”), and yes, a lovely mountain called Brayton. Actually, Brayton Mountain is located in Graysville – on Graysville Road (Brayton Mountain Road becomes Graysville Road), just when you think you’ve reached the summit, the darn thing kicks up again … and again … and even a third time. As evident in the photo I took (after traipsing through poison ivy: ), it’s situated up above the valley floor.
Just after taking this photo, I stopped to ask … “where is New Harmony Road” – and the fellow that answered (a postman) said, “you missed that turn about four miles back ….” Thanks. Ok then. I realized my water bottle was running low, my stomach needed food and I wanted to be done with my workout. Launching back toward New Harmony I traveled onward. Eventually NHR turns onto Highway 30, and after making a right turn, I continued toward RCES. In my way were ten rollers that can be race-definers …. as though the five mile climb is ‘easy.’ Ha.
While on Highway 30, my first bottle was MT. That’s pronounced, “M – Tee.” (I picked that up from working at the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona – the very year we won the race outright – the very year I bought my own Rolex Daytona watch).
Ok then, back to the ride.
In the midst of single-wides, abandoned cars and homes, I noticed two kids sitting on the side of the road, in little kid-like foldout chairs, at a kid-sized table, with a kid-made sign and Dixie cups. Now I don’t know about the rest of the world, but stopping to show my support sounded fun. Fun it was.
When I pulled into the gravel driveway, ‘mom’ soon appeared while I ordered-up a cup of the house lemonade. It looked cool. The little boy (Steven) said, “you want a large or small?” I said, “I’ll take a bottle full.” His quizzical look was funny – truly. I reached into my little bag underneath the seat and produced a $5 bill. His eyes widened and he seem to smile, but wasn’t sure what to do in the transaction. Mom grabbed the pitcher and I asked her to pour it in the bottle -which she did. I then asked, “how’s business.” No response from Steven nor his little brother (who sat there idly, probably thinking of the Cartoon Network) … and mom didn’t respond either. Oh well. I then suggested that he raise the price of a large cup to at least $1 (it was .50) and charge extra for ice. Steven smiled.
I handed him the $5 bill and said thanks – keep the change.
I’m not a betting man, but I suspect that Steven closed up shop and called it day.
Oh. The product taste-test! Well, I assume that Steven made it … as the ratio of ‘ade’ to H20 was on the sweet side. One good thing, my mph went up, my legs had a little more kick and I had a huge smile on my face. After a few more rollers I caught the downhill into Dayton … four miles of 8% downhill …. at 45mph …. with trucks near me …. and cars. Whew. The smile that a little lemonade stand created was with me all the way down to the car, and it stayed there. And it’s still there today.
I’m not sure about the race on Saturday (to go or not), I’m thinking that July 4th requires ample celebration and merriment, all of which are not conducive when preparing for a race next-day. Maybe the BGE and I’ll travel into the National Park and enjoy some creekside grilling at Metcalf Bottoms … along with a nap and some light reading. Ahh, rest day. The Firecracker 100 launches from the Old City at 8AM on Saturday and then finishes at Barley’s with pizza and beer. That sounds pretty good – a ride versus a race on a Saturday morning. Now that creates an even bigger smile.
Ride on.
Imagine a day at the beach. Before reading on, click the photo and see full-sized.
Now then … no peps, no work, no noise. Just sun, snorkeling, SPF-something applied frequently, lots of c-o-l-d (burr) beverages, a good book, the kite, sunglasses, iPod and of course the water proof camera. Oh, and the BGE. Those are the makings of a good time at the beach – Hawaii-style.
Splash on.
Take a look at this photo – do you see what’s really going on with the riders? The untrained eye would not notice the significant effort nor appreciate the energy required to move “at speed.” When the casual observer sees a race, the typical thought bubble above his or her head is something along the lines of …”I can do that – it’s just riding a bicycle.” Some folks feel (and think aloud), “maybe I should ride my bike – or even race. Sure, I’ll give it a try.” Careful though – don’t be fooled into believing it’s easy to move fast – continuously and for long periods of time. It takes years of training to get there — if at all.
If you care to stress your heart, your body, your entire being – a bicycle is worthy of riding. It gives as much as you give – and then some. Ride because you love the bike and ride because you know it will extend life as we know it. Ride on.
Sounds funny doesn’t it? Life and breathing go hand in hand. If you ride, run, swim, play basketball or any sport you eventually breathe a little harder. Sometimes much harder. For me it is an overt reminder how dependent we are our lungs to bring in fresh oxygen – to create energy and propel us forward. I ride because I want to breathe a little harder and hopefully a little longer in this lifetime. Ride on.
When the “A” ride rolled last night a few of us were tired from the weekend’s activities. Me? I was tired. My Saturday road race activities resulted in a 13th place finish (5th place in 40+). I wasn’t comfortable mixing it up on the front end of the peloton and thus sprinted from the back of the field. My sprint propelled me past 10 riders but 13th was all I could muster. Keeping in mind that 4 guys were already “in” because they broke away earlier in the race.
We covered 58 miles at an average pace of 24.1 MPH with LOTS of slow pace along the way. Average heart rate was 141 – not bad considering all the horses – and their crap in the way etc. etc. Later in the day we completed a 20K time trial. Once again I was LATE! I live close to the start point (closer than any one else) and was LATE~! Prior to my start, a junior came up and asked to borrow some chain/freewheel tools and I responded with … “I need to go.” I helped him anyway.
Um, I “thought” the start of the TT was at the “normal” spot. BUT NO!!!!!!!!!! IT was 3 f&#@* miles up the road. With just 7 minutes to my 5:37 start time, I had to time trial to the real start point. BLAH. No warm up, just hitting it hard from the get-go. My time reflected the “mistake” … Funny, several ‘competitors’ commented about how they beat me. HA. I defeated myself by not warming up properly, by being late, and by not knowing the location of the start gate. Last time I assure you. Mistakes are what separate us. Summary – 30:13 (with a :15 delay start) – I covered the first 3 miles (warming up) in 5:40 (Damn!~) – Average heart rate – 158.
Sunday-Sunday-Sunday: Crits are it and when you’re fit you’re fit. I started in my usual last place and moved up to 9th at the finish. Good enough. Summary: 7th place in the Omnium and 4th place in the Masters 40+.
I feel better now. Ride on.
It seems that an opacity filter is looming in my CSS which translates to photos that appear to be “washed out” or “faded.” This is one obvious reason that some folks look at my images and say, “uh, that’s ‘ok.’” Thus, my homeboy Toe is checking out the HTML code to locate the opacity rule. Should we find it, we’ll push it to ‘o.’
The Duchess and I visited Tremont early this morning. Enjoying the quiet roadways, parkway and Mecca itself. Very few cars were moving – and even fewer toward the National Park. The access road to Gatlinburg is closed for a few days and thus car traffic was minimal. I visited Tremont just after the rain finished and captured these shots. Click to enlarge. Enjoy.
Just a few shots of lush forest, cool running streams and the inner-sanctum I call Mecca. Tremont is a hidden jewel within the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. If you have the opportunity to visit – do so. Click on the photo to see a 1250 pixel width version. Enjoy.
The churches of downtown Fayetteville are beautiful – and abundant. The three photos stitched together provide a segmented view of the bell tower, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. St. Paul’s was founded in 1848, but stands in its current location from 1888. The first Episcopal Church in Fayetteville was organized in May, 1848, by The Rev W.C. Stout and a small group, who met in private homes for about six years. Then, in October, 1854, a frame church building at the corner of what is now College and Meadow was dedicated by Bishop Freeman. During the early stages of the Civil War, the church was struck by lightning and destroyed. Whoa. Today this church has modernized itself … with its own podcast! Worship on.
Around the Crit Course at the Joe Martin Stage Race beautiful sights abound. Downtown Fayetteville is wonderful – lots of older restored homes with nice lawns and flowers. Churches are equally abundant and beautiful as well.
Imagine hundreds of bicyclists speeding by so much beauty and never noticing it. I was one of those “hundreds” who didn’t have time to notice … well … while on the bike. After my race I walked around the Crit Course and captured racer images and some scenic shots along the way. Who says cyclists don’t stop and smell the flowers once and a while.
Ride on.
The Joe Martin Stage Race took place May 8th – 11th, 2008 in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Renamed after Martin’s death in 1988, the race has become one of the premier events on the National Race Calendar. The NRC is the pro and elite amateur cycling tour of USA Cycling. The JMSR is only one of two events in Arkansas on the NRC.
This year, as I did last year, I registered and raced in the Masters 45+ category. The field was mixed with Masters 55+ which made the entire event even more competitive.
Saturdays’ Road Race:
The weather was cool to start but warmed quickly. Most of the arm warmers were shed early – even prior to the start. Like most Masters’ races, the jumps and attacks were frequent and aplenty from the start.
In 2007 Bruce Tanner got off the front and completed the entire road race solo. I had an entire year to ponder why I was unwilling to bridge the gap to him. This year – my thought – if he goes, “I go.” More than enough impetus to jump when he jumped.
Ahh. He jumped. I jumped. And we were away. However, the field had another thing in mind. They jumped too. And the process began again. And again.
When we settled into a semi-pace line, three guys rolled off the front and no one chased. Then another rolled off the front and no one chased. Then another. Naturally we “looked” as if they were going to chase the five down – but no one wanted to chase.
On the first climb we pushed the pace and most of the field went into OD (oxygen debt) quickly. I rode with four other guys away from the pack and kept climbing. We crested the first climb and descended … only to have the pack rejoin. I jumped again and that was my first mistake. I forgot that another climb was coming – and it was longer and steeper. Ooops. My heart rate maxed quickly and I rode in second gear hoping to recover. I didn’t. And we went hard again.
I kept pushing through the pain – suffering was expected. Our smaller group began working together and slowly bridged the gap to the riders who were off the front. Within four miles we regrouped and what was left of the field (25 riders) rode together. Mindless attacks and jumps kept coming and going from that point onward. The wind was blowing so hard (25-30), it would be insane to consider rolling away from the field. Ergo no one did.
With five miles to go, jumps were more frequent and I thought that several of us had gapped the field … but they rejoined us. Then a final attack (which I doubted would survive) left us and stayed just 15 seconds in front. Because we were just two miles from the finish it would have been a huge gamble to bridge the gap – so I sat up.
Approaching the downhill finish the peloton began a surge and the pace increased dramatically. The faster we moved the bigger the gear we pushed and at 500 meters two guys jumped but were quickly passed as they ran out of steam. Around 250 meters I stood up and gave my best – finishing 9th across the line.
SUMMARY: 45 miles – average heart rate 151 – maxed twice – average speed 23.1 – 9th place finish (improved from 17th place in 2007)
Time Trail – the afternoon Day One
The TT for the Joe Martin Stage Race is held at Devil’s Den State Park. An uphill time-trial pushed all athletes to test their abilities and mental fortitude to overcome pain. Racers started every 30 seconds to race the 2.5-mile climb out of Devil’s Den State Park on Highway 170.
This is a race of truth – because it determines what you can do without a team or the peloton.
I arrived in time to warm up but with a light rain shower in the area, I elected to use the Cyclops tented area versus setting up my personal version. This proved to be mistake number two. While positioning my bike on the trainer, my front wheel turned to the left (slightly) and brushed the rear wheel of a guy in front of me (spinning on a trainer). Within a millisecond my front wheel deflated from a pretty incision on the sidewall.
“Bad, that’s really bad,” were the only words I could offer up. I just smiled and hung my head. The double oops was (and my third mistake) that I did NOT bring a set of backup wheels (from the hotel). My mind went out of control and I literally freaked out … but my outward appearance was cool, collected and calm. I felt like yelling “WTF!!” I didn’t.
Thankfully another rider loaned me a wheel. Ironically (!), it was an exact duplicate of what I use: a Reynolds DV. Exactly. I completed the warm up with the borrowed wheel, suited up, and pulled up to the line. Now we get to mistake number four: I took off like the TT was flat! I reached max heart rate just as the climb kicked up and I was cooked.
Naturally I had to slow down. BLAH. Once my heart rate dropped below 92% of max, I kicked again and pushed hard on my pedals. I passed two riders on the way up and felt painfully good all the way to the line. When I crossed the line at 11:16, I had bested my 2007 time by 32 seconds. Although a dramatic improvement, it was not fast enough to place me in the top five.
I finished 8th overall.
Ok then. Four mistakes and growing. Let’s review the others: I forgot a backup cassette for my crit wheels (mistake five), and the trainer wheel for the trainer (mistake six). WTF x 6. Interestingly, races like the Joe Martin are often won because you make very few mistakes (on or off the bike) – and six wasn’t a number I particularly like thinking about … or remembering.
DAY TWO – The Crit – Sunday, May 11th.
The field lined up with anticipation of the coming storm. The storm is what I affectionately call the first few laps of a crit – - fast paced, jumpy, borderline OD, and certainly danger in the corners as riders establish position.
Within five laps I was midfield and maintaining.
With four to go I was near the back of the field (what was left of it).
With one lap to go I didn’t move up – lazy I guess – or fearful of going into a corner four deep!
The seventh mistake: not moving up.
When I crossed the line I was 13th and the position slotted me in the GC (Grand Classification) at 13th overall. Good weekend, but the same exact placing as 2007. Except this year I improved my RR and TT finishes.
From Friday to Sunday I was a photo hound who captured images via my Canon 400d. I snapped 1600+ photos and that left me feeling pretty good. Mostly because the images are nice reminders of why I’m in this sport called bicycle racing.
I’m looking forward to 2009. I’ll be back in Fayetteville for the 32nd Joe Martin Stage Race, and I’ll stay in Arkansas another week to participate in the Tour of Arkansas the following weekend. Yeah.
Ride on.
NOTE: There are LOTS of photos in my bank of images from the weekend. I was able to capture mostly Elite Men and Pro Women along with Men 1-2. There are 1600 images total. The Men 1-2 CRIT photos will be posted later today. If you see an image – use it and use my name to recognize its use. Other than that – mine are FREE. If you want a particular image (larger file), just email me: davery@tombras.com – I’ll do my best to find it.
Thanks –
Within the last month I’ve met two Commissaires. First, I met Ellen Dorsey at the Tour de Ephrata and now, Dot Abbott at the Joe Martin/2008. Ms. Abbott is an international Commissaire – - which basically means she is qualified for UCI events domestically and abroad. And that translates to queen of the event hands down. Shall we bow? Seriously, she’s super nice and all about business. When asked how she manages such a large event (Joe Martin), Abbott said, “it’s just management … people are people and in this case the volunteers help make it much easier.”
Within eyesight there were at least three dozen volunteers helping make the 2008 Joe Martin a successful event. Here are a few candid photos of folks doing their thing – making it easier, safer and much smoother to enjoy for all the athletes. Thanks.
The photos are few in number because the pros were moving … as if they didn’t (!) ascend the 9 miles to Mount Gaylor. They came up on us very quickly – jumped by us quickly – and were GONE.
After a brief ride on my bike this morning, I took a quick shower, ate some lunch and visited Wal-Mart. Yeah. I bought the Canon EF f/4.5 70-300mm lens for my 400d. Alas, most of today’s photos resulted from my purchase. I’m certainly no professional – but I do enjoy capturing what I see. These are from the top of Mount Gaylor – from what’s left of the tourist stop on Highway 71. Prior to I-540, this was a stopping point for lots of travelers …. today it feels like a ghost town.
This past Sunday I traveled to the Foothills Parkway and enjoyed the mountain air, the scenic views and some climbing. Getting there was a challenge due to the line of cars backed up from the “open house” on the north side of the Foothills Parkway. I’m not certain what was served at the open house, but I suspect it was either money or alcohol (due to the number of cars – ha). The attached photo is just a Pentax snapshot of spring – springing in Great Smoky Mountains. I enjoyed it – a lot.
The time trial, for Masters men, started early. Burr is what I added to “Pain Mountain.” It was 46 degrees when we started (my start time was 8:10), a little wet (just rained prior to the start) and misty.
Lots of guys were on road bikes and that made me wonder, “what the hell am I doing with my TT bike?” It didn’t matter at that point because I left my road bike at the hotel! I strolled over to a guy who was preparing some wheels for a team and asked him to help me with my rear disc wheel. In getting it pumped up I asked if lots of guys were on TT bikes. His comment: “The first 5 or 6 miles are the race and a TT bike will give you an advantage.” With the tire and the insights I started to warm up.
Naturally I like to push my luck in getting to the starting line on time. I rolled to the start area with ONE minute to spare. Literally. I pulled off my rain jacket and clipped in my pedals.
Somewhere at mile 4-ish, I passed my thirty-second man, then my one-minute man, then my minute-and-a-half man … but that was mid-way up Pain Mountain. Ha.
Pain Mountain is an 18%-20% grade in the steepest section. Clearly I had the wrong gears … as I almost ground to a halt. At 1Km I clicked over to 23 minutes … and it took me another three and a half minutes to climb 1Km. WTF! Let me tell you – I can climb but not on a TT bike, with the wrong gears, slipping tire, stabbing pain, etc. etc. A little easier gear (I had an 11-23 on the rear) would have helped. I finished at 26:29 (8 miles total).
Later in the day I learned that I was 10th overall – with just 19 seconds separating the guys in 5th through 10th position. I kept imaging a different gear selection and what I “could have done.” Ok – next year. I was happy to pull a 10th place finish.
I left the area and drove back to Lancaster. I ate a Mickey D’s Egg McMuffin and then I stopped at Sheetz and got a breakfast burrito to go. I drank more coffee … I went in and packed … I showered (again) … I readied my road bike. I left.
CRIT Time. First, I dislike crit racing. I’ve had two lovely wrecks in crits and both ended in concussions. My policy is to start at the back and work my way up. Crazy policy but at least I have the opportunity to either be dropped or move up.
The short version: I moved up to 20th place in the crit and never worked that hard. We averaged 25.8 for 22 laps. Pretty fast considering that we slowed up with 7 lead changes.
SUMMARY: 17th in RR, 10th in TT and 20th in Crit; 16th overall and I was happy to walk away from the weekend with some lessons to help me in the future. One thing I learned – in a Masters field full of CAT1/2’s you can bank on it being fast, intense and competitive. I believe the Tour de Ephrata is on my list of repeats for 2009.
Ride-on.
Photographs from the 2008 Tour de Ephrata on Elco Road.
Photographs from the 2008 Tour de Ephrata on Elco Road – ladies finish.
The Amish countryside near Myerstown gave a few hundred racers the opportunity to test their ability to push, recover, and push even harder. The weather in the early part of the day was sunny and clear. Within hours however the skies clouded up and the temperature dropped significantly.
Let’s see how this short and painful road race unfolded.
Accustomed to jumping from the get-go – that’s exactly what I did. It was met with frowns and some odd looks. By the first turn the pace heated up. I held a line and got pushed aside. I touched a guy on the hip and it offered up some words that didn’t feel right. He ended his sentence with “fuck you.” Several of his teammates from the “Spinners” did more of the same – three of which pushed me out of the pace line. I suspect my jersey was foreign to them and they had no intentions of allowing me to stay in the pace line. Within the next mile the field jumped three times and five guys were off the front.
Not knowing anyone in the race, I would assume the few guys that launched an attack were actually elite riders who were Pros or CAT1’s. They were away – and with a strong and steady headwind for half of the course, we weren’t going to catch them unless the group worked. Clearly no one wanted to work. However, the pace and the movement on course felt more like a crit than a road race. How I wished we had a real hill to climb – to weed out some of the followers unwilling to work.
The smell of fertilizer and chicken houses (grow-out houses) was all around us … it was strong. We were in the middle of farming country with many growers laying down fertilizer most of day. I stayed near the front and worked – not with “bridging the gap” in mind – with the hopeful attitude that a few of use might make a break. No luck. Not on any lap.
The last leg of the race had us fighting a terrific cross wind and it meant that most riders were in the gutter with nothing to do but push.
The “sprint” started sooner than expected, and with about 500 meters the group strung out. I went into my best TT position and pushed. I passed six guys and crossed the line 17th. Glad to be “DONE.”
Afterward I spoke with Ellen Dorsey, UCI Commissaire about the interaction on-course. Funny, we both agreed that the rider’s sponsors wouldn’t appreciate showcasing a “tude” while racing. Moving onward – yes.
SUMMARY: 35 mile circuit race – average speed unknown (computer didn’t track it) – average heart rate 161 (whew) – new max heart rate at 191. 17th place in a field of 62 riders.
What a day. I’m thankful I left on Thursday – whew. I drove about 7 hours today and that’s too damn much. The drive was comfortable but the extra hours (several extra hours) dedicated to finding a hotel, the road race location, the time trail course and then the hotel itself … were exhaustive. When I FINALLY made it to the hotel (after driving around downtown Lancaster, PA for an hour looking for a place to get some take out) – guess what?
It was prom night. Without these photos no one would believe me. It was a mad house. Too much perfume, too much “Axe,” and too much bling, too much cleavage, and way too many guys in sneakers rather than formal shoes. Proof.
I arrived at the hotel (and couldn’t pull up to the door), I walked a “fur” piece with three bags and such. I entered the lobby after passing six stretch limos, three stretch Hummer limos and a Firetruck. There were at least three hundred people with all the parents and brothers/sisters and such. The bellboy had to make a path for me so I could dodge dresses, tuxes, and lots of kids having a good time. Waiting in line I lifted my Canon 400d and snapped a bunch of photos. Ha.
I’ll get there.
Dinner was good but it was VERY late too. I finally sacked out at 10:30 I realized I had over-done it not just for the day but for the week. I believe my workout on Wednesday (three hours in the AM – not even 12 hours from the race-like effort Tuesday evening) – was killa. I needed to go easy. I hit it again hard on Thursday AM – and knew I hadn’t recovered.
So …. all the driving and hotel shiznet did me in for the day.
When I was ready for bed I had a couple of other issues: 1) the music from “the prom” was jamming and 2) Jojo was using my Mac-cam to catch up with a friend in South Africa. I finally pulled the plug and said – “lights out!”
More from the races tomorrow. No bedbugs here. Cya.
I elected to stick to my training program rather than veer from it. The downtown Maryville crit was tempting, but not tempting enough – on a multitude of levels. Most importantly – my Sunday routine calls for climbing: at least four hours worth. Several key races are ahead — and two of them have significant finishing climbs. My bet is that the crit work helps but not when you’re hauling your ass up a mountain climb of 10K.
Ergo – my happy ass did a double climb of the Foothills Parkway – starting with a time trail up the first three miles (for good measure). The rest – well – it was just peachy. Happy trails.
Plumeria is a small genus of 7-8 species native to tropical and subtropical Americas. The genus consists of mainly deciduous shrubs and trees. P. rubra (Common Frangipani, Red Frangipani), native to Mexico, Central America, and Venezuela, produces flowers ranging from yellow to pink depending on form or cultivar. From Mexico and Central America, Plumeria has spread to all tropical areas of the world, especially Hawaii, where it grows so abundantly that many people think that it is indigenous there.
A beach is a geological landform along the shoreline of a body of water. It usually consists of loose particles which are often composed of rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles, or cobble. The particles of which the beach is composed can sometimes instead have biological origins, such as shell fragments or coralline algae fragments.
The State of Hawaii (pronounced /həwaiiː/ or /hawaɪiiː/; Hawaiian: Mokuʻāina o Hawaiʻi) is one of the United States, located on an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of Australia. The state was admitted to the Union on August 21, 1959, making it the 50th state. Its capital is located in its major city, Honolulu on the island of Oahu. The most recent census puts the state’s population at 1,211,537.
I wrote Bert and Ernie (or whatever they call themselves) an email today. I seriously doubt I’ll ever hear back from the dynamic beer duo. My email vented some – mostly it just laid down the Sam Adams law. According to the rule book if the manufacturer of a product has a recall, some remuneration is due the consumer. After all, we spend our jack to buy some kind of crap. In the case of Sam Adams all I got was a link to freakin’ website landing page – and that was it.
The topper? Today – the day I sent my nasty gram – was the same freakin day that Bert and Ernie sent me a happy meal-message via their e-news. An e-newsletter that was all “happy” and “cheerful.” WTF???!!!!! Some marketing dweeb probably thought that the newsletter would be a great way to “stay in touch with customers.”
Look you bone heads, I’ve been brand loyal for 15 years. I have the glasses, the bucket, the bar opener, the coasters, the portable bottle opener, tried every variety, and I have turned down drinking a beer when a Sam wasn’t available. Hell, I’ve even consumed Sam that was past its “best consumed by” date. Which BTW happens a lot with Sam Adams beer … retailers sell Sam that is “dated” and frankly it sucks. Both the beer and the fact that retailers sneak it in on us.
To make matters worse — my BGE went to Kroger to purchase some Sam (to replenish my supply) and Kroger would not sell her the beer (she’s of age smart ass). Shelf stocked with Sam, but retailer not willing to sell??? WTF. Again, WTF.
Good bye.
IT’S time that I changed my beer consumption habits — maybe my penchant for Liberty Ale should shine through. After all, I love Liberty Ale. Better yet, why not stock up on some Bass. I’ve wanted to learn the proper way to pour a black and tan. Heck, with the budget I’ve allocated to Sam now REMOVED I can put in the keg system and enjoy some Bass.
Outta’ here.
Lanai is the smallest of Hawaii’s inhabited islands, covering 140 square miles. It was once the home of a thriving pineapple plantation … but Lanai had to reinvent itself. The pineapples packed up and moved off-shore. Lanai is as an alluring resort destination offering world-class golf courses and award-winning accommodations. If you have the opportunity to visit or stay – Lanai is well worth it. I’ve been once – with 12 total days – and it was off the chain.
In ancient times, Lanai was thought to be overrun with evil spirits. A young man named Kaululaau, the son of a Maui chief, was exiled to Lanai to explore the island and deem it free of such spirits to make Lanai suitable for settling.
A major chapter in Lanai’s history was penned in 1922, when an enterprising businessman named James Dole purchased the island for $1.1 million. Dole started growing pineapple on his island, and soon canned pineapple and it became a smash hit on the mainland. In time, tiny Lanai developed into the world’s largest exporter of this succulent fruit. At one point, the island was producing 75 percent of the world’s pineapple. Then a few other countries elected to grow pineapples.
I prefer mango’s.
The sunset was beautiful today. Aloha.
And a dozen other things that are mentionable but unmentionable. This photo is terrific. On oh so many fronts. I love the fact that life has its ups, downs and tallness to get us into noticing what’s around us. I notice so many things because of my career, my second career at UTK and because of the way I view the world – through a camera.
This coming weekend is a spring-fling of photos and we’ll find out what Mother Nature offered up this year by way of flowers, spring bugs and buds on trees. Later.
The last of the group presentations focused on “voting.” A burr under my saddle because I’ve got major issues with voting in general. Hanging chads, sneaky candidates, prostitute rings, mismanaging money, taking SUPER-long breaks from sessions, greasing PAC leaders’ vacation plans, etc. etc.
Putting those biased thoughts aside, I opened up to the idea of voting – again. Sorta like the second strike by MLB (I gave up on them and haven’t gone back to watching). Ok-Ok.
Much like the prior three groups – this was an excellent presentation. It was informational, newsy, and persuasive. I felt as if the team of students really dug in and worked hard to convince all of us (i.e., me) to vote. The call to action was a voter registration card! Go figure.
My vote will be cast — in the next presidential election. No worries. And to COM240 – great work!
Somewhere the bulbs were flashing – telling the seasoned traveler to go west young man. Further, farther, go-west and keep going. Just a long damn way from Hawaii is Micronesia. Yay. Far out there. But not really.
I recommend that we travel to Pohnpei, the oldest and tallest (whatever) island in the Federated States of Micronesia.
This Gem is lush and beautiful. The waterfalls are numerous and range from pleasant to spectacular, creating a refreshing and breathtaking experience for those venturing to the base of the falls. There are even camping areas at some sites for those who want to hear the tumble of the water as they sleep under the tropical sky. The streams are great for cooling off after a hike in the hills.
It rained here most of the day – blah! It was raining when we woke, raining before we rode. The rain passed while we were out, but once we landed back home the pelting of droplets kept coming. And it rained for the rest of the afternoon – and it’s still raining. The forecasters missed the boat, the PFD and the they must have issues reading the radar screen.
On the Big Island it was snowy. Ergo the photo. Lots of it – with a clear view and calm winds. I would have traded the snow for rain today – especially if it were on the Big Island. The ocean, just miles away, makes the snowball toss even more fun. More about that later. Aloha.
I’ve uploaded a great series of photos from Hawaii. Several that seem to fit the spirit of Aloha and many that just make me want to re-visit again. And again. I’ve taken time out to really find some shots from my archives that look great – feel even better – and several that bring a smile to my face. DOUBLE click a shot and the larger image will load. Enjoy.
My day started with 24 bright-eyed students who really get it. I’m talking every one of them. This semester has been a huge blessing on so many levels – especially with COM240. Seeing, hearing and watching a group of young adults show me (!) how to present has been … entertaining, challenging, stressful (at times), fulfilling, and it has kept me young at heart.
Seeing these folks “do their thing” while on stage in front of their peers is pretty kewl. Even with tough topics like Volunteering, Exiting the War — or Staying in the War, they gave their best. I see so much potential in them – in their futures. Wow is what I say! Rock-on COM240.
Yes, on the Big Island the lava flows A LOT. And when I venture there later this year (October) I plan to take at least 10 rolls of film while visiting the lava fields. I want the photo archive to be filled with fodder (no pun intended) for future reference – future use – future “ahhhh.”
When you consider the fact that you’re traveling a few thousand miles, why not take four or five hours. Heck – how about a whole day – especially the “Chain of Craters Road.” I plan to take four to five hours and explore the East Rift and coastal area of the Park via Chain of Craters Road – to get specific.
This road descends 3,700 feet in 20 miles and ends where lava flows crossed the road in 2003. Best bring some extra ‘bat’rees.’
Aloha.
With 4 hours on the bike and another 1:15 hitting the weights the day was full of motion. Let’s see, laundry done. Vacuuming done. More laundry. Dusting. Sweaters put away. Boxes stored. Swept the garage. Picked up the den area. Threw away some crap. Stored the unneeded books in the den area. Went to the grocery store. Spent two hours online finding resources to improve my photography. Then at the end of the day, my Canon shows up with some decent shots. Please, click on the thumb to see the larger file. These were 3888 in width and so I’ve reduced them to 1550. Enjoy. I did.
using ambient light. These are shots to test the tripod stability and the low-light use of my 400d. The shots are just samples for viewing the light within my dining area, the pressboard area, and the den. Testing 1,2,3.
This file is larger than the 550 pixel width version below; click the thumbnail to see the larger version.
Then the sun set and there was very little light left in the room.
The rug has a lot of detail – as do the chairs and backdrop of the pressboard.
People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered.
Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives.
Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies.
Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you.
Be honest and sincere anyway.
What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight.
Create anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous.
Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, will often be forgotten.
Do good anyway.
Give the best you have, and it will never be enough.
Give your best anyway.
In the final analysis, it is between you and the Universe.
It was never between you and them anyway.
What about lunch, a six-pak of water and some snacks too. I might add that we need the iPod and a small set of speakers with built-in batteries. The tank is full … don’t forget to bring the masks and snorkel gear. If you’re really brave, bring the cheese whiz and you’ll find the fish acting a bit more frisky. Snack on …
Most of the photos I’ve taken thus far are just test examples to learn the new format, the camera’s flexibility and various options which create unique photos.
The first is Charlie Brown’s tree – that I took in Cades Cove. It’s a macro shot taken at the forest’s ground floor – about 1′ away. The little pine is ready for some holiday ornaments — sometime later this year.
The bridge pictured herein has been re-furbished due to additional car traffic. Parson’s Branch is now open and worthy of a visit. We walked a portion of the road last Friday and while there, three cars traveled past us. It’s time that we experienced the road by car rather than by mountain bike.
