Sports Photography

Ok...I'm not a sports photographer by any stretch. Today's race, the Huck-a-Buck at Lake Crabtree, was by FAR the most difficult race to shoot of the 3 I've done. The other 2 were up at Carolina North Forest, near Chapel Hill, NC.

Why was this race so difficult for me to shoot? A couple reasons, I think. Firstly, it is VERY shaded there. As in so shaded that what sunlight gets through is dappled and not consistent. I didn't walk the whole race course, but from what I know of Crabtree, there really aren't any places that get good open shade light. It's either full sunlight (which I would have paid for today) or the dappled stuff I mentioned. So I was at a bit of a disadvantage already as I don't have good low light equipment. I can use my 50mm prime lens, which stops down to 1.8, but then I'm limited in my range because it only has one option - 50mm. My 18 - 55mm lens stops down to 3.5/5.6, but I had a hard time with that as well for most of the morning, unless I bumped my ISO up to 400...which is what I ended up doing. I have a long lens, but it has the same max f/stop as the 18 - 55.

So the other thing I could have done was use my flash. And I did on occasion, but the problem with my flash is that it takes a bit for the flash to recharge, and mountain biking is fast paced stuff. You can't sit there and wait for your flash to recharge and not miss stuff. I'm referring to my on-camera flash, btw. I have a small hot shoe flash, but I don't think it recharges very quickly either. I just got it, so I'm not for sure about it.

So I saw all these other people taking photos and was almost embarrassed at my equipment. Then I reminded myself that it is not the equipment that makes the shot, but the person using the equipment and whether they know what they are doing. Not that I always know, but I try, and I've learned a lot in the past few months. One thing I did notice was that most of them had hot shoe flashes, and what looked like diffusers over them. They had the kind that could be swiveled up and down for better light control - mine doesn't swivel. It's just a little guy a bit more powerful than the on-camera.

Something else that I did notice...and maybe it's just me being me...I like to move around when I shoot. Try different angles, get nice panning shots, etc. A couple of the photogs I saw there were literally in one spot for the entire race (3+ hours) - with the exception of going to the starting line at each stage of the race. I don't understand that...I'm not knocking it, I'm just trying to figure out how that could be fun for them. To get the same shot every time. My question then becomes, is that what "real" photography is about? Getting the perfect shot? Or is it about trying different things? Or maybe it's just personal preference.

Anyway, I had a good time despite the fucking heat...it was OPPRESSIVE today. I got lots of good shots and met some new people, got to hang with some people I don't get to see often. It was good.

I'm just sorry I didn't catch Kim before she left so I could give her the bracelet...that I actually brought this time. ;)

Purely Frustrated

So Delia and I were supposed to ride Harris today. I emailed her last night to let her know I probably wasn't going to be able to make it because I was feeling crappy and thought Aunt Flo was gonna make her monthly appearance. Well Aunt Flo failed to show...the bitch. (ETA...I take that last sentence back. :P)

So I could have ridden.

However, I had forgotten that my older kid had early release from prison (school) today, at 12:45p. So it would have been tight riding and then picking him up on time.

But I still could have ridden.

So I go to pick up M and we get home and I mention to him that we could go take a bike ride on the American Tobacco Trail. The minute I say it, I regret it. I don't feel like driving 35 minutes to bike 2 or 3 miles with him (cuz that's as far as he can go), but he freaks when I tell him let's just go to Harris or around the neighborhood. So we drive ALL THE WAY OUT to the ATT only to find a fucking TREE has fallen across the road about 2 or so miles from the trail head. So I turn around and try to find my way around it and end up in Apex proper. No way we're riding the ATT today. He begs to go ride at Harris, I say ok and off we go.

I'm an idiot and really good at getting lost, and that's just what I did. I took New Hill road off 55 thinking I knew how to get to Harris and ended up in Chatham County. Apparently I was wrong. We finally find a way back to 1N, take it to the exit for New Hill and find Harris. Well guess what? The fucking trails are CLOSED. CLOSED!!!!! I called to double check and she said the trails were a bit wet and since there's a night ride tomorrow they want to make sure they are dry for it.

So an hour plus of driving for NOTHING.

Wow. Just wow.

I can't shake my head fast enough to clear the bullshit people spew.

I'm not trying to get on anyone's cool list, come down on the side of right or any of that. I'm stating MY opinion, and my opinion is that I am amazed, yet again, at the intolerance people can show to others.

I'm certainly not saying I'm perfect. I laugh at things everyday that might offend others. I curse, think coarse things, etc etc ad nauseum....but it is MY CHOICE to do those things. I will say that this incident has made me think about things a little differently. I still think certain religiously based groups are funny as hell and I'm not likely to stop thinking that anytime soon...but I think I understand the motives of the people in them a bit better.

Everything in this life that we think we can control is a CHOICE. We make choices every minute of every day, perhaps without even realizing that we are indeed making choices.

How appropriate that Pink Floyd's Comfortably Numb is playing right now. I think I'd be a bit more comfortably numb if I'd had that beer I wanted earlier. Too late now.

It's likely few of you will know what this post refers to, and that's ok. That particular drama need go no further in my opinion. It's been beaten to fucking death like the proverbial horse.

But I'm still shaking my head.

Nailed My Foot & Update on J

Literally. I kicked my foot into a nail that was sticking up from the board on our back deck yesterday morning. Just fucking great. I wanted to ride yesterday since I didn't get to ride Saturday (cuz I was way tired from walking around - and having fun, mind you - I'm not complaining about that - at the trail workday). Yep...I took my cup of coffee out to enjoy the beautiful weather and ended up bleeding. Not pretty.

Today we had an appt to get J's cast on at 9:15am. Well...after being called back and 9:30am and not seeing the Dr. until 10:30am, at which point we were told he didn't have time to do the cast b/c they only do casts in the middle or at the end of the day, we left. Thank GOD my Mom came...

I ended up getting an appt with my doctor to look at my foot b/c my Mom said she really thought I needed a tetanus shot. Not only did I get a Tdap (Tetanus, Diphtheria and Pertussis) shot, but antibiotics as well. I have a low grade fever and the site of the wound was really painful to the touch. I guess all that can equal infection? In any case, hopefully keeping it clean and taking the abx will keep it from getting infected.

My Mom took J back to the ortho at noon, while I went to another appt. She said they did 4 xrays and everything looked like it was healing well. When they took the half cast off and the ace bandage, his arm was all bruised at the site of the fracture. :( Poor baby. But she said J did a really good job getting the cast on. The people doing it said he was "perfect." He picked BRIGHT orange. I will post a pic when I get one. He seems no worse for the wear, which is great.

I am going to try to ride tomorrow. Hopefully my foot will handle it ok. Right now I have a sterile pad folded into fourths with a bandaid over it and it's pretty cushy. But I'll test it out and see how it feels later tonight.

Rode with Maggie today

After taking the little one to school and snoozing on and off for an hour and a half, I got my ass in gear and met Maggie at the American Tobacco Trail for a long (for me) ride. I think we got in about 6 miles - some at a good pace, some fairly slowly. We talked...a lot...and it was good. I needed to spill some of the shit in my head to someone and she has a really good way of listening and explaining things to me, along with great suggestions that I am going to try like hell to put into practice.

I didn't take my camera this time - just wanted to ride without having a reason to stop (though we stopped a few times cuz this big girl ain't used to going 6 miles in one shot) - and regretted not taking it. I haven't been out to ATT in a while and had forgotten that there were things off the trail that I've been wanting to take pics of...oh well. Next time.

It was a good ride. Good friend. Good talk. Good pedaling.

Now I just have to get my head back together enough to not let what's bothering me break my concentration on the trails at Harris...not sure I'll be able to do that, but I'm gonna try. I've actually been enjoying my time on flat surfaces - road and ATT - but it's time to get back to real trails with real dirt.

How many?

How many bikes do you have and why do you have each of them? I'm curious...definitely not going out to buy a new bike!!

I just have my one - GT Avalanche 3.0 Disc. Name of Gustav. No "after market" components on him. I did try some Forte Campus pedals on him, but I really disliked them. I bought some metal pedals the other day b/c I put the plastic ones back on, but since I wear cleats on my shoes b/c I ride indoors and clip in (and don't remove them for outdoor riding), the pedals are getting destroyed. I need to get a pedal wrench though...or borrow one. I'm sure one of my bikin' buddies has one I can use.

Things I'm Looking Forward To!

I'm looking forward to this coming weekend and next week. Why? Because:

1. my friend Daniel is coming to visit me again! This is cool because Daniel lives way up in Northern Canada...so it's special when I get to see him since it's so far away.

2. there is a Bikin' Broads Mountain Bike Clinic this weekend! I'm so looking forward to this - lots of things I want to work on, but mainly working on getting over this fear I seem to have developed. I'd like to talk to other women and see how they view this sport.

3. since Daniel is going to be here, he's going to help us out with the Bikin' Broads clinic by photographing us! I'll be otherwise engaged, so Daniel has kindly agreed to help us out with taking pictures.

4. I'm hoping to meet another person who shoots and get the 3 of us together to shoot while Daniel is here, but I'm not sure it's going to work out. If it does, it will be a blast!

5. Some of you will think I'm a horrible mother, but think what you will...my older son goes back to school on Monday! Woohoo!!! A month of being tracked out...oy.

6. RIDING!!! Next week!!! While the kids are in school!!!

7. Daniel and I have an appt with a friend of mine to shoot her on Monday if our other thing doesn't work out.

8. RIDING!!! Next week!!! While the kids are in school!!!

Of Training Wheels and Other Things

Today. TODAY. TODAY is the day I will teach my 7 year old to ride his brand new 2 wheeler. I hope. He has been riding on a 16" wheel bike, which was definitely getting too small. So Grandma and Grandpa put out for a new bike for Chanuka...which is 3 weeks away...and hubs and I went out with 7 yr old and bought it from Target this past weekend.

Ok...yes...it's junk-ish, but for what he'll use it for, it's ok. I can't even remember the brand name. I want to see if he'll get into mountain biking and start riding the easy trails with me before we get him a "good" bike. I mean, there's nothing wrong with this bike for a 55 pound 7 yr old kid, so we'll see how he does.

ETA: Not today - too windy and he and I are having Mommy/Kid time and going to see Kung Fu Panda at the dollar fifty movie in a bit. I have a few pics to edit, then we're out!

My Favorite Picture from HOAR

This is my favorite picture that I took at Heel of a Race...at least so far:



I think the angle and the blur really capture the essence of speed and the determination on the biker's face says it all.

I wanna ride. I WANNA ride. I wanna RIDE!

Yep. I WANNA RIDE...I might go Saturday morning before race, assuming Harris is open. I think I'll do a few quick spins around Harris' beginner loop, then maybe go back on Sunday and do it all again. Yeah...that's the ticket. :P

Lake Crabtree and broken toe

I called Maggie this morning and asked if she would like to ride with me at Lake Crabtree today...she agreed. We got there around 12:15pm, looked up at the sky and watched the snow start to fall a little. As we got up to the trail, it started snowing in earnest...for a whole 5 minutes.

I really think I've lost my biking mojo. Maybe not having biked for 10 days and having been sick for almost 3 weeks has done something to me...but I was not "on" AT ALL today and it fucking pissed me off, pardon my language.

I can see the point some people were trying to make on a thread on Trianglemtb.com a week or so back about not riding out of your comfort level...or at least not TOO high above it. Maybe Crabtree is out of my comfort zone or maybe Maggie is right - I look at the trail and get overwhelmed instead of taking it piece by piece. I think I expect myself to be able to get out there and hammer through these things, even though in my head I know I can't and shouldn't be able to. I see all these other people who make it look so easy and I get pissed off and start feeling inadequate about my skills. So I think for a while I'm going to stick to Harris...no matter how boring it gets for me, and master it. I am going to work on my endurance, weight loss and skills. I will persevere and I will succeed...I'm just a tenacious bitch like that. :P

Ok...enough of that. NOW...let's have a pity party. I'm pretty sure I broke my 4th toe on my right foot this morning. Not only that, but I split the top of it open and it hurts like a MOFO. Not only THAT, but yesterday, the fire safe fell on the same foot, across the area right below all my toes. Waaaaahhhhhhhhh!!!!!!

Hives and Bike Updates

Well...the hives never did go completely away. I can't remember the correct term for appearing and disappearing hives, but J has had that going on all day. We gave him Benedryl and he seems to be better, if not a little revved up. Oh joy. *eye roll*

As for the bike - it was totally fucked up. :)Ok, I'm exaggerating. But there was definitely something wrong with it. The gears would not shift all the way down on the right side and the guy working on it had a bit of trouble figuring it out, so another guy came and worked on it. Said he simply started from scratch - reset all my cables, limits…blah blah blah. Look to see if the hanger was bent and it wasn’t…did something by turning the barrel on the shifter.

I'm still not exactly sure what the problem was, but I don't care as long as it's fixed and doesn't happen again.

I'm gonna go ride Harris now. Why the hell not, right? :D

Rode Umstead...

So me, Maggie and Carter rode at Umstead today. It was a PERFECT day for biking and damn it...I wished like hell I'd brought my camera. I left the point and shoot in the car, but that's not the one I wanted to shoot with. I wanted my baby...my Canon Rebel XT. But I don't typically carry her on rides anymore. I'm too afraid I'll fall and squash her. But there were so many opportunities for beautiful shots. The falling leaves made for a gorgeous yellow brick road like ride for at least a few areas on the trails...until the Ranger on the tractor toting the leaf blower came by. :O

Umstead is a really really hilly trail system...and y'all know I'm not good at the uphills...according to Carter, we rode 8-10 miles...and I'm sure I walked at least a quarter. Those uphills are bitches and can kiss my ever loving fat chick biker ass! My god...I thought I was going to DIE.

But the downhills...oh the lovely downhills...FUN STUFF man!!

The only really bad part is that I had an appt at 1pm that I was supposed to be at with hubs and I was late. Which made me have a huge anxiety attack...and cry. Again.

Oh...and my bike decided to switch gears on its own today...so off to the shop it will have to go.

Over all, it was a fun ride for me, except for the hills. Not sure about Maggie and Carter...probably not so fun since they had to wait on me...A LOT. Maybe next time we'll ride at ATT or Harris. Somewhere I KNOW I can ride.

Cross all your 2000 parts

I wanna go ride Crabtree tomorrow...but right now it, and Harris, are both closed b/c of the shitty damn weather we had the past couple days. It cleared up nicely today and so I'm hoping that dried out the majority of Crabtree...haha. We're due to meet at 10:30am, so here's to hoping. :)

If we cant ride Crab, we'll ride at Umstead...and everyone can watch me keel over from trying to ride uphills. Best get my granny gear all lubed up and ready for action, cuz she'll be gettin' some good use at Umstead tomorrow! *snicker*

Either ride will benefit me...mentally and physically. I just need to ride.

But now I just need to go to bed. :)

Later peeps.

So the group ride...

...at Harris Lake today turned out not to be such a group ride for me. I guess it started as a group ride in that I was with a group in the parking lot and right at the start of the ride at the beginner loop...and then I found myself riding alone, at the back (which is where I prefer to be because I am slow) until I reached the first "major intersection."

When I got there, everyone was heading to the left, which meant they were heading BACK to the beginner loop instead of going right, to the first intermediate loop. Here's the map...I've written on it:


So every one gets turned around and over to the correct trail...and I'm by myself again, riding the first loop of the intermediate trail. Seriously, I couldn't see anyone. I had told Delia (the lady I was fighting with for rights to be last - LOL) to go ahead because I knew I'd be slow, but I expected to be able to see someone ahead of me somewhere! So when I got to the place on the map where I have written in purple-ish "where is everyone?" I heard Maggie calling my name. By this time I was muttering to myself "fuck this...I'm going home." It did a number on my confidence, I guess. Anyway, thank you Maggie for hanging out and waiting for me...I guess having ridden with me before, you knew I'd be lagging behind. :D

So she says "come on, let's go do this loop" and I tell her I'm not sure I want to...and I cried. Frustration...with lots of things...but mostly with myself. I asked her where everyone else is and she told me they had gone ahead to the advanced loop (see the map where I wrote in bright blue). At that point my head began to spin a bit...beginner ride...advanced trail...does not compute. But whatever...

Maggie convinced me to ride the second loop of the intermediate trail, and I did ride it. I walked a bit more than I'd like, but I still rode more than I walked. It's those damn uphills that kill me. I wish I had more time during the week to train on uphills...either over at Crabtree or at Umstead. But hey - I'm not in competition with anyone other than myself. So we finished up, and at the trail head ended up meeting Debbie. The three of us talked for a bit, then went our separate ways. I ended up taking some pictures of backlit trees in the dying light of daytime. I'll post them if they turned out any good. By the time I was putting my camera away, Maggie came back from her second ride of the intermediate loop and we talked for a little...then Kenny came back and we talked to him about his bike and his adventure on the advanced trail. I was very impressed that he was able to just hop on the bike after not having ridden for quite some time and do all the trails that he did (on an older, fully rigid bike). Then we all left.

I walked into a house smelling delicious because my husband was kind enough to cook dinner and watch the kids so I could go out and do this group ride. The chicken (2 different kinds people!) was amazing and the potatoes were yummy. :) Thanks hubs!

Not sure I'll be doing group rides again in the near future. I think I'd rather just get together with certain people and ride onesie-twosie...if they can stand the way I ride, that is. :D

Beginner Ride at Harris Lake Tomorrow

And I've decided to go. Maggie's going too. But she's WAY better than me...she just does stuff, where I have to stop and really psyche myself up. Like that damn bridge on the intermediate loop. I can do it...I know I can, but I still have to get mentally ready to do it.

So it's supposed to be a ride targeted to beginners, so it's a no drop pace. Which is good. I never hammer. Though I have been trying to get myself to go faster on the beginner trail...and I have been because I'm comfortable there and can do it. The intermediate trail...well...I'm not too bad on the first loop. I still don't hammer, but I think it took me around 15 minutes to do both the beginner and first loop last time I did it. I was surprised at how little time it was.

I think this ride is supposed to last an hour to an hour and a half...and be around 7 miles. I will do the beginner and both loops of the intermediate...but I doubt I'll be doing any of the advanced.

This is probably silly, but I don't really like riding with people I don't know. I don't know if other people feel like this, but I'm not in excellent physical condition, so I stop a lot. I walk some stuff on the trails because I'm scared to do some of the stuff...unless I'm really "on." Maybe tomorrow I'll be ON. I'd really like to be so I can show myself that I can do these trails again. Then maybe Monday I can hit Crabtree or something and start learning that place.

I'll probably go early to the ride because there is a big field by the trailhead and I'd like to practice standing and pedaling. It's something I never do...I'm not sure why, but I just never do. Maggie suggested I try it to get extra power. I usually just dig in and power through things sitting, but maybe standing will give me the power I need.

I think the friend thing is still on my mind. Just shut up Jodey...and publish the damn post. No details are necessary.

I've been thinking 'bout tires....

...so I asked my Tire Whore about exactly what rolling resistance is and how it can effect the way I ride. I currently have Kenda Nevegal 2.1s on Gustav. From what I understand, these tires would have a large (or large-ish) rolling resistance inherently due to the large knobs and width of the tire...maybe mostly because of the large knobs. I'm not sure what the pressure is in the tires...is there a pressure that's better than another or is it really personal preference?

So...here's what I'm wondering. Being that I'm a heavy girl, running knobby tires that grip the ground, would it behoove me to run at a higher pressure or perhaps look at something like a Small Block 8 or Panaracer Smokes, Fire XC Pros, Rampage...something not quite as knobbby and grippy as the Nevegals.

I really like the tires I have now, but I'm wondering if something with smaller knobs would be better for someone like me, which is why I kind of like the Small Blocks.

Ok...now, what about what the tires are made of? And if I am running 2.1s now, what would something like say a 2.35 get me?

And here's something that I really don't understand...why would I run say a Smoke on the front of the bike but a Rampage on the back?

So every time I think about something, I come up with a hundred thousand other questions.

Beaver Dam Adventure

Today Maggie and I hit Beaver Dam's mountain biking trails. Beaver Dam offers 4 different trails: Inner Loop (1.1 miles), Outer Loop (2.2 miles), West Loop (2.3 miles) and South Loop (6.8 miles).

Beaver Dam Trail Head:


Beaver Dam Directional Signs:


I have a great pic of Maggie, but she won't let me post it. :(

So now the story of the ride. I knew going in that Beaver Dam was going to be a little over my skill level and that I'd likely have to walk a bit...I was ok with that. When we got there, the we decided to do the Inner Loop since it's the shortest, and I *thought* would be the simplest. WRONG FAT CHICK BIKER! I'm not very comfortable on downhills as it is, and add in the monstrosities we call roots around these here parts and I was NOT a happy camper. And this was just getting to the actual trail!

About 15 or so minutes into the ride, I stopped and told Maggie that I just didn't feel right...I needed to desperately. So I took my meds, (remember I'm taking a new one, and this is only day 2) hoping that they would "fix" whatever issue I was having. No such luck. I was just feeling off the whole time. It didn't dawn on me until part way through the ride that I was still allowing a personal issue to color my riding.

We got through the trail...finally. And lemme tell ya folks, that is NOT a trail for beginners AT ALL. It's tight, twisty, fast in places...tons of roots on the uphills...stuff you need to either be able to power through or have enough momentum to go over. I walked probably about 1/2 the trail...mostly the uphills and a couple downhills. I did do stuff I wasn't completely comfortable with, and that was cool.

Getting back to the trail head was KILLER. The uphill was INSANE as were all the roots. I walked it. I think Maggie rode it. When we got to the top, she called a friend who said we should have done West Loop. WELL SHIT! We went over there and she did a bit of it, and I started a little, but really just wasn't interested. My head trips were fucking me up and it was time to stop before I got hurt.

My overall feeling of the trail is that, like I indicated, it is NOT for beginners (at least the trail we did). I'm pissed with myself for letting an issue with a friend undermine my confidence in my riding...especially because I was really looking forward to this ride today. It's a LONG way from my house - 40 miles each way. But at least I can say I did it. And I can say with absolute certainty that I will NOT be at the group ride on Saturday. Haha. :P

I'm sure at some point I'll try it again. But for now, I'm going to stick with Harris - nail down the 2nd loop of the intermediate trail over there; and start working on Crabtree a bit, I think.

While I was waiting for Maggie to arrive, I went to take the pictures you see above, and I met a guy coming off the trail. Right before he came out, these 2 HUGE wild turkeys went running through the woods. It was hysterical. And these other huge birds went flying out. Weird.

Gonna ride Beaver Dam tomorrow (Thursday)

...this should be fun. I'm REALLY looking forward to it. Not sure which loops Maggie and I will ride, but definitely NOT South Loop. From what I understand, Inner, Outer and West Loops are technically similar to the intermediate loops at Harris, which is my "home" set of trails, since that's where I ride almost exclusively. Guess I'm lookin' for a little strange. :-O

A map for your convenience:


Why am I up at 3am? Who knows? I went to bed at 10:30pm, which is way early for me. So now I'm up. Lucky me.

Me and my crocs

Yes, I know this is supposed to be a biking...and sometime photography blog...but I have to ask how many of you know how much I LOVE my crocs? Seriously...I have attachment issues.

What I want to know is why someone...um, like Crocs maybe...hasn't come out with a shoe that can take an SPD cleat..damn them. I think these might be close to something they could use:



There's a chick on mtbr.com who added some cleats to her 2" black heels...why not my swirly pink crocs?

Maybe I should just break down and spend $100 on the keens I've been eying...