Coverage

Florida Cycling Magazine has extensive coverage on the 2010 Horrible Hundred.  Included in that is 14 pages of our photos!  Check it out & see if you made it in the magazine!

Florida Cycling Magazine Dec 1st, 2010 Issue

Light at the end of the tunnel!

All of the Sugarloaf photos have been transferred to my FTP site!  They are presently being downloaded onto my computer & it is 63% completed.  Once that is done, I'll sort through them per time, then start uploading them onto the website.  They will be all available this afternoon!

Still going...

So, to make a long story short, the Hospital Hill photos are up.  The Sugarloaf photos are slowly being added, about 500 at a time.  Christian is downloading them to my FTP site.  I then download them onto my computer & then upload them onto the website.  There are 1452 Sugarloaf photos & currently, 964 are up on the website.  So, at the rate we have been going, the rest should be up tomorrow.

Honestly, there has to be a better way.  And I will find it before next year!  Thanks again for your continued patience!

Fast as Possible

Just a quick update as photos are uploading onto my website from this years Horrible Hundred...

I teamed up with Christian McCarthy again this year.  Horrible Hundred is just too big to be done by itself.  I am in Tampa & he is in Apopka.  Last year, we uploaded all his photos onto my laptop, but it took FOREVER!  So, this year, I planned on him just uploading them straight onto my website.  As they say, "the best laid plans of mice & men often go astray."  It did not work.  We both have other jobs complicating the problem even further.

The point is photos from Hospital Hill & (unfortunately) Sugarloaf will be delayed.  They are coming!  I know most of you want that Sugarloaf photo more than the others!  That is understandable, as it is a huge accomplishment. 

I will do my best to get them up ASAP, hopefully in a day.  But with tomorrow being Thanksgiving, I am not certain.  Thanks for your patience!  I promise, it will be worth it!

Hilly Hundred Photos are Uploaded!

I have to admit, they are not my best work.  Getting the settings right just as the sun is coming up, but having the camera fast enough to catch cyclist moving can be tricky at time.  Unfortunately, on top of Ramsey Road, they kept coming & coming.  I did not have a chance to adjust much.  So, this is what you get...

But I was hoping for more of this...

... which I got as the sun came up more & more.

Same thing happened on Lake Iola.  I had some amazing shots in that exact location before, covering Ride Without Limits.  But that was later in the day, not at 8:30 in the morning.  The shade was giving me trouble again, but I was able to adjust more, as the cyclist were more spread out by then.  I love this shot because I could hear her coming, laughing all the way down the hill.  She was having a blast!

Of course, my last location was the best.  Lots of sunshine.  Many happy cyclists as they went down their last hill.  I love capturing the downhills, particularly when they get aero.  I was really impressed with how low this guy got!

Unfortunately, I was not able to stay at the last location as long as I wanted, so I did not get as many cyclists as I would have hoped for.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, my family was with me...

TJ filling up the water at SAG #2

Matt talking with Manny from UBC, while taking a break from making peanut butter & jelly sandwiches at SAG #2

My youngest, playing video games in the car while I am waiting for the cyclists to come down the hill.

Already looking forward to next year, when my oldest will hopefully will be riding!

Hilly Hundred

I photographed this Tampa area classic again yesterday.  It was so great to be out there!  It was a perfect day for cycling!  I apologize for not posting it earlier that I was covering this event, as I have covered it for the past 3 years.  There was no way I was not going to be there!

My husband usually rides, but was unable to, as he injured his iliotibial tendon in his knee last month.  So, he & my oldest son volunteered, working at the Blanton Road SAG stop.  And my youngest son was with me (although he sat in the car playing with his video games), so it was a family event for us this year.  Next year, my husband & oldest son will be riding again!

I did not take the usual mass start photo this year.  When I covered the San Antonio Road Race for the Florida Points Cup, I discovered the amazing view from on top of Ramsey Road.  I think they turned out great!  But the best part was seeing the sunrise while waiting for the ride to start!

As usual, I will have the photos up in about 48 hours.  I need Monday to sort through & correct the photos.  Then the slow process for uploading the photos onto the website starts Tuesday.  Look for them on throughout the day on Wednesday!

HORRIBLE HUNDRED

I am pleased to announce that I will be the official photographer for the 2010 Horrible Hundred.  It is set for November 21st.  With the number of riders, I am sure I will be seeing you there!!

Anyone going?

I got an email asking me to come & photograph the PAL race on June 19-20.  Problem is the 20th is our anniversary.  However, we did spend Valentines Day photographing the Dade City Crit.  But we will have also just moved the weekend before into a rental house as we build this coming year.  I have not photographed a cycling race since Webster & I am getting the itch to get back, but I am not sure if this is right weekend.

What is the turn out for this race?  Are you going to be there?

Busy, Busy, Busy

Finished a long, dirty day at Webster.  But I am way behind on updates on here.  Between getting all the photos of the three events last weekend uploaded, trying to finish taxes, selling our house & showings, and preparing for Easter, I have been way too busy!  But this upcoming week is slower, except the addition of packing for spring break.  I should be able to update the blog as the Webster photos are uploading, which will be on Tuesday.

Happy Easter!!!

Crazy Weekend

I had the pleasure of photographing 3 events this past weekend. First, the Tampa Twilight Crit, then the Strawberry Century Sunday morning, and finishing the day at the Pinellas Park Circuit Race. It was a whirlwind, but I got it done.

But now comes the hard work!! I do everything I can to have photos up within 48 hours/Tuesday night. That means going through the literally thousands of photos I took on Monday & uploading them to the website on Tuesday. My days are spent in front of the computer for those two days. But adding a third event has complicated matters. Strawberry has been sorted & is currently uploading. Both races have been sorted, but I still need to go through, adjusting some, cropping others, and even deleting a few.

So, if you by chance are looking for an update... the photos are coming! Hopefully I can still make the Tuesday night deadline, but time will tell.

Back to work!

Bummer!

This weekend's Squiggy TT has been cancelled because of rain.  It will be nice & sunny tomorrow, but it has rained heavily over the past two days.  We live within minutes of Flatwoods Park, where Squiggy is held.  We have had 5.2" of rain in the past two days.  That is on top of the ground that is already drenched from this winters crazy pattern of rain.  But we suspected that the bridge over Clay Gully was underwater.

I am so disappointed!  I love photographing time trials!!  What I love even more is that I can focus on each cyclist & get their bib number.  Last years photos were then divided into galleries for each rider.  It took me forever, but it was worth it!  I think because of that ease of finding themselves was one of the reasons that last years Squiggy was one of the best selling events I did in 2009!

I guess I will just have to find another TT to shoot!  I am not driving to Fort Lauderdale this year.  Worse case scenario, there is always the Orlando TT Series!

Although my heart is in road bikes, I photograph Adventure Races also.  I photographed my first adventure race last year at Squiggy, as I was the official photographer for the whole event.  That introduced me to WeCeFAR.  I was asked to come back to two of their races since then, plus Squiggy this year, again.  So, their race is questionable too.  They are on Sunday, so with a day of sunshine, conditions might be better by then.  A decision will be made tomorrow morning.  Although, I am not sure about tromping in the woods after all this rain!

So, my weekend may be completely freed up!  What am I to do?  I'll probably follow my husband & son out to their ride & take picture of them on their bikes!

Ride with Me

I covered Ride with Me, a ride in honor of Jessica Green & for autism awareness in Jacksonville this weekend.  It was bitterly cold in the morning, scraping ice off the windshield before we drove to the ride.  And ice collected on our table after we set it up!  But it warmed up quickly once the sun came up.

This is the 3rd year for this ride, & my 2nd year photographing it.  Turn out was rather low, probably because of the temperatures.  There was a 62 mile/100 k, 29 mile, 10 mile & fun ride.  Most of the route was on the Jacksonville-Baldwin Rail Trail, a beautiful 14.5 mile long trail. 

On a personal note, the Florida Rails to Trails are becoming my favorite place to ride!  And I think the Withlacoochee Trail is the best!

Anyway, this event was not like the usual cycling events I photograph.  There was not a century & most of the cyclist were not on road bike.  Although, there were a few...

This event for more of a family atmosphere & the main purpose was awareness.  This event is near & dear to my heart, as one of my brothers has autism.  The number are staggering!  1 in 110 kids has ASD.  1 in 70 boys has it.  And yet fund raising is so small compared to other diseases.  I hope this ride continues to grow & more of them are started all over the state & country!  Now, I'll get off my soapbox!  =)

As I was saying, the family event was more for awareness...

...and for the kids...

(I do not encourage doing this, though!)

Toe-Knee, the Italian Clown was GREAT!

And an unbelievable face painter!

It was a wonderful day for all!

Florida Racing Magazine's...

first March issue is out!  And many of my photos from the ORC weekend were included!

Check it out!!

http://www.floridaracingmagazine.com/

Busy February

The last two weekends were the beginning of a very busy schedule of events to photograph.  I am excited that my name & most of all, my photographs are getting out there.  I have a new sponsor link on FloridaCycling.com.  I am in the works of getting a link in Florida Racing Magazine, and was in a blog entry for Armada Cycling Team -- http://team-armada.blogspot.com/2010/02/you-oughta-be-in-pictures.html

All of this, plus covering two huge events has lead to my stats for February...

There has been 92,109 photos looked at on my website this month!  Wow!  That is a lot of people looking at my work!  I am truly humbled.

ORC Race Weekend

I had the privilege for being asked to photograph in Orlando this past weekend.  It was the first time that someone contacted me, instead of me cold calling them.  Wow!  It amazes me how far this has gone in 15 months!

Saturday was the Winter Garden Circuit Race, on an almost 2 mile loop.  The day started out cold & was hot by midday!  I was unprepared, wearing a long sleeve shirt, but still managed to sunburn any exposed skin.  Learned that lesson!  My tent was next to the finish line, which gave us some great shots, but I loved corner #1!  Lots of action there!

Catch me if you can (which they did).

I love the way they are lined up in this shot!

LOVE this shot!  Can't believe how hard he is turning!

I love the expression of the face of this winner!

See the rest of the photos at http://LovoPixs.com/2010-Winter-Garden-Circuit

Sunday was the Lake Mary Crit!  Great area, and it was shaded, except for the first corner, which was perfect for those shots!  It was more of a family atmosphere, with lots of dogs.  I never seen so many dogs at a bike race before.  Made for an entertaining day!

Anxious & ready!

Corner shots are the best!

I think they are starting to recognize me!

I think he is just a little excited to win!

And the best part of the day... the kids race,

including my son, Seth, the newest junior for Team ORC!

See the rest of those photos at http://LovoPixs.com/2010-Lake-Mary-Crit

What an awesome weekend!

Race for Humanity

I had the privilege to take photos of the cyclist in San Antonio & Dade City this past weekend.  It was my first official race, although I felt very confident since I know that area very well.  This will be my 5th event in the area. 

Thanks to Topview Sports for this awesome opportunity!

Samples of the San Antonio Road Race...

And the Dade City Crit...

Love the "S" Curve!

I was so excited that the route had been changed & it enabled me to get a shot of the cyclists with the beautiful courthouse in the background.  Even though I think they look great (given my love for architecture, too), it wasn't such a good idea!  Doesn't show the action of the race.

To see the rest of the photos, go to http://lovopixs.com/