Say No to the Bailout Package!!!

I am puzzled that every single hardworking American is not up in arms over the potential bailout package! Oh wait no I'm not, we are a Nation of lazy, pass the blame, spend more than we have idiots. Cause and effect has escaped the minds of all Americans.
There is still a chance for hope! This is people like you and me who care about the future of America and will stand up and write to our legislators and make our voice heard.
It is easy. Here is a link to contact your Congressperson - Write Your Congressional Rep
Here is the link to contact your Senator Write Your Senator(s)
You can write something like this:
Dear Congressperson/Senator You Let Me Down:
The economic bailout package is a scandal. Why should your taxpayers go into more debt financing insurance agencies, financial institutions, investment bankers and corporations? The people who created this mess, knew that selling mortgage securities was a volatile idea from the beginning. I do not want my tax money to go to helping out corporate America. Please oppose this bill and this package, it will do nothing but bring this country more financial ruin in the future. You were voted into office to represent and support your consituents and you have let us down. If you are going to throw our tax money away of bad securities debt, then you might as well just give it back to us instead. I do not want my hard earned tax dollars to go to bad decision making. I need to pay off my own debt not other people's. This package is completely unsound. Sincerely, Your Name

Please get educated on this issue and stand up for your rights as a taxpayer!

Indianapolis Motor Speedway MotoGP 2008

There was a time when I thought sportbikes were for big egos and little privates. But 4 years ago, I went to watch the AMA Superbike race at Barber Motorsports in Alabama. When you see those guys go over 150 mph on a precision motorcycle, you change your mind very quickly. Then I got into watching the MotoGP and I was entirely hooked on the motorcycle racing scene. This weekend I had the once in the lifetime opportunity to see the Ignaugural MotoGP race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Hurricane Ike decided to pay us a visit up there, but despite the rainy conditions, these riders pushed themselves and their machinery to the limits. My favorite rider is of course, 5 time world champ Valentino Rossi. Let me tell you this guy is the epitomy of smooth.

The picture to the right is of Rossi -
The Doctor, buzzing by at probably over 170 mph in the rain with his front tyre off the ground. If I could just have once ounce of his skills on a motorcycle I would be completely stoked. The whole weekend was completely amazing.


Red Bull (where they get their funding I have no idea) put on race called the Red Bull Rookies Cup, this race was for these junior riders. These guys were bornin the late 80s and early 90s and were charging it just as hard as the MotoGP Premier Class riders. Below is a picture of their little 125cc KTM bike, that they rode in the race. Every rider had the same bike, same tyres, and were only allowed to change the rebound and compression in the springs to fit their weight.

Norweigan rookie Sturla Fagerhaug won the Rookie's Cup. Of course, I ended the weekend with big smiles, as Valentino Rossi took 1st place giving him a significant lead in the points standing. Hopefully he will claim another World Championship title this year.

(All pictures by the author)

Babylon By Bike

This State Trooper from SC is indeed spitting his dip into a mini-powerade bottle! Is this safe? I think not.

Tired but good

Have you ever felt completely exhausted but good? This is how I have felt the last two weeks. The weekend before last, I shot some pics of the NOC Dagger Competition. My friend Cystal Gustin (above) rocked out on the wave. More are coming on my photo site when I get the motivation to post them. That week, I took friends kayaking after work that had never been before, twice.

The week flew by and one of my closest friends Maddy came and visited. We went to the Tuckaseegee and paddled and hung out with our friend Barry K who takes pictures of the Tuck at Tuckshot.com. On Sunday I went to the USACYCLING Pro Chamionships in Greenville, SC. Tyler Hamilton won. It was incredible to see Roadies flying around downtown Greenville at high speed. The coolest thing was the BMW K75 Photo Bike support. I will have to add pictures of this incredible moto set up later.

Monday was Labor Day, I should have labored. Instead, I worked on playing disc golf and making my stomach hurt from laughing with friends.

BOULDERS ARE BIG

Several years ago when I didn't have as many domestic duties, I used to boulder along with the mutltitudes of other outdoor sports I did on a regular basis. Bouldering like motoring, kayaking, mtn. biking, is a sport that lends itself well to expanding your brain capacity via deep thought (like I am going to die if I miss this move). On my property, there are lots of boulders, I didn't really think much about "bouldering" on them until earlier this year when my friend Heather said we should check out one particular rock visible from the road. Well, I finally bought a new pair of climbing shoes and check out that rock I did.

It is a nice rock with lots of fun features, it also has a plethora of poisonous weeds on and around it, as evident from its portrait above. I am excited to get it cleaned up. Not that I need another sport to take my time away from more grown-up duties, but it is a nice activity to take my mind of the sadness of the last two waterless boating seasons.

Jeranimo my new cat came with me to check out the boulder this week. Here is is looking for a piece of poison ivy to pounce on and rub on me.

J E A L O U S Y . . .

This is a strange emotion, but sometimes you have a reason to feel jealous. In my case, my man is going out to Brianhead UT to go Dual-Sporting and watch our buddy Todd B. compete in the National Mountain Bike Super D Series, where he will most likely be the Champ again. Two weeks out West is like a dream vacation for me.

If I didn't work for El Corporation, I would definitely love to go there. Brianhead has got to be one of the coolest places ever, surrounded by Bryce and Zion National Parks. Oh well at least I do like working for said El Corporation and will wait for my vacation time to accrue so I can go to the MotoGP race in September at Indy.
P.S.: BTW- I am rocking out to Smashing Pumkins right now which I am going to see on the 15th of August in Charlotte, NC.
P.S.S.: My mouth is very numb right now from getting a tooth drilled, I hope I am not drooling everwhere.

ORAMM 2008 Photos

So on the 27th of July, I shot photos of the Off-Road-Assault On Mt. Mitchell. Here are the photos . This was my first Mtn. Bike Race and I have a feeling I will be shooting more of these events. Typically, I shoot Enduro Races for SETRA series and I can't wait for that race season to start.

The ORAMM race was fantastic, most of the people were super nice and Todd puts on one of the best races I've seen. The Enduros are a self-service event. You get to put what you want on the trailer for the gas stops (usually 1 or 2) and that's it. An Enduro is anywhere for 60-80 miles through the woods with times sections on single track, dirt road, gravel, etc.

I can't wait to shoot more Mtn. Bike races in the future either. I love to see people smile and there were tons of great smiles at this race even though I was shooting mostly at the climbs on Kitsuma and Curtis Creek.