Rain and Power Outage

Sunday evening, right on schedule, the rain hit at 9pm.  It was a deluge.  About 10pm (just as I was settling in to watch the news) the power went out. No lightning strikes that evening.

The power system was trying to clear the line.  Power would come back on for a short time,  then go off with a "thunk" I could hear in the house.  I grabbed the flashlight from the night stand.  Saw a orange glow when the power was off.

The glow was emanating from the area of the transformer supplying my house.  When the power finally went out, I ventured out on the porch.  All power was out in the area.

I called the power company emergency number. All I had the call with was my cell phone.  I hate their automated call answering system.  It does not allow you to leave any details of what you saw - just report the power is out.

Watched for the line crew - looking for the problem.  Missed them as they drove past me.  When they cam back down the road, I was out with my flashlight flagging him down.  Told him that I believe the problem is right here at my transformer pole.  He did a cursory inspection (from the ground) of the pole.  Looked like a failed insulater.

While he was back down toward the highway, the power tried to come back on 2-3 times. This was about midnight.  That brought the lineman and a neighbor to the driveway.  The lineman said he saw the arc 2 miles south on Hwy 92!

A larger line crew truck with 2 more linemen joined the lineman in my driveway.  They isolated the stub line to my transformer.  Parked in my field road at the transformer and made repairs.  Power was restored about 1:20am Monday morning.  Of course, I could not then get to sleep.

 Photo accompanying this posting (apologies for the quality) was taken with my new GoPro. I wanted to check out what the camera would do in low light, and did not to startle the workmen with any flash on a D-SLR.

GoPro Hero2

Since I started cycling, I have been looking for a video camera to record some of the trails I ride.  I tried mounting a regular video camera - its to heavy and the mount would move.  Tried using my Canon Point&Shoot camera.  I was met with limited success.

Most successful have been the "lipstick" cameras.  I have had 2 - a "Tony Hawk" camera and one from Oregon Scientific.  Had the best luck with the Tony Hawk camera.  The video file size was good for posting on my web site.  My problems was getting the camera aimed, the battery life, and memory card limitations.

I started to concentrating on my still shots.  My Canon PowerShot S95 will record both JPG and RAW.  It also does bracketed exposures (I am a believer in HDR Photography). 

Over the last could years, more and more of my singletrack cycling friends have purchased GoPro Hero POV (Point of view) cameras.  This Spring, a friend of mine was looking to sell a GoPro Hero2 that he had as a demo camera.  We agreed on purchase of the camera and included mounts.

I have added the back screen and a handlebar mount.  Topped off my purchase with a hard case by UKPro for the camera.  Now, just need some riding weather to check out the camera and start honing my skills are a cycling videographer.

GoPro cameras and mounts are available as several "big box" and local stores.  I purchase my UKPro case from Breeze Cycle in Omaha.  The photo above is on my GoPro in the UKPro hard case.

Bike on the Intrepid Trail

This weather has really getting me down.  Most of my friends are feeling the same.  Last week I took the hardtail to the bike shop to get the tires and pedals changed - studs and flats for knobbies and clipless.  Thought MAYBE the weather is waiting me to signal Winter really was over. 

Alas, the weather is very slow in changing.  This week we are getting cool temperatures, overcast skies, and wind.  Rain is in the forecast for later in the week.  Even some predictions of snow!

Thought maybe a photo and thoughts of warmer temperatures, sunshine, and awesome scenery would brighten my spirits.  This photo was taken on my birthday.  The bike is my Trek Fuel EX7.  My "buddy" on the handle bar is "Fest-er" from the MidWest Mountain Bike Festive.  I was riding the Intrepid Trail at Dead Horse Point State Park, Utah.  Was topping a great day in the red rock country near Moab.

OH, to be there today!

Artistic Rendition of Racing Photos

Over the last couple days, I have been playing with filters (plug-ins) for Photoshop Elements.  Just received an update of Topaz Labs B&W Effects.  I like the look I get with this plug-in.  The photo on the right was taken during the Swanson CrossCountry (XC) race.  Processed from Camera Raw by Photoshop Elements 9 and converted grayscale with tinting and vignette.

I can do similar and other artistic effects to any of the photos I have taken at the races.  Please contact me to discuss.

Photos at TomWinfield dot com

Swanson River City Shoot Out

A long weekend of mountain bike racing was capped off by Swanson River City Shootout.  The photo to the right is the first of the lead-out group of the day.- Marathon.  These racers rode laps over the course for more than 4 hours!

The weather started cool and threatening some rain.  By the start of the first race, it was comfortable for racing.  The sun cam out and the air warmed up causes me to shed my sweatshirt.  By the second race was lining up for the start, it was down-right balmy.  Thermometer in the car showed 77 when I headed home.  Back to the race...

The first race of the day was for the Marathon riders, Juniors, and Category 3.  Cat 3 and Juniors races one lap around the course.  I hope that I caught ever racer on the course for a photo.  I stayed for the first awards podium call.

Was down to the starting line for the second race of the day - Category 1 and Category 2.  At the short track race Saturday, I scoped out shooting places not too far from the start line.  That lowered my walking time.  Shot photos of all of the Cat 2 and Cat 1 racers as they raced their first lap.

By this time, my body had enough.  Sucked on a shot blok and slowly walked up to the registration area.  Said my good-bye's and headed home.  I knew I would miss the kids race and second podium call, but I just could not do any more.

A shout out for Nebraska Lottery for their support of the Psycowpath Mountain Bike Series.  Another shout out for Edge Physical Therapy for providing the food at the race. Race results will be available on the Psycowpath web site.

Now, for my shameless plug - my photos of Swanson River City Shoot Out are available on my race and events web site:  http://win-photo.photoreflect.com

Psycowpath Mountain Bike Series is Off with a Weekend of Racing

Saturday morning, the Psycowpath Mountain Bike Series started the 2013 season with Jewell Jam - a time trial helt at Jewell Park in Bellevue, NE.  Jewell Jam was the first race of a two stage race.  The second stage was the Swanson Short Track Race.

Swanson Short Track was held Saturday afternoon at Swanson Park, also in Bellevue, NE.  The course of the Short Track Race was reported to be 0.9 mile in length.  This made for a full day of racing!

The photo here, is of Junior (13-15) category racer Jack Ferguson of The Bike Way Racing Team.  Jack was the first racer on the course.

Race results are available on the Psycowpath web site.

I attempted to to catch a photo of each racer during both Jewell Jam and Swanson Short Track.  Race photos are available a http://win-photo.photoreflect.com.  As usual, photos posted on the web site are "proofs".  When a order comeoms if for a photo file, I will retrieve the original camera raw file for processing.  The processed files will be e-mails to the customer.

Screwed up the focus on many of the photos at Jewell.  I had the telephoto zoom lens set on "anual" focus to shoot Eagles at Lake Manawa.   Wondered why I was having problems getting a focus lock with the camera.  Realized the problem and corrected the error for Swanson Short Track.

Please note that I did NOT stay for the last race of the day - Category 1  Short Track.  It was just too much in one day.  As it was, I had to suck/chew on a Shot Blok on the walk up tp the start line to ward of a bonk.

Photos of today's Swanson River City Shootout should be posted tomorrow.

April Fool!

Yesterday, the weather played an April Fool joke on us.  This photo shows what my front yard looked like when I first stuck my head out of the door.  Didn't get much warmer the rest of the day.

So, I spend the day napping, resting, and working on the computer.  Sunday night I had problems sleeping.  Lots of thoughts in my brain - thoughts about getting home from the hospital after the stroke and open heat surgery.

Spent time writing down my thoughts about how I became a cyclist.  For now I am calling it "Re-discovering the Bicycle".  It may become a chapter of a book about my recovery from my health problems.