The little girl on the right is now 88 years old. She is my grandmother. The photo I scanned from, and cleaned up, is over 85 years old. This photo was printed and given to my grandmother as a Christmas gift. She loves it. There is still a lot of damage in the lower center of the photo that I did not know how to fix, I may try more repairs later.
The tallest boy in the back? My uncle and my cousin's son looked just like him, near that age.
The lady on the right, my great-grandmother, is the daughter of Billy O'Sullivan who arrived in the US as a stowaway on a ship from Ireland in the 1800's.
This family about 15 years later.
The little girl on the right over 20 years later, with my grandfather. Her hair turned darker later on.
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
My Great-Grandparents. (Pence's)
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Monday, December 17, 2007
Friday, December 14, 2007
Cutback
I shot his in Pensacola a few weeks ago. While surfers were going apeshit out west surfing overheads to massive 60-80 foot waves, this was the big surf hitting the Gulf of Mexico!
Friday, November 09, 2007
Saturday, November 03, 2007
Monday, October 22, 2007
Scott Rigsby- 1st Double Amputee Ironman
Double amputee struggles, succeeds (From the AJC)
The Atlanta Ironman kept to his wheelchair this past week. The ends of his amputated legs were blistered, swollen and raw, and showing signs of infection. His muscles felt like they had been doing laps through a pasta maker. The gifts of completing one of the globe's notorious endurance races just kept giving.
A week ago, on the big island of Hawaii, Scott Rigsby, 39, became the first below-the-knee double amputee to complete an Ironman triathlon. That meant swimming 2.4 miles without legs, then biking 112 miles and running a 26.2-mile marathon with prosthetics. He had 17 hours to complete the task. He made it in 16:42:46 — a little close, but that kind of history didn't require much margin.More...
I photographed Scott last year on the Georgia Rides to the Capital ride, and met him a few days later at a triathlon expo. He is a super nice guy. One of the things that struck me about him was his uncanny sense of balance. He was walking around on two prosthetics as well as most people do with real feet. He told me he played nose guard in high school and succeeded because of his sense of balance.
I have read about other amputees having issues with blisters and sores on their stumps during shorter athletic events. I cannot even imagine what Scott went through during an Ironman. Since the story mentions him being in his wheelchair since the race, it must have been pretty bad. It is hard enough to finish an Ironman on two good legs (I have 5 finishes), I cannot even imagine the hell he went through. The guy is something else!
Thursday, October 04, 2007
Velvet Revolver and Alice in Chains
The promoter started giving away free tickets to the Velvet Revolver and Alice and Chains show in Atlanta at the HiFi Buys Amphitheater (Lakewood). With free tickets available, why not? We scored some lousy seats and then just sat in some good ones for the show. 
The crowd was a bit rough looking, but all seemed to be there just to have a good time. I am grateful I was not hit with a drug test at work this morning. It seems like everybody was smoking pot at the show and everybody also ignored all the no smoking signs. Usually Lakewood is good about enforcing that rule, but they really did not even make an effort last night.
Alice in Chains was loud. Their 3 big hits sounded fantastic and all their other stuff kind of blurred together. The had great video for "Rooster" which included morphing images of Bush, shots of GOP presidents, various wars, Bush's crooked administration, one image of a "Bush Lied, Thousands Die" sign, and the last image "No War!" That seemed to get approval form the crowd that did not really look political.
Velvet Revolver was decent. Weiland has a stage presence very similar to Mick Jagger. His voice in inconsistent, however. Slash is great when not screwing licks. The rhythm section is the best part of the band. The did a few Stone Temple Pilot songs and GNR's "Patience." I enjoyed it, but we did not bother to stay till the end. Beating the traffic seemed more important than catching the last few songs.
Overall good, but probably not worth the hearing loss I suffered.
Monday, October 01, 2007
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Monday, September 10, 2007
Race Report: FM.24.07
Added: A preview of the video shot during the race:
What would you think of riding the rough potholed streets of downtown, fighting traffic, avoiding red lights, weaving through pedestrians heading to concerts and events, jumping curves, weaving through cars, and screaming at cabbies? Some people do that everyday while heading to work. Bike messengers do that for a workday. Would you be willing to do it 24 hours straight? At the Faster Mustache 24 Hour Urban Bike Relay 201 people, on teams and solo, did. Hell, I did it two weeks after finishing an Ironman- Ironman Louisville in Kentucky. It seemed like a nice way to start relaxing in the off season.
Me, shot by "asynchronous" on Picasa, after about 270 miles.
The set up: I rode over 300 miles under the conditions mentioned above, competing in the solo division- or most laps. The punch line: I only got second. Who would figure 300 miles would not win the damn thing?
These young people from Faster Mustache put on one hell of a race, and for only $15 a competitor! It was a checkpoint race using RFD cards and homemade readers, which magically connected to the internet to allow live tracking. Johnny’s Pizza on Highlands was the start and home base of the race. From there the racers scanned their cards at Lenny’s Bar on Decatur Street, Octane Coffee on Marietta Street, Skate Escape on Piedmont at Piedmont Park, No Brakes Track Bike Boutique on Rogers Street off Arizona Avenue, and then headed back to Johnny’s, for laps of just under 15 miles unless you screwed up. They suggested the route, but part of urban bike skills is knowing which intersections to avoid, what shortcuts are quicker and how to avoid hills. We were all over the place.
Starting the race was 201 riders making up 59 teams and over a dozen solo riders. Teams tended to be 4 to 6 people. There were all male teams, mixed teams and all female teams. I think most of the solo riders were male. There were geared bikes, commuter bikes, cycle cross bikes, mountain bikes and fixed gear bikes. Helmets were encouraged, but not universal. Blinky lights were mandatory at night, and lots of people had LED lights mounted for better vision. Folks were riding in spandex, camos, jean cutoffs and just about any other outfit you can imagine.
The first lap was insane. Some Mad Panda guy just led us out way too fast, and in doing so he took the fast lap competition. Nasty Nate was second on that lap after a bad detour through the GA Tech campus. I ended up fourth on that lap and placed fourth in the fast lap competition, which was a dumb thing to do in a 24 hour race. In the top 7 riders of that first lap, four of us were solo riders. Stupid solo riders, except the Panda who got some cool prizes for that lap.
The course was brutal. 300 miles would be bad enough on nice roads. This was stopping and starting, track standing until you could safely sprint through a red light, hoping curbs and pot holes, weaving through yuppies headed to the Dave Mathews Band concert, weaving through yuppies leaving the Dave Mathews Band concert, avoiding idiot cab drivers, and making our way through people headed to and from the GA Tech game and the Georgia Music Hall of Fame Lynyrd Skynyrd induction show. My bike was at, or close to, a stand still over a dozen times each lap including the scanning. I could not even begin to guess how many red lights I ran, how many curbs and potholes I jumped, or how many times my teeth were rattled bouncing along over unsafe, patched and long neglected pavement. The outside of my right hand and pinky are still numb.
After about 8 hours in the saddle I was in first place in the solo division. I took a long break for dinner at the Mexican restaurant Across the Street, which was oddly just next door. That is when Mouhamed first passed me. (Now if you are a hard core Republican who hates people with funny names, you may want to quit reading now. You won’t like the finish.) I passed him back when he took a break, and ended up a lap and a half over him. At 3:30 in the morning I just had stop for a few hours sleep, as I could not even operate my shift levers anymore. I had about 200 miles in at that point. When I came back he had almost a lap and a half on me. I got one of the laps back, and got within 10 minutes of him on the 21st lap. He headed out for the 22nd lap 10 minutes ahead of me with 1 hour of racing left. Realizing that I was shot and was not going to catch him, I bagged it. I was 3 laps up on third place and had second in the bag. Mouhamed just had executed a better race and beat me. The dude is an animal! I heard later that after the race he went to the crit in Midtown and was chasing down an Atlanta Velo Exchange teammate on foot to help him with mechanical.
I spent the two hours before the awards ceremony trying not to pass out. I was wasted. I was at the Flying Biscuit for an hour and it was all I could do not to lay down in their floor. I have never been that fried before. I was completely done. (The next day I actually felt very good. I still had some numbness in my right hand and foot, my quads are wasted, and there is some soreness on my rear end. Nothing major is bothering me.)
The Atlanta Velo Exchange Team, Squid No Lock Ring, won the team competition again. This year they did it on fixed geared bikes with 32 laps in 12 hours. TNT (Tuesday Nights at the Track) was the first women’s team with 27 laps. There was also an Omnium put on by the No Brakes Track Bike Boutique, which included special skills and challenges for folks on track bikes with no brakes.
The prizes were great- and again, this at a race for $15. I got a very cool NPC messenger bag, dinner for two including drinks, and other swag for my second place. In what triathlon would you expect that? First solo got a bigger bag, a freaking large and sturdy Kryptonite chain lock, and other goodies. The first team got an incredible amount of bags from Transit Bags and lots of goodies. The Male and Female Fast Laps got some new hubs and stuff. Lots of swag was distributed. Hell the guy who was given the spirit award got a fixed gear bike!
My NASCAR Speech: I have to say my K2 bike with SRAM components performed exceptionally today. The Vredestein tires never let me down. I was superbly powered by Gatorade, Balance Bars and Carnation Instant Breakfast. The trunk of my Ford Mustang never once failed to open during a pit stop.
The folks at Faster Mustache, ambassadors of cycling to Atlanta, are a great bunch of people. The atmosphere was one of the most positive ones I have ever experienced at a race. They ran a very professional race on a shoe string budget. They were never anything less than positive, upbeat and friendly the whole time. They system they built and coded to monitor the race, and broadcast it live over the internet, worked flawlessly. If you ever want to try something different, I highly recommend this race. Perhaps as a team rather than a solo, however.
Live Tracker with current results.
Friday, September 07, 2007
Thursday, September 06, 2007
Faster Mustache
The Faster Mustache 24 Hour Urban Bike Race will be happening this weekend. Starting at Johnny's on Highlands and circling through Atlanta, this should be a chance to see teams and solo riders compete in a rather challenging endurance race. There is a fixed gear division as well as a No Brakes Omnium being sponsored by No Brakes bike shop, adding a little more of a challenge to interested parties.
Riders are allowed to receive coffee from outsiders. Probably beer as well. Saturday evening there will be bands at Johnny's. See the website for more info.
Wednesday, September 05, 2007
High Five!
This guy was high fiving hundreds of people as Critical Mass rode by. This was the best shot I could get while riding behind him as the light was fading. If only I was a tad quicker, I could have got the actual slap.
Tuesday, September 04, 2007
Pumps
She did ride Critical Mass through Atlanta on that fixie in those shoes! The belt combines bike security, personal safety and fashion all in one item.
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Ironman Louisville Race Report
It was not my best race. My legs had been tight, sore and not normal for a little over a week. I do not know why. I was in a 4 week taper and did nothing that hard. My stomach was also messed up, again I do not know why.
The swim went alright. It was a time trial format because of current issues. I did a 1:05, which was a tad slower than I wanted. I actually swam some this summer! Take off a minute spent floating and adding to the current.
Out on the bike the course was tough. It was a rolling course with short steep hills. I am usually very good on these, but had no power in my legs at all. Aerobically I was fine, but the legs had nothing and would blow or cramp if I tried to climb fast. I had to stop 4 times to hit the port o johns during the bike because of my stomach issues. As I told one of the volunteers- "First chance I have had to sit down all day!" I ended up with a 5:53. The spectators in La Grange loved me because I sat up no-handed at 20+ mph and did the Deon Sanders and Hulk Hogan thing. The second time through I was blowing kisses as well. You would have thought I had just won the Giro d'Italia!
On the run I shuffled for eight miles and then walked one. My legs were just killing me by this time. My thinking became that I was not going to stay on the course all freaking night, and so I then hammered three miles, until my legs were screaming. Then I walked one. Then I hammered three again. Then I walked. Then I was doing two miles running and one walking. I met some great people! My splits were all over the place. Time was 5:02. Again, I was really urging the spectators to cheer. I would come around a corner and have the crowd just going nuts, and when I turned the corner everybody would be straining to see who the hell was coming through ad getting such a reception! They would be looking behind me like "Who is it? Is Brad Pitt about to come around the corner!"
My final was 12:15, my slowest Ironman by far, 53 minutes slower than my horrid Lake Placid time. However, my age group ranking was better than two and only slightly worse than two- the median placing based on percentage. The Hawaii qualifying times were incredibly slow!
Louisville is a great little city and the IM was fantastic. I highly recommend it!
I am doing a 24 hour urban bike race in about 10 days. I might as well see if I can do something with the fitness I have.
Louiseville Skate Park
This park was freakin' huge! Lots of disaffected youth running around, most without helmets.
Monday, August 27, 2007
Friday, August 24, 2007
Ironman Louisville Transition
I am a bit beat to post, but it is hot and sunny here. The race set up is wonderful. More pictures at my Flick page.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
The Road to Ironman Louisville
I left today for Ironman Louisville. This si going to be great, an Ironman in the middle of the hottest August on record! But more of that later.
The bikes are traveling in style!
Along the way I stopped in Knoxville to meet and have lunch the formerly anonymous blogger, formerly known as South Knox Bubba, who know runs the KnoxViews group blog, and his wife. What great people they are! We had a great lunch at a local Cracker Barrel- luckily they had one close by! Mrs. Bubba is beautiful and charming. They are both great people to sit down and talk with. I have "known" Randy (the afore mentioned SKB) for about four blogger years, but this is the first chance I have had to meet him face to face.
I managed to get a picture with him, while we sat talking after lunch, and so I am now going to out him! He is on the left!
Here is a quick shot of the river in Louisville. Needless to say we made it safely. More pictures later, here and at Flickr.
Next thing you know, I will be having lunch with and exposing TBogg!
Thursday, June 14, 2007
A Short Rush Video From Opening Night
This was taken with a tiny pocket camera's video function, so don't expect HD and 5.1.
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Vandalized Stickers
A neighbor painted the bumper stickers on my truck. I countered. I don't believe I violated any of the Condo Association rules. We'll see what happens now. Any guesses?
Monday, May 21, 2007
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
Monday, May 07, 2007
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Monday, March 26, 2007
Scott Rigsby
If you look, you will notice his feet are not OEM, but are aftermarket. Not only is he a cyclist, he is a triathlete as well. And he is a very nice guy, as I had a chance to talk to him a few days after this ride. His website.
Friday, March 16, 2007
Wheels of Fire Century
Saturday March 10th was the Wheels of Fire Century in Harris County, to raise money for their volunteer fire department. This was one of the best centuries I have done, although it is a bit early in the year. The course is fantastic and the fire department has aid stations every 6 or 7 miles, although we only stopped at two or three of them. This was a well supported ride.
On the hilly course I rode the first 40 miles alone. The next 40 I joined a group from Columbus, a racing team in lime green. Four of us were pulling for 40 miles and dropped the group size down from about 20 to five. One very strong guy peeled off to get home early. There were three of us pulling at that point and at mile 80 I blew and dropped off. I rode the last tough 21 alone and ended up finishing 101 miles in 5 hours and 11 minutes. I'll take that as a good training ride this early in the season on a tough course.
Can you say best aid station ever!
From The AJC
Me on the left taking photos after cycling down. This is me taking the photo on the previous post. It was taken by one of the AJC photographers and appeared on their website where I swiped it!
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
Friday, February 02, 2007
Monday, January 29, 2007
Monday, January 08, 2007
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