Butterfly

I had the opportunity to use my new macro lens (AF-S Micro Nikkor 60mm f/2.8G ED) when I discovered this butterfly trapped in our rain gutter.

 In the images that I took, she is resting on Michele's arm drying her wings.

Due to the break in the weather, there was plenty of ambient sunlight.  As a lucky bonus, there was an additional source as sunlight was reflected off of a mirrored door stored in the garage.  The light enabled nice exposures.

The butterfly flew away shortly after the shoot and alighted in a nearby tree.

Perfect!

I would love for some feedback on the three images in my gallery. Which is your favorite and why?

Birthday at Lassen

For my birthday, the family took a day trip to Lassen National Park. It was lovely, sunny and cold.  We were able to take the road to the Sulfer Works area.  The following is a nice image that I took of a mud-pot.

Sac-Anime 2012

The Otaku Desu club and I attended the Sacramento Anime Convention and had a blast. The past couple of years we attended Wonder-Con in San Francisco. Because there's not going to be a Wonder-Con this year, we needed to select an alternative site for our field trip. Secretary Neko-chan did a great job of organizing and planning the trip today. We all agree that from now on, Sac-Anime will be a regular part of our club's agenda.

What I liked most about Sac-Anime was the level of participation by the attendees. There were clearly more attendees participating in "cos-play" than not. As a matter of fact, I felt a little out of place not in costume.

The beautiful day combined with the eager participation of the cos-players made for a great opportunity for me to practice my portrait photography. The photos that I took are published on my web gallery.

One thing that I learned today was that I need to carry business cards with a link to my site. The generous "models" were very interested in access to my work. It is apparently customary for photographers to provide a business card after taking an image. I was asked for a card several times. I'll be more prepared for future opportunities.

Sunset

What a beautiful sunset!

New Years Intensions

My first New Year's intention is to ride daily.

There is a very nice 20 minute loop near our home. My intension is to ride that loop at least once daily.

That seems doable and productive.

The Hunt Ends

The hunt for a new mountain bike has, for the time being, come to an end. After some careful research, I’ve concluded that a new mountain bike is not a viable purchase to suit my needs.

However tempting the more advanced terrain of Upper Park seems, The style of riding required to tackle Upper Park is not what I am really interested in developing.

I did research online on modern mountain bikes. What they have to offer is geared toward more technical and extreme riding than in which I care to engage.

After going to the local bike store to see some of the new models, it became clear to me that I am not that interested enough in the awesome yet complex technology offered.

A great mountain bike is much more equipment and I want for the coming years.

I now realize that my 20-year-old bike is still perfect for jaunts around Lower Park, around town, and in the foothills.

Rather than buy a new bike, I have decided to focus my energy and money on making my current bike run sweetly.

I have cleaned up my bike, have had an overhaul done on the hub, lubed it up, added some fenders for the rain and mud, and added some clips on my pedals.

I am ready to ride and I think my old bike looks pretty boss.

The Hunt Begins

I am thinking about getting a new bicycle.

Our recent move to this side of town opens to me many miles of great biking.  In this new year, I hope to ride more frequently.

I want to bike more because I enjoy traveling through the outdoors with a certain amount of velocity and because I need the exercise. 

My buddy Andy has raved about how the technology of new bikes has been a game changer for him.  He specifically mentions that the new full-suspension bikes allow him to ride better than he ever has before.

My hope is that getting a new bike will add another layer of comfort and style to my rides on my local terrain.  The trails of Upper-Bidwell are quite rocky and can be teeth rattling (especially on the way down).

North Rim Trail

It is time to replace the bike I got as a college freshman and see for myself how a new bike might change my game.

I hope to share some experiences that I have researching, purchasing, and enjoying a new bike.