Bicycle Race

[Byron Gale]

The "Amgen Tour of California (http://www.amgentourofcalifornia.com/Route/stages/stage3.html)" bicycle race is being run this week, and today was Stage 3, from Stockton to San Jose... and they went through my little town, on the way. In fact, the route came right through my neighborhood!! I only had to walk about four blocks to watch them roll by!! :D

I've placed five shots in my gallery (http://www.photoshopelementsuser.com/gallery/view_img.php?id=17747).

Now I can't seem to get that song (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicycle_Race) by Freddie and the boys out of my head... ;)

[deedeeO]

Very Cool shots!!! My intention was to get out and capture the shots as they were on 680 heading to San Jose; however, the kids just were not cooperating. How lucky you were to see them!!!

[kimi_boo]

Bryon.. wonderful shots!! :D Doesn't that camera capture great colors.
great aperture and shutter work.;)

[kevq]

Bryon,
great shots. Took me to the Tour De France, which I watch every year on the Box ( TV).
Kev.

[graficalicus]

Now I can't seem to get that song by Freddie and the boys out of my head...

"Fat Bottomed Girls will be riding today..."? :)

Nice shots -

[Pauline]

Byron those are excellent photos!

[RonH]

Byron, Tool cool. I live outside Sac and wanted to go watch the finish at the Capital but my life got in the way. Great pics.

[kimi_boo]

"Fat Bottomed Girls will be riding today..."? :)

Nice shots -

Bicycle, Bicycle, Bicycle
I want to ride my bicycle, bicycle, bicycle
I want to ride my bicycle
I want to ride my bike
I want to ride my bicycle
I want to ride my-
Bicycle races are coming your way
So forget all your duties Oh yeah
Fat bottomed girls, they'll be riding today
So look out for those beauties oh yeah
On your marks, get set, go!

Yep, had that one on 8 track. :D or at least I think it was 8 track. ;)

[mrod]

Very nice, Byron. I enjoy cycling myself. Not competitively, like those guys, but more than just a jaunt around the block. When I'm motivated, I try to commute to work via bike (my students are amazed--I'm over 30, after all :eek:).

Taken with the new D80, I presume? Do you like? What lens were you shooting with, and how far away were you?

Mike

[Byron Gale]

Thanks for the compliments, all!! The two packs of riders went by in mere seconds, so it was a literal "blink and you'll miss it" event... not counting the dozens of police and support vehicles that swarmed the area for 20 minutes before the bikes drew into view.

...Doesn't that camera capture great colors...Kimi - Yes!! I am as pleased as I had hoped I would be. :D I did not touch these images other than to crop and resize for the gallery.

"Fat Bottomed Girls will be riding today..."?Graffi - That's the tune... "ding-ding"

...Taken with the new D80, I presume? Do you like? What lens were you shooting with, and how far away were you?...Mike - Yes, I was using the D80. I had it in Shutter priority, set at 1/400, ISO 100, and I was using the 18-200 VR lens with VR engaged in Normal mode. Based on some reading I've done, I have the camera set to
-0.3EV (maybe headed for -0.7). I do like it!! :p

I was right on the curb -- as the pack went by me they were within an arm's length. None of the pictures I took while they were THAT close turned out well, though, so I won't be posting them.

Byron

[NMarti]

Byron
Wonderful shots! Looks like you have the hang of that camera.

[Byron Gale]

...Looks like you have the hang of that camera.Nancy,

Thank you!!! (You might not say that, though, if you saw the 117 shots that I did NOT post...:eek: )

Byron

[mrod]

Nancy,

Thank you!!! (You might not say that, though, if you saw the 117 shots that I did NOT post...:eek: )

Byron

What, you didn't get 5 winners right out of the chute and go home? ;)

Mike

[karen donnybrook]

Byron,

Terrific shots. We did not need to know about all the others you took;)

Karen :)

[AngelicKim]

Great shots Byron.

[PegPowell]

Those are wonderful. The stop action is super.

[Rusty]

Those are wonderful, Byron,

I'll bet you were crouched down very, very low ??

My daughter raced for several years (mountain bike, not a roadie) and I tried and tried and tried. I have lots of great shots of the top of her head :)

Rusty

[Byron Gale]

Thanks, again, for the recent posts... my head is sufficiently swollen, now. :p

...I'll bet you were crouched down very, very low ??...Rusty,

I guess I was just lucky, because I didn't even think of squatting down, things were happening so fast. Maybe the riders were looking up because they were going through an intersection area where several fans were gathered, and cheering for them all.

Byron