I need to get this started - so what better incentive than to start a thread where I KNOW people will be looking for pictures and movies. I have a reputation to uphold.
This thread will be updated a few times in the next few days while I review 1,100 exposures, about 5 hours of video, and edit enough to share with my DMF friends.
Two quick stories before I start my write up...
1 - I really needed this trip. My divorce has extracted a hellish financial and emotional toll on me this year (selling the Monster - for example) and I really needed to escape from EVERYONE for a while. I originally volunteered to drive along to Indy with the US's, but when the majority of the riders decided to bail on Indy - I volunteered to drive on this new trip.
2 - A week before I sold the Monster, I sold a Jeep. Apparently I forgot to submit all the paperwork New Jersey required, and I found out Saturday that my drivers license had been suspended since September 7th. My license is still to my old house - the one my ex- got in the divorce - and she sorts her mail once or twice a month... tops. I went through this whole trip with a suspended license - that I didn't know was suspended. I shudder to think about what could have gone wrong...
The day before the departure, I drive to Brooklyn to pick up everyone's luggage, extra gear, a toolbox, spare tire, etc., etc., etc.! The next day I can't take it anymore so I bolt from work at 3pm, and hit the road by 4:30pm. It's a non-event. I turned the little Flip Video on myself and started making a documentary of sorts of the trip. It lasts two days, and I resort to taking pictures again with my big-assed camera.
Wednesday night is notable for a few things - me leading a US Ride... in a car 8), letting the bikes blow by me on the PA Turnpike at high speed. The guys had all KINDS of fun in the mountains of western Pa, and learned that leaning off at 45 is one thing... leaning off at 100 is quite another!!! [moto]. We find a Super 8 - GC already showed the pictures, but I leave you with one of the running jokes of the trip - it started that night:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3T0GRjxOP98
Stay tuned for the video of that night.
Quote from: tommys67 on September 22, 2008, 05:36:33 PM
leaning off at 100 is quite another!!!
Ahem, I believe max speed whilst
climbing the mountains was 139mph.
[popcorn]
Quote from: goldenchild on September 22, 2008, 05:59:17 PM
Ahem, I believe max speed whilst climbing the mountains was 139mph.
[popcorn]
I rounded... ;D
[laugh] That video gets me everytime. [clap]
looks like you guys had a ridiculous time. lord knows, i'd be the one that gets caught doing 140. i look forward to the rest of this thread.
OK - give this a few minutes while YouTube finalizes the formatting!!!!
This is night one of the trip. It's my failed attempt at a documentary. Basically, I got this, a few other quick videos I'll format tomorrow, and then I'm sticking to photos.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4-fxlqI5nw
Quote from: migs76 on September 22, 2008, 06:30:29 PM
lord knows, i'd be the one that gets caught doing 140.
Ask Cru how close we were to getting busted, thankfully Brembo radial mc's are plenty strong... [laugh]
Quote from: goldenchild on September 22, 2008, 08:02:48 PM
Ask Cru how close we were to getting busted, thankfully Brembo radial mc's are plenty strong... [laugh]
Yeah, they work pretty well. [clap] I remember thinking to myself that maybe going 140 at night up a mountain in PA wasn't the best of ideas, so I backed off & then I saw lights around a curve in the road. I slammed on the brakes before coming into view of whatever it was (po-po) & then was relieved when they didn't chase after. That reminds me of the saying, "Usual Suspects: clever, yes, common sense, not so much." [laugh]
Quote from: Cru Jones on September 22, 2008, 09:07:46 PM
"Usual Suspects: clever, yes, common sense, not so much." [laugh]
[laugh] [laugh] [laugh]
so dmf - nymmc now doubles as the advrider portion of the board [moto]
looking forward to the rest of toms docs.
OK - some quick pic postings before I need to crash.
Killboy - eat your heart out!!!
This is from Route 421 - The Snake. I think you can see me in the first of the two videos crouched in the turn. 8)
(http://www.mendhams.com/cars/20080912_4852.jpg)
(http://www.mendhams.com/cars/20080912_4856.jpg)
(http://www.mendhams.com/cars/20080912_4859.jpg)
Some random pictures
For the photo geeks - this was taken in the dark with a 30 second exposure at f2.8. The light in the road is 1 semi crawling up the hill.
(http://www.mendhams.com/cars/20080912_4908.jpg)
Yeah...
(http://www.mendhams.com/cars/20080913_4963.jpg)
Soome people just try toooooo hard. We felt we needed to mock them. Her dress literally jingle-jangled. So pretentious - I could've puked. GC's expression - PRICELESS!!!
(http://www.mendhams.com/cars/20080914_4980.jpg)
Some background on this exposure...
We stopped at a scenic waterfall in Pisgah State Park. It's very popular, it's quite crowded, and this girl was being a bit of an exhibitionist. Not in flashing anyone, just in being in the line of sight of EVERYONE and obviously looking for attention. For example - you can tell in this picture she's wearing a red thong. ;D
(http://www.mendhams.com/cars/20080914_5041.jpg)
I'm sorry - roly poly does NOT equal adorable.
(http://www.mendhams.com/cars/20080914_5005.jpg)
OK - last pics tonight...
Probably the best pictures I took this trip are included in this sampling from a setup on our new favorite secret road. The guys never saw me - I was hiding behind a guardrail!!!!
(http://www.mendhams.com/cars/20080916_5563.jpg)
(http://www.mendhams.com/cars/20080916_5571.jpg)
(http://www.mendhams.com/cars/20080916_5578.jpg)
(http://www.mendhams.com/cars/20080916_5581.jpg)
Quote from: tommys67 on September 22, 2008, 09:46:32 PM
(http://www.mendhams.com/cars/20080912_4852.jpg)
Would you look at that sexy form! But seriously, as great as this picture is and as considerate a person Tommy is, this was the corner of death! Downhill decreasing radius... notice all the dirt/mud on the inside of the corner. Tommy was positioned in that mud, on the inside and below the road. What you can't see in the pic is the entire roadway directly after T's position covered in that same dirt and mud. I started losing the front and rear tires but I managed to get the bike back upright w/o running too wide. Same thing happened to Cru. Riding too fast on an unknown road? Perhaps, but it sure was fun!
great pic's there tommy
I'm thinking of upgrading from a sony cybershot to ether a cannon or Nikon DSLR
so i have a few questions for you
which brand of DSLR camera do you have?
and what made you decide to go with that brand that brand ex(cost,size,weight)?
what program do you use to convert from raw to jpeg ?
and how much do you think one should spend on a lens kit ?
thanks in advance
Nice shots Tommy. I especially like the pics (posted on reply#12) of GC, Cru and Dizzle tackling the curves, all had great form and stance. It would be ideal if those pics get framed and hung on the wall [thumbsup]
Quote from: goldenchild on September 22, 2008, 08:02:48 PM
Ask Cru how close we were to getting busted, thankfully Brembo radial mc's are plenty strong... [laugh]
that rocks! everytime i've almost gotten pinched was pretty much the same.
bbrrrrrraaaapppppppp....squeeealll [leo]....
....
...
[laugh]
tommy - looks like you've captured some really great moments.
andro - nikon vs canon? either company produces some great pro-sumer cameras. you really can't lose with either. i chose nikon because i felt it fit my hands better. not only that, i already had some nikon glass. ;)
Quote from: androgynous on September 23, 2008, 04:42:30 PM
great pic's there tommy
I'm thinking of upgrading from a sony cybershot to ether a cannon or Nikon DSLR
so i have a few questions for you
which brand of DSLR camera do you have?
and what made you decide to go with that brand that brand ex(cost,size,weight)?
what program do you use to convert from raw to jpeg ?
and how much do you think one should spend on a lens kit ?
thanks in advance
I have a Canon 30D and the main lens I use is a 24-70 wide angle zoom with autofocus. It's also an "L" series of Canon lens so it's super sharp, and goes down to f2.8.
I've always had good luck with Canons, and I really just liked the look and feel of the camera body. I'm a big guy and pretty strong, so weight of equipment isn't really and issue. The good lenses are HEAVY though, so it's not so much comfort as it is convenience. By convenience I mean being able to take it on rides and around town. Goldenchild has a tiny little camera that took some phenomenal shots, and it's a TON more practical to carry around.
I went to SLR world because I wanted absolute control over the pictures I take. Plain and simple. I am now hooked on L series lenses, though, and there are only 1 or 2 lenses under $1,000.
With lens kits, generally the one that comes with the kit is decent. You will take decent exposures and it will be light. Once you start learning what kind of pictures you will take, you can decide what kind of lens you want to upgrade to.
For example, the 50mm Canon prime lens comes in 2 flavors - the basic one that goes down to f1.4 and costs about $350, and you have the L lens that steps down to f1.2 and i about $1600 :o. To the uninitiated, look at the long exposure shot on the previous page - the lower the f-stop, the more light that hits the sensors. f1.2 is the SHIT! You can almost take pictures at night without a flash [thumbsup]. With a super-low f-stop, you find yourself looking for bokeh. What's bokeh?
You know when you've seen a picture where the subject is perfectly sharp, but the background is out of focus, and it looks really cool? That's bokeh. I've got a few examples ready to be posted later tonight. FWIW... My next lens will likely be either a telephoto 200mm IS (2.8 or 2) or a L series prime - 50 or 85mm.
The telephoto will be for more moto and auto related photos. The prime would be for taking studio quality exposures.
You do NOT need to spend beaucoup bucks on a lens - just do the research to figure out which one is best for your style and your intentions.
I'm sure Nikon has a similar site, but the main Canon digital forum is awesome - better than the DMF for Canon stuff (www.photography-on-the.net) - and there are TONS of primers and HUNDREDS of exposure samples of EVERY lens so you get an EXCELLENT idea of what works and what doesn't.
The camera body itself has all the software built in to take either JPEG or RAW exposures. I used RAW when I took some shots of my ex-girlfriend so I could get absolutely perfect quality, but 99% of the time I shoot in large format jpeg. It takes me a while to edit pictures because each exposure is between 2 and 3MB in size, (or 3,500x2,400 or so pixels) and iPhoto does everything I need.
The biggest thing that helped me get good at this is the book "Understanding Exposure" by Bryan Peterson. It literally taught me everything I know.
For example:
This shot isn't quite right, but it's close, and I learned how to take it in that book!!
(http://www.mendhams.com/cars/20080912_4877.jpg)
Check it!!!
(http://www.mendhams.com/cars/20080916_5305.gif)
That's awesome Tommy! [moto]
Quote from: tommys67 on September 23, 2008, 07:33:39 PM
Check it!!!
(http://www.mendhams.com/cars/20080916_5305.gif)
Why are we going so slow?
Quote from: goldenchild on September 24, 2008, 06:14:29 AM
Why are we going so slow?
huh?
I set the animation for each of the 27 frames to fly by at .07 seconds each.
Maybe the browser isn't letting it fly?
Quote from: tommys67 on September 24, 2008, 06:46:36 AM
huh?
I set the animation for each of the 27 frames to fly by at .07 seconds each.
Maybe the browser isn't letting it fly?
I kid. I kid...
You have some awesome photography skills tommy!
Quote from: goldenchild on September 24, 2008, 06:14:29 AM
Why are we going so slow?
Oh.
Me dumb tuh-day.
Ben - Thanks. I gave up my secret in my above post, though ;D. Nothing special about it, anyone can do it, too!
Quote from: tommys67 on September 22, 2008, 10:01:38 PM
OK - last pics tonight...
Probably the best pictures I took this trip are included in this sampling from a setup on our new favorite secret road. The guys never saw me - I was hiding behind a guardrail!!!!
(http://www.mendhams.com/cars/20080916_5563.jpg)
(http://www.mendhams.com/cars/20080916_5571.jpg)
(http://www.mendhams.com/cars/20080916_5578.jpg)
(http://www.mendhams.com/cars/20080916_5581.jpg)
So many of the roads in the southern Appalachians, Blue Ridge etc. look alike and I gather your new secret road was somewhere in Up North on your way home, but that curve in the background sure looks like one we call "Jaws" down on SC Hwy 28 on the way up to Highlands, NC just a few miles form the Chattooga River.
LA
Quote from: goldenchild on September 24, 2008, 06:14:29 AM
Why are we going so slow?
Because that's as quick as you guys can go ;D
just kiddin speedy
Very nice job Tommy!
thank you for all the help with the info Tommy [thumbsup]
i'm on my way to hone my amateur photography skillz [thumbsup]
(http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e160/supraking18/Picture437.jpg)
taken with iphone [bacon]
Tommy:
Sweet pictures.
I will have to make a ride sooner or later. I would love ot get a shot of me going around a turn. And we all know that you shoot some sweet pictures!
Plus then I can wear my shirt.
Jim
Ok - the trip's been over for 10 days now, but I'm still getting to pictures and videos. :-[
Here's a simple shot from the Blue Ridge Parkway of me, Dizz, and two candidates for the American Stig [thumbsup]
(http://www.mendhams.com/cars/20080914_5061.jpg)
Some super-fun signage from the Blue Ridge Parkway. I cannot understate how wonderful this road truly is.
(http://www.mendhams.com/cars/20080914_5123.jpg)
These were just too awesome to NOT photograph!
(http://www.mendhams.com/cars/20080914_5135.jpg)
(http://www.mendhams.com/cars/20080914_5134.jpg)
This last one seems like an instruction, rather than a caution - wink, wink...nudge, nudge
(http://www.mendhams.com/cars/20080914_5125.jpg)
Ah, the Dragon...
[roll]
Words cannot express the dullness. As it may have been mentioned already, the Tail of the Dragon is great road, but heavily marketed, heavily ridden and HEAVILY policed. On KILLBOY.com, the dude actually caught a picture of goldenchild resting his left arm on the tank, and just one handing it through the Dragon. Since it is a road that need to be ridden at speed limit, it probably is a true challenge for big dressers and cruisers. Thus - it's a Harley destination above all else.
So at the top of the Dragon is a lookout point that serves as the "official turnaround" of the road. We chilled here for a bit.
(http://www.mendhams.com/cars/20080915_5409.jpg)
So then I tried to race ahead and get a picture of the guys in action. I find a PERFECT spot after KILLBOY's setup on a super-tight switchback. I then find a super-perfect spot to take the shot, but something else decided they wanted the spot, too.
Namely, a juvenile eastern black snake...
(http://www.mendhams.com/cars/20080915_5183.jpg)
Unfortunatley, the guys were following a cop at 22mph, so the shot is crap.
That's enough of the Dragon. Been there, done that, got t-shirts for me and my sons. [thumbsup]
How to blend in in Appalachia...
(http://www.mendhams.com/cars/20080916_5531.jpg)
One of the hobbies I haven't had time for since I moved back into the city is fly fishing. I got into the sport even before I got married, so that gives you an idea of how long I've been doing this.
I'm totally into catch and release, preserving trout habitats and seeking out wild trout, and seeing this joint just broke my heart. It is LITERALLY like shooting fish in a barrel. [bang] [bang] [bang]
This is a little funny...
(http://www.mendhams.com/cars/20080914_5101.jpg)
This is NOT funny, or cool.
(http://www.mendhams.com/cars/20080914_5106.jpg)
Yes, rainbow trout in a "pond" not much more than 18 inches deep.
(http://www.mendhams.com/cars/20080914_5109.jpg)
...and they are so hungry they are jumping like mad for anything that resembles food. I'm posting this 1 shot, but rest assured, I have 2 dozen other pictures where I was waiting to catch an impression of a fish out of water. I finally got it.
(http://www.mendhams.com/cars/20080914_5122.jpg)
OK - rant over.
Sorry Dizzle, but I need to post this.
This is heartbreaking and heartwarming simultaneously. Dizzle's bike a mess, but Dizzle is just fine!!!
I hope everyone can get an idea of the CLIFF that was just beyond the guardrail.
(http://www.mendhams.com/cars/20080916_5591.jpg)
OK - where's that Family Guy clip I posted? BaRUMP, a-duh-duh-duh...
Seriously, though, he was a really nice guy, and a town councilman from the next town. Everyone in this town was bored, and when they got the call of a motorcycle accident on this mountain - EVERYONE showed up. Two cops, ambulance, rescue squad (the councilman came with the rescue squad) and the wrecker.
Cru Jones has his business card [thumbsup]
(http://www.mendhams.com/cars/20080916_5598.jpg)
Just a bit of advice - take signs like this SERIOUSLY!!!
(http://www.mendhams.com/cars/20080916_5618.jpg)
Quote from: tommys67 on September 28, 2008, 05:55:56 PM
Just a bit of advice - take signs like this SERIOUSLY!!!
(http://www.mendhams.com/cars/20080916_5618.jpg)
I heard , i dont know how true it is, but they measure those limits using a truck with water in it and depending on if the water stays level thats how they decide the speed the turn can be taken at. I usually like to double that sign, of course this is on Long Island roads, but those crazy ones with elevation changes out in the middle of nowhere are a whole other story.
It took forever, but here's another video of yet another really sweet road.
This is the northern bit of Route 70 in Tennessee. Can we say switchback city?
The original audio was awful. The replacement song is by Nine Inch Nails.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vG3b_oKojcI
Quote from: GLantern on September 28, 2008, 09:05:08 PM
I heard , i dont know how true it is, but they measure those limits using a truck with water in it and depending on if the water stays level thats how they decide the speed the turn can be taken at. I usually like to double that sign, of course this is on Long Island roads, but those crazy ones with elevation changes out in the middle of nowhere are a whole other story.
I don't know how they measure them, but my rule of thumb is when they read >15mph you can double them. BUT when they read 15 or below, heed their warning. [thumbsup]
Word to the video above! Route 70 was a lot of fun, despite the relaxed pace... I touched a knee down for the first time on that road. And then I did it again, a minute later!
Dammit, I miss my bike...
Thanks Tommy! That road was pretty fun & I wish we had a road close to that quality remotely close to NYC. :'(
Quote from: tommys67 on September 28, 2008, 05:03:24 PM
and two candidates for the American Stig [thumbsup]
I have to admit, I really had a ton o'fun! Who woulda thought that something with a GIANT max output of 6hp would bring me such pleasure! Once I learned the track I didn't fair too bad. Cru on the other hand... he's faster than a pint of Ben & Jerry's through Tommy's stomach!
Quote from: IndustrialGrrrl on September 29, 2008, 06:05:14 AM
I don't know how they measure them, but my rule of thumb is when they read >15mph you can double them. BUT when they read 15 or below, heed their warning. [thumbsup]
I have a similar rule... when they say 15mph, you know you're good anywhere from 2x to 3x, most of the time up to 4x. When they say 15mph or below, you can still usually be at least 2x to 3x. However, if you're in PA, WV, and some parts of VA, you better heed the signs cause they speak the truth!
Quote from: goldenchild on September 29, 2008, 09:51:13 AM
Cru on the other hand... he's faster than a pint of Ben & Jerry's through Tommy's stomach!
That's just not right... [puke] [puke] [puke]
...damned lactose intolerance...
Quote from: GotDuc on September 27, 2008, 06:30:41 PM
Tommy:
Sweet pictures.
I will have to make a ride sooner or later. I would love ot get a shot of me going around a turn. And we all know that you shoot some sweet pictures!
Plus then I can wear my shirt.
Jim
Since I'm bikeless for a while, I'd be happy to drive out to some spots on a few rides these next few months to act as the group photographer. I'm not available every weekend, but with enough notice, I'd be happy to help!
Quote from: goldenchild on September 29, 2008, 09:51:13 AM
I have to admit, I really had a ton o'fun! Who woulda thought that something with a GIANT max output of 6hp would bring me such pleasure! Once I learned the track I didn't fair too bad. Cru on the other hand... he's faster than a pint of Ben & Jerry's through Tommy's stomach!
Yeah, 6hp can be pretty fun can't it? -FYI- GC & Tommy are referring to our races at GPNY up in Mt. Kisco. Once you get the hang of the karts & the track layout you can get pretty fast. The only downfall is that some karts are good & it sucks to go from a good kart one race to a crap kart the next.
Oh, & Tommy, you should just take some Lact-Aid. [laugh]
Quote from: Cru Jones on September 29, 2008, 10:48:13 AM
Oh, & Tommy, you should just take some Lact-Aid. [laugh]
Nah, I'm good. I'm tired of looking around for short kids sneaking up on me with a tuba.
The 2.5 second average difference in laptimes yesterday is pretty much down to the little 6-hp cart struggling to haul me around.
gpny is really fun, once you figure out the karts limits and some good lines it gets pretty fast....drifing every corner