Handcycles

Handcycles

A handcycle race was held when the pro bike riders started on the first of the long laps over Paris Mountain. Handcycles are special tricycles designed primarily for paraplegics. The pedals and handlebars are integrated together with the rider pedaling with their hands. The "pedals" also have the brake controls. I have to admit that I had not seen a handcycle race before. However, I was quite impressed with the riders. I don't think I could have made it through one lap, not to mention the ten or so laps that they raced. There are two kinds of handcycles which you can see in this photograph. Most of the riders use recumbent types where they were laying down. Some used a kneeling style bike where which allowed them to see over the pedals better. Still, some amazing athletes. My hat is off to them.

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Through the Streets

Through the Streets

The USA Cycling Pro Championship Time Trial and Road races were held in Greenville again this past weekend. I had forgotten about them until the Friday before when they were on the local news again. Instead of going to Cleveland Park as we had for the past couple of years, I went by myself to downtown Greenville where the Start and Finish lines were set-up. I must have read the course map wrong because I was on the wrong side of the start line for the start. However, it did give me a nice view of the riders as they turned onto Main Street and came down the hill at the Peace Center.

I didn't stay all day for the entire race. It was starting to cloud up and I didn't want to get caught in a thunderstorm. Plus, I was beginning to overheat a bit from being in the open streets. Not having a place to sit and get a drink from a cooler like the past years at the park a problem. However, the downtown area was a very different environment to watch the race and to photograph the racers in making it worth it I suppose.

Overall I think I got few shots that I like, but I can see where I still need to work on my sports photography. There is always next year as they announced the race will be in Greenville again in 2010.

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Bike Race

Faces in the Peleton

Here are a few photographs from the Spartanburg Regional Bicycle Races.

More after the jump.

Women's Leader

Men's Leader

Into a turn

Out of a Turn

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Some times the camera is right

Community

We had a fun time at the Spartanburg Regional Classic Pro Bicycle Races Friday evening. We got to see the women's category 3&4/Junior's race and most of the men's category 3&4 race. It was a pleasant evening with a nice breeze/wind. The announcer said that it was about 15 mph at times. It was blowing right down the main straight aways for the course. Thus, the riders had either a 15 mph tail wind or a 15 mph head wind. The part of the course with a hill had the head wind of course. Still, some of the men we saw race were hitting up to 35 mph. The course was a 1 km circuit through downtown around the Denny's corporate building. The men's race we saw was a 30 km race. The women's was a 25 km race. It was fun to see it in that kind of setting though. However, there were not very many spectators.

More after the jump.

Overall, I'm happy with some of the images I got from this outing. The shot above though kind of had a story to it. You see, I was actually trying to line up a shot of the racers passing by the review stand for the next lap. However, the camera decided to focus on this police officer and child that were just a bit in front of me. It was as if the camera was saying, "No you dumby! THIS is the shot you really want!". Luckily, I recognized the moment for what it was and shot off a couple of quick frames. It didn't last very long and was underexposed. However, the camera was right. It was the shot I wanted. It seems to capture the spirit of the event. That being the community coming to town to enjoy an event together. The child is watching the racers approach and the police officer seems to be watching over him. I know it looks like she's holding the boy, but the mother was actually holding him just out of the frame and behind the officer. Fortunately, it wasn't so badly under exposed that I couldn't recover it. That is one of the reasons I shoot in RAW (NEF) format. You have more latitude and information in the file. It was under exposed because I had the exposure set for the distant riders who were in the bright afternoon sunlight. The moment with the child and officer, who were in shade, was so quick that I didn't have time to adjust the shutter speed to get a proper exposure on them.

Still, I'm quite pleased with how it turned out. Pay attention to your viewfinder. Sometimes what you see might not be want you want to see in it, but sometimes it might be even better than what you want. Keep your eyes and mind open for those fleeting moments you can't plan.

More shots of the race to come.

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