Philadelphia International Championships (June 5-6, 2010)

I haven't blogged for a while, except the Dillard/Wilson book preso. I did a lot of connecting when I was in Africa, writing about the poor women and children, AIDS patients, suffering -- a reach across a large ocean, to stay in touch, proportion emotions, and float some pics (Aduare slideshow). That went pretty well; we're helping a few hundred indigent children each month. Now, I'm looking to do a non-profit survey in Haiti this fall, maybe Darfur in spring.

I used to write compulsively about photo technique, learning and stuff (e.g., '1/1250 @ F8 x ISO 400' ...). Now I am in Philadelphia, to cover the International Cycling Championship, gather material (I hope) for our book. Let me start by saying a number of things: Philadelphia is an awesome city, great architecture and public art. DC, where I was born, is nice, but my informal measure puts Philly over the top. My good friend, JudyB, a child of Philadelphia, should know, she wins! What a beautiful city. My ancestor, James Wilson, sits perpetually on a podium at UPenn, and I collect shallow heriditary remittances. But look at this art and architecture (front of museum, 'Rocky's steps' ...), awesome!

I'm shooting tomorrow's bike race with a high end portrait lens, a 135 mm F2L atop my full-frame Canon 5D. Not a sport lens, my zoom. Why? Well, to me it's about the people, yes the cyclists are awesome, churning massive watts up Manayunk Wall (a horrendous pitch), but it's getting the people that marks me as worthwhile. Look at this fellow, sitting in Love Park. Says a lot to me about the world and society.

Alas, we will see. Oh another thing to say, I'm so proud of my cycling family. All raced today at Church Creek time trial (near Cambridge, MD). Ave pulled down a silver for Juniors, and Care (W4) and Nathan (Cat 1) hit personal marks for their distances. I ride recreationally, but am off the back compared to these horses (challenges!). Anyway, Venga to team W! We're off to Bend in a couple weeks for national road championships and healthful riding for the rec-level rents.

More later.