Circuit of The Americas Tower

The tower at the Circuit Of The Americas track in Austin, Texas stands 251 feet above the race track.  I didn’t go up the tower but it was pretty impressive to look at from the ground.

Turn 15

One of the Red Bull drivers brakes coming into turn 15 at the Formula 1 race in Austin, Texas.

Little Black Spider

wildlifehub

I nearly stepped on this small black and red spider before I noticed it hanging out on a lichen covered rock.

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Cardboard Boat Regatta

Normally I keep to one photo per post but I decided to make an exception for the 2013 Lake Of The Woods Cardboard Regatta.

Several weeks ago my nephew participated in the cardboard boat regatta.  The rules are simple enough.  Each boat must be homemade and can only be made from cardboard, tape and paint.  The boats are judged in several categories and then races are held by age group.

In the below photo, taken before the races, you can get a sense of the various designs.  They ranged from very simple to rather complex.

In the youngest category the S.S. Lake Monster proved to be watertight but was too wide for this young rower to maneuver.  She maintained a good attitude and eventually a swimmer pushed the boat the length of the course.

My nephew rowed his boat, Sea Bear, to first place in his age group.  Needless to say we were all very proud.

These boys, dressed in elvish costumes, piloted Smaug, which was not much more than a large, painted box.  Unfortunately about 20 yards from shore the structural integrity of Smaug was compromised and it collapsed and sank.

This young lady successfully completed the course in her boat, Boatrfly.

Noah’s Ark had to be the most elaborately designed boat in the regatta.  It stood about 4′ high and was about 7′ or 8′ long.  It did well in the pre-race judging, getting lots of points for style and originality but proved to be less-than-seaworthy.  Here you can see it beginning to take on water.  Sadly Noah’s Ark went under before finishing the course.

In the adult category the U.S.S. Monitor was an interesting entrant.  The boat capsized and lost it’s turret mid-way through the course but the paddlers righted it and managed to finish the race.

Hokie Boat started off strong.  It was way ahead of the competition until it began listing and sank.

Cyclist on Riverside Drive

I photographed this cyclist on Riverside Drive during the Tour de Richmond in October.  Positioned across the road with a view of the river, I panned the camera with the passing cyclist to capture this image.

Cyclists Yield to Hikers, Hikers Yield to Bears

I came across several of these signs when biking a trail in the mountains of Southwest Virginia.  I suppose one must know his place when out in the woods.  I wonder, if bears could read would they be instructed to yield to anybody?

Pace Line

Cyclists ride in a pace line to save energy.  The first time I drafted another cyclist it was immediately obvious why birds fly in formation.  These riders are about 15 miles into a century ride in Richmond, Virginia.  With 85 miles remaining they are, no doubt, attempting to retain as much of their energy as possible.

Cycling Along the River

Riverside Drive, in Richmond, Virginia, is one of the most scenic spots I know of for cycling.  On any given Saturday or Sunday in the summer there are far more cyclists and runners on this road than cars.  Although this stretch is flat and runs right along the James River, the road also offers several steep climbs and descents.

Rider on a Painted Horse

Wave of Cyclist

In every cycling event I’ve participated in, it seems like people ride in waves.  I got the impression these six cyclists were actually two groups of three that just happened to be riding at the same pace.