Luke does 2nd half-ironman...

"You can keep going and your legs might hurt for a week, or you can quit, and your mind will hurt for a lifetime." -Mark Allen

It has been forever since I have written a post.  It's not because I have nothing to write about, it is because I have not made the time to just sit down and do it.  I hope to be back to regular posts.  I have so much, but I thought I would start with the most recent, and work backwards.
 
Luke did another half-ironman (aka 70.3 miles...1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike, 13.1 run) in Wilmington, NC.  Luke asked me to come along as the official photographer...which is amazing that he would even ask, since I have failed miserably on the last two events...like not getting even one photo of him.  You know the old saying, "the third time is a charm."  I started off really well by getting photos of the pre-race setting up of his equipment, and transition areas.

I dropped Luke off at the designated spot early the next morning for him to be bused to his swim site.  Luke told me it would take him about 40 minutes for his swim, so I had time to go back to the hotel and take some photos of the ocean, and beach pretty close to sunrise.

There were a lot of people out fishing...

These pelicans  were fishing too...they would skim the top of the water for fish...it was pretty cool.

gorgeous sunrise...

More fishermen...and pelicans...

I went back to the race, and found a good spot where I could catch him at his transition from swim to bike...

Here he comes...they had to run a good 1/4 mile from the ocean to the bike transition area. 

 One thing that made it easier for me to spot him, is that his gear is hot pink...I spotted him right off...thank goodness.

Coming out at the start of the 56 miles of bike ride...

Getting his feet clipped in...

This was the banner down the finish line...the race was called beach2battleship

I missed the transition of Luke coming in on the bike, and starting his run.  He told me it would take about 3 hours for his bike ride, but he was wrong...he finished much, much sooner than that, and I think I got there just after he hit the road, so I missed the photos from bike to run...

...But I got him coming in to the finish line from his run...which he told me would take about 2 hours, so I wasn't paying too much attention.  Then I noticed a speck of pink...could that be Luke?  It was way too soon for him to be finishing.  Like an hour too soon.  But it was Luke...in his pink glory gear.  I barely got my camera up to take these photos...

 He said he never saw me at the finish line, but doesn't it look like he is looking right into my camera? 

The day before we stopped at a booth that was selling some salt, magnesium, and potassium granules.   The guy said he guaranteed it would eliminate cramping, so Luke bought some.  (He had horrible cramps in his last ironman).  Here he is getting ready to take a dose.  You lick your thumb, put it over the vial (it is test tube sized), turn the vial upside down, which coats your thumb in the powder...

then lick the powder off your thumb.  Luke said it worked.  No cramping at all.

He finished in 5 hours 22 minutes...beating is old record by 50 minutes.  Bike split average: 21 mph; run time average: 8 minutes 38 seconds.   He finished in the top 10 for his age group; and top 100 overall (out of 1600).  He was very happy.  I was happy for him, and glad I managed to get some photos...and find each transition area, since I am so directionally challenged.

 So handsome...

he'll probably be mad I called him handsome... but I don't care.

Yeah man...

Pizza after the race...

Son, and mom

He is colorful indeed!

he gets his affinity toward bright colors from me.

He got a lot of comments from spectators, and participants alike on his pink gear.  I am so glad he has such bright clothes, so I can spot him in the crowd.  It was a good weekend for son and mom.

10 Things I learned from the weekend...

1.  Hard work, training, and eating right pays off.  Luke did well because he is disciplined in all these areas.  He made a personal best, and finished strong...and happy.  Hmmm.  Maybe I should be more focused.

2.  Do not believe Luke's estimation of splits...I almost missed him,  he was much faster than he anticipated.  I just have to be at the spots early if I want to get photos... it just might be another personal best for him.

3.  I can find my way around to the transition areas...even when I don't know where I am going.  Just follow the crowd!

4.  I can find Luke in the midst of such a huge number of athletes...bright colors help a lot though.

5.  I can actually get some good shots.

6.  Going to these events are fun, and it is good bonding time.

7.  I think I was a help to Luke...I did end up carrying several of his bags.

8.  I like being a support and cheering him on...even if he did not see me in the crowd.

9.  Luke was very patient with me.

10.  Warren was gracious enough to let me go, because he knew how much I wanted to get some photos of Luke, and the ocean.  And because he loves me.

Fall is here...

"Autumn, the year's last loveliest smile." -William Cullen Bryant

Falling leaves, pumpkins, squash, mums, scarecrows, harvest, cooler tempertures, and glorious color all around are a few of my favorite things about fall.

Hummingbird...

"Once upon almost every morning'
I woke up to find her flying
Hummingbird was making blurs of
Blue and rings of purple in the air...
...Humming bird, hummingbird
that song I heard 
that's my hummingbird." -John Mayer, Hummingbird lyrics

We have a hummingbird feeder right outside our sliding glass window with a lot of these little birds stopping by to take a sip.

Waiting inside the screened in porch...hoping...and wishing...and waiting is Maggie who would love to be able to get at the hummingbirds.  At first, the birds were leery about approaching the feeder when she was perched in her spot, but they seem to know she cannot get at them now.  They come without fear.

I was having a lot of trouble getting a shot of these fast, tiny birds until my friend, Gennean, shared a secret to getting "the shot."  I was thrilled when I did what she suggested, and got some nice shots.

Maybe one day I might share the secret.  Maybe...

Photo experiment...

"Every picture shows a spot with which the artist has fallen in love." -Alfred Sisley

There are many spots in God's creation that I find lovely, and breath taking.  However, it is the ordinary spots I see everyday that draw me in.  One of my favorite passions is railroad tracks.  I love how they go on and on.  Wouldn't it be great to get on a train, travel to who knows where, and take in all the beauty in America?  So I like to take photos of trains, train tracks, and people around them.

Here in NC, I am amazed at the flowers along the sides of the interstate.  There are a couple of spots that are just beautiful with thousands of flowers.  One such spot is by a truck weigh station along I-26.  I decided this would be a good place to pull over to get some photos...when it was closed, of course.  Labor Day I had my chance.  

How could I not add a texture to make one of the photos into a piece of art? I like textures as well.

Added 2LO Hullabaloo 6 texture; blend mode soft light 100%.  Added text: font "Before the rain."

And why not combine two photos to make a very unusual piece of art?  I combined the railroad tracks, and the field of zinnias to make this photo.  I love it.

Combined two photos: train tracks and the zinnia field with the app "instablend". Blend mode color dodge 60%

Enjoy, and be blessed.

The Apple Festival...

"Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings..." -Psalm 17:8

Apples are a big business here.  Apple orchards dot the landscape.  I was amazed at how small the apple trees are, yet so full of fruit.

One of the orchards

Look how little this tree is...

The trees just are not very big...yet the yield is great.  

These are Gala apples.  

Don't they look scrumptious?

Equally big is the annual Apple Festival held over Labor Day weekend.  Downtown main street is closed to traffic, orchard owner set up stands, as do craft, and food vendors to sell their wares.

Main street...Apple festival

One cannot leave without buying something...

Honey crisp apples...my favorite.  I bought a bag.

Best of all, if you are a kid, there is a mini carnival that is just right, and so much fun!

Sawyer and Tate...in the sunglasses...

Here everybody...

High five-ing their Daddy!  

Tate on a blow up monster truck slide

Now Sawyer's turn...

this is another monster truck slide...

Tate went down on his stomach...Pawpaw watches...

On to the UFO...we know something about UFO's being from Roswell...

Up, up into the air with Pawpaw and Daddy cheering them on. 

These guys had the time of their life, and did not want to leave.  Such memories, and fun.  They will look forward to next year I am sure!

Also, big for the apple festival is the "Tour D' Apple" bike race.  This year Warren and Luke did it together.  I decided it would be a great photo opportunity, so I went along as photographer.  I got a lot of pre-race photos...

Unloading the bikes...

And the beginning of the race...

See Luke to the right in the red...Warren is just behind him...

But...Well...I thought I had a lot of time before Luke and Warren came across the finish line, so I went for a walk, sat around in the parking lot, talked to the Chick-fil-a lady, went back to the car to grab a bite to eat, and drink...and up walks Luke.  He was finished... really so soon?  And Warren too!  I missed them coming in...and they were the first ones across the finish line for their race.  And I missed it.  I couldn't believe it.  That is the second time I have missed taking photos. (the first was Luke's ironman in Raleigh, NC where I never found him until he crossed the finish line).  I think I am going to have to give up on being a sports photographer.  No! Never give up...there is always next year.

Activities galore were on hand for the Apple festival.  There was an 8K run as well.  I did go with my photo club to take pictures of the run.  The race was not only for adults.  There was a special run for kids...they were too precious, and my favorite part.  Maybe next year Sawyer and Tate will be able to do it.  The photos taken by the club can be seen here: http://www.cameraclubofhendersonville.com/p310767381.

Here are a few of my favorites that I took...

Don't all these kids look like they are having fun?  Cannot wait to do it all again next year.  I'll get Warren and Luke finishing next time... for sure!