Mecworks

I made two photographs on my way back from Salt Lake City last night. I was leaving a friend’s house after dropping off some items for the SLLUG meeting tomorrow night. While descending the avenues, I passed by Memory Grove near 9th Avenue where I stopped for an amazing sunset.

Here are several. The first two are the pictures I made last night and were made on my Nikon D300 camera. The first is looking out at Antelope Island to the West with my Nikon AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8 G ED lens and the second is a view of the Utah state capital and the sunset taken with my Nikon 10.5mm f/2.8 DX Fisheye. (All images Copyright © Marc Christensen, All rights reserved.)

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Getting ready to head home for the evening, last night (Sept. 18, 2008), I packed up my stuff, changed into my biking gear and headed out to where my bike had been securely locked while I was at work. I was a bit disappointed to find that my rear tire on my recumbent bike was flat. I had plenty of patches though, being an occasional commuter, I like to think I am prepared for such events. I removed the wheel and got the inner tube removed, patched and replaced in about 1o minutes. After pumping and pumping for much longer that it should have taken I noticed that it wasn’t holding more than 30psi and quickly dropped to nothing once I stopped. An hour later and 5 holes patched on the ancient rubber band I was kind enough to call an inner tube and I decided that there was no fixing the old oxidized piece of rubber.

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I’m always amazed by the generosity of my friends and family at this time of year. With only a week and a half, I not only raised the minimum for participation in this year’s ride but had to change my goal twice! I want to thank everyone who has contributed financially as well as those who support me in other ways each and every year for the MS150! I can’t do it without you and I really appreciate your kindness.

Here’s the original post about the ride and a direct link to my MS150 page.

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I’m going to be riding the Multiple Sclerosis 150 mile benefit ride this year – again! Many were able to support me through encouragement as well donations to help me reach my fund raising goals. This is also a chance for me to connect with many friends who I haven’t heard from for a long time so drop a line when you get a chance – It would be great to hear from you again.

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Another video of Steve. Below is a video of a great interview that Steve Irwin did on Late Night with Conan O’Brien. Very funny.

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So, one of my favorite conservationists and genuine people has died. Steve Irwin, known to most people around the world as the Crocodile Hunter passed away today in an accident while filming a documentary about the sea’s most dangerous creatures off the coast of Australia. A stingray barb pierced his chest and heart.

I remember watching his shows on television many times and having to look away because what he was doing or the danger he was in was too hard to watch. He lived his life like that, on the edge but he enjoyed what he was doing and died doing just that. Below is a video tribute of Steve Irwin’s live originally broadcast on Australian television on September 4, 2006, the day of Steve’s death.

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Carbon/White ’06 Specialized Tarmac Expert (click here to enlarge)

I broke 1000 miles on Friday with my new 06 Specialized Tarmac Expert.

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I first heard this on NPR this morning as I drove into work and read about it in more depth on OLN TV. Several other news outlets are carrying the story as well.

This morning it was reported that several of the favorites in the Tour de France have been banned from this year’s race on the day of the prologue, the day before the actual race starts due to possible implications with a doctor Eufemiano Fuentes who is suspected in dealing in performance enhancing drugs.

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I’m happy to say that I’m preparing again for the Multiple Sclerosis 150 mile ride this year! Last year was a awesome, both in people who supported me through encouragement as well as many who were able to donate to help my fund raising goals.

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Went with some friends: Melody, Jason and Natalie on a walking tour of downtown Salt Lake City on June 19, 2006. Very cool. Spent some time looking at old buildings but didn’t have nearly enough time to do the whole tour. We only were able to do the first third or so. Took some pictures of the buildings we visited.

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Went to Vivian tonight. Cool because of the the approaching storm. Not too many people on the trail because of it. I stopped by Best Buy tonight to look at a small digital camera that I can take on my rides. I’m looking at the Olympus Stylus 810 or Olympus Stylus 710 because they are weather resistant, light and small. Anyway, couldn’t’ decide so I figure I can wait.

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Tonight after work I rode from the Novell building H parking lot along Kuni Rd. to the Springville exit with the Walmart (not sure what the exit # is) then West following the road as it wound around through farm fields turning South and ended up on Main Street in Payson, UT. I did the tour of the one block “Historic Downtown” which consisted of riding up a oneway street of old buildings before continuing to the Payson Memorial Park. While at the park I was entertained by three juvenile delinquents riding skate boards and a BMX bike on the bandstand. They were quite entertaining but after the 15th ollie and 10th kick-flip and a couple kick-flips off the three foot bandstand, I had seen their entire repertoire of tricks. I ate a couple granola bars I had in my hydration pack and headed back to Novell. Nice ride. Lots of protein in the air out in the farm land tonight. Yuck!!! Almost as bad as the number of bugs I suck in while climbing Provo Canyon.

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Rode to Vivian Park today. Nice, warm. The trail was a bit crowded though.

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Rode to Vivian to day. Drafted behind some super-rodie-biker for as long as I could – only about a mile or so before he left me in the dust. It was fun though. After the canyon, I went South on Univerity Ave. then up past the MTC and Provo Temple to visit a friend who lives East of BYU campus. Nice ride. It was dark when I got home but the temperature was perfect the whole ride – in the 70s and 80s.

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Got up early this morning and rode to Vivian and back. The morning was a little cool but there were many people out on the trail.

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Took half day today to take care of some things and had time to ride this evening. Went to Vivian Park in Provo Canyon then on the way back, went past the old WordPerfect campus, west then south heading home. Nice weather in the 80s. Pushed pretty hard today. Stopped by Jay Platt’s place on the way out. He is moving his family to Arizona. I’ll miss him – he’s a good friend.

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So, I’m fixin’ to get me another kite. “Don’t you already have too many?”, you might ask. Well, the fact is that a) you can never have too many kites and b) I need another kite in the 3-4 meter range because when I take friends kiting, that is the best size for them to use when learning a 4-line kite after they have learned on a two-line trainer kite. The Ozone Samurai2 is what I’m looking at. A very sweet kite with either a bar or handles. It’s a non-depower kite so you need kite-killers or a good saftey release mechanism on your bar when flying it.

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Today during lunch I rode south of Novell along Kuni Rd to Thunder Mountain Raceway then west to the Armory then North on the West side of the freeway before heading back. Nice ride again, a little cool.

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Rode the Provo loop today but extended it to include 700E. to BYU campus then North along Timpview drive then to Canyon Road North, across University Ave. before heading back home. Nice ride.

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Rode this moring. Went South on Geneva Rd. then west to the Provo Harbor before heading east along Provo Center St. to University Ave, then North to Orem Center St. and back home. Nice ride. A little cool this morning.

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