Notes From The Field

Friday, June 21, 2013

Ride the Rockies!

Nana and I recently returned from Colorado where she participated in "Ride the Rockies", an endurance bicycle event that spanned 7 days, 545 miles and 22,000+ feet of climb, including the famous Wolf Creek Pass! She did this with good friend and fellow "Mud-Tribe" member, Sheryl Trent from Colorado!

Starting in Telluride on the June 9th, the ride wound through the southern Rockies ending in Colorado Springs on the 15th.  We stopped in the Moab, Utah area on the way out and hiked up to Delicate Arch for sunset.  The next morning, we hit Dead Horse Point for sunrise, followed shortly thereafter by a trip to Mesa Arch for golden hour light.

Here are some photos from the trip...


Delicate Arch near sunset...


Dead Horse Point at sunrise...


The goosenecks at Dead Horse Point bask in the dawn light...


Mesa Arch shortly after sunrise...


Great clouds at Mesa Arch...


Nana hits the road on the first leg of the ride, leaving Telluride in the early morning cold!


Sheryl leads the way into Durango on the third day!


Nana cruises the downhill outside Durango...


Sheryl is all smiles heading into Durango!


Nana is having a great ride in spite of the fact she was running a 101.5 degree fever along with a sinus infection!


Nana cruises down the back side of Wolf Creek Pass, at nearly 11,000'!

Several of the above rider images were taken with the new Canon EF 300 f/2.8L IS II lens loaned to me by Canon Professional Services for the event. I found this lens to be lightning fast on autofocus, razer sharp and wide open, produced a beautiful bokeh! Too bad I had to send it back when I was done with it but I just can't swing the $11,600 retail price!

Take care all and enjoy...

Bill

Monday, June 03, 2013

Canon EF 300 f/2.8L IS II...

I'm headed to Colorado to SAG for Nana during "Ride the Rockies", a 513 mile endurance bicycle event that runs from June 8th - 15th. We are stopping in Moab on the way out and plan to photograph in Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park while there.

For the bicycle event, I contacted Canon's Professional Services group and borrowed the new EF 300 f/2.8L IS II lens.



This remarkable feat of engineering is said to be Canon's sharpest and fastest super telephoto lens ever. I can't wait to give it a try...

Stay tuned for photographs from our adventure!

Bill