On Monday, I took my last cross-country ski of the season. Today, when the sun came out late this afternoon I took my first bike ride up the north shore of Lake Superior. Enjoy some photos I took of Winter's Last Ice … frozen Lake Superior. Click upon any image to view at full size!
I'm all excited about my first Book across the Bay! Imagine cross-country skiing (10k) across the frozen ice of Lake Superior by candlelight at NIGHT! Imagine doing this with about 2,000 other people! Welcome to what makes the frozen northland a great place to live!
Here's a video (or click to view either image)
And the promised images
Social media is expanding into our lives at an amazing pace. I recently experienced a phenomenal example of this trend. The City of the Lakes Loppet is a 25 kilometer cross-country ski race in which I recently competed. Like most races, they had photographers out on the course, and after the event one could purchase pictures.
However, this race took the camera work to a much grander level. Combining the use of technology (timing chips) and video, every skier was presented with a 2 minute video of their personal race! Thus, while skiing the 25 km took me just under two hours, I now present …
Rich Hoeg, The Movie!
After the mass start sequence, I'm the taller skier in the lead who is dressed in blue and black.
Seriously, I've tweeted, posted to Facebook, etc about this service. I've been doing one of the vendor's desired activities by promoting the RaceDay service, and happily. The service just requires you to inputsthe name of any skier, and a personal two minute video appears. Wow. This is smart.
If you're still with me, and watched my video (!), here is another great tool for monitoring social media, Social Mention. Make certain you use the filters to limit your query. You even get some great analytics and sentiment data, all clickable. I'm using the Facebook filter.
Ski Cam Man is back. I ventured a bit north to ski the 42k classic today. My photo set actually includes both the 42k classic, and later on the 35k skate. My Madshus waxless skis were the ticket today as temperatures started around 27F, but rose to the 40's. An incredible number of people had to stop and try new waxes; I just kept cruising!
Enjoy the short animated, musical slideshow of the final 2 kilometers of the race. You may view and download without charge all of my Ski Cam Man photos via my Picasa Web Album (many more photos).
The final three photos in the slideshow are with permission and thanks to SkinnySki.Com. You actually get to see Ski Cam Man!
Vasaloppet Finish on PhotoPeach
And two of my favorites from today! An aide station worker scrambling to get our of the way of oncoming skiers, and my "back cam" catching a professional photographer at work. (click to maximize either image)
Like a bad dream, Ski Cam man is back in 2011!
The Duluth Cross-Country Ski Club hosted a great race today, which included a 25k classic. I hope you enjoy some photos I took with my Go Pro Digital Camera. I wear the camera on my back as I compete. The camera takes a photo every 30 seconds.
Today's race was brutal … 2,000 feet up, and 2,000 feet down. In short, it was a great course!
If you would like to view and download photos (no charge), link to my Picasa Album, which includes additional photos to the ones included below. However the show given below includes animation and music. Enjoy! (other Nordic Skiing and Cycling Posts)
Nordic Spirit on PhotoPeach