Jim's Place

My 2012 Slideshow

My 2012 slideshow featuring some of my best photos from the last year. Created using Proshow Producer slideshow software. Photos taken using my Canon Rebel XS and my Canon Rebel T3i. Photos edited with Adobe Lightroom and Nik Color Efex Pro 4 and Nik HDR Efex Pro 2 for the HDR shots.

Just wrapped up my extended 2010 Summer Body-for-LIFE challenge - 16 weeks. Didn't do that much weight-training but I sure put in some miles on the bike! 1600 miles in 16 weeks! Funny, but even though I'm obviously doing much better I still have a long way to go. Often, when I hop on the bike I don't feel so hot, but then again, turning the pedals doesn't seem to make things worse and building conditioning and losing weight has to be doing wonders for my body! Here's the progress video with before/after photos.

My first 100-mile bike ride since 1999

I've been in pretty intense training the last 3 months, riding the bike a total of 1500 miles. In the process, I dropped 35lbs and Sunday, Oct. 3rd, I finally accomplished a long sought-after goal of doing another 100-mile bike ride - the 2010 Tour De Poway Century. The last one I did was in 1999, and illness derailed numerous attempts to do it again - but not this time...

This music video was made from video captured during the ride.

It was 102 miles, 5500ft of climbing, 6hrs 44min at an avg heart rate of 138bpm. Serious cardio! (especially when you're 55yrs old and weigh 234lbs!)

"What Faith Can Do"

50-70 mile bike rides were somewhat routine for me in 1994-95. But chronic illness eventually made it so that I wasn't hardly riding at all. Year-after-year I was determined to get back on the bike but wasn't able to get in a 70-mile ride until the other day. I hope this video inspires others - especially pituitary patients - to hang in there when it seems there is no hope to get well...to have faith that God truly does hear their prayers...

Testing my TypePad-to-facebook posting

Testing my TypePad-to-facebook posting. Here's an update video on my progress after 3 weeks on this Body-for-LIFE challenge with some video from my 18.3 mile ride out to Mission Trails Park and back.

Jim's most excellent July 4th

Started the day with a short bike ride then watched the fireworks nearby.

Wings Over Gillespie 2010

Wings Over Gillespie 2010 @ Yahoo! Video

Warp Speed Bike Ride

Finally, got my bike out of the shop after several weeks. I suppose it was good timing because I've been mostly out-of-commission the last couple of months from being sick. Since I'm highly allergic to pretty much everything outdoors my doctors have attributed the fatigue and sick feeling to the high pollen counts. Maybe they're right because I always take a big hit this time of year.

But today, I was feeling much better and reeled off 22 miles on my road bike. Not bad, considering everything. I created a music video using some special effects with bike ride footage from today's ride along with video taken from my handlebar mounted camcorder from a ride a couple of weeks ago. Hope you get a kick out of it.

Jim's Most Excellent Camping Trip

Went camping at Lake Jennings (4/26 - 5/8/2010). It meant a lot to me to be back in my tent trailer on my favorite site - #94 - overlooking the lake. The video includes many of the photos I took of the beautiful scenery.

Camping at Lake Jennings

I've been camping at Lake Jennings for several days and wanted to say 'Hi'.Haven't been feeling too well but still have enjoyed hanging out in my big tent trailer overlooking the lake.