...To October.

October was a flurry.


From Savannah to Atlanta, Marietta to Dayton


(and back), all of life was a buzz.

Though I'm leaving my September post with a plethora of


pictorial holes, let me move along to October the First which


finds me in Savannah, Georgia visiting SCAD, a well reputed


art college with my friends Heather and Julie.

We left for the weekend on Thursday afternoon.


We'd planned to camp on the beach, so we loaded up all


of our camping gear in the back of my Trailblazer


and headed South.

Upon arrival in Savannah, we strolled about the Historic


district and River Street. Just a block from where we parked,


we found this beautiful blue door:

Absolutely gorgeous, eh?

On River Street, I caught this candid shot


of Julie and Heather as they wandered along the broken


street, past the tourist traps and shops that line the


beautiful, historic waterway.

Yup, they're both camera-toters as well...


We popped into one of the shops along the way, where


we bought some delicious fudge and watched as they made


salt water taffy from scratch.

Then, looking away from the water for a moment


I snapped this exposure of the Capitol Building.


The colors were beautiful!

Shortly after I took that shot, I heard a yell and a thud... Followed


shortly by a camo dressed man running, and a woman's scream.


I hurried over to the scene to see that one homeless guy had knocked


another one unconscious...

As no one else was doing anything, I checked his pulse and wondered


at the fact that his head hadn't cracked after it's rapid 6' descent to the


hard brick pavement. Within 5 minutes 8 cars of Savannah's finest showed


up and I turned the situation over to them.

What a way to start a visit!

After some outrageously overpriced stuffed shells for dinner, and the


realization that staying at a hotel would be within $10 of the price


of camping, we found a semi-comfortable hotel and drifted off to sleep.

The next morning, we headed back into the Historic district with


plans to haver breakfast at a fabled bakery. It's reputation was well


earned!! I had the most incredibly delicious sandwich, I could barely


believe my own taste buds...

Brie, Blueberry Jam, and Sugar Cured Ham... Perfection!

Soooo tasty!

Later that day, we made our way back to River Street


to watch some of the street performers. We ran across


a group of break dancers that were really impressive...


And had drawn quite a crowd!

And a second angle of Heather catching the action with

her "new to her" 35mm Canon SLR.

The next day we visited SCAD... For Julie, we went through

all of the fashion design buildings. For Heather, all of the videography

buildings, and for me, of course the photography buildings (I got to

play with a Canon EOS-1D... Nice!).

During our wanderings, I decided to try some overexposure

work on this steeple:

A few hundred blocks later I caught this truly hilarious stop sign:

And then, just outside of the photography building Heather and I

exchanged photos:











Last but not least, we checked out one of the SCAD design student's

projects... This AMAZING car, the "Spyder":

The next day after Church was Heather's hockey game.

Being from Alaska, she's the only female player in the

league, and the star goalie at that!







"Readiness..."











"Prep Time"











"Chasing Dreams..."











"Drink Up!"











Julie... "Observing"













Back in Atlanta, we were enroute "somewhere"

when my left rear tire blew... REALLY blew!














A week or so later, Julie and I went for a hike on


Kennesaw Mountain, at the Civil War battlefield


and I think I caught her eye

That's got us up to the second week in October

and this is up to being nearly too long all over again!

I'll continue on with the sordid tale of my last few

exciting months.



Thank you all for your comments and kindness, let

me know if and how I can be praying for you, and

please be praying for me!





New post in just a few days,

...At The Beginning.

It's been 3 months since my last "real" update... And that one was just
a sordid tale of me hitting hard objects at high rates of speed.

Last you heard, I was shooting:

River Sports on the Ocoee:

And A Nashville Fashion Group Event with Riley Spiller:

Since then...
I've been far beyond busy.
But, instead of getting ahead of myself, I'll post things
somewhat in order, and in as much detail as possible.

That said, let me jump waaaaay back to September 4th.
That's the day that Ethan Demme and I rode into Dayton, TN
after 48 hours on the road from Los Angeles.

We rolled in exhausted, but ever so thankful to finally make
it "home", safe, sound, and of course in dire need of sleep.

There was one slight problem though, as we walked around to the
front door of the building we had moved into the week before we
left... Our key no longer worked.

Seems my landlord's ex-wife somehow ended up with ownership
of the building, put it up for sale, and changed the locks on us while
we were in Alaska. Soooo it was to the hotel with me, until I could
figure out where I was living.

The evening of the next day, after picking up the keys to the building
from the Realtor I went for a ride with two friends on identical bikes.
Less than ten short miles later in a tight lefthanded corner I struck oil.

A dozen half dollar sized splotches of oil launched me into a
guard rail at 70mph. Leaving me and my bike torn to bits.

A few days later it was Friday, and my dear friends Heather
and Julie drove up from Atlanta to visit, then go rafting on the
Ocoee (Thus the rafting pictures).

That visit started a trend, Heather and Julie came up to visit
each of the following weekends until October 1st when I drove
down to Savannah with them to check out Savannah College
of Art and Design (SCAD).

But, I'm getting ahead of myself again.
Over those few weeks, I was able to go shoot at the fashion show
I mentioned above, with Riley Spiller. Before the event though,
he came down to Dayton so I could show him around "Old Tennessee"...
We even made a trip out to the Pocket Wilderness where we did a bit
of a shoot from inside an old mine shaft with another friend, Emily.

And Emily herself:

Then Julie, Heather and I made a trip there as well... Julie slipped.
She was fine (Aside from a bit of a bruise).

Now, A Geographic Jump...
Up to Nashville, a few days after the fashion show I was
offered a chance to shoot a breakdancing group at a venue
called "Rocket Town" as I walked up I grabbed this shot
of a local graffiti artist putting the finishing touches on the
word "Destroy".

Then the event itself:

Too long!
Well, this is becoming far too long, so I will leave the rest
for future posts. Thank you all for your undying love and
support, I've got some amazing stuff going on and I can't
wait to share it with you. Hopefully another new post
sometime the next few days.

Let me know if I can be praying for you, please be praying for me!

Hooray!!




My Mac's back...

My Apple died last week, and left me working with an ancient Dell.

Today my iBook came home, so I'm a happy man.



New post coming VERY soon, with stories, big news, and of course

the pictures you all come to see

Thanks for stopping by as always,  I promise not to make you wait as long next time!

Let me know if/ how I can be praying for you.

Snapshots...

No time to write a full entry, but here are a few shots from
last weeks Nashville Fashion Group shoot and my Wednesday
night concert shoot with Grayson Capps.

Too much fun at both events!
(and now I have another 4,000 photos to sort through)

So, without further ado...

The Venue in downtown Nashville

"Prep-Time"

"Details..."

"Small Strokes"

"Last Minute Perfectionism"

And another runway shot...

There were over thirty models, with 6 different designers, so I have
a TON of photos, but they get a little repetetive... Check out my photo
xanga if you want to see more.

The next day, I had a shoot at "The Basement" a small venue, downtown.
The American Music Association was holding their annual awards show
and tons of concerts were being put on by them as well. I was in charge of
shooting Grayson Capps so that the venue could use the photos for
future marketing.

The Basement is an amazing venue, the atmosphere is unexpected and
exciting... And it's always PACKED!! Grayson Capps is from Louisiana,
and they were absolutely hilarious, and talented guys.

"Blue Ribbon"

"Sing Your Heart Out..."

Just a cool angle...

Still nursing that Blue Ribbon...

That's all I have time for now folks, let me know how
I can be praying for you.... A more complete update is coming soon.

Exhausted...





Even my index finger is tired today...

Here's my week by the numbers:



5 - Concerts.

4 - Days of Shooting.

3 - Cameras.

2 - Break Dancing Groups.

1 - Fashion Show.

0 - Hours of Good Sleep.





What a week!

I rolled in from Nashville last night, slept away most of

the morning and now I'm working hard to catch up on

some business stuff as well as starting on over 6,000

photos that need to be edited.



Hopefully I'll have time to put up a "real" post soon,

in the meantime, here's one of the shots from the fashion

show I shot in affiliation with NFG.











34 other models and 6 designers to sort through,

more pictures to come!



Thank you all for everything, please continue to

keep me in prayer, with the new camera equipment

I'm working to buy, finances are tight... Pray that

I'm able to get some new clients!



Let me know how I can be praying for you.

Back to Routine... Just Add Water.  


Rain falls with a beautifully melancholy rhythm,
The street glistens in light cast by century old buildings
and precious little shops.

I'm sitting comfortably on a park bench beside the road,
I've been here for hours. Passersby look at me... Some in
wonder, others look at me like I'm a total fool.

As for me, I'm almost totally engrossed... Basking in the
other-worldy, cool glow of my laptop's screen. I grit my
teeth and curse the weather that's left me feeling like an old
man.



Never again, will I look at someone who says "I hurt when
it rains" with incredulity... They're serious!!

I'm on my second knee injury of the year (the same knee),
and GOSH does it hurt when it rains! It's absolutely unbelievable!
I say all of this, simply to tell you all how Thankful I am, that
it's not raining anymore! God's good


Life at home is back to semi-normalcy... I'm in the midst of
trying to catch up with business, and relationships after nearly
40 days on the road.

I've had a couple of major photoshoots in the 10 days I've been
home, and have several more planned for next week (including
my first foray into fashion photography) it's going to be busy!


Post Accident Status:
I'm doing well! The swelling is rapidly going down, and I've
regained most of my mobility (again). I cannot say enough,
just how amazing God truly IS in His providing for my safety
and healing.

This past accident, was caused by a ton of different variables,
but the foremost of which, is that I was pushing myself a little
further than I should have been, on the street.

Having just come home from a 13,000+ mile ride, I was confident
and completely at one with the bike... What I didn't count on,
was the oil in the middle of the road... And that bit me in the butt.


Post Accident Plans:
I'm selling all of my bikes, in order to get some bills paid...
My current plans are to purchase a BMW GS1200 sometime
in the Winter. With the bike, will come a new, slower riding style
and future plans of buying a dedicated race bike (Probably a GSXR-750)
to keep my speed on a racetrack.

I'm also planning on spending some of my time and money,
getting back into flying... It's been almost 3 years since my
"major" accident, and I'm ready to re-enter that World, above
the world, that I love so much.


The Pictures:
Don't lie, you know you're only here for the pictures
Here are a few of the thousands I've shot over the past few
months... Many more to come!



A few days ago, I needed a break from the monotony of work,
so I grabbed my camera and took a stroll down to our small local
music shop. Though I took several interesting shots, here are two
of my favorites:


"Drumstick Fiesta"





"As Far as the Eye Can See..."





This past Saturday, I did a shoot with the guys at ChristianRafting.com
on the Ocoee River... They're a great group of guys, if you're ever
in the area, look them up!


"Prepare to Meet Your Maker"





I had a chance to shoot a group of Kayakers on Saturday also,
and was invited to get back out on the river with them!
I sold my kayak just before I left for Alaska, but they're going
to lend me one, as soon as I'm physically able to get back into
the water... I'm psyched!


"Move Your Hips!"




From The Ocoee, I made my way out to our local "Pocket Wilderness"
with my friends Heather and Julie for a quick shoot. I took this one right
after Julie fell in on her bum, completely soaking herself for the second
time that day.





After my accident, my friend Andy helped me with the bike,
and made sure I made it home safely... The other day, I popped
off a couple of photos of his bike, behind my new place of residence.

This one's been through extensive editing, and I'm planning on giving
him a framed copy in exchange for all of his help. (Click on the image,
it looks much better full size).


2006 Kawasaki Ninja ZX6R

"Glowing Blue"





Last but not least, is one from our trip...
This was shot at Lake Morraine in Alberta, Canada.
I'm still working to update our trip blog, but you should
definitely try to keep up with us, at:

www.BowtieTour.com


"Beyond Just Blue"




I hope to be posting more in the near future...
Please be praying for me to have Wisdom, to heal well,
and that God will bring me even more prosperity in every area!

Let me know how I can be praying for you.... Please!





P.S. It's SOOOO Good to be home!

I  Almost Can't Believe It...


Two days ago, we arrived back in TN after a 48 hour dash from
Laguna
Beach, California. I slept off and on for the next day,
then met up
with some riding buddies for a quick run over
"our mountain" on Hwy 30.



The ride up was awesome, it was my first time riding without
having
full luggage on, in over a month. I was smooth, I was fast,
and I was
really, TRULY "On it".



We rolled across the top of the mountain and then set up for the
first left on the downhill side. Diving in to the corner, I apexed
beautifully with my knee lightly
sliding along the pavement.
Deftly manuevering through a quick series
of small turns I touched
my front brake, before setting up for another
tight left hander.



Again, I ran a gorgeous line, apexing exactly where I wanted to be.
My
knee was on the ground, grinding away at my neon yellow
Dianese sliders
and I was just beginning to power out of the corner.



That's when "it" happened.



The bike dissapeared and I went rolling.





The bike and I hit the guardrail at around 70mph, the bike stuck

halfway through it and I rolled, skipped and slid another 40 feet.



I was being closely followed by Andy (650rman) and another rider,
they
both safely made it around me, stopping just as I sit up groping
my
previously injured leg.





Within 2 minutes a guy in a pickup had stopped, along with a couple
of
young firefighters. They had the bike and me in the truck and back
off
the mountain in 25 minutes, it was impressive!





Damage to me, seems to be a broken toe (foot peg pinned
it)
possible knee damage (though not major) and a bruised/ cracked
rib
(where I hit the guard rail). I have NO road rash, and my full
faced
helmet absolutely saved my brains.



Damage to the bike is almost EXACTLY what is wrong with
my silver FZ, forks, front wheel, front fairings, bars and assorted
other items.







I hobbled up the road, trying to figure out what happened, only to
find
a dozen half dollar sized spots of fresh oil. From what I can tell,

someone had a serious leak and it decided to pour out as they went

around that corner. My tires hit the tiny spots and that was enough
to
throw me into the guard rail at around 70mph.





Yeeeha!





Next step, get back to work and start fixing these friggin' broken bikes.











More pictures, including accident scene shots are to come.

We Made It!!

No time to post now, but we're IN Alaska!!

Please Pray that we make it to Haines and beyond, safely.
There's TERRIBLE weather here, it took us 3 days to make
it from Fairbanks to Anchorage, insane!

Thanks in advance for your Prayers, let me know if I can
be Praying for you... And check out our main site:

http://bowtietour.com/blog

I'll be updating more there when we make it back to the lower 48.

Wow, Colorado Already!!

As I type this I'm sitting on a deck, overlooking Pikes Peak in
the gorgeous city of Colorado Springs, CO. 

I'll probably end up here someday... Maybe not "The Springs" but
here in Colorado.

I absolutely love this State.

__________________

We've been on the road for just over a week now, riding our
bikes through 7 States so far (on this leg) with only a handful
to go before we jump North into the Yukon Territory and
then onto Alaska.

We'll be filling in more States soon!

To save time, Ethan and I are both posting on our private
"Trip Site" just about daily... There'll be pictures, posts and
stories HOPEFULLY every night, if we can find internet access.

Since I won't be able to check my xanga every night, I'd really like
to have you stop by over there and check in on our latest... The site
address is:

www.bowtietour.com

Check out the "blog" link and be sure to leave us some comments!
New post will be coming tonight over there most likely so be sure
to read up on our insane adventures...

Now...
Since all of that's been said, let me leave you all with some pictures
I've taken, both just before we left and along the way.

"Aged..."

This a handheld 25 second exposure of the Rhea County Courthouse
where the Scopes "Monkey" trial took place back in the '20s the storm
that night was amazing (If you read my private blog, then you already
know about that night... Remember? The one where I got to help the
Sheriffs department out until the wee hours of the morning?

"Stormy Skies"

Sometimes you have to slow things down a bit to see
all of the beauty.

"Silken Water"

It's amazing how life looks through a rose colored
filter... When's the last time you tried to take a look
at the lovelier side?

"Rose Colored World"

Then again, sometimes life feels like your walking around
with a "Kick Me" sign stuck to your back, doesn't it?

"Kick Me"

Occasionally though, you have to take a look into someone
else's eyes to find yourself.

That's all for tonight folks, check out our other site for more
updates and pictures! Let me know what I can be praying for,
as always and know that I WILL pray for you

Please continue to Pray for Safety and that we'll be using our time wisely,
to build God's kingdom and to grow.

All my best,

Made it to Iowa!

What a busy week... Ethan and I are working on a full
ride report to post as soon as possible. I'm also sorting through
3,000+ pictures from two cameras and carefully considering
a major change.

I'll let you all in on the latest goings on asap...

The road is loooooong!

Keep us in prayer, and let me know what I can be
praying for you about.