Like a Lion

I’ve always felt that in the area I reside, snow in March was a brief occurrence that rarely had the fortitude to outlast a day. Sure, there’s the occasional flurry, or even an inch or two that coats the trees, whose buds have recently stirred from their annual slumber. Snow lays on the grass, that was only green in sporadic patches, while the blacktop shrugs it off, barely delaying commuters except to unearth galoshes from the recesses of the coat closet. I wonder if the shivering flowers that started to peer out of the thawing Earth have second thoughts about their yearning to see the outside world. Today, Winter’s last gasp blew into town and spewed its soft white blanket across the countryside. For me it’s a nice reminder of what we leave behind.

Nikon D800 Nikkor 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6 @ 28mm f/22 ISO 100 1/8 sec

Up Early at the Track

Heading out early in the predawn hours is something I’ve been accustom to for many years. Often times I am greeted with solitude, but a racetrack is buzzing with activity in the early am. I walked through the parking lot seeing other souls going about their jobs, directing cars, herding attendees, preparing food carts and heading in for early meetings about the day’s events. After making a semi circle around the track I crossed the highway and ascended one of the hills that enclose part of Bristol Motor Speedway. Shortly thereafter the Sun peaked out from the opposing hill and spread its light onto the arena.

Nikon D800 Nikkor 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6 @ 32mm f/16 ISO 100 1/200 sec

Winter’s Final Grip

Today marks the last day of Winter. I can’t wait for the thick breezes of warmth, and the pungent odors of freshly cut grass. It’s been a long winter but the light at the end of the tunnel is approaching. Yesterday I smelled the faint yawns of Hyacinths as I walked up to a client’s house. It was like Mother Nature tapping me on the shoulder and reminding me that soon, very soon, the annual rebirth would be in full glory. I’m really looking forward to it.

​Nikon D800 Nikkor 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6 @ 28mm f/14 ISO 800 5 image HDR

#TravelTuesday Bristol TN

165,000 people can attend the races at Bristol which makes it the 4th largest sporting venue in America and the 8th in the world. It was constructed in 1960 and held its first NASCAR race in 1961. The track is small in its length compared to most raceways in the NASCAR circuit. When the race cars lined up single file for a start the lineup would stretch halfway around the track. Because of the close racing, minor collisions are frequent during an event. With the power of modern racing cars and the close proximity of the arena, driving at Bristol has been compared with “flying fighter jets in a gymnasium”. Bristol hosts two races a year for NASCAR, one in the Spring and the other at night in the Fall. The night race has long been NASCAR’s most sought after for ticket seekers. Having attended the Spring race a few days ago, I can attest that it is an experience I will remember for years to come.

Nikon D800 ​Nikkor 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6 @ 28mm f/5.6 ISO 800 9 image HDR

Bristol Motor Speedway

I haven’t been to a lot of NASCAR tracks, but I have to tell you that Bristol is a hoot! Jeff Foxworthy was one of the sponsors for the race on Saturday and they interviewed him before the race. In his jovial style of redneck jokes he said, “You can tell you’re a redneck if you son’s name is Dale Jr. but your name isn’t Dale.” NASCAR was born from good ‘ol southern boys who drove moonshine illegally across state lines, a love for cars, and goin’ fast. Jump forward a few decades and America’s favorite motorsport has mastered the art of blue collar entertainment. I’m devoting this week to the pictures from the past weekend, but don’t fret, it’s not only about cars. Before every NASCAR Sprint Cup race there is an impressive fly over. Sunday’s Food City 500 opening ceremony was no exception. My vantage point was at the uppermost part of the track looking down between turns one and two. The American flag is just behind the start/finish line, which is where our seats were for the race, about halfway up the grandstand. What a blast!

Nikon D800 Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 @ 24mm f/16 ISO 200 1/200 sec