Shooting a Mountain Bike Race with a $40 Camera (What I Learned)
I have an affinity for older DSLR cameras.
My first full-frame was a Canon 5D Mk II, which I still shoot with on occasion. Beyond that, I’ve built up a collection of 15–20+ year old Canon bodies—XTi, XT, XS, 20D, 30D, and more.
It started as a teaching tool.
Every fall, I teach an intro to photography course. Instead of handing students the latest gear, I give them cameras I’ve picked up at thrift stores or on eBay for $10–$40.
And honestly? They’re perfect for learning.
What to Share When Nothing Is Happening: Storytelling Between Race Announcements
After registration opens and before race day arrives, many races go quiet.
There is nothing new to announce. No deadlines to push. No obvious reason to post. So content pauses. Or disappears. Or slows waaaaaayyyy down ...
This stretch, the months between announcements, is the longest part of a race’s story. It is also the most underused. Not because race directors do not care, but because they are unsure what belongs there.
The assumption is simple. If there is nothing new to say, there is nothing to share. I’d contend that assumption is wrong.
Do You Think Trails Benefit Your Town’s Economy?
A decade ago, Gallup, New Mexico wasn’t exactly known as a trail town. It was a rural hub on the edge of the Navajo Nation, surrounded by wide desert, mesas, and sandstone formations, but not much in the way of tourism buzz.
Then came the High Desert Trail System, a volunteer-built network of singletrack that began attracting riders from across the region. Events like Dawn Til Dusk and 24 Hours in the Enchanted Forest drew in thousands of racers and spectators.
