Category Archives: Olympic Sports

A Miniature Birthday

Last year the only real birthday celebration I had was playing miniature golf with Jesse and Jay at Jester Park. I’m not old and unathletic enough to play real golf yet. Maybe I’ll get there in the next few years, but until then the occasional stroll around a miniature golf course is good enough for me.

Here are some pictures from the day:


Birthday Miniature Golf

Birthday Miniature Golf

Birthday Miniature Golf

Birthday Miniature Golf

Birthday Miniature Golf

Birthday Miniature Golf

Birthday Miniature Golf

Birthday Miniature Golf

Birthday Miniature Golf

Birthday Miniature Golf

Birthday Miniature Golf

Birthday Miniature Golf

Birthday Miniature Golf

Birthday Miniature Golf

Birthday Miniature Golf

Birthday Miniature Golf

Birthday Miniature Golf

Birthday Miniature Golf

Birthday Miniature Golf

Birthday Miniature Golf

Birthday Miniature Golf

Birthday Miniature Golf

Birthday Miniature Golf

Birthday Miniature Golf

Birthday Miniature Golf

Birthday Miniature Golf

Birthday Miniature Golf

Birthday Miniature Golf

Birthday Miniature Golf

Birthday Miniature Golf

Birthday Miniature Golf

Birthday Miniature Golf

Birthday Miniature Golf

Birthday Miniature Golf

Birthday Miniature Golf

Birthday Miniature Golf

Jesse came out as the victor. Jay finished last. I look forward to playing miniature golf again this year. Maybe.

Rodan139: Madrid RAGBRAI Art

I had forgotten that I had went back to Madrid after RAGBRAI had left their town and took a picture of the art that Madrid put on their streets to greet the RAGBRAI riders. I will get more into what Madrid and other towns did for RAGBRAI when I get into the land based photos at some point. But it is sufficient at this point to note that Madrid went with a Alice in Wonderland theme and for me the best part was the giant Cheshire Cat mural they put on the intersection of the two main streets of their business district.


Rodan139: Madrid Ragbrai Art

Rodan139: Madrid Ragbrai Art

Rodan139: Madrid Ragbrai Art

Rodan139: Madrid Ragbrai Art

Rodan139: Madrid Ragbrai Art

Rodan139: Madrid Ragbrai Art

Rodan139: Madrid Ragbrai Art

Rodan139: Madrid Ragbrai Art

Rodan139: Madrid Ragbrai Art

Rodan139: Madrid Ragbrai Art

Rodan139: Madrid Ragbrai Art

Rodan139: Madrid Ragbrai Art

Rodan139: Madrid Ragbrai Art

Rodan139: Madrid Ragbrai Art

Rodan139: Madrid Ragbrai Art

Rodan139: Madrid Ragbrai Art

Rodan139: Madrid Ragbrai Art

Rodan139: Madrid Ragbrai Art

Rodan139: Madrid Ragbrai Art

Rodan139: Madrid Ragbrai Art

Rodan139: Madrid Ragbrai Art

Rodan139: Madrid Ragbrai Art

Rodan139: Madrid Ragbrai Art

Rodan139: Madrid Ragbrai Art

Rodan139: Madrid Ragbrai Art

This collection of pictures is a reminder of why I hate powerlines so much. It is 2023 people! Why aren’t all powerlines buried underground or why isn’t electricity transferred without wire like Tesla pretended to invent?!?

Rodan139: RAGBRAI East of Luther

On the Tuesday of RAGBRAI I went to check out the festivities in Luther. I expected Luther to be empty by the time I got there and expected everybody to already be in Ames. But Luther was absolutely packed. I’m guessing the people at Whatcha Smokin’ must have made a million dollars the place was so packed. I’m guess the population of Luther more than quintupled.

After checking it out, I drove a couple of miles east of Luther and took some drone pictures of people riding from Luther to Ames.


Rodan139: RAGBRAI II

Rodan139: RAGBRAI II

Rodan139: RAGBRAI II

Rodan139: RAGBRAI II

Rodan139: RAGBRAI II

Rodan139: RAGBRAI II

Rodan139: RAGBRAI II

Rodan139: RAGBRAI II

Rodan139: RAGBRAI II

Rodan139: RAGBRAI II

Rodan139: RAGBRAI II

Rodan139: RAGBRAI II

Rodan139: RAGBRAI II

Rodan139: RAGBRAI II

Rodan139: RAGBRAI II

Rodan139: RAGBRAI II

Rodan139: RAGBRAI II

Rodan139: RAGBRAI II

Rodan139: RAGBRAI II

Rodan139: RAGBRAI II

Rodan139: RAGBRAI II

Rodan139: RAGBRAI II

Rodan139: RAGBRAI II

Rodan139: RAGBRAI II

Rodan139: RAGBRAI II

Rodan139: RAGBRAI II

Rodan139: RAGBRAI II

Rodan139: RAGBRAI II

Rodan139: RAGBRAI II

Rodan139: RAGBRAI II

Rodan139: RAGBRAI II

Rodan139: RAGBRAI II

Not sure what the next set of drone pictures will be. I need to take Rodan139 out again. While I still can. Drone laws are getting pretty ridiculous.

Rodan139: RAGBRAI West of Jefferson

During the Tuesday of RAGBRAI, Logan and I drove west to take some pictures of the riders making their way across Iowa. It had been several years since I’ve checked out RAGBRAI, but I had a great time or at least found so many great photo opportunities which is essentially the same thing, that I might have to make this an annual thing. Even though it will be several years before they come close to me again.

Here are some drone pictures from the first place I took the drone up, west of Jefferson:


Rodan139: RAGBRAI i

Rodan139: RAGBRAI i

Rodan139: RAGBRAI i

Rodan139: RAGBRAI i

Rodan139: RAGBRAI i

Rodan139: RAGBRAI i

Rodan139: RAGBRAI i

Rodan139: RAGBRAI i

Rodan139: RAGBRAI i

Rodan139: RAGBRAI i

Rodan139: RAGBRAI i

Rodan139: RAGBRAI i

Rodan139: RAGBRAI i

Rodan139: RAGBRAI i

Rodan139: RAGBRAI i

Rodan139: RAGBRAI i

Rodan139: RAGBRAI i

Rodan139: RAGBRAI i

Rodan139: RAGBRAI i

Rodan139: RAGBRAI i

Rodan139: RAGBRAI i

Rodan139: RAGBRAI i

Rodan139: RAGBRAI i

Rodan139: RAGBRAI i

I have one more collection of drone photos from the Tuesday of RAGBRAI to share.

That Year

In case you hadn’t heard, Iowa State clinched the 2022-23 Cy-Hawk Series last Friday night when the Cyclone Swimming and Diving team beat the Hawks 156-144. Iowa State currently holds a 13-6 lead with 3 events left to go. Iowa State beat Iowa in Soccer, Volleyball, Football, Women’s Cross Country, Men’s Cross Country, and Swimming and Diving.


CyHawk 2022
(Graphic from Iowa State Social Media)

It’s a CYCLONE State for the 2nd straight year! I mean, it is always a Cyclone State, but for the 2nd straight year, we have scoreboard.

+++++++

I must have been sleeping, I must have been drinking,
I haven’t been dreaming about you for years. there was a sharp
Turn and a sunburn I was too cool for high school that year.

Must have have been new years. no one invited you,
Took things too far but I missed you and your antics.
You were lonesome and blue-eyed and so special to us.

You could have taken a long break
Instead of a long drop from a high place.
Ten years I never spoke your name.
Now it feels good to say it. your my friend again.
-Brandi Carlile

Thursdays are for flowers! This collection of flower pictures was taken on August 14 in my yard.


Soul Expansion - 2022

Nature's Amen - 2022

Nature's Amen - 2022

Nature's Amen - 2022

Nature's Amen - 2022

Nature's Amen - 2022

Nature's Amen - 2022

Painted without Instruction -2022

Painted without Instruction -2022

Painted without Instruction -2022

Painted without Instruction -2022

Painted without Instruction -2022

Painted without Instruction -2022

Painted without Instruction -2022

Painted without Instruction -2022

Painted without Instruction -2022

Painted without Instruction -2022

Painted without Instruction -2022

Painted without Instruction -2022

Painted without Instruction -2022

Painted without Instruction -2022

Painted without Instruction -2022

Painted without Instruction -2022

Still more flower pictures left in the hopper. Not a never ending supply, but still plenty more.

Chickasaw and Howard County Aux – Vol. 4

A few months back I cruised around Chickasaw County and Howard County harvesting their town signs. The majority of the pictures from today’s collection were taken in Howard County in Cresco. Which is a cool little town, despite being so into wrestling. The Old Stone Church pictures were taken in Winneshiek County. It is in the middle of the country just across the border from Howard County.

I will have to go back and photograph that Old Stone Church again some day. It is very photogenic. Stone ruins out in a beautiful Iowa countryside. What isn’t to love?


Howard County - Cresco
Cresco

Howard County - Cresco
I’m curious what highway they are portraying going through Des Moines. My guess is 6.

Howard County - Cresco

Howard County - Cresco

Howard County - Cresco

Howard County - Cresco

Howard County - Cresco
Great name for an ice cream shop!

Howard County - Cresco

Howard County - Cresco

Howard County - Cresco

Howard County - Cresco

Howard County - Cresco

Howard County - Cresco

Howard County - Cresco

Howard County - Cresco

Howard County - Cresco

Howard County - Cresco
I’ve seen lots of towns with tanks or planes or helicopters or big guns, but WWI Mine?

Howard County - Cresco

Howard County - Cresco

Howard County - Cresco

Howard County - Cresco

Howard County - Cresco

Howard County - Cresco

Howard County - Cresco

Winneshiek County - Old Stone Church
Old Stone Church

Winneshiek County - Old Stone Church

Winneshiek County - Old Stone Church

Winneshiek County - Old Stone Church

Winneshiek County - Old Stone Church

Winneshiek County - Old Stone Church

Winneshiek County - Old Stone Church

Winneshiek County - Old Stone Church

Winneshiek County - Old Stone Church

Winneshiek County - Old Stone Church

I would definitely like to visit Cresco again and spend some more time there. It is on the list!

Pufferbilly Days 2022 – Mud Volleyball

Sometimes it happens that in my haste to post the THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE images I let one slip through the cracks. This week was one of those. Cathie actually submitted two pictures, but I only posted one for VIOLET. Cathie is one of those hardcore one submission I week folks, so I completely missed her second picture. So enjoy it now:


WEEK 369 - VIOLET - CATHIE MORTON
Cathie Morton

Cathie’s submissions were take in the Bahamas. So, that is another place on the map to color in.

+++++++

For the first time ever, I went out to watch some of the mud volleyball tournament during Pufferbilly Days. I wasn’t sure I knew anybody that was competing, but I think my cousin Toby usually competes. I thought I would probably take pictures of a couple of games, but I immediately ran into Fran, so I ended up just taking pictures of one of her team’s games. I really only knew Fran on her team, so really, this is just a bunch of pictures of Fran, on some level.

Mud volleyball:


Pufferbilly Days 2022 - Mud Volleyball

Pufferbilly Days 2022 - Mud Volleyball

Pufferbilly Days 2022 - Mud Volleyball

Pufferbilly Days 2022 - Mud Volleyball

Pufferbilly Days 2022 - Mud Volleyball

Pufferbilly Days 2022 - Mud Volleyball

Pufferbilly Days 2022 - Mud Volleyball

Pufferbilly Days 2022 - Mud Volleyball

Pufferbilly Days 2022 - Mud Volleyball

Pufferbilly Days 2022 - Mud Volleyball

Pufferbilly Days 2022 - Mud Volleyball

Pufferbilly Days 2022 - Mud Volleyball

Pufferbilly Days 2022 - Mud Volleyball

Pufferbilly Days 2022 - Mud Volleyball

Pufferbilly Days 2022 - Mud Volleyball

Pufferbilly Days 2022 - Mud Volleyball

Pufferbilly Days 2022 - Mud Volleyball

Pufferbilly Days 2022 - Mud Volleyball

Pufferbilly Days 2022 - Mud Volleyball

Pufferbilly Days 2022 - Mud Volleyball

Pufferbilly Days 2022 - Mud Volleyball

Pufferbilly Days 2022 - Mud Volleyball

Pufferbilly Days 2022 - Mud Volleyball

Pufferbilly Days 2022 - Mud Volleyball

Pufferbilly Days 2022 - Mud Volleyball

Pufferbilly Days 2022 - Mud Volleyball

Pufferbilly Days 2022 - Mud Volleyball

I’ll definitely have to check out the mud volleyball again next year. I’ll have to check with Fran ahead of time to see if she is competing again.

I still have one or maybe two more collections of Pufferbilly Days photos to share. I’m on the fence for sharing the pictures from the model train swap meet. They aren’t great. We will see.

+++++++

This is your reminder that this week’s THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE theme is MACRO:


WEEK 370-  MACRO
MACRO

MACRO! What a great theme for Year 9 of THE WEEKLY PHOTO CHALLENGE!

But what exactly is a MACRO photo? There is a long technical definition of MACRO photography that involves being a 1:1 ratio on 35 mm film, but for our purposes, just think of MACRO photography as getting close to your subject. On this theme you should figure out what the closest focusing distance of your camera is and be awful close to that in your closeness to your subject.

Happy photo harvesting!

Boone Track

Going to take a Sunday off from Formal Portrait Sunday, mostly because I got a bit busier or lazier than expected. Therefore it seems like a good time to share some pictures I took a few weeks back when I went to Nevada to watch Kyle and Jayton and Tyler compete in a track meet.

Here are some of my favorite pictures from the day:


Boone Track - 2022

Boone Track - 2022

Boone Track - 2022

Boone Track - 2022

Boone Track - 2022

Boone Track - 2022

Boone Track - 2022

Boone Track - 2022

Boone Track - 2022

Boone Track - 2022

Boone Track - 2022

Boone Track - 2022

Boone Track - 2022

Boone Track - 2022

Boone Track - 2022

Boone Track - 2022

Boone Track - 2022

Boone Track - 2022

Boone Track - 2022

Boone Track - 2022

Boone Track - 2022

Boone Track - 2022

Boone Track - 2022

Boone Track - 2022

Boone Track - 2022

Boone Track - 2022

Boone Track - 2022

Boone Track - 2022

Boone Track - 2022

Boone Track - 2022

Boone Track - 2022

Boone Track - 2022

Boone Track - 2022

Boone Track - 2022

Boone Track - 2022

Boone Track - 2022

Next Sunday we will get back to the formal portraits. Probably.

Decatur and Wayne County Auxiliary Images Vol. 2

Several months back I cruised around Decatur County and Wayne County with Vest harvesting their town signs. This is the second collection of auxiliary images I took on this trip.

There are a couple of images I want to single out. These pictures of murals I took in Allerton, Iowa:


Wayne County - Allerton

Wayne County - Allerton

While I was doing a little research on the Coca-Cola mural trying to discover who the Iowa Letterheads are, I discovered a very interesting group. These murals were painted in 1993 by a group call The Walldogs. The Walldogs is a group of mural painters that once a year go to a town and paint a bunch of murals there. Allerton, Iowa was the first town they ever did this at. According to their website, (thewalldogs.com) they are going to be in Paducah, Kentucky this year. Which is really close to where Ernie lives. They are also going to return to Allerton, Iowa in 2023. If this schedule holds, I will definitely look into checking this out.

This is the type of thing I wish our Art Council in Boone would have looked into, before they got broken up when one member assaulted another member.

Here are the rest of the pictures from Volume 2 of this road trip:


Decatur County - Leon
Leon

Decatur County - Leon

Decatur County - Leon

Decatur County - Leon

Decatur County - Leon

Decatur County - Leon

Decatur County - Leon

Decatur County - Leon

Decatur County - Leon
Davis City

Decatur County - Davis City

Decatur County - Davis City

Decatur County - Davis City

Decatur County - Davis City

Decatur County

Wayne County - Lineville
Lineville

Wayne County - Lineville

Wayne County - Lineville

Wayne County - Lineville

Wayne County - Clio
Clio

Wayne County - Clio

Wayne County - Clio

Wayne County - Allerton
Allerton

Wayne County - Corydon
Corydon

A little bit of history on George Saling from the Prairie Tails Museum:

George Saling Brings Home the Gold!!!
In August 1932 headlines in newspapers around the country repeated this message as George Saling, Corydon won both a gold and bronze medal as part of the United State Olympic Team.

George Saling a senior at the University of Iowa was considered among the hurdling greats of the world in 1932. He set records in many meets that year, including Drake Relays with a record setting time in the high hurdles of 14:4 seconds. In the National Collegiate championships he set a new record at 14:1, this was also a world record.

In the first heat of the Olympic hurdles Saling came in second to Don Finlay of Great Britain. He opened up in the second heat and broke an Olympic record at 14:4.

In the final heat an Olympic championship at stake, the competitors took off at the shot in a life and death race. And Saling won, this time in 14:6 in the 110 meter high hurdles winning the gold medal. In fact the USA team took home both gold and silver.

Saling wrote this of his experience: “Down on the track, six forms are crouching – by trials the six greatest hurdlers in the world. The gun barks and the forms shoot forward. They take the first barrier almost in unison. Then one runner draws into the lead. Closely pressed by the pack, he is still leading at the seventh hurdle. “At the eighth barrier a runner emerges from the pack. He overtakes the leader, and then sweeps on by and to the tape – a victor by four feet. That runner was myself, and I say without shame that this is the ONE race of the Olympics that shall remain longest in my memory.”

George Saling was born in 1909 in Memphis, MO. The family moved to Corydon when he was three months old, where he graduated from high school in 1927. George’s first love was basketball and he was captain of the Corydon team in 1926-27.

He went out for track, partly because that was what most of the other fellow did in the spring. In meets he usually filled in wherever he was needed most, running anything from the 100 to the 440, besides hurdles.

In the fall of 1927 he began classes at the University of Iowa and turned his ambitions toward basketball. But in an interview given just two weeks before his untimely death in 1933, George said, “Just as I was swinging off the court after practice one night, and still possessing a little of that youthful exuberance, I raced over a couple of hurdles that were standing nearby, as George Bresnahan, U of I track coach happened to be passing.”

Coach Bresnahan spotted Saling’s natural gift for the hurdles and immediately began an intense campaign to recruit George away from basketball and on to the track team. Saling credited his coach for much of his success. His training methods included a lot of body building – lifting weights, working on bars, and sprinting. One unusual exercise that proved to be very helpful was walking on his hands, which developed arms, back, and chest, and gave him a finer sense of balance – a necessity for hurdlers.

Corydon and the track world were stunned by the untimely death of George Saling on April 14, 1933 as a result of a car accident near St Louis. He was just 23 years old. The funeral service at the Methodist Church in Corydon was one of the largest ever held in Corydon.

George Saling’s memory was honored by his hometown high school in 1938 when its newly lighted athletic field was dedicated as “Saling Field”. In 1983, during Corydon’s Old Settlers Celebration, Saling was honored in a special ceremony and a bronze plaque honoring his Olympic Gold Medal was mounted on the east side of the bandstand on the Wayne County courthouse grounds. In 1989, the University of Iowa established an Athletic Hall of Fame: George Saling was one of the athletes and coaches named.

There is still one more collection of pictures from this road trip left to share.