Baseball and Fireworks

I can't think of much more American than the two. Well perhaps beside traveling to a Waffle House in your thunderbird with t-tops, which isn't the best car to take to a fireworks show. Spending most of my time in California living in the woods and in the Humboldt Bubble in NorCal, I've never really been impressed with any boom show I've seen in Cali anyway. Nothing like back in the Midwest where places like the Battle Creek Air Show and surprising the Negaunee, Michgian fireworks show which is one of the best fireshows in the sky I've seen.

Despite the lack of pyrotechnic impressiveness in Northern California, there's not much more American than a bunch of friends with a whiffle ball and bat, a flag cake, some great craft brew, homemade vegi burgers, a hula-hoop, and some sparklers.

Pledge to the flag cake.

Scott demolishing one of the whiffle balls.

Squat style.

Light painting with sparklers.

When a hula-hoop and sparklers collide.

Freedom baby!

Kinetic Grand Championship 2011

Memorial Day weekend has again came and gone with another spectacular episode of the Kinetic Grand Championship (formerly Kinetic Sculpture Race) in Humboldt County. Thousands of spectators from near and far arrived in Arcata, Eureka, and Ferndale to witness kinetic sculptures of all shapes, sizes, and genres compete in this years race. Despite the high winds on all three days, the weather held up rather nicely for both the racers and the observers. Day one took the riders from the Arcata Plaza, through the Arcata Bottoms, over to the Manilla Dunes, and finally to Halverson Park in Eureka. Day two, the racers braved the cold and windy conditions of Humboldt Bay, many of which struggled successfully in the wavy conditions, while others left their shame behind and received assistance to the takeout point. Once back on the road they pedaled, pushed, and hopped their way to Cannibal Island near Loleta. Day three the racers were originally supposed to cross the mouth of the Eel River, but again due to strong winds and dangerous conditions most took the alternate route into Ferndale where thousands were eagerly waiting their arrival.

Day 1 the weather was glorious as we stood watch along Jackson Ranch Road.

Sculptures with all kinds of functionality made their way past us. This one used an eccentric wheel that was propelled by bouncing on a platform.

Day two was hard for most while others had no qualms. This WASA sculpture cruised along without a hitch in Humboldt Bay.

All kinds of spectators showed up to watch us and the bizarre sculptures.

Despite a bit of drama dealing with registration requirements, the High Schoolers sculpture shoved on.

These flags show just how windy it was out on the bay Sunday.

On Monday, the sculptures and their entourage make thier way down Main Street in downtown Ferndale.

And chances to win a Fat Tire cruiser.

This is one way to beat those high gas prices. Over 40 miles on a unicycle is rather honorable.

KLAMM!

This is just a few samples from the race. Many more photographs can be viewed and purchased from this year's race here at jmbarnesphoto.com

Tour of Unknown Coast 2011

Another successful Tour of the Unknown Coast has came and went with hundreds of riders from all over the nation. An unfortunate hectic semester had tremendous impacts on my ability to train/ride so I opted out of a shorter ride for photographing the hammerheads on the century. At first I was feeling a touch sentimental when all the riders started lining up before 7am last Saturday, but by the time I hit "The Wall" and watched those who had been training suffer, I knew I was having just as much fun enjoying the beautiful day and documenting the masochism in front of me. It was much easier chasing them on the KLR.

It was a sea of green Adventure's Edge jerseys at the starting line for the 2001 TUC.

It was mostly tight packs of riders for the first 10 miles or so coming out of the start and heading into Rio Dell.

The Avenue of the Giants was still dark (as usual) at 8:26 am. I had to bust out the strobe to catch the quickly moving front pack. Unfortunately the flash mount I had on the KLR came off somewhere on the endless hills scaring a rider coming around a blind corner. Luckily Bruce of Ferndale was nice enough to find its owner (me), and my sincere apologies to the rider getting a scare. A free photo for you two if you hunt me down.

#326 from Bellingham, Washington was the speed demon for the day. He broke away from the lead group early on. Here he was starting the climb up Panther Gap solo.

This threesome road strong and consistent all day. Although they never caught the solo lead guy, they would all finish very strong at the end of the day.

Matt Deshazo was also riding strong all day. An unfortunate chain issue at the top of the endless hills determined his higher place finish. "It's unfortunate, but I know how I would have finished," was Matt's response. Very true.

Trying to change up the typical TUC photos (many people hang out all day at The Wall), I headed over the windy, twisting roads of the infamous Endless Hills. I was reminded of how it almost drove me to hysteria last year as it really did seem to be endless.

The sinuous roads climb endlessly away from the still visible coast.

A rider pedals along a ridge where a section of the route can be seen in the background.

Beyond the endless hills the fog rolled in thick as a rider squeezes out his last reserves of energy for the last 5 miles.

Select photographs of the event can be seen here at jmbarnesphoto.com. To purchase photos please visit my events gallery at jmbarnesphoto.com/events.

Humboldt State Fencing Tournament

Today at approximately 12:30pm the Humboldt State University Fencing Club hosted a fencing event at the Lumberjack Stadium on campus. Although a rather small event, there were teams representing from as far as New York. The tournament lasted approximately two hours with demonstrations given at the beginning for those of us uneducated in the rules of fencing. I did get a chance to take a few photos, unfortunately viewers had to stay in their seats and flash photography was not allowed.


A participant getting foiled at the HSU Fencing tournament on Sunday.


Fencers at the HSU Tournament in the Lumberjack Arena on Sunday.

Fencers preparing to duel at the HSU Fencing tournament on Sunday.

Things get foiley at the HSU fencing tournament on Sunday.

Participants receiving medals at the HSU fencing tournament on Sunday.

Thousands Attend HSU Budget Rally

There was more than clouds brewing today around Arcata, particularly at Humboldt State University. Today at noon thousands gathered at the Humboldt State University library to protest the proposed state wide CSU budget cuts. Members of the California Faculty Association, the Associated Students, and hordes of concerned students attended to let known their concerns for the cuts.

I got a chance to interview one of those concerned students, James Bruce, who personally went into classrooms during the last couple weeks to let students know that their presence was important. Here is what James had to say about the protest.

-----------------------------------------------------------------
The rally was put on by the California faculty association (teacher's union) (CFA), the Associated Students (AS) and several concerned students. There is already a $500 million dollar budget cut that will happen for the entire CSU system. There is an additional $500 million dollar budget cut that is purposed, totaling a billion dollar cut. To put this into perspective: the entire CSU annual operating budget is just over four billion, approximately 25% could be cut. Humboldt State University's annual budget: just over 100 million. This includes faculty, buildings, lights etc. The budget cut that has already passed is equivalent to five whole HSU campuses. The billion dollar cut will be the same as getting rid of 10 HSU campuses, and it even gets worse: the entire statewide system consists of 23 campuses (granted, each of the campuses have different budgets, but this is to put the cuts into perspective).

In 1960 the California master plan for education established the CSU system to tailor to the top 12.9% of high school students. The CSU system was to cater to 33% of the high school students who qualify. The rest of the California population was supposed to have a community college available to them. The California constitution specifically states that higher education is supposed to be free and accessible (see California constitution article IX section 5. or read the justification for Article 1 sec 7.a. or Article 1 sec 28.7.)

All the while tuition has increased 242% since 2002 for students while the CSU chancellor and the HSU president have been granted a 77% salary increase. Further, in many speeches made by chancellor Reed to 'business round tables' he has explicitly said on numerous occasions, "What can we, the CSU, do for you [corporations]?" (see either 'business roundtable' 1999, or 'South Bay Business Roundtable', 2001, or any of the other speeches from chancellor Reed at : http://www.calstate.edu/executive/speeches/archive.shtml
The message is clear: the CSU academic curriculum will be catered to business interests. Education is no longer essential to have a civic minded, critically thinking society, it is no longer essential to the preservation of the rights and liberties of the people. It is to turn students into workers.

At every single CSU across California, students rallied, walked out of classes, some faculty canceled classes, teacher's unions gave speeches, songs were sung and state representative information was given out. People are pissed

I personally went to about twenty classes to ensure that students were aware of the massive budget cuts, how it will effect them and when the rally was. The one single question that i was asked at every single turn was 'what is one protest going to do?'
My response was to ask them if they understood that our system is not a democracy, it is a republic. In a republic, representatives are supposed to do what you tell them to do. When have you told your representative what to do? And a protest is simply the first step.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Below are a few photos from the rally. The whole gallery will be up shortly and can be seen here.

Union songs were sung to as protesters gathered around the HSU Library at noon today

Arcata Mayor Susan Ornelas even gave a speech during the rally.

Thousands of protects attended the rally today to express their concerns about the proposed budget cuts to the CSU.

Protesters representing many different organizations, but came with the same message.

After the rally speeches, a march began around the campus.

Protesters express their concerns of the CSU budget cuts during a march on HSU campus.

The full rally gallery can be seen here.
Rally Panorama 1 here.
Rally Panorama 2 here.