Bicycle Tube Vending Machine

You see these machines all over Germany, but mostly they are selling
cigarettes. In what appears to be a complete reversal healthwise,
this machine offers tubes to help the stranded cyclist.

Staalstrat Draw Bridge

Houses Across the Canal

Compagnie Theater

U of A Information Center

Niewmarkt

Rembrandt Plaza

Almost a complete sampling of Amsterdam in one place. A statue of
Rembrandt, a luxury hotel and a coffee shop.

Freestate Swomp

http://swomp.wordpress.com

It is in Dutch but can be translated using translate.google.com

http://translate.google.com/translate?js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&sl=auto&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fswomp.wordpress.com

Freestate Swomp is a community garden in the middle of the city. At
first it just looks like a cool fort.

De Nieuwe Kerk

Halvemaansteeg

Grave Digger Comin' for Ya

What do you say to that? Engine roaring, tires throwing mud, it was a
wild ride and every bit as crazy at is looks. I only wish I was
driving.

Maximum Destroyed

Maximum Destruction is supposed to be to the other guy. A blown
engine puts an early end to his freestyle run.

Palos Verdes Peninsula

Note the curvature in the wing. Those things really bend.

Monster Mutt Dalmatian

Monster Mutt Dalmation getting air. This monster truck was one of two
driven by women (Candice Jolly). It is good to know that Jessica's has a wide variety
of career choices.

Point of No Return

Grave Digger The Legend (not to be confused with Grave Digger) gives
too much gas up the ramp and flips over backwards.

Dragon's Breath is out too after high centering on a car.

I amsterdam Sign

Grave Digger vs. Maximum Destruction

In the race for the title, these two monster trucks are neck and neck until Grave Digger hits a car in the last turn and gets knocked back a bit.

We were lucky enough to be seated under the level above and out of the rain.  The mud kept speed down so they didn't get as much air as they otherwise would but racing in the mud is a spectacle unto itself.

This Stupid Picture

Arriving in Palm Spring I was looking at all the things to photograph,
even at night. While we were checking into the hotel I decided that
this fountain was a good place to start. I grabbed my bag out of the
back of the car, took this picture, packed it up and put it back. The
car was a small SUV with a lift gate in back. I had only opened the
window and when the gate was opened later by camera bag fell out!
Camera stopped working. Bad news. Fortunately the Nikon repair
center for the US west of the Mississippi is in LA. I drove up there
on Monday and had my camera back on Friday. They even covered it
under warranty. Lesson learned, be more careful next time. The
fountain picture didn't even turn out.
Then we went to monster trucks...

Orangewood SART Bridge

This is the Orangewood bridge over the Santa Ana River Trail (SART).

The Sky is Burning

Jacob in the SWAT Truck

Who's the Crazy Guy?

I was just volunteering to demonstrate the chair, I swear!

Cub Scouts on the SWAT Truck

Cub Scouts in the HB Jail

Look Dad, we got wet!

Playing in the Surf

A River of Cyclists

10 years ago, when Petja and Heather started riding the Tour of Palm
Springs, there were only 300 people. This year there were over 7,000.
Cycling sure has grown in popularity.

Sun Setting through HB Pier

Boat Anchor

I am not sure why but I really liked this picture. Besides the still
life aspect it does show how how foggy it was that day.

Sprint Finish

I took the sprint at the line, edging out Petja by just a few inches.  It might have been closer if he kept both hands on the handlebars.

SART RR Bridge with Water

Nothing compared to the flooding in Queensland but we are already well over average and still early in the rainy season.  This river bed is normally bone dry.  Flow into it is regulated by Prado dam in Corona.  The recent rains combined with the relief capacity of the dam flooded the Corona airport (located behind the dam) as they could not let water out fast enough.  This photo was taken over a week after the rain stopped, when the water would all have normally been out to sea already.