The Lull.

I don't like this time inbetween Christmas and New Year, it always seems like dead time of stupid sales and people trying to continue the festivities for no reason except to keep boredom at bay.
Had a bit of a bad luck day too, it's taken all afternoon to get two new tyres on my bike because twice messed up the inner tube just as I had got the tyre on, including a broken valve. Katherine's been at work all day so I slept in too long this morning and haven't managed to actually get going.
I need to get out and ride. My legs are aching to cycle, hopefully tomorrow I can have a pedal.

Wakefield 'cross, Yorkshire Points Round 8

Wakefield 'cross, Yorkshire Points round 8
Originally uploaded by Paper Thin

Photos online.

Flickr Set

Almost time for time off.

It's my last day of work tomorrow, following which we'll be making a trip over to West Yorkshire to see my family and friends before Christmas. I will also be picking up my films of sunday's 'cross event in Wakefield so they should be online very soon too.

Christmas eve finds us heading south down the M1 to Maidenhead to spend the festive period with Katherine's family. Then after that hopefully begin the New Year as I mean to go on with plenty of cycling, photography and good times.

Stuffed.

Natural History Museum
Originally uploaded by Paper Thin

Even though I've been working all the daylight hours every weekday (and a bit more besides), things have still been happening. This weekend was proof of what you can do in a day when you put the effort in.
The Natural History Museum made me feel like a kid again, being amazed at everything I saw, I still don't really believe all the animals on display were once actually real.
The Rouleur exhibit was inspirational, and a indication that the photographs I produce have a real market and there is an audience out there. Popped into Condor Bikes next door at the same time and just about managed to stop a shopping spree.

The only thing I have taken a break from is the road bike but only because I knew how little I'd be able to ride this month so rather than being disappointed I took a break. I'm still commuting daily, enjoying the morning race on the bike paths of York with similar minded cyclists. The hunger is there as well, one of my aims for the New Year is to really step up my mileage and become a regular at the sunday club runs.

Hopefully a quieter week this week, and then final Yorkshire Points 'cross on sunday.

London Calling.

6.00AM train in the morning to the capital.

Werking to afford the living.

This week I'll be working about 60 hours all in.

Bingey 'cross, Yorkshire Points Round 7

Bingey 'cross, Yorkshire Points Round 7
Originally uploaded by Paper Thin

Photos online.

Flickr Set

Winter weekends.

Today it was 'cross at Bingley for round 7 of the Yorkshire Points series. Shot quite a few rolls of film and this week am hoping for a slightly quicker turn-around to get my photos online before the end of the week.
I'm going to miss the atmosphere of these races when the season is over. Even though it's my first taste of cyclo-cross, I feel smitten already.

Condor Cross, Yorkshire Points Round 6

Condor Cross, Yorkshire Points Round 6
Originally uploaded by Paper Thin

Photos online.

Flickr Set

Air/Water

Originally uploaded by Paper Thin

Random horizon photo from a Summertime trip.


Had another busy weekend this week. I spent Saturday with a lot of my family and had a bonfire in the rain and pie'n'pea supper.
Then Sunday I was over in Brighouse for another round of cyclo-cross. It was the first time I had seen it ridden in the wet and my respect for every rider who turned out doubled instantly. There was a lot of good racing but my schnapping was hindered by one of my camera bodies jamming, still made the best of the situation. Hopefully photos will be online by next weekend.

Today I've been in bed most of the day with a bug, had to call in sick to work, which didn't feel good letting people down but I would have been as much use as a chocolate fireguard. Seems like the worst has passed now though.
I've had a lot of time to think today and tried to use what energy I had to do some organising so hopefully I can hit the ground running with both photography and cycling when next Spring rolls around.

Jonathan Noble Memorial, Yorkshire Points Round 4

Jonathan Noble Memorial, Yorkshire Points Round 4
Originally uploaded by Paper Thin

Photos online.


Flickr Set

Try Cycling/Yorkshire Points Round 5

Try Cycling/Yorkshire Points Round 5
Originally uploaded by Paper Thin

Photos online.

Flickr Set

Tour Of Britian 2008

Tour Of Britian 2008
Originally uploaded by Paper Thin

Photos online.

Flickr Set

Drop it like it's hot.

After six month's in a very long pipeline it's finally online.
Please check it out, any feedback or questions are welcome.

My Website

Thank you.

A Sunday in Hudds'

Yesterday I made the trip over to Huddersfield for another Sunday of cyclo-cross. The weather was a tad worse than last week, gale force winds instead of lovely blue skies. It didn't seem to effect the riders too much with another two awesome races, underlining the toughness of each rider in the field.
I got another 5 rolls of film which are going to the processor's today and should be ready by the end of the week, and last weeks photographs from Temple Newsam will be online in the next couple of days at http://www.flickr.com/photos/paperthin/

To any riders/interested parties, any image is available to buy. All my photographs are shot with film and are hand printed by Silvertone printers, who have over 30 years experience and produce faultless work. Digital prints are also available, please contact me with any requests or questions on paperthin.ben@googlemail.com

My website is going through final building this week and shouldn't be long before that hits the internet too.

Bike Weekend

Yesterday I rode Manchester Velodrome for the second time but the first time on my own track bike. I had a great session and the bike held up just fine.

Today I went to Temple Newsam in Leeds and photographed a cyclo-cross event. It was the first time that I'd witnessed 'cross and I loved the whole experience. It was such a family occasion, full of real characters but full of hard riding too. I tried to capture the day as a whole rather than just the racing, my photographs will be online, on my Flickr, soon.
I plan to photograph the rest of the events in the Yorkshire Points series too, hopefully building up a body of work at the end of it.

A bit like Jurassic Park...

Originally uploaded by Paper Thin

you know, the bit where the raptor is behind the curtain.

So it goes

- A week in Cornwall is a grand way to pass the time.
- Got a haircut yesterday.
- Had my first day at my new job today.
- Going to watch the Tour of Britain next week.
- In two weeks I'll be an Usher at a wedding for the second time this year.

I can take stuff apart and I can almost put it back together.

So I signed this thing called the Offical Secrets Act, which means I can't tell you how much my former job sucked.
I'm in that inbetween period at the moment.
Time is passing slowly but watching Family Guy and reading cycling books helps, especially with all this rain about at the moment.

I'm dangerous, like I imagine a dolphin could be

Change is coming.

Next few weeks new opportunities are coming my way, a little bit of traveling and hopefully happier times.