I come to work to rest. I estimate I rode 50 miles yesterday. The Tour de Bronx was just under 42 miles by itself, and I rode to the Grand Concourse and from the Bronx Bon-A-tonn-ick-cal Gardens home. Today I don't feel sore or stiff, but kinda tired and relaxed almost as if stoned on weed.
On the Grand Concouse I saw some cops picking up some 9mm ammo laying around near the start. I'm not talking shell casings, but live ammo just laying around that someone had littered the area with.
The first 25 miles is pretty flat, but the last 15 are long climbs and hills that I had to grind gears and use my bike like as if a stair master.
Of course of my reputation I meet some of the crazies. One guy just won the Cargo Bike Championships. The championship event was just held in Philly and it was picking up loads and delivering them around Philly. This is a guy who told me that he delivers payloads up to 300 pounds on a bike, going up hills and over bridges.
This man was 32 years old, looked about 21, and does this full time for a living. This African-American man weighs 160 pounds and was 2-3 inches taller than me and stood at 6 foot 6'1." Pretty much he was a sknny bitch like me, LOL, but underneath the girly-man lanky build this guy was pure animal and not really human. "Half man-half testicle," I say.
One of my friend Ignacio's crew was in love with my Ti IBIS. I learned that Diwitt was also a Capricorn like me, and that we had the same birthday, the same Elvis like flambouyant persona, the charisma of Jesus, and had crazy friends. Not that it is politically correct to profile an African-American, but it was remarkable how similar we were, and in fact we had the same birthday.
I remarked that this is like the film "Twins" that stared Danny DiVito and Arnold. LOL. Dewitt rode a ecumbant, but his bike I would call a "Pancake Rig" because it sat low to the ground like a formula race car. Pretty easy to get run over by a car or truck because recumbants are fast and this is pretty low visability.
So in Capricorn style Diwitt's Pancake machine says he reached a top speed of 50 MPH on a slight downward incline, not a down hill, and he relies on the strobes so he don't get pancaked. He lives in the Bronx, but commutes the 26 miles to work in Brooklyn over the Brooklyn Bridge in the Pancake Machine.
Saturday with Joe heading home, at the 34th Street Subway, some crime happened where a vender called out for the Police and this newstand vender chased down someone who performed a snatch and grab.
PhotoPlusExpo has a few items that were interesting to me. One was this Hard-Drive offered by LaCie that had a SD card reader built in. No need to carry a laptop when traveling for downloads. About $350.00 solves that problem.
The Fuji 100 MP medium format was about the size of my SL, but too many buttons and knobs for me.
The Zeiss booth had this hipster 35/2.0 fixed lens camera that utilized a leaf shutter that would be a cool street/travel camera. The operating system though was like a cell phone, and Joe pointed out how that could be a liability.
I inquired about a Monochrom version and pretty much engaged with three people, one the software designer for this camera. Pretty much it became like an episode of "Shark Tank" where I pitched my idea, and why it was a great idea to make a Monochrom version.
"Do you think Leica would like you making a Monochrom version of this camera? Do you think the price point of undercutting Leica and offering German optics will undercut Leica market share in this nitch market?"
I mention that without a Bayer Filter Array one could expect about a third more resolution; I mentioned really how little has to be done to create a Monochrom version; and for street shooting how a Zeiss 35/2.0 fixed lens is kinda ideal for not only street, but as a travel camera. In fact for travel I would buy a color version and the Monochrom.
They took my cards (really small Piezography prints with Copyright and contact info rubber stamped on the back) and told me they will contact me. Let's see if Zeiss builds me my camera. Let's see how good a salesman I am. I mentioned that this camera that has not been released yet that it usually takes Leica about a year to develope a Monochrom version.
Hmmmm... Let's see.
So no Leica Booth at PhotoPlusExpo, but no matter to me. I seldom get phone calls, unless it is solicitor. I'm kinda proud of my antisocial behavior. "Leave me alone," I say.
I was at home alone, "minding my own business," when my flip phoe rings. It is "Mike the Wack-Job" AKA "Mike the skinny hipster." Pretty much Mike just got home from picking up a Pelican like case filled with three lenses, the charger, extra battery/grip, and a Leica "S."
Mike the hipster is my upstairs neighbor, so I run up to show Mike how to set up the camera Leica is lending him. Really amazing how similar my SL and the "S" are are far as layout, controls and menus.
I was a bit disappointed that the kit did not include the 100/2.0 short telephoto, instead they sent the 120mm which is not as fast a lens. Pretty much got to play around with a $50K Leica "S" kit.
What surprised me is how the rigged "S" weighed about as much as my SL with the "Monster" 50 Lux. They were kinda equivilent in weight and size, well perhaps the "S" was smaller with the wide and the 70mm.
As far as smut goes another bike was in Mike's living room a single speed was being assembled for one of Mike's girlfriends. Today when I left for work I saw a crew being assembled with lights and reflectors. The shoot will be "in the wild" meaning on the street and not in the studio.
Tonight after my rest at work, I'll probably hit my gym (in my building) and do an hour sweat on the elyptical. Pretty much just for blood flow.
Cal