Documenting your rides (digital equipment, cameras, etc.)

[Jiffer]

Every now and then me or someone else will take a photo, usually at events or on more "epic" rides. And usually with a phone. The iPhone is actually GREAT at taking pics, as I'm sure you know.

I just recently started blogging about various things, including cycling, so I have a few posts with pics there.

I document every singe ride I do, in detail, on bikejournal.com. I keep track of my time, distance, pace, elevation gain and then make comments on various things depending on the ride. I also do "laps" on a lot of my rides and will document all of my laps, speed, pace, etc.

I can tell you how many miles I rode the past few years (including this year's pathetically low number, cause my health has prevented me from riding much). I can look up any ride I've done and see my stats and notes from it. My husband calls me the stat monster. Actually, he calls me the Snotty, Potty, Stat Monster! Cause in addition to having a "thing" for stats, I keep tissue in my jersey to blow my nose several times during a ride and also tend to go potty often (in general).

Our club asks for photos to post on their website, or to cycle through on a big screen at club meetings. Everyone votes for their favorite and it gets put on the website.

I know a club member who used to consistently post pics and details of rides on this forum.

[shootingstar]

You're very faithful Jiffer.

My style of "documenting" stuff related to my rides has changed over the cycling decades.

I used to note mileage for first few years in a cycling journal. Not routes. Waaaaay too much effort for me and well too dry, for my taste. Crappy scribbles of notes. Very mechancial writing.

I like taking interesting/pretty photo shots ...whenever. Sometimes I go for weeks, not taking any photos. There are different photos in all 3 different blogs. Which 2 of them will change over time.

Blogging, actually reminds me that there is an audience out there..and hence, I write for an imaginary /real audience. Which does mean a writing style that's better than writing just for myself. But best thing of all, I like marrying a "story" with photos. Cycling is just a launch pad for other topics and pics.

I couldn't take my camera with me all the time because I do cycle for shopping and errands sometimes. I don't want to bang around my camera by forgetting that I have it..which has happened. Fortunately no damage yet.

My blogs do remind me of some experiences I've had /things I've seen both cycling and non-cycling related. I know some of other bloggers do look back on their own blogs to "relive" or to remember. To me a trip is best remembered, seen and read as "highlights", not a mechanical recitation of a route. Of course, the metaphor of a bike trip is...life's journey through a blog.

I'm not a Facebook user and doubt very much my own family and friends would be as interested in just a pile of photos unless I gave more explanation...which I can't be bothered FB or Twitter style.

[Atlas]

I only take my camera if we're on tour or an overnight trip - basically if we're already hauling gear then I'll take it. On my short rides by myself I don't take it, but part of that is I don't have a lot of bags and such on my bike. If I had a frame bag or top tube bag I'd maybe consider taking it more often. I have a Panasonic Lumix that I love and adore and have taken more photos on it than on my big Nikon dSLR. I love the wide open Midwestern landscapes I ride in and I like having a tiny wide angle camera to capture it.

[hebe]

Interesting topic!

I love taking pictures on my rides, but there haven't been many recently as I've been working on improving my fitness/times. I often blog about my riding. I was using a Garmin Dakota and Garmin Connect to track my rides and mileage but am currently testing out Sports Tracker on a Windows Phone. I love reading about other peoples rides and seeing their pictures - so many of our bikes are the same the world over but we all cycle in such different (and yet sometimes similar) places. I should do a "photo" ride the next sunny weekend and not worry too much about times.

[Cataboo]

I used to carry a gps just in case I got lost - I know the area better and haven't been bothering lately. I used to record how many miles I've ridden,I haven't been bothering lately. Even when I was recording tracks, I never really bothered to download the tracks and see how fast I was going.

I keep a small waterproof camera in a fuel belt bento box on my top tube, and whip it out when I want to take some pics. If I'm riding with someone else, I don't hold them up by taking photos. If I'm riding by myself, it depends on my mood. Some days I just want to bike and don't stop to take photos. I just pass things and think "that would be an amazing pic, too bad I'm not stopping" Other days, I just want to explore and get some nice pics.

I went out riding yesterday 'cause there's a road near by along a creek that is usually covered with daylilies in bloom on either side... I biked over and found that someone had mowed down the daylilies I started biking the route that I've been doing lately and realized I was bored, thinking about my to do list, and just really didn't want to be biking. So I turned off down some other roads and decided to just explore. All of a sudden, I was enjoying my ride.

And getting some wacky pics:

[Suze]

AdHi Chat Noire,

First, great name!

I do blog, and do carry a camera. In ancient, 35mm film, days I had an Olympus and a number of lens, but my lovely camera got old, was injured, and out of date, and heavy. So now I use a point and shoot Canon A590. Sometimes I stop for photos, sometimes I set it for motion (I think they call it children and pets setting, but I imagine that gives priority to a fast shutter speed) and shoot while I ride. I think the images lose a fair amount of quality when I load them to my site, but that may be my lack of understanding of modern technology.

I've read about a smaller, thinner, Canon, that might be better quality, but I have no budget for it right now.

Mostly I take photos when I am riding alone, or casually with friends. This season, I've ridden some good routes with local cycling groups and I don't even take the camera, it is all I can do to keep up. I will figure that out, maybe take photos later, because I want to include the rides in my local routes section. But, no photos= no posts.

Happy cycling, and photography!
Suze

[Crankin]

I looked at your blog, Suze. We usually do a trip to the Berkshires every year; next one may be the weekend of the 22nd, depending on the weather.
I've done many of the routes you described. It was fun to read someone else's descriptions.
I have to say riding in the Berkshires is almost as tough as riding in Europe. Last year, I did the climb up Monterrey Rd, as opposed to the Tyringham "wall." I almost didn't make it, but I did, at times seeing 3 mph on my computer.
Alford is one of my favorite towns. Did you know you can use the rest room at the town hall, without asking? It's always open.