Bikes and Bread

This past weekend was the Toronto Cross cyclo-cross race, a two-day event that's had some big names race it in the past. While as of this year it's no longer an International event it was still held on both Saturday and Sunday. A major change in the format saw the saturday Citizen race become the first Toronto cyclocross race to be held under lights. Since it was a late event and unique Andrea decided to come along... she's only come to a couple of cross races.

The first race started at 5:30, still light out, the second start time was just as the light was fading and the final race started in full darkness at about 8:30. The event is held on a small ski hill in Centennial Park and the organizers had arranged to get the lights turned on for the hill. They supplemented those with some very bright lights on other parts of the course so most of it was lit well enough for the riders. Many also brought their night lights so it was quite the show. It was a challenge for the photographers though... and I quite enjoyed the challenge. Here are a few of the shots I like, the full gallery is on my website.

200mm lens,ISO 2500, f 2.8, 1/50 of a second, no flash

200mm lens,ISO 2500, f 2.8, 1/30 of a second, no flash

24mm lens,ISO 2500, f 4, 1/5 of a second, someone else's flash

28mm lens,ISO 400, f 5.6, 1 second, flash

60mm, ISO 400, f 5.6, 1/160 of a second, flash

 
One of the reasons we went to Vermont earlier in the month was to get to King Arthur Flour and stock up for a winter's worth of bread baking. Andrea wasn't going to the Sunday race, opting instead to do some canning, make some soup, and bake bread while I spent the day taking photos. Dinner last night was delicious :-)

Compared to the photos from the night race, the ones from yesterday aren't all that exciting. No mud, no really tricky conditions, dull lighting and no fall colours of note (if you want to look at some I have a gallery up on my website). So instead, here's a shot of the first loaf of the season (semolina) and a hint of what's in store.

50 pounds of their finest, waiting to be baked

Fresh out of the oven

Loaf # 1... mmmm