It's raining. No, it's really raining and it's windy. I was scheduled to shoot a historic bike tomorrow but the weather has decided to put the mockers on that. So it'll happen on Monday. Not much to report from AutoMotoPhoto central. I have updated my site with my 2008 schedule, booked flights and hotels for the year and I am just getting myself set up for whatever the year holds. One thing I have learned is to enjoy these moments when one isn't travelling, so as much as I miss covering the races, and especially the people and racers with whom I travel and work with, it's also important to make sure one takes the time to regenerate, and to give the mind a rest. Working with our new dog Thor is a challenge at times, but it's nice to be working with our new puppy. Plus, it doesn't have buttons, batteries, whatever. It's simply one of life's little pleasures.
Oh, and before I go, I thought I should just mention that I have updated the information pages on my
book with a look at one of the spreads inside, along with a photo of the cover and inside.
Click the
book link above to see more, this image is just for the blog...I hope you like it. Ben Spies, IMO, deserved to be on the cover.
Just a short update. Did I mention that I am really looking forward to this season? Both Hodgson and Duhamel are back. Miguel Duhamel is fit and ready after his nasty accident during testing at Road Atlanta last year. Neil Hodgson looks relaxed, focussed and ready to get underway. Funnily enough, Duhamel looks just as he did when I last saw him (he obviously knows where the fountain of eternal life is located...)...
That's all for now.
On the Monday I did some preliminary factory shots. On Tuesday I covered the official press launch and presentation. A large number of journalists from many of the top motorcycle magazines in the US were invited to the factory to be shown the new helmet and all it's (very cool) features. 
They were also given a factory tour following the presentation, finishing up with a helmet fitting and the plan was to have a bike ride to try the helmet out. Sadly the rains didn't respect the launch and the ride was cancelled for the afternoon. However, from my own perspective, not withstanding the fact that I was covering the launch, I found the whole process of how a helmet is designed, engineered, tested and constructed incredibly interesting.
Speaking from experience (I've trashed a few in my time), a helmet is one of the most important safety items you can wear when riding a motorcycle or bicycle, and seeing the level of engineering that has gone into this helmet impressed me.
Make sure you wear one!
