Electric Irises

This is just about as Christmas-related a photo as I could find in my collection after a quick perusal. It was a shot I achieved accidentally, and I quite like it. I shot it on the California coast, just north or south of Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park; I'm not sure. I was on a photo safari with a friend, and we jumped out of the car for a few minutes. That's when I got this shot.

Merry Christmas!

Guitar de Chelly

I took this photograph at one of my favorite places, Canyon de Chelly, Arizona. It's Navajo Indian land, and the best way to see it is to get a Navajo guide and drive your own car on the actual canyon floor. There are old petroglyphs, wonderful free-standing sandstone towers created by erosion, and you can purchase Navajo silver and turquoise jewelry from native vendors. It's a magical place that I highly recommend. This photograph of my guitar was taken on the canyon floor, and reflects the canyon walls, sky and clouds above.

Space-Age Dream

To me, this shot could be of a spaceship descending upon an unwary city, but it's just the Encounter Restaurant on top of the Theme Building at the Los Angeles International Airport. I pumped up the contrast on the original photo to get this ghostly effect.

Big Brothers, Big Hearts

Me and my Little Brother Jared, playing inline hockey. This is a perfect venue for the following article. It's something that I wrote as part of a job-interview requirement.

FULFILLING! FEELS GREAT!
There’s nothing cooler than being a Big Brother or Big Sister.
by Richard Graham

Drive north from the Reno-Tahoe International Airport toward downtown Reno and you’ll see it -- a large billboard with the words “Little Moments. Big Magic.” The sign advertises Big Brothers Big Sisters of Reno, a program that currently matches local children with “Bigs” in the service area of Reno, Sparks and the north valleys.

According to Pat Fling, the organization’s president and CEO, Reno was the biggest metro area without a program before Big Brothers Big Sisters of Reno opened four-and-a-half years ago.

“The area is very receptive,” Fling said. “Last calendar year, we matched 480 children with ‘Bigs’; this year, we currently have 393 matches. The kids are bright, funny, energetic, curious and full of promise. Because of family circumstances, they’re at risk, through no fault of their own.”

Deaon Clausell, 27, Reno’s 2005 Big Brother of the Year, works for International Game Technology as a software developer in the information systems department. A proud graduate of UNR, Clausell said he had always thought about joining the program, but never got around to it.

“When a friend of mine went through the short process to become a Big Brother, I finally decided to take 10 minutes and fill out the application,” Clausell said. “A month later, I met my Little Brother.”

Clausell has been a Big Brother to Brandon, a 10-year-old fifth grader, for the past two-and-a-half years, Clausell says being a mentor to Brandon (aka “B-Man”), is very fulfilling.

“With work and life, sometimes we forget about taking time to slow down and just have a little fun,” Clausell said. “Being a Big Brother also allows me to know the new hip lingo,” he added with a grin.

“We both like to play video games, and it’s also a lot of fun when the weather is good to get outside and play some sports like basketball, football and Frisbee,” Clausell said. “We've even taken our bikes along the Truckee River bike trail. We have gotten some free tickets to various events in Reno. There are also a lot of places that give discounts in town to Big Brothers, like Red Robin and the YMCA.”

Locals of note who are or have been Big Brothers or Big Sisters include Mike Reed, dean of the school of business at UNR; Channel 2 morning anchor Bill Frankmore; and 2005 Big Sister of the Year Marian Lanius, who is a vice president of the Private Client Group at U.S. Bank in Reno.

According to Reed, “It is a superb program; it gives the grownups a chance to interact with younger people, and it gives kids a chance to see possibility” of different careers and adult life.

“We are part of the school-based program,” Reed said. “We do homework or whatever, one hour a week before school. On weekends, we go for lunch or to a movie, play miniature golf, or ride go carts.”

“It’s not a very big investment of time, but one hour, once a week, makes a huge difference,” said Pat Fling. “Kids with a ‘Big’ improve in their academic performance, improve in relationships with teachers, other adults and their peers, Having a ‘Big’ strengthens their resilience, and they become more able to resist alcohol, drugs and teen pregnancy.”

So, if you feel like hiking the hills of Reno, cycling along the Truckee River, or just kickin’ it at home, do it with a special friend. Consider being a Big Brother or Big Sister of Reno.

For more information, contact Big Brothers Big Sisters of Reno, 495 Apple St # 104, Reno, NV 89502, www.bbbsnn.org, (775) 352-3202.

On the Edge

On a road trip to the Grand Canyon in May, 2006, I was disappointed that pollution or haze in the sky ruined most of the photographs I took. This shot worked, perhaps because I didn't have any sky in the photograph.

Beautiful Rider

I took this photograph on the fly as a group of horseback riders prepared to take the Bright Angel Trail down to the bottom of the Grand Canyon in May, 2006. I like the play of light and shadows and the tone of the yellow jacket.

Levels of Lanzarote Loveliness

I took this shot around 1990 (I'd have to look find this slide in my photography photos in my storage unit to be sure) when I went to cover a triathlon in Lanzarote, one of the Canary Islands off the coast of Morocco, Africa.

One thing I remember most about Lanzarote was that a local artist, César Manrique, strongly influenced the island's government when it came to regulating the look of the island. Manrique lobbied against high-rise hotels, and I recall that most buildings on the island were two stories at most. Manrique also favored using blue, white and green as the three major traditional colors in local architecture, fitting in with the blue of the ocean, the green of the crops rising from the black volcanic gravel that kept the topsoil from blowing away in the winds that blew over the island, and the white of clouds, I suppose.

Anyway, I took this shot near the triathlon's finish line in the capital city of Arrecife. What I love about the shot is the beauty of the woman, that she was a reader, the ironic wood carving of the jester behind her, the light and shadow behind her, and the probability that this local goddess drank beer, as evidenced by the green bottle to her lower left. Perhaps it was a pop bottle; I prefer to imagine that it was beer. So sue me.

Beauty and the Beach

This was the cover shot for the April 1991 issue of Triathlete magazine, a publication I worked for from 1996-1991. For a time, this was Triathlete's best-selling cover. Heck, it might still be, I don't know. Anyway, wherever you are now, Melissa Patterson, thanks for helping me create this great shot. Long may you run.

Lilly in the Light

This is Lilly, a dog I'm taking care of for three weeks in Northern California while a friend of mine travels in Eastern Europe. Lilly is an Australian Red border collie, and it's not surprising that her breed is known as the most intelligent. Lilly can count to five, speak on command, hold a biscuit on her nose and grab it out of the air, and she ALWAYS knows when you're about to leave the house without her. She's also a bit of an agent provocateur; she likes to run around the neighborhood and tease all the fenced-in dogs, then run on to the next house, reveling in her freedom.

Cornfield Amaze

I took this photograph on August 20 as I was flying from Burbank to Sacramento to do some work for a friend, and to house- and dog-sit for him while he was in Poland. I was taking photos from my window seat on a Southwest Airlines flight, and I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the sight below (the photo has been rotated 90 degrees from its original angle for better viewing). The "cornfield maze" artwork below is from Cobb Ranch near Fresno, and for a while I thought I'd "discovered" it. Not a chance. Check out Cornfield Maze.com. Still, it was a very serendipitous shot, and I'm happy to have taken it.

Grazing Horse, Monument, Colorado

This horse, grazing near Monument, Colorado, gave me a sense of peace, knowing that some things never change, and never should.

Light is All

I'm a typical guy. I usually don't take pictures of flowers, or even notice them. But even a red-meat All-American boy (born in Canada) has to grow a little bit. I was very pleased with this shot -- the light was perfect and the detail was amazing for 6-megapixel camera.

Kiwi Kayaker

I took this photograph from New Zealand's South Island when I was there to do a story on professional triathletes who trained there. If this kayaker kept going straight, he'd end up in the Antarctic. The morning light makes his yellow life vest pop.

Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone

Lately, I've been on a Colorado Springs' photography kick, so it's time for something else. Here's one of my shots from 1984. It's the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. Develop this site at your own peril.

One Sly Dog

Fox Run Park Wildflowers, Colorado

Colorado Springs Shadows

Serendipity happens. Colorado Springs' Garden of the Gods, a red rock wall, a sinking sun and several cool people contributed to this photograph.

Wondering

Ever wonder why you can often turn a page faster in a book than you can on the Internet? Technology is not always the answer.

Racing Reflection

I took this photo at the PowerMan Duathlon, a run-bike-run event in Zofingen, Switzerland, when I was an editor at Triathlete magazine. I like it because it shows a spectator, a cyclist, and the photographer, all in the same shot. The kid's earring is a pretty nice touch, too.

Garden of the Gods, Colorado Springs, Colorado

This is a shot I took about three days ago when I was visiting my sister in her new home in Colorado. I was amazed that this incredible park was so close to downtown Colorado Springs.

A humor column I wrote for San Diego State University's Daily Aztec newspaper... in a galaxy far, far away.

BACKPACK THEFT PAYS OFF DOWN THE ROAD

by Richard Graham

Last Thursday night (after an especially grueling History of British Literature class) I stopped in at Monty’s Den with Terry Shields, the ex-A.S. presidential candidate, and Terry Wells, a city editor for the Daily Aztec, in order to imbibe some of the fine atmosphere of Henry’s Place.

Unfortunately, the heady atmosphere must have been a little too intoxicating, for when I poured myself out the revolving doors of that fine establishment, I neglected to take my backpack with me. Upon returning to search for it the next day, I was surprised and distressed to find that Monty’s revolving doors had been changed to the hinged variety and that my backpack had not been turned in. After a week of fruitless visits to the campus police, Monty’s and the lost and found, I had given up all but a sliver of hope for its recovery.

Like a modern Sherlock Holmes, I have narrowed the list of possible suspects and have come up with a composite description of my backpack kleptomaniac. He (a true chauvinist, I can’t believe a woman would steal my belongings, except, perhaps, my heart) is short, eats carrots or other such vitamin-D-filled vegetables, and has impeccable taste in backpacks. I say he is short because my backpack was left on the floor and would have been difficult for a tall man to see to steal; eats carrots because even a short man would need excellent eyesight to pick out my green backpack in the darkness of Monty’s Den; and has impeccable taste in backpacks because, after all, it was my backpack.

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If you'd like to read the rest of this article, please post a comment and I'll be happy to e-mail it to you.

Sincerely,

Richard Graham

My article on New Mexico's Mt. Taylor Winter Quadrathlon in a 1989 issue of Triathlete magazine.

KEEPING THE DREAM ALIVE
The Mt. Taylor Winter Quadrathlon in Grants, New Mexico.

by Richard Graham

“Keep your shoulder to the wheel and your eyes to the stars.” -- Race director Abe Pena, in letter sent to event participants.

Route 66 cuts through the heart of Grants, New Mexico, past boarded-up houses, stores and motels that attest to the town’s current tough economic times. With a population of just 8,700, it’s difficult to believe that up until seven or eight years ago, Grants was a booming uranium-mining town.

Paddy Martinez, an Indian laborer and part-time prospector, discovered uranium near Grants in 1950. The ensuing mining rush almost doubled Grants’ population, to 15,000 residents. Many of the miners had to sleep in pick-up truck camper shells set on blocks at the side of the highway when the influx of workers caught the town short of motel and hotel rooms. But by 1982, it became cheaper to import uranium from foreign countries, and the town came upon hard times.

Grants needed a way to get back on its feet economically. In 1984, Klaus Weber, ski team coach for the University of New Mexico, came up with the idea for a “quadrathlon,” a winter event featuring four events--cycling, running, skiing and snowshoeing. Weber dreamed up the race to promote nearby Mount Taylor as a winter ski area. Snow capped and occasionally cloud-shrouded, the mountain is an extinct volcano just northeast of Grants, an hour’s drive west of Albuquerque. The highest peak in the western part of the state at 11,301 feet, Mount Taylor is considered a sacred place by Navajo Indians.

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If you'd like to read the rest of this article, please post a comment and I'll be happy to e-mail it to you.

Sincerely,

Richard Graham

Freelance article in May 2006 issue of USA Hockey Magazine

CATCH A WAVE

California Wave Bantam Team’s Run at Nationals the Focus of Upcoming Hockey Documentary

By Richard Graham

If Wayne Radvjee doesn’t make it as a hockey player, he can always fall back on a career as a filmmaker. He’s off to a good start already.

Radvjee was given a small video camera to turn on his California Wave teammates to help “capture the spirit of the thing” as part of a documentary chronicling the Bantam team’s march to the USA Hockey Tier I 14 & Under National Championships in Bensenville, Ill. He may need to readjust his focus just a bit.

“He walked around doing stupid things, like filming girls and stuff,” said Matt Leitner, who along with his teammates called Radvjee’s new toy the “Wayne Cam.”

It was all part of a project created by Matt Gannon, a Los Angeles-based film producer/director, and his Stickmen Pictures crew, to explore the hard work and year-round dedication that these California-based players devote to ice hockey, and the importance the game plays in their young lives.

If you're interested in reading the entire article, here it is:

http://www.usahockeymagazine.com/story.php?left_nav=0605&article=waveDocu&right_nav=normal

Sincerely,

Richard Graham

Head Games, article in March 2005 issue of Iron Horse Magazine

HEAD GAMES
Fighting Nevada’s motorcycle-helmet law… with the law.

by Richard Graham

Kate Wells has a vision of the future, and it’s not pretty.

Wells, an attorney from Santa Cruz, California, represents Steve Bianco and Richard Quigley, two California members of the group Bikers of Lesser Tolerance who are suing to overturn Nevada’s motorcycle helmet law. The lawsuit, originally filed last April in U.S. District Court in Southern California, was transferred four months later to U.S. District Court in Las Vegas, and it names the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department as the main defendant. Bianco and Quigley argue that the law is too unconstitutionally vague for anyone to comply with, and Wells concurs.

“The best argument to stop these laws is the ‘slippery slope’ argument,” Wells said. “If we allow the government to come in and force us to wear a helmet on a motorcycle because we might become a vegetable and become a burden on society, then what happens next? The government works in incremental ways to take away our rights. First it’s bikers. Then it’s the homeless and abortion protestors. Next it’s the antiwar protestors. They pass the law against an unpopular group and then they apply it to everyone else. One day, the food cops will sift through your groceries and say you can’t have those Twinkies because of heart disease.”

Outrageous hyperbole, right? Actually, no.

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If you're interested in reading the entire article, please leave a message in the comments section, and I'll be happy to e-mail it to you.

Sincerely,

Richard Graham