3rd Mountain Biking USA : Lake Chabot November 21, 2006
Location : Lake Chabot
Distance : 11.2 miles (18km)
Duration : 2-2.5 hrs
Difficulty : Moderate strenuous, mildly technical
Elevation 600′ gain/loss
Ride Type : Loop on fire roads
Parking : $3.50 (we parked outside the parks so it’s free!)
Maps : download here
Comments : long ride but little bit flat than the 2nd attempt. Nice view of the lakes.
Lightroom : A Reason Why I Loves Photography November 15, 2006
This posting dedicated to Ima
I have been using Lightroom a free software from Adobe in the past year since they launched first beta version. Now with 4.0 Beta in Windows and Mac platform they are creeping to gain market from photographers. I came across with this software when we try to find a cheap alternative for Aperture -an apple based pro editing photos in raw. Since I am taking pictures in RAW I found Lightroom a beautiful tool to play with.
The good stuff:
1. Originally designed for Apple user now Lightroom ready for the Windows.
2. As editing photos Lighroom DO not destructive to all the changes you made. You can simply restore it with “recovery” or “reset”
3. It integrated nicely with Photoshop CS and even merged the editing you’ve made before in Lightroom and create another copy. Vice Versa.
(more…)
Y! Messanger v3.0 Beta Mac (feedback) November 9, 2006
Sent to Yahoo ! Messanger
1. I can not change status as I do on the previous version. I used to put note as my own status and YM seems remember it, but now I even can not change it !
2. The “New Instant Message” blue button did not respond if I highlight the contact who I want to send message. It supposed to be related at least works together in sync.
2nd Mountain Biking USA : Purisima Creek November 8, 2006
Trail : Harkins Fire Trail to Whittmore Gulch
Location : Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve
Distance : 6.8 miles
Difficulty : strenuous, somewhat technical
Duration : 3.5-4 hours
Elevation : 1,400′ gain/loss ; begin/end 400′ ; highest point 1,800′
Ride type : Loop on fire road and singletrack
Map : available on site (recommended)
Date : 4 November 2006, Time 1300-1640
Comments : helmet required ! start in really steep then top onto near Skyline Blv. Stop for amazing view of Half Moon Bay, then lovely technical down through muddy forest. No water availabe on the path, so bring lots !
Overall : 7 from 10 point (definitely really good one)
A Postcard from Tajikistan November 3, 2006
I received email today notify that a postcard arrived in home Weymouth. I read it and suddenly I felt so alive. The card from Agustinus Wibowo or I called him Gus Weng -one of my backpacker’s friends. Gus is sort of respect name to the brother muslem who has knowledge more about Islam- usually common in East Java or pesantren neighborhood. I knew he is NOT muslem but his knowledge maybe far more than me who been born with it.
Mbak Ambar,
Many thanks for your support so far. I was in Tajikistan now and found that birocracy so complicated. I am not enjoy staying in Tajikistan because lacked of strategy. I even haven’t got time to wandering around the city. Little bit disappointed specially because I spent lots money for visa. It might be not my best luck. By the way, how’s America?
Agustinus Wibowo
ps : Happy Eid Mubarak. Forgive my mistakes in the past.
Gus Weng been travel extensively in area that most of muslem conflicts, such as Afganisthan, Iran, Pakistan, Tajikistan or even another South Asian countries (Mongolia, Tibet, Nepal, India). I knew him virtually, we never met in real world. Our “friendship” started when I sent personal massage about his photo of Angkor Wat during a sunset on one of the photography website. It’s a beautiful picture ! It just so enchanting piece !
First Attempt of Mountain Biking US : Henry Cowell Redwoods October 31, 2006
Location: Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, CA
Distance : 6.5 miles
Difficulty : moderate, mildly technical
Duration : 2.5 hours
Elevation : 600in gain/loss
Ride type : first couple miles were paved road and uphill, then white sandy ground turn to nice loose ground on the forest by the river
Entrance fee : $5 + $1 for biking map
Date : 28 October 2006, afternoon
Comments : pipeline road is quite popular for walkers and horse riders, water available on the observation deck. Good for testing brakes and gears.
I have been mountain biking for three years when Mark lend me his twenty years old bike. Since we were in California a couple weeks ago soon we realised that we were in the mountain biking’s heaven. This area is great for exploring the parks and natural wonder on the saddle; this made us getting itchy to put feet on the paddle again. So here we are in the Northern California trying new bikes from cyclepath shop. I have got bike Contessa 40 from bike-maker Scott which is lot better than my old one.
(more…)
Maya Raya Daya : Woman’s Beauty Not Always Woman’s Power October 16, 2006
I was fortunate enough to watching four short movies about Indonesia’s women in national televison few weeks ago. The projects were part of campaign program by one of the bigest beauty product bringing a theme “Your Beauty is Your Power”
The four were great and enpowering -if that the producers wants, but for my view I choose the third movie : Maya Raya Daya. For under 10 minutes this movie gave a strong massage about Indonesia women. I’m rather say this movie is disturbing, brutally honest and dilligently done.
The story in this movie about three women in different time setting. Maya is a pretty girl who bringing up among feudal high caste Javanese family in 18th century. The tradition said that she will marry a noble man from same caste of her’s -a man that already married with three kids. Then she faced the fact that she obliged to say nothing for what she feeling. (more…)
Cartensz Pyramid : Long Reach ! October 13, 2006
I am writing this because as an Indonesian I’m concern about one of natural wonder lied in the Papua island next to New Guinea. It is NOT because I want to go but in fact because I CAN NOT go there.
When Reinhold Messner crowned Cartens Pyramid or Puncak Jaya became one known as Seven Summit, climbers all around the world were in racing to conquer it. The consequences is the price to climb hiked as much as $18,000 ! It’s getting an conflict of interest when the only access (say legally) is from Jakarta. Why? Because Cartensz is within the area of the copper mine held by Freeport. And the company notoriously using military to protect their teritory. To hand a permit to climb the beautiful wall in highest peak Austronesian you’ve got the permit from BAIS (inteligent body in Indonesia like FBI), army, minister of tourism, ministry of foreign affair etc etc. Yes ..it’s a long process. (more…)
Recent Comments