Vacation Photos - including Alaska

The link on Vacations SHOULD take you to my public photo albums with a whole slew of vacation photos, not just this years. But just in case that isn't working correctly here's the links for this years trips.

California Poppy Preserve - Why AAANNNOOOLLDD wants to close this amazing place is beyond me.
http://picasaweb.google.com/dmckain/CaliforniaPoppyPreserve?feat=directlink

Washington Peninsula - Went for the 4th of July. Mostly took photos in and around the lighthouse but snapped a few of the fireworks too

http://picasaweb.google.com/dmckain/WashingtonPeninsulaJuly4?feat=directlink

In and around Chicago - Mostly went to Chicago to go to two baseball games and a Nascar race but did check out some of the local hot spots too
http://picasaweb.google.com/dmckain/ChicagoMostlyNavyPier?feat=directlink

Trip to Seattle and then on to Alaska

Drove up to and around Mt. Rainier - beautiful clear day. Any haziness is because a lot of the photos were taken through the car window.
http://picasaweb.google.com/dmckain/MtRainier?feat=directlink

Took a few photos from the airplane on the way to Alaska - we were chasing the sunset the whole flight.
http://picasaweb.google.com/dmckain/HeadingToAlaska?feat=directlink

Seward AK to the Kenai Fjords - Shots from glass topped train trip to Seward and a boat trip through the Kenai Fjords.
http://picasaweb.google.com/dmckain/KenaiFjords?feat=directlink

Denali National Park - Shots from the train going up to Denali and shots in the Denali National Park
http://picasaweb.google.com/dmckain/DenaliNationalPark?feat=directlink

Concerts

I have been to some great concerts so far this year, but several of them were in No Camera venues (House of Blues) or my seats weren't close enough to get great photos (Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood at the Hollywood Bowl). I do have some photos from two music fests that I've traveled for - WFMS Music Expo in Indianapolis and the Jazz Fest at Chateau Ste. Michelle in Seattle, WA

WFMS Music Expo - 2 days in April
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Jazzfest - only took a few photos - it was just too hot to run around and try to take photos
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0IZt3Lhy3bMWeb

Take me Out to the Ballgame

I am determined to make it to every ball park in both the National League and American League. I was doing a pretty good job of accomplishing this until they all started constructing new stadiums. This year I haven't made it to a "new" park yet - unless you count the Dodgers and White Sox spring training facility in Glendale AZ. But a second visit to Cominsky (I still call it Cominsky) to watch my cousin Jeff coach third for the Sox, and a second visit to Wrigley (couldn't force myself to drive up to Milwaukee) in one weekend were a lot of fun

Camelback Park - Glendale AZ
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0IZt3Lhy3bMWe5

U.S. Cellular (aka Cominsky) Park
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0IZt3Lhy3bMWff

Wrigley Field
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0IZt3Lhy3bMWfO

Indianapolis 500

Not a huge fan of open wheel racing but the Indianapolis 500 isn't just any open wheel race. Plus this year starts their Centennial celebration. So I decided to head to Indy this year for the 500 and some of the celebrations that go along with race weekend. Here are the albums from those events.

Friday's 500 Memorial Service and photos of the War Memorials in downtown Indy.
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0IZt3Lhy3bMWdk

500 Festival Parade (thanks Eric and Vicki for the great seat)
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0IZt3Lhy3bMWeK

Race track events - autograph sessions, classic race, 3 Doors Down concert, the Museum, and the race itself
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0IZt3Lhy3bMWd1

2009 Nascar Races (through July)

I have to admit its kinda nice to be back to just being a race fan and going to only the races I want to go to. Still on a mission to make it to every track where any of Nascar's top 3 divisions run - after the end of August I'll only have three tracks left to hit, Iowa, Pocono and Watkins
Glen. Here's the photo albums from the three race tracks I've been to so far in 2009

Friday at California speedway - Cup qualifying and Nationwide practice
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Saturday at California Speedway - Nationwide race
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0IZt3Lhy3bMWcx

Talladega Spring Race - Nationwide Race and Sprint Cup Race
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0IZt3Lhy3bMWcg

Chicagoland - Nationwide Qualifying and Race (and Brendan Gaughan's Birthday)
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0IZt3Lhy3bMWdX

Using a Blog instead of maintaining a website

So I realized that all I was using my website for any more was to publish links to photo albums for all the photos I was taking. Kind of a silly reason to keep a website with all the free blogs that exist these days. So I decided to start a blog, publish the links to the albums here and save myself $60 or so bucks a year. I'm not going to go back and republish every photo album I've every posted on my website, I'm just going to start with this year. Supposedly you can post links directly from Shutterfly to here. If not, I'll post the album link with a little story of what the photos are about.