22 October 2011

The Power of The Look

150,000  11,650  1.5
Pedal Dancer is one and a half years old
Today I celebrate 150,000 visitors in 11,650 cities around the world over the past 1.5 years. A modest unexpected exciting beginning for Pedal Dancer™.
It seems like only a few weeks ago when I excitedly posted the popular posts 15,000+ views and counting - legs glorious legs (November 2010), followed closely by 30,000 views - The Men of the Peloton (March 2011). Subjects near and dear to my heart as a fan of cycling. At that time, I hadn't seen anyone so daringly pointing to the finer parts of this sport. Now I see much more of these fun topics out there on the web.
As a celebration of 150,000 visitors (although some of those phone visitors sneak in uncounted), I thought I would display a few of the images within my photo library that demonstrate The Power of The Look. There is something magical when an athlete looks straight into the lens of the photographer. I had fun looking back over the years selecting photos to share of the athletes I have watched as a fan or as a friend.
We gather as fans to witness athletes in motion; their bodies our main focus. Their voices familiar from many interviews, but it is oft said the eyes are the window to the soul. A professional cyclist's eyes are typically masked behind sunglasses, cloaking expressions of pre-race angst, gut-wrenching pain, or exhilarating joy. It can be a moment of vulnerability to look into the eyes of an athlete, allowing us to see what they are thinking before, during or after a race. Sometimes that moment is magical. 

Click any image to enlarge. All Photos by PedalDancer.com
confidence of Matthew Busche, California 2011   Photo by ©PedalDancer.com
calm of Daniel Navarro Garcia, Colorado 2011    Photo by ©PedalDancer.com
diligence of Lucas Sebastian Haedo, California 2011    Photo by ©PedalDancer.com
unknown of Alberto Contador, France 2008    Photo by ©PedalDancer.com/Sys
perseverance of Allan Peiper, California 2011    Photo by ©PedalDancer.com
devotion of Gunn-Rita Dahle Flesjå, Boulder, Colorado 2003    Photo by ©PedalDancer.com
excitement of Oscar Sevilla, Colorado 2011     Photo by ©PedalDancer.com
fatigue of  Zach McDonald and cyclocross, Colorado 2011  Photo by ©PedalDancer.com
inspiration of George Hincapie, France 2001  Photo by ©PedalDancer.com
cockiness of Mark Cavendish, France 2008   Photo by ©PedalDancer.com/SyS
Thank you with all my soul for visiting PedalDancer.com. Thank you to those who have been kind enough to link to my articles or photographs. A special Thank you to the amazing individuals I have met through this blog and through my own cycling travels. You have been wonderful and remain an inspiration to me. 
The Pedal Dancer™guide is a strong search-based source for providing information to cycling fans. I hope when you visit, you were able to find and learn what you came looking for. When I asked this question of a friend recently, he replied, "I liked your bullet points." I loved that response. I try to listen to what interests you as fans, so if it is more bullet points you want, it is more bullet points you shall have. 
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