Fuzz and Face

Its been a while!  Face and I have been so busy with our film we have had hardly any time to do anything else.  Last weekend we headed to Meave Baxters house and shot her riding at Yellow Water, Rosstrevor.  Was a good shoot, got some amazing scenery shots at the top and finished the day off with some interviews back at hers. 

Friday we headed to Rosco’s to do some shooting and interviews at his house.  We got him riding the smallest motorbike I have ever seen and I couldn’t believe the speed of it, was hilarious.

For video clips on the above check out www.breakthecyclefilm.com

Yesterday afternoon I was a wedding photographer for the day for a couple that go to Rosco and Fionas church.  I think it went well.  Couldn’t have done it without Face being there and helping me out with the camera settings and lenses etc, my head went blank a few times and there wasn’t any time to play about with as I only had one chance to capture some of the moments.  After I got a few shots of the first dance I could relax and had some fun on the dance floor.  The music was pure cheese, was funny.  Didn’t stay too long after that, we were both wrecked.

No shooting this weekend, looking forward to being able to do something else though not sure what yet!

Last weekend Face and I headed to Dublin to shoot Dan and Gerard Wolfe for Break the Cycle.  Was a brilliant weekend, good craic, the weather was great and some kind person named Shane and his girlfriend came down and set up a zip line for us for a couple of shots.  It worked so well and was quite funny to see Andy flying around in the sky.  Got some amazing scenery shots etc on the Sunday when we headed to the lead mines near their house.  Check out the link for a short vid and some photos www.breakthecyclefilm.com/wolfe-brothers/

Only managed to get out on my bike once this week as been flat out in work, really got spoilt when I was off for nearly a month and had all the time in the world.  Will really have to try squeeze some more sessions in.  Think I am going to invest in some bike lights so I can head out at night, should be fun, I have enough trouble staying on my bike in the daylight!

Heading to Rostrevor this weekend to film Meave Baxter.  Looking forward to the shoot, hopefully the weather will be as good as it was last weekend.

Just a quick post to update!  We were at down at Waterford from Sunday to Tuesday filming couple of riders for break the cycle, check out the clips at www.breakthecyclefilm.com

Apart from one of the riders riding into a tree and having to go to A&E and my forehead covered in Midji (not sure how that is spelt) bites it was a really good few days, some funny times had.  Have been pretty flat out in work the rest of the week.  Spent Wednesday morning with one of the anaesthetists in the Obstetrics theatre where I seen a caesarian, was really interesting, I did feel a bit nauseated at one point, thought I was going to faint but managed to pull it together.

Am just getting ready to head over to Face’s here and then we are heading down to somewhere near Dublin for the weekend to film some more riders.  The weather is awful outside, hopefully its a bit better down south.

Last week was very upsetting for my family and I as my Granda died on Tuesday morning.  It hasn’t been an easy week.  The funeral was on Friday and was very sad.  Everyone is holding up as well as can be expected, will just take time I guess.

After the funeral on Friday I left Face off to airport then headed into town to meet Jude for a coffee.  We went to Murials, our now regular spot, Im not big into coffee, but Jude says its really good, so if you’re a coffee addict check it out.  Apparently the food is good too, havn’t got round to eating there yet myself though.  Didn’t stay too long then headed home to chill, was a strange day.

Saturday I headed into town with my Mum for a spot of retail therapy.  Got a really nice Vans coat in TK Max, its so cosy I love it!  Then I headed trampolining where I caught up with Helen who wasn’t feeling too good.  That night I headed out with my sister and her friends to see the Jungle Book at the Belfast Opera House.  To be honest I didn’t think it was that great, but still enjoyed it, had a really good laugh, one of her friends in particular is hilarious.  We went to Robinsons restaurant first for some dinner, I had the chicken fajitas, they was really good.  I didn’t even know there was a restaurant in Robinson’s until Saturday!

Sunday I plucked up the courage to do a xc mtb race in Castlewellan Forest, Shaggy was doing it too.  I got up there pretty early and bumped into a few kids that I teach trampolining who were also racing.  They introduced me to a girl who was in my category and she took me around the track for a practice run.  That took about an hour and I was wrecked, then I only had 1/2 hour before my race started, I had no idea what I was letting myself in for.  The course was pretty steep and technical, the technical bits really held me back as I had to walk a lot of them, I came last (obviously) but I am not going to let it put me off, definately going to work on my skills a bit and thinking of checking out the cyclo cross race in Lurgan this Sunday.  I have no idea what to expect at this either, should be funny!

Was seriously wrecked after the race, I only had 2.5 hours sleep sat night, just couldn’t sleep, so think that contributed to my wrekedness!!  I had free tickets to a UTV live gig in the Limelight for that night but I could hardly make it home never mind going out that night.  A bit gross sorry but when I got home I realised I hadn’t gone to the toilet for 9 hours which is a miracle for me!  I must have sweated away every last bit of fluid in my body!  I was starving as well, so I just fed my face had a bath and went to bed.

Yesterday I picked Face up from airport, who was a sleepy mess and then he dropped me off to work, my first time there in two weeks.  Am not so excited to be back but am off tomorrow which is good.  I am actually helping Face out with a video job which I am quite excited about, should be good.  

Today well, was in work this am then went with Face to his hospital follow up appointment for his leg.  Was totally pointless him going.  The doctor actually picked up his wrong leg and was moving it about asking him how it felt lol!  I headed out on my bike this afternoon for a bit then met Face and we headed to the cinema to see Death Race.  Its really good, pretty fast paced, if you like Fast and the Furious you would like it, only its a lot more hard core.

Very sleepy now so gonna go, nights!

I’m just back from a very hard weekend of work at MotoX of nations in Donnington Park.  I was over there producing video for an online tv channel called Freecaster.  It was quite short notice but i flew out on Friday evening and got back Monday morning.  

As I said the work was very busy.  I had to shoot video in the morning, and then edit 3 videos together the same evening.  I was using the lens adaptor on my camera on Saturday so I was quite tired at the end of the day from carrying the equipment.  I took the adapter off my camera for Sundays racing so things were a bit easier.

The racing was amazing with the top motoX riders from around the world competing.  It was hard to enjoy everything fully though because things were so busy.  I was mostly going back and forth from the track to the media centre.  I worked 7am to 2am on Saturday, and 7am to 4am on Sunday!  Just catching up with some sleep now on Monday.

We have been so busy lately with Break the Cycle stuff I have nearly forgotten about our blog.  I have been off work now for just over a week and I am loving all my free time.  Last week I was out on my bike every day, although I am totally covered in scratches and bruises.  I was out with Face a few times around Beaver etc and also went up the Cavehill myself to try out a few of the trails i had walked when we filmed Rosco for the film.  It was seriously slippy up there from all the rain, chickened out on a lot of the trails but rode a few of them was good fun but I was so scared being on my own.  Totally lost it on the road on the way down from Belfast Castle, I braked too hard round a corner and I went flying across the ground on my belly, thought I had broken a rib.  Had to cycle about another half hour then to get home, was glad to get off my bike then! Went round to Ormeau BMX track on Fri evening, have got this thing in my head that I want to get a BMX bike, but just trying to build up my strength on my hardtail first.

We caught up with Shaggy and Grace for our usual Friday night Indian and dvd.  Went for the madras which finally was up to our hotness standards!  Was really good.  The dvd was pretty good too, cant remember the name of it, it was about Joy Division, maybe it was just called Joy Division?  Who knows!  

Saturday we were up at the crack of dawn to head down to the Mournes to film Ewan Dogherty.  We headed up Donard, took us about half hour to reach the spot we were to start filming and on his first run he got a puncture and had to go all the way back down.  That was just the start, there was 3 more punctures that day!  We headed back to Ewans house after we finished and took a few shots there then headed to Helens Bay to take some cross country shots.  The weather was pretty amazing all day, we had a quick look at the footage later that night, it looked pretty good!  Sunday, another amazing sunny day, we headed back to Donard with Ewan to finish off his section (another puncture and broken rear mech!)  then met up with Turkey at Tollymore to shoot him at one of the trails.  He ended up with a puncture too but thankfully we had nearly finished his section so we just scraped the last bit of the trail!.  

Yesterday evening Face and I headed up the coast.  Was such an amazing night, the sunset was pretty cool.  Face headed in for a surf at White Rocks and I headed out around Portrush on my bike.  Went for a walk along the beach after I finished on my bike, felt so chilled out, wish I lived up there and could do that every night!

Face and I have been pretty busy with the Irish Downhill Mountain Bike Feature Documentary we are making.  Face has put together a website so you can check out our progress, looks pretty good check it out at www.breakthecyclefilm.com  Will be updated regularly!  I have been searching for bands to contribute their music to the doc, if you know any good bands out there who would be interested please give us a shout asap.

Last week was pretty good, started back to work last Thursday night trampolining coaching, and then Friday in the Royal back in theatre.  Saturday we headed to Rosco’s gym to film him taking his spin class, and then in the afternoon after I finished my trampolining classes, I headed up the Cavehill to meet up with them and give a hand shooting Rosco.  I took quite a few pics, in-between helping Face with lens changes etc.  Check them out below.  Rosco has asked me to come to a wedding in his church in October to be the ‘wedding photographer’, will definitely have to get some more practice in before that!

Saturday night we headed to down to a pub in Newry to catch up with Glynn and a load of other mountainbikers.  Think it was called The Brass Monkey.  Was a good laugh, got talking to a few of the girl bikers and think I gonna head out with them on the bikes sometime soon, should be good!

Last night we went to cinema to see Step Brothers, was hilarious, a lot funnier than I thought it was going to be.  Was in work today then headed out with Face and Shaggy on the bikes, was so good, managed to hold it together and not have any crashes at my previous crash sites which I was pretty happy about!  Not long back washed my bike and now Im probably going to hit the sack soon!

It has rained so much the last few weeks and Saturday saw some pretty huge floods in Belfast.  The new underpass near the Royal hospital filled up with 20 feet of water, was crazy!!  We caught up with Shaggy and Grace Fri night, went round to theirs for an Indian and dvd.  Watched the Kite Runner.  Was so good, apparently the book is even better, can’t wait to read it now!  

Went surfing yesterday at West Strand Portrush after work and got chewed up and spit out by quite a few waves!  Have to admit, when they are as big as they were yesterday (which I know wasn’t really that big) I just don’t enjoy myself that much as I am so scared of them, I kept looking behind me and seeing them coming then chickening out and paddling towards them instead!  Face hit his arm off his board pretty hard apart from that (and nearly spewing up) he really enjoyed it.  Headed out on my bike for a while today after work.  We are going to take part in the Lap of the Lough (Neagh) cycle on Sunday for charity.  Its 87 miles, never attempted even half that before but am going to give it my best shot.  Off work tomorrow so going to head out and do a few miles to see how it feels!

Face has another vid up on vimeo that we shot on Sunday.  Found a new restaurant we both really like up in Portrush, its a Chinese, thinks its called the Mayflower?!  Really good, and it does banana fritter and ice-cream.. delish!

Its been a while again.. Face has just got a new 35mm adapter for his camcorder and we headed up to Ballycastle Forest yesterday to check it out.  He asked me to dander about while he filmed me, me not realising he would make a video of it and now its made and online, quite embarrassing!  He will prob have a link here to it soon.  Hoping to get a few photos posted of his set up too.  Looks pretty mental!

Headed up to Portrush West Strand for a surf today, didnt look like we were going to get much but when we were in it was really good.  Got so many waves, still haven’t mastered standing up properly yet but getting there.  Face is doing well with his short board but I think he is dying to check it out on some big waves.  Im just happy with the little ones!  Seems like I have got stung on my finger by something in the water, thinking maybe Im better not knowing what it was.

Hoping to get out on the bikes tomorrow, its been a while.  Face is going to the hospital for some physio this week at last.  Hopefully he will start to see a big improvement soon.  Its not been an easy year for him so far, things can only get better!

Congrats to Rosco who is the 2008 elite downhill mtb Irish Champ with the fastest time of the day!  Was such a good weekend in Cahir, the atmosphere at the race was I think the best I have witnessed yet.  Face and I were busy most of the time getting shots on cam and vid.  There are loads of photos available to buy on honchomedia.com and a video which will be available within the week, Face is working hard to get it edited.