It’s a funny thing, but buying new stuff often leads to your buying even more new stuff, immediately if not sooner. Cyclists know this all too well, as do paddlers. Buy a bike, and you’ll need pedals (most better bikes come without pedals), and you’ll want to swap out the saddle and maybe even the handlebars and tires. And then there are accessories, such as racks, bags, lights, locks, cyclocomputer, and more. For paddlers, buying a new boat brings in its wake the purchase of a new paddle — and maybe a spare, into the bargain. You might decide you need a new PFD, too. And then there’s a long list of must‑have accessories. This phenomenon isn’t limited to bikes and boats, of course. Electronic equipment is a notorious consumer catalyst. Buy a new computer, and you’ll probably end up with a least one new external drive, a new printer, and a bunch of new software, along with an extra flash drive or two, just to be on the safe side.

That being the case, I was under no illusions when I recently bought a Kindle 3G. I worried that it might be the first of many related purchases. And I had good reason to worry. Of course, the Kindle is eminently portable right out of the box. That’s why I bought it. But it’s not exactly robust. It needs body armor if I’m going to take it into harm’s way. A heavy‑duty ziplock bag protects the screen from greasy hands and scratches at home, but something more is needed when I stuff my Kindle into a pack, dry bag, or ammo can. So I considered the options, and quickly decided that what I wanted was a simple neoprene sleeve. I found a couple that fit the bill, too, but at USD20 or more — not counting tax and shipping — they seemed a bit pricey. The upshot? I put my credit card back in my wallet while I thought things over.

And I was still thinking things over when, a few days later, I was grubbing around in a closet, where I unearthed a couple of boxes of odds and ends left over from past DIY projects — stuff that I keep on hand on the off chance that I might discover a use for it. Then I noticed a roll of nylon‑backed neoprene in one box. That was my eureka moment. My search for body armor for the Kindle was at an end. My credit card could stay safe in my wallet. Instead, I’d make a custom Kindle sleeve…Read more…

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What better way to celebrate an unexpected warm spell in midwinter than to get outside to enjoy it in the company of wild birds? That’s just what photographer and Outside contributor Pat McKay did when, a little over a week ago, gusty southerly winds sent temperatures along the Delmarva Peninsula soaring well into the 50-degree range. His destination? Chincoteague Island. But Pat had other things on his mind than enjoying the balmy weather. He had a new lens to put through its paces, too, a Tamron AF 70-300mm f/4.0-5.6 SP Di VC USD XLD. That’s quite a mouthful, and since Tamron lenses are better known to shutterbugs as “Tammys,” that’s how I’ll refer to it from here on out. In any case, Pat mounted the new lens on his Canon EOS Rebel XSi digital SLR and headed out to put it through its paces. The results? See for yourself:

Tammy certainly did justice to this stylish couple, wouldn’t you say? Sharp image, superb color, and captivating bokeh—they’re all there. (Right-click in this and any other photo in this article to see a larger image in a new window.) You can even make out individual water droplets on the ducks’ backs. Of course, the Canon EOS Rebel did its part, too, even at an ISO of 400.

Now here’s a shot of an unattached mallard drake, resplendent in his breeding plumage:

A handsome fellow, isn’t he? And the setting is striking, too, suggesting as it does the subtle intricacy of an Impressionistic painting. Quite a challenge for any photographer, what with the brilliant light making for tricky metering. But Pat (and Tammy) were up to the job.

And they didn’t stop there. Here’s another demanding subject, a great egret:

A rising breeze tousles the egret’s downy plumage, but the 1/400th-second exposure stops it in mid-flutter. Of course, the real challenge for any wildlife photographer’s is capturing a bird in flight. And here, too, Pat and Tammy come through:

This is a particularly fine shot, given the shallow depth of field required by the 1/1000th-second exposure. Only the slight blurring at the wingtips gives the game away. And while you’re inspecting the wings, be sure to take note of the subtle colors imparted by sunlight filtering through the feathers.

It’s no cause for egret, however, that Pat was able to turn his attention to a hunting heron:

Great blues have big feet, don’t they?

All the better for stalking in muddy streams. And then there’s the lethal spear waiting at the other end:

Yes, spring is in the air! At least it is on the Delmarva peninsula. And who could ask for a better day to test a new lens. Pat’s verdict? His new Tammy is a great lens at a good price, one that would serve any wildlife photographer well.

Thanks for sharing your photos with the rest of us, Pat! (You couldn’t share some your weather, too, could you? Just asking…)

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A southerly breeze ushered in warmer temperatures recently, along with a welcome hint of spring’s perfume. This was all the excuse I needed. I grabbed my pack, slung my camera, and headed for a sporadically maintained utility road. Once there, I hoped to do some tracking. The road is a favorite late-winter thoroughfare for any wildlife brought to the edge of exhaustion by doing battle with winter’s deep snows.

But I was in for a surprise. Instead of finding the track of a foraging fisher or fox, I came upon this:

The spoor of the Surly. An Endomorph-shod Surly Pugsley, to be exact. Here’s a closer view:

Looks like a red squirrel found the newcomer as interesting as I did. And it makes quite a picture, doesn’t it? Four wheels and two; quadruped and (featherless) biped—all have passed this way. Can spring be far behind?

We love our bikes, right? And we never tire of looking at them. At least I don’t, and if I’m to judge from what others tell me, I’m not alone. So each Monday I’ll publish a bike-related picture. Most of the time it will be a photo, but don’t be surprised if a few drawings and paintings get added to the mix from time to time. I might even include a sculpture or two. (OK. A photo of a sculpture.) Anything, in short, that evokes the world on two wheels. And don’t be shy. If you have a picture you’d like to share, just email it to me. I’ll do the rest.

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