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Summit Action Sports bio picture

Summit County, CO Action Sports!!

Welcome to the new home of Action Sports in Summit County, Colorado.  We'll be covering all things action oriented in the mountains of Summit Co and all the great communities we have here.  Breckenridge, Frisco, Dillon, Silverthorne, Copper Mt., Keystone, Montezuma, and who knows, maybe even Heeney.  Biking, skiing, running, (and all the various itinerations of those sports) are what we're going to be covering mostly here.  But something that's a little different, as this is my personal blog, is I'm a Type 1 Diabetic.  Sometimes I'll give stories a diabetic slant, and sometimes I won't.  Just depends.  We'll be going interviews, podcasts, lots of photos and videos, and lots of stories. 

We want to hear from you.  Tell us what you want.  What do you want to see covered?  Who do you want to see pics or videos of?  Let us know. 

End of Season Bash, Peaks Time Trial

Here’s what’s cool about where I live.  As I’m on one of favorite bike rides, the B&B trail in Breck, I run into one of my favorite people, Jeff Westcott from MavSports, the phenomenal race promoter based in Breckenridge, CO.  We start talking about community, which I find incredibly funny and amusing, since we’re on a bike ride in our community, running into friends.  But we’re chatting, and he mentions something that totally gets me, right in the heart.  He talks about how much pride he has in the younger racers, coming up through the ranks, through his races, and how some of them are pros right now, and how excited he his about some of the really young boys and girls.  And his face is just lighting up as he’s telling me this.  And then my face is is smiling and getting excited, because this is what I’ve been preaching to everyone since I moved back to Breck, after some tough personal emotional times.

That’s just part of the reason I love going out to Jeff’s (and our) races.  His races are our races, the community’s.  I love it.

I get to race this upcoming weekend for the first time since late April, in the gorgeous Breck Crest marathon.  Jeff runs this race as well, taking a very well established race and course, and tweaking it (the timing, the course, the overall experience) and making it about perfect.  26 miles, most of it above treeline, running along the crest of a mountain range is hardly perfect you might say.  Well, that’s why I live here, cause it’s perfect to me.  Absolutely perfect.

Peaks Trail Time Trial, Mav Sports from Daniel Dunn on Vimeo.

Summit Mt Challenge Slideshow

I put together a little slideshow for the Summit Mt Challenge bike race series.  I love taking these pics and I had fun putting this together.  I was  rocking out one night, listening to iTunes on my computer and this song came on and it hit me to do a slideshow.  So, wah-lah!  It is done!

The two races that are covered in this are the Swan River Rampage and the Pennsylvania Gulch Grind.  Lots of kids at both races, which is totally typical for all the Mav Sports races.  Jeff not only does an amazing job with the races themselves, but he is a natural with the kids.  They absolutely love him and are crazy about him.  Very fun.

So enjoy this and let me know what you think.  Do you want to see more of this kind of thing?  Cause I like doing it.

Summit Mt Challenge Slideshow from Daniel Dunn on Vimeo.

Swan River Rampage Mt. Bike Race Pics

Quick post tonight, more pictures than writing.  This race happened a couple days ago, but I had a super busy weekend shooting and producing a wedding video, which you can see over on my wedding video site. But I finally had a chance to get some photos up, so I’ll shut up and let you see them.

Another quick note, I’m shooting more and more photography lately, and have had some inquiries about shooting kids portraits sessions.  I’m working out the exact details, but I’ll fill you in on that soon.  In the meantime, just contact me, and we can figure something out if you would like that.

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Mt Bike model waiting to happen

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Finally I got the shutter speed and pan correct!

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girls and their Moms, so cute

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teenage racer, awesome colors

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Zeke coming into the light

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Jaime, always with a smile

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love the light on Ryan's face

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Boys and their Dads and toys

Dogs and Bikes, Man’s Best Friend(s)

Went into town this afternoon to do some work, shooting a web video for a local company, and when that was over, decided to run some errands and also see what my friends were up to at the Breck Bike Week, which is a big event, full of biking related things going on in Breckenridge.  Group rides, clinics, how-to’s, demos, Tour de France viewings, it’s all very fun.  And very cool.  Breckenridge is getting a lot of press lately for being a very bike friendly town.  I like that.

Some other things I like besides bikes are dogs.  The bigger the better.  My buddy Ned passed away a couple years ago, he was a big (140 lb. St Bernard/mutt) lovable guy that went away all too suddenly.  But I love dogs, always have and always will.  I’m a dog person, definitely not a cat person.  Breck is FULL of dogs.

So I’m walking through the expo area of Breck Bike Week, and looking at me off to the side is Z, a good sized malamute.  So cute, and he was with his owner Todd and their bikes.  I had to get a photo.  You can see why.

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Z the malamute protecting his classic Schwinn

Maybe too much info about Me

A little bit about what I do, who I am, where I’m going.  Wow, all that in a blog post?  Yeah, maybe,  I’ve lived in Breckenridge, CO for about 10 years and I consider myself a local.  That’s a big philosophical thing for me.  I like mountain locals, and I’m proud to be one.  But there are people who live here, and they either aren’t locals yet, or they’ve just lost touch with what that attitude is all about.  And conversely, there are folks who don’t live here, but they have as much love and passion for this place as those of us who do, that I consider them local.  The care about the place, they care about the lifestyle, the trails, the wildlife, the water.  They care and that’s an important factor in my book.

So, mountain locals.  First thing you need to know about me.  That doesn’t mean I’m some hick that doesn’t understand the nation’s problems or doensn’t know what’s cool.  Oh no, please don’t misjudge me because I consider myself a mountain local.  Please don’t mistake me being out of touch.  I’m here for a bunch of reasons, and primarily because I’m making a conscious choice to be in control of my life and all of the things that go into my life.  I take my good times very seriously.  I take my friends, friendships, and what that all means very, very seriously.  I value the taste of strong coffee on a crisp morning.  I value a deep powder day and what that does to my psyche.  I understand what a long mountain bike ride does to my stress level.  And I understand that life is NOT all about stuff.

It’s about experiences and incredible dinners with friends, and family constantly telling me how jealous they are of my life and the things I do.  Life is not about having the newest car and the greenest lawn, and being so wrapped up in keeping up that you miss life.  No, I get it, and that’s why I’m here.

Next topic, what do I do.  I’m a multimedia creator.  I’m a wedding videographer.  I’m a cinematographer.  I make wedding movies.  I document once in a lifetime, live events.  Yeah, those are all the same thing, and while it may seem pretty simple, it ain’t (sorry for the slang)  I am there to document and make a movie for the most important people in the world, and the biggest day in their lives to this point.  And I take that very seriously.  It’s stressful, and freeing all at the same time.  And I love it.

What else,  I’m re-learning photography and re-discovering my passion for it.  Whoa!  My favorite class in college was black and white photography.  And while there were many reasons I loved that class, most of which I won’t mention here (let’s just say I spent many an all-nighter in the darkroom with a couple good friends) the biggest reason I loved it, was that it was my creative outlet.  A craft and true art rolled into one.  A craft, something I could learn, and art, something for which I had a natural, God-given talent for.  That class blew me away and opened many eyes, more than the two I have on the front of my face.

I love photography and what it does for me and to me.  I’m excited to get more and more into it and see what doors it opens for me.

I love documenting other live events, and then seeing and hearing and feeling the reactions those images, video and stills, that come as a result.  People ooh and ahh, and it feels good.  I mean, come on, who doesn’t love it when others say, “Oh, that’s so wonderful,” or “your video made me cry”  Yeah, it’s kinda selfish, but not really.  I love a good pat on the back, but for all the right reasons.  Because it made someone else feel good at the same time.  It made someone think of the good times in life.  It made someone forget, maybe just for a moment, all the crap in the rest of their life, and helped them LIVE.  And I love being able to do that for people.

I shoot a lot of adventure style photo and video, cause that’s what I like to do.  I like jumping off the side of a bridge with a big bungee cord attached to my feet.  I like going really fast on a mt. bike through deep forest.  I like helping people stuck on the side of a sheer cliff, in the middle of a stormy night, with my fellow rescue team members.  And I like surfing, I really like surfing.

But I really like shooting all those things, photo and video wise, and I’m hoping all these passions are on a crash collision course in bringing my a financially stable future.  But I’m working on that.  In the meantime, I’ll just keep doing it, cause I love doing it.

Oh, traveling, I forgot about that.  Love it. LOVE IT!!  And throw that in with all the above stuff, do it all at the same time.  Killer.

Music, reading, writing, good food, wine and beer, skiing, fitness, it’s all in there too.  I love all that stuff.

Diabetes.  Don’t love it, but it’s my evil twin.  It’s my best friend, always with me, always saying Hi, usually when I don’t want him to.  Diabetes has cost (and caused) me a couple trips to the emergency room.  Nuff said on that one.  Sometime when I’m feeling really open, like I really want to bare my soul for every one to see and read about, I’ll get into those times, but not now.

So that kind of gives you a little insight to who I am, but just that, a little glimpse.  I’m actually a lot more complicated than that, which I struggle with every day, that very situation.  Like why can’t I just be happy with having a job, and health insurance, and a safe secure, if not boring, future?  Well, maybe my Mom knows the answer to that riddle, but I don’t.

I’m working on that too.

Pump, Pump it Up! In Breck, No Less

This was a shoot I had been wanting to do for a long time, at the pump track in Breckenridge.  My friend Chris texted me just as I got home from a hard run, and about two minutes later I was out the door, camera bag in hand.  Fun

I get there and he and Kevin are getting ready to roll.  Both excellent riders, Chris is also the designer and builder of the pump track.  Chris works for Bigfoot Productions, which handles the Mountain States Cup.  Huge events, he is one of the guys that designs and builds the four-cross courses.  He also is last year’s Masters National Champ, in his division, in four-cross.  Super talented dude on a bicycle, and pretty fun to hang with.

This was a short session, as both guys had plans later, but it was great to get out and shoot some bike action.  The more I get into shooting multiple formats, meaning video and photo, from the same camera, Canon 7D, the more I love this camera.  It does both extremely well.

On location multimedia production is definitely in my future, I’m really enjoying going and doing these events.  Multi-media, or photo and video, at same time, with same camera, will scare some folks off, and I don’t blame them.  But it sure is fun doing it.

Enjoy this little mountain bike movie, it’s only a minute long.  Chris and Kevin, Thank You very much for being my models.

Breckenridge Pump Track, Dirt Jumping from Daniel Dunn on Vimeo.

Baker’s Tank, Breckenridge Trail Running Series, 2010

I know I go on and on about how gorgeous Breckenridge is in the summer, but it is.  If you’ve never been here, specifically in the summer, book a trip now, you won’t regret it.  The old saying is, “I came for the winter and stayed for the summer.”  Well, the other factor that used to be part of that saying was, summers were empty and it was time to relax and totally zone out.  But summers are not empty or slow anymore.  They are busy, busy, but in a good way.

One of those things that they are busy with is the Breckenridge Rec Department’s Trail Running Series.  They highlight all the awesome trails around Breckenridge.  The website can be found here.

Last night’s race was my old stomping ground, Baker’s Tank.  Boreas Pass Rd. is an old railroad line/grade, and about three miles from downtown Breck, it turns into dirt.  A few miles from that trailhead is a water supply station, a classic water tank, called Baker’s Tank.  And from there is about three miles of super sweet singletrack, for bike, or running, or hiking, or snowshoeing.  Really whatever you want to do, it’s an outdoor playground.

So last night I was taking photographs.  Sometimes I shoot video, sometimes I shoot pictures.  All from the same camera, a Canon 7D.  It’s a DSLR that shoots absolutely beautiful, high-def, video.  All in one camera.  The thing is a dream come true for an outdoor multi-media junkie like me.

These are some of my favorites from last night.  If you click on any of them, you’ll see a slightly bigger image, and then just hit the back arrow key to come back and look at the others.

Enjoy these pictures and please stay and look around at some of the other stuff on my site.  There are some videos, as well as other ramblings on life in Summit County, CO.  Enjoy!

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good, solid running pose

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it's a family affair

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Tess, a local high school running star

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the winding, off-kilter path

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love the fierce look on his face

Gold Run Rush Mt. Bike Race Video

Shot an awesome race this other night in Breckenridge.  Mav Sports puts on the local mt. bike race series in Summit County, the Summit Mountain Challenge, and this one was the Gold Run Rush, sponsored by the Wellington Neighborhood.  Jeff is the owner of Mav Sports and has been doing this for a long time.  He is an all around awesome race promoter and has really ingrained himself into the community, and I mean that in the most complimentary way possible.  Summit County is lucky in general, in that we have so many incredible local races and promoters.  They all live and work in the community and I’m proud to be friends with all of them.

Community, we always talk about it, and we all want it, but one of the biggest reasons I’ve moved back to Breckenridge is the community.  Locals work hard at building that community, and that doesn’t happen everywhere.  I’m very proud to say it happens here.

Enjoy the race video and if you see someone you know, either contact me or have them contact me, and let me know.  I want to meet the racers that I love shooting.  They’re such good models.

Gold Run Rush, Summit Mt. Bike Series from Daniel Dunn on Vimeo.

Breckenridge in the Summer, Gorgeous!!

Went for a walk in my new (old) hometown tonight.  Just wanted to walk around and take pictures.  It’s the beginning of the summer tourist season in Breckenridge, CO, and it’s shaping up to be a busy one.  I just moved back into town after having been in Denver for a while.  Man, it’s good to be back.  I moved into a little apartment right on the Upper Flume, and it is so sick to be able to walk out my front door and be on the trail in 15 seconds.  No kidding.

So I really just wanted to wander around and see what’s going on in downtown Breck at the beginning of the summer tourist season.  It was a hot, sunny, beautiful day and things were in full swing.

These are some of my favorite pics from the evening’s walk.  There are always a million things to shoot in Breckenridge.  People everywhere.  Bikes, dogs, athletes of all kinds, you can do over to the pump track and watch the BMX’es or mt. bikers kill it, or go over to the skatepark at the Rec Center and have fun there.  Always something going on.  Click on any of the photographs to see it in a larger format, and then just hit the back key to return to this page.

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breckenridge summer friendly draft horses

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breckenridge summer kids loving horses

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breckenridge summer Barney Ford yard

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breckenridge summer Tin Shop

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breckenridge summer gold panner

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breckenridge summer more Main St Flowers

Why I Hate Diabetes…

I went on a big run today and it was awesome.  Two hours, in the mountains, all by myself.  So nice.  Had my iPod on, playing tunes the whole time.  It’s my way of getting away.  Getting away from it all.  I know there are lots of folks out there who would say, “What, you’re a type 1 diabetic, and you went running in the high mountains for two hours, by yourself, in the opposite direction of civilization?”  Yes, that’s exactly what I did.

I don’t write about diabetes a lot on this blog.  And that’s probably not helping me achieve one of my primary goals in establishing this blog, that of inspiring other diabetics.  But, to put it mildly, I hate diabetes.  I hate, hate, hate it!  The one relationship that I can never get out of.  The one bedmate that I can never break up with.  The one bad friend that I can never say good-bye to.  And that drives me crazy.  Diabetes is with me ALL the time, it consumes me and dictates everything I do.  And so that’s part of the reason I don’t write about it, even though I call this a “diabetic” blog.

There are so many awesome diabetic blogs out there today, and I read a lot of them.  Very cool.  When I was diagnosed with the ‘betes, there was so little information out there.  I didn’t know anything, that’s for sure.  My doctors didn’t know anything, that’s even more sure.  And it was really hard to find information, stuff that was relevant to me, not some overweight 62 year old that hasn’t exercised in 50 years, and eats chocolate cake on a regular basis.  That’s Type 2, and that will never be me.  But that’s what the docs diagnosed me as in the beginning.  Type 2, are you f**king kidding me?  I didn’t take insulin for two years, as a Type 1.  I am honestly not sure why I’m alive.

Sorry, little rant there.  But that’s not why I started this post.  I started this post because I wanted to explain a little how I feel about diabetes, and why I do what I do.  Because diabetes is always with me.  That is the reason, there’s the rub.  I go on two hour runs because it’s the only time I forget about everything in my life.  All the painful stuff, the credit cards, the lack of income and why isn’t my business exploding, the shitty break-ups, the lack of stability in my life.

Yeah, I do long runs and rides, and then write about them, cause it helps me deal.

I do care about diabetes.  I really, really do want to help.  I started this blog because I want to inspire.  Kids and young adults out there, don’t let the ‘betes stop you from doing anything, cause you are bigger than it.  You can do it, diabetes or not.

So that’s why I run, and ski, and ride, and write about all that stuff here, because I can.  I can do it, and so can you, and I hope to inspire you to do so.

As always, thanks for reading and let me know what you think, or how I can help.