My favorite ride in all the world, the Dolomite's Passo delle Erbe. Me, my iPhone and Alain Rumpf.

Brought to you by the same people who introduced the BAM (Burro di Arachidi e Marmalada) Sandwich to Italy through a PB&J photo contest comes an all new event for cyclists. We want to see your absolute favorite road ride in one photo and read about it in 140 characters or less (Twitter style).

Something tells me that you are much like me. Roadies the world over have their favorite little scenes that only other roadies will “get”.  Hands on the hoods, you dance on your pedals, smoothly shifting your bodyweight through the curves, and as you look ahead you think, “Damn, this is amazing, I wish I could share this with everyone”. Am I right? This opportunity makes a good excuse to stop, pull out that smartphone and snap a photo. If you don’t have a smartphone it makes a good excuse to either get one or carry the point and shoot with you for that special moment. If nothing else, you get to go do your favorite ride. Win win.

The rules:

1. One photo, no DSLRs allowed, smart phone or poor quality point and shoots only, it’s all about the feel. Image preparation or filters are allowed and even encouraged. Be creative.

2. The photo must be made from the cockpit, while riding, truly the viewer’s perspective. Don’t blame me if you fall off.

3. 140 character caption as to why it is your favorite, what you feel in your favorite place, or anything else that you think is critical for us to know.

4. Image Deadline is June 13 – this gives all those in California & Colorado time to have your roads melt out from meters and meters of snow.

Submit the photo to me via email: dan@dolomitesport.com I will post all photos to one page for everyone to vote.

Two categories:

Most Beautiful Road (MBR) : Grand Prize : Rudy Project Genetyk Sunglasses

Most Creative Scene (MCS) : Grand Prize : Rudy Project Genetyk Sunglasses

MBR is straightforward, make us want to be there. MCS is about having some fun with the photo, the scenery or whatever happens to be going on.

Thanks for playing, we look forward to seeing some great rides for the must visit list.

Many thanks to Rudy Project who is always incredibly supportive of all the things, no matter how silly, we do.

Twitter friends Jim & Dana getting ready for the Maratona dles Dolomites

But this is a Mountain Sport site… how does a post about Twitter work in relation to the Dolomites, Sports, or Inspired Mountain Living? For me, quite a lot. Twitter, while seemingly a waste of time at first glance, is an amazing tool to connect people. While Facebook has taken over for monitoring what people are up to, Twitter takes it one step further and gets you connected and engaged with other people who you share an interest with. For whatever reason, Twitter directly connects you with people like yourself, and it allows a better platform from which to interact with others.

When Twitter first came out I had a look, my first impression was, “Ridiculous”. Some time later I gave it a go, and after playing with it, gaining some followers, following my own feeds, I began to get it. Then, I really began to get it. After fine tuning who I follow, getting rid of the boring ones or those just wanting to sell things, I suddenly had a very interesting group of people and businesses from whom I gain valuable information about events, travel, things to do, and most importantly, interesting people to meet.

It isn’t just about gleaning info… Throughout my Twitter history, one of my closest friends was met, Italian Mountain Guide Alberto De Giuli (@albertodegiuli). And just last week, numerous cyclists came together in the Dolomites for the Maratona dles Dolomites, all of whom (us) met on Twitter. We spent some great days together cycling the passes and then enjoying local cuisine in the evenings. There was a lot of laughter about the fact that we all met via Twitter, but there we were, gathered in an amazing place, sharing a great experience and all truly like minded and friends to be.

This is what makes Twitter great. Not just the Tweets but the real conversations and connections. Of course we use Twitter to promote our photography, and even more, we use it to direct people seeking information about Mountain Sports and the Dolomites to this very website. It works. Our trail running tours hosted by Holimites (@holimites) have filled with people who followed us on Twitter when we ran it last summer. This summer, they are doing it.

How does Twitter Work?

Once you have a Twitter account, start to find those you would like to follow, see who your friends are following and who is following them. Start making connections. This will change over time as you discover some seemingly interesting Twitterers are actually big bores. For me, the Twitterers I quickly drop are those that only broadcast themselves, clearly read nothing of what others write, never engage anyone, or tweet every single thing they do. For these, the Un-Follow button is the next step. Ciao! It is interesting to note how many big outdoor industry companies fall into this category, “Check out our…” over and over again. Interestingly, over time I have noticed I follow companies less and individuals more. Probably because the companies are less likely to actually engage anyone, and ultimately, I am seeking friends and networking opportunities, not info about products.

Jim & Dana Road Biking the Passo delle Erbe, Dolomites

Don’t just broadcast, interact – this is communication. Re-Tweet what others post if you think it is worthy of sharing, comment on things, consider who you follow and who follows you to be your friend for in time they may become just that. Twitter is all about getting engaged, whether it be through actual Twittering replies, Re-Tweets, or behind the scenes messaging (Twitter works like a direct message service as well).

If there is a big event going on; the Tour de France, Western States 100, Tour du Mont Blanc, etc… look around for the live feeds and you can have all the info streaming to you if you are out and about.

And Lists… Lists are key; They are like categories. I have my News List, Cycling, Mountain Athletes, and so on. If I only want to read the news, I go to my News list, and there I do not have to see what my cycling friends are up to.

Finally, getting to know Twitter takes both time and a finely tuned list of those you follow. Agreed, it is quite silly at first. But for the mountain sport athlete there is endless info out there, fun people to meet, and some very cool things going on being shared via Twitter posts. Lance Armstrong is the perfect example.

Dubrovnik, Croatia

Best Twitter Applications

I use Nambu on my Mac Desktop for 90% of my Twittering – it is nearly perfect.  If I need to schedule work Tweets, or monitor my Stats, I use HootSuite.

On the iPhone I use Twittelator and HootSuite for iPhone. For working with photos, to make them more interesting (Dubrovnik photo example), we use Photogene, Tilt Shift Gen, Lo Mob and Camera Bag.

We can be followed via:

@patitucciphoto – Our photo business

@dolomitesport – Our primary account for fun mountain sports, photos, trips and networking

@dolomitenetwork – Where we support great businesses and tourism opportunities within the Italian Dolomites

And, hint hint, we have a really great collection of people to follow…

Do you have experiences on Twitter? If so, good or bad, please share in our Comments section below.

Some recently Tweeted photos from Mountain Sports Fun & Travel

Cow Bike standoff

Croatia

Dolomites Mountain Biking

Dolomites Trail Running

Dolomites Road Biking

Mountain Biking Dolomites

Peaceful road biking

Dolomites Camp

Alberto Contador in the Maglia Rosa during the Plan de Corones Time Trial in the 2008 Giro d'Italia

Cycling Photos from the iPhone

DolomiteSport posts have been thin lately. Ski season is over so my attention has turned from backcountry skiing each day to getting my cycling fitness to where it should be. A sore butt, poor form and rainy weather makes for rather dull stories. So I take time for myself, train, and see if anything comes to mind before the summer crazy season.

Today it did. With the Giro starting this afternoon I was particularly enthusiastic about the bike. During my ride I made an iPhone photo from high above the Val Aurina of the agricultural fields far below – then, as I pedaled uphill I quickly applied an effect to the photo that I thought would add to it. And so it came to me, all these little scenes I run across while on the bike, for 20+ years now, countless beautiful scenes, have always remained in my head, but now with the iPhone and onboard camera I can snap pics and share what I see. Hours each day, sitting there looking around, one is bound to witness some special things. Or, just capture special feelings that perhaps only another cyclist can appreciate. Not everyone gets the whole bike obsession thing so maybe this will help explain what it is we cyclists love; life slowed down to our own speed, the feeling of fitness, power when needed, and the aesthetic movement – all these things, beautiful.

Therefore, I thought to make a post with a collection of favorite photos from life on the bike. For me, this is pure joy, combining what I love. As a professional photographer, using a big, bulky pro camera is my life, (for photos like Contador, right). The iPhone is freedom, always on hand, and in some ways the most creative and challenging with all the many apps for effects.

A Gallery will go up on the DolomiteSport Facebook Page called “Life from the Bike” that I will add photos to while on the go – others can do the same, let’s have a look at some moments as seen from the bike.

And the Giro d’Italia……  Predictions anyone?

1. Cadel Evans  |  2. Vino  |   3. Sastre

Today's photo that inspired the post. The Val Aurina from Acereto, Italy

Jos Van Aert on the Sella Pass, Italian Dolomites

Spring on the Michaelskreuz, Udliginswil, Switzerland

It’s a cliche for a reason: “The best camera is the one you have with you”.

Right. In the age of iPhones and Photo Apps, you not only have a camera always at the ready, you have some very useful tools to make the images look the way you want them to look. Get to know your applications then think ahead and you can have some very cool results.

As athletes ourselves, we cannot always have a camera with us, but it is likely that we’ll have a mobile phone onboard. Thus, the extensive collection of cycling, or from the bike, shots. What I like about all of these images is that they are real; rush ahead and snap a frame as friends go by. These are true images of what we see while living our lives, not as photographers but as athletes or travelers.

All of these images were made with an iPhone and all effects were from various apps within the phone itself. We’d love to hear which is your favorite and why – thanks.

While training in Tuscany with my friend Andreas Irsara, he rode ahead on these dirt roads we were riding and snapped this photo of me with my own phone. It is one of my all time favorites. Well done Andreas, you out shot the pro!

During the same trip to Tuscany, I made this image literally while pedaling by. I knew I wanted the square, old timey effect, so I centered the group of trees so as to be able to crop later.

Janine and I on one of our countless days out mountain biking near Cortina d’Ampezzo. The Tilt Shift effect does a great job of miniaturizing the scene. You have to practice to learn when it will work and when it will not.

Andreas and I were waiting for Janine to shoot some landscape images while on a trip to Iceland.

Janine made this photo of me in the Eastern Sierra Nevada as I was riding up to meet her after she had gone for a trail run. I like the depth in the image behind me while it maintains a snapshot feel.

While riding with four Dutch friends in the Dolomites, I was frantically trying to get something exactly like this, from the bike, to show the drama of what you see while road riding in the Italian Dolomites.

Andreas Irsara mountain biking in the Alta Badia while we were scouting a video location. When we returned a week later, a huge bench had been built right where he is riding.

A Tuscan hilltop town photo made right from my bike saddle. I think Tuscany truly was made for the camera.

I love the spontaneity of this image of Janine while in Pienza, Italy

We were in India for the big news

India… It would have been a shame to have missed this one

Shot from my road bike on the dreamy, car-less roads of the Chianti Region of Italy

Late in the fall a group of friends did a huge mountain bike ride in the Dolomites, this was from a small summit we rode to the top of with endless views of the range.

This photo was one of the first I ever made with the iPhone. I was on a long mountain bike ride alone in the Dolomites and stopped at a hut to eat something when this Dohle landed on my handlebars. It is said that these mountain birds are spirits of people lost in the mountains. It hung around for awhile as if to say hello.

The Camera Apps that we use are:

Photogene

Tilt Shift Gen

Camera Bag

Photoshop Mobile

Genius

Follow us on Twitter to see more of these photos as they are made

You read that correctly, Twitter as Gear review for Athletes. And why not? Is it not one of the most widely talked about services in the modern world? Recently I have seen several cases where Twitter is simply outstanding, and yet I know that many friends have no idea what Twitter is and the potential is unlimited.

Last weekend’s Ultra Tour du Mont Blanc Runing Race had athletes Twittering from the course – I have to say I was riveted to images of the sunrise on Mont Blanc after some of these people had been out for 30+ hours. And the hilarious commentary of Dusty Olson as he crewed for Scott Jurek (@scottjurek) and sped around Mont Blanc in a car, one post read. ”The crew cut twenty minutes off the gps estimated time and avoided the italian police by speaking English”, while another, ”Rental car starting to smell and make funny noises”. It was great – I know these guys and it was fun to read.

A Twittered photo we made while mountain biking in the Dolomites

During the Giro d’Italia this year, Athletes like Lance Armstrong refused to speak with the media after the press proved inable to be objective. Armstrong went on a Twitter crusade, posting his own videos of life behind the scenes, live video interviews of he and other riders and all kinds of juicy tidbits that cycling fans adore. It was far more interesting than the same old spew the traditional media offers. Lance, by the way, has 1.9 million followers to his account and regularly uses it to discuss issues regarding his Livestrong (@livestrong) campaign.

Meanwhile, I have been on my own missions such as the middle of the night effort where Twitters came in from friends urging me on. Or simply sharing pics while having a great day. It is 2009, we have Smartphones, in Europe we have high speed data service just about everywhere, and we have friends – some of us enjoy bringing it all together and having some fun with it.

While in India, we posted this image of an Indian headline after Obama won the US Presidency

Twitter simply works, for fun and efficiency and used like any other gear. I booked a room in Tuscany via an Agriturismo I saw Following us – we spoke via Twitter and the next day we were checked in. While running the Alta Via 1 this June we Twittered throughout, showing photos and quick fun stories to see if there was interest in clients signing up for future trips. To date, eleven have confirmed for the tour – all as a result of having seen the fun we had via Twitter.

Business, fun, research, news headlines… the list goes on and on for Twitter. For mountain athletes, there are numerous feeds with conditions reports, reviews, etc… all from some very reliable, and familiar, content providers. Twitter is simply the new method of reaching out to a massive audience. And yet I can guarantee that upon first glance it will appear foolish, give it some time and learn it.

So how does it work and what does one need?

Sign up for an account at Twitter. Getting your name is much like getting a domain, it may become all important.

Find interesting subjects and people to follow. Some of our favorites:

@lancearmstrong @natgeoscoop @adventurevida @MatadorNetwork @cleanestline @nprnews

Also, @Twitter_Tips to really learn how it works.

For mobile Twittering, we use an iPhone with the free App, Tweetie. On the computer we also use the Tweetie Application. We have found the big Twitter Apps, Tweet Deck and Seesmic are too power hungry and the computer simply bogs down. Tweetie is perfect; fast, elegant and simple.

Disadvantages with Twitter include SPAM, like the early days of email before effective filters, SPAM can be a pain. Don’t follow just anyone, follow whom you truly care about and SPAM is mostly a non-issue. An interesting article about where Twitter is going with growth is here.

Finally, follow us at @dolomitesport (fun sports, trips and stories) and @patitucciphoto (the photo business)

iPhone Photo

The more I climbed, the more clothes I needed to put on. When I arrived on the pass, my high point, I was out of clothing. The problem is, I am also freezing. If I am cold going up, and now I have to descend 900 meters, the real problem is obvious.

So I pull out my iPhone and blog. Why not?

I am riding my bike in the Fanes area and will pass the Sennes Hut on my descent, the last remaining open hut in the region, and tomorrow it closes. My hot chocolate will be that much better when I arrive given how cold I know I will be, actually… I am cold now, time to wrap this up.

– Post From My iPhone