Saturday, July 31, 2010

Epic Roadtrip - Wonder World


photos © Mark M. Hancock / DFWmark.com

Deer rest in the shade of a hot summer afternoon at Wonder World Park in San Marcus on Saturday, July 17, 2010.


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Fayrouz Hancock visits Wonder World Park in San Marcus during the Epic Roadtrip Across Texas on Saturday, July 17, 2010.

The tour includes a walk through a natural cave, a view of the Balcones Fault Line from atop the Tejas Observation Tower, the Anti-Gravity House and a tram ride through a private exoctic animal wildlife park.

It was our first time to visit this place. I doubt I'll ever go there again. It wasn't a negative experience. However, it was not worth our time. I heard (afterward) that nearby Natural Bridge Caverns and/or Inner Space Caverns are both better.

Thursday, July 29, 2010

Epic Roadtrip - Mesquite Championship Rodeo


photos © Mark M. Hancock / DFWmark.com

A saddle-bronc rider tries to stay up for the full eight during the Mesquite Championship Rodeo on Friday, July 16, 2010.


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Fayrouz Hancock attends the Mesquite Championship Rodeo on Friday, July 16, 2010.

We logged about 1,100 miles inside Texas during a five-day roadtrip. We drove a triangle from Dallas to San Antonio to Houston and back. The miles we drove have the following one-way approximate equivalencies:

Portland, ME -- Savannah, GA
New York City, NY -- Birmingham, AL
Tijuana, Mexico -- Cheyenne, WY
Vancouver, Canada -- Fresno, CA
Paris, France -- Kaliningrad, Russia
Milwaukee, WI -- Dallas, TX

In one week we hit these cities:
Addison - dinner at Magic Time Machine served by the Mad Hatter
Dallas – Dallas World Aquarium, Sixth Floor Museum (JFK), West End Marketplace
Mesquite – Mesquite Championship Rodeo along with an all-you-can-eat-and-drink BBQ
Waco – lunch at Collin Street Bakery
San Marcos – Wonder World caverns (a waste of time)
San Antonio – Sea World, The Alamo, walked and took a river barge tour on The Riverwalk, Mexican dinner on the river and late-night burgers at the Hard Rock Café, San Fernando Cathedral and plaza
Schulenburg – lunch and fresh cinnamon-glazed pecans for the road
Galveston – Moody Gardens Aquarium, dinner at the Rainforest Café, drove along the seawall, coffee on The Strand with a dear friend
Clear Lake – toured and dined at NASA's Space Center Houston
Kemah – dinner and shopping on the Kemah boardwalk
Plano – shopped at Willow Bend Mall, several meals


Epic Roadtrip - Downtown Dallas and JFK


Flowers bloom near the Old Red Museum of Dallas County History & Culture (formerly the Dallas County Court House) at Dealey Plaza in Downtown Dallas on Friday, July 16, 2010.


photos © Mark M. Hancock / DFWmark.com


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The Sixth Floor and Old Red museums at Dealey Plaza draw visitors in Downtown Dallas on Friday, July 16, 2010.

The museum doesn't allow general photography, so there are no shots from this visit. However, please see my previous photo story about the museum and other JFK-related shots for The National newspaper of Abu Dhabi.

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Epic Roadtrip - Dallas World Aquarium


A dancer with Grupo Pakal Mayan performs a ritual dance with a Scarlet macaw and rainstick at the Dallas World Aquarium in Downtown Dallas' West End on Friday, July 16, 2010.


photos © Mark M. Hancock / DFWmark.com



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Fayrouz Hancock visits the Dallas World Aquarium in Downtown Dallas' West End on Friday, July 16, 2010.

The Dallas World Aquarium also features live Netcams for the Leafy Dragons and the manatees.

This slideshow features treks through the aquarium's various exhibits including: The Aquarium, Wilds of Borneo, Orinoco - Secrets of the River, South Africa exhibit with the seasonal Madagascar display and the Mundo Maya exhibit with a 40-foot tunnel through a Cenote.

Also featured in this slideshow are: Grupo Pakal Mayan (Mayan dancers), tamarins, crocodiles, turtles, manatees, catfish, anemones, sea dragons, regal tangs (Dory), moorish idols (Gill), sharks, hammerhead sharks, stingrays, sawfish, a jaguar, Scarlet macaws and flamingos among various other fish.

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Harris' rough day at the office


photos © Mark M. Hancock and The Dallas Morning News

FC Dallas' Atiba Harris (16) takes a tumble as he chases the ball between D.C. United's Clyde Simms (19) and Jordan Graye (16) during a Major League Soccer game at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco on May 8, 2010.


FC Dallas' Atiba Harris (16) gets a toe on the ball as he races against D.C. United's Devon McTavish (18) as Bill Hamid (28) scoops the ball during a Major League Soccer game at Pizza Hut Park.


FC Dallas' Atiba Harris (16) looks back as D.C. United's Devon McTavish (18) lands on the back of goalkeeper Bill Hamid (28) during a Major League Soccer game at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco. FC Dallas won 1-0.

Thursday, July 08, 2010

Richardson High School baseball


Richardson's John Beggs (19) slides home for a run during a district baseball game against Carrollton Creekview at Richardson High School on April 6, 2010.


photos © Mark M. Hancock and The Dallas Morning News


Richardson's Gerry Sifuentes (4) dodges a bad pitch during a district baseball game against Carrollton Creekview in Richardson.



Richardson's Chase Weaver (22) pitches during a district baseball game against Carrollton Creekview at Richardson High School.



Richardson's Chase Weaver (22) pitches during a district baseball game against Carrollton Creekview at Richardson High School in Richardson.



If there ever was a reason to shoot too much to cover your rump, this assignment was it.

I was only assigned to shoot the pitcher for an upcoming feature. However, I wanted to see if I could manage an "eye popper" to run as a daily shot. I'm lucky to have stayed.

The disk was corrupt.

Had I shot the pitcher and split, I wouldn't have anything. Instead, I shot until I knew I had some killer shots. Of course, all those freaking died with the disk. But, I had enough other shots after a recovery program to salvage the shoot.

Whew!

Tuesday, July 06, 2010

Class 4A Region II track & field champs

Lancaster's Tyler Stephenson (289) and Kendall Hayes (269) react as they cross the finish in the Men's 300 Meter Hurdles during the Class 4A Region II track and field meet at Fouts Field in Denton on May 4, 2010. Stephenson crossed ahead of Hayes. Both advanced to the Texas state meet.


photos © Mark M. Hancock and The Dallas Morning News


Whitehouse's Chasity Stewart (894) and Greenville's Jessica Franklin (364) leap over the final hurdle in the 100 Meter Hurdles during the Class 4A Region II track and field meet at Fouts Field in Denton. The top two finishers in each event advanced to the Texas state meet.


Mesquite Poteet's Veronica Jones (568) sprints ahead of Longview's Kiersten Brewer (473) to win the Women's 100 Meter Dash during the Class 4A Region II track and field meet in Denton.



Frisco's Ajani Brown (220) wins the Men's 400 Meter Dash during the Class 4A Region II track and field meet at Fouts Field.



Carrollton Newman Smith's Courtney Okolo (7) runs in the Women's 400 Meter Dash during the Class 4A Region II track and field meet. She won with a time of 54.05.


Highland Park's Sara Sutherland (135) runs in the Women's 1600 Meter Race during the Class 4A Region II track and field meet at Fouts Field. She won the event.



Lancaster's Kenny Penny, left, hands the baton to Kourtney Payne, right, in the Men's 4x400 Meter Relay during the Class 4A Region II track and field meet at Fouts Field in Denton.

Monday, July 05, 2010

Gov. Perry at Texas Home School Gala


photos © Mark M. Hancock and The Dallas Morning News

Governor Rick Perry kids with Congressman Pete Sessions before the Texas Home School Coalition Gala at Southern Methodist University in Dallas on Friday, April 30, 2010.



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Governor Rick Perry delivers the keynote address to the Texas Home School Coalition Gala at Southern Methodist University in Dallas on Friday, April 30, 2010.