Photograph Taking Begins at 12:01 a.m.!

As the patron of this year's Photography Contest, I hereby declare the competition to be started!

You may begin taking photographs at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday morning.

Good luck to all!

--The Dowager Countess, Violet Crawley

(Reminder from your faithful scrivener on behalf of the Countess: email your photos to membership@davisbikeclub.org All photos will be uploaded to the official DBC March Madness Flickr account.)

And did we forget to mention RULES?

The Rules

Today, the Dowager introduces ...

The Rules

Which must be followed in this year's Royal March Madness Photography Contest, Hosted by the Dowager Countess Violet Crawley (yes, this is her idea).

And so, without further ado, we offer these strict and unbending requirements and categories.

1. All photographs must be taken during the month of March 
2. All photographs must be taken by a member of the Davis Bike Club
3. All photographs must involve bicycling and its associated activities (eating, drinking, sleeping)
4. The Dowager will select the winners (perhaps assisted by Lord Grantham or by Thomas the Valet, who is very artistic).

With the rules established, here are ...

The Categories

The Dowager will be offering very nice prizes for the best photographs in the following categories:

• Best photograph of all (a prize which will undoubtedly be won by a member of the gentry, if there are any in Davis)
• Best photograph showing bicycles in action (because the Dowager in intrigued by the Club's infatuation with physical exercise)
• Best photograph highlighting a British bicycle (Raleighs count only if made in England!)
• Best photograph of cyclists in traditional attire (any hint of stretchy or other similar unfortunate attire in the photograph may be grounds for disqualification). Tweed, wool of any kind, and similar clothing will add points.
• Best photograph of a male cyclist offering assistance to a female cyclist, or demonstrating traditional British virtues.
• Best photograph of a Pub (because the Dowager appreciates the need of pubs for the working class).
• Best photograph of a bicycle with a castle or other regal residence. Anyone traveling to Downton Abbey for this photograph will automatically win.
• Best photograph of cyclists enjoying afternoon tea. 

That's it! The Dowager wishes all a safe and happy March, and looks forward to seeing the photographs the club produces.

To Submit Photographs: Email your photos to membership@davisbikeclub.org  They will be uploaded to a special Flickr account established just for March Madness.

The Dowager on Photography and Women

The Dowager recommends the use of a simple camera while riding.

"Especially the female members of the club," said the Dowager. "Heaven knows it's difficult enough for us to operate anything more complicated than a folding parasol!"

Your faithful scrivener also reminds everyone taking photos while riding to do so safely. Despite the wondrous prizes that the downstairs staff will be ordering on behalf of the Dowager, no photo is worth taking a risk!

Dan Writes, The Dowager Countess Responds

The Dowager Countess has directed your faithful scrivener to respond to Dan Shadoan's email today.

Dan writes,

Choose your mileage goal and challenge yourself to ride your bike more than you thought possible from March1-31st.

The Dowager responds:

"Good heavens! I should think that any distance ridden on those crazy wheeled contraptions is far too much! What is the problem with people these days? Why, in my age, we would have been content to set the footmen running hither and yon through the garden and watching them. Why must everyone seek to perspire so much?"

Dan writes,

All proceeds from the challenge is used to buy bicycle helmets for kids.


The Dowager responds:

"So this is a fundraiser? Please don't tell my son, or he'll have some crazy idea again about opening the Abbey to the hoi polloi to walk through and gawk at us like monkeys in a cage!!!"

Needless to say, the Dowager is quite doubtful about March Madness. However, she has committed to helping spread the word about MM and the Photographic Contest, and, with a great sense of noblesse oblige, she will soldier on.

“What is a weekend?”

Yes, the Dowager wonders what this "weekend" thing is, as in, "Only one more weekend before March Madness begins!"

However, she has asked this lowly scrivener to remind "all of the people in this cycling social club, or whatever it is" to dust off your bicycles ("diabolical wheeled contraptions that should never be straddled by any woman seeking to maintain even a shred of propriety or dignity") and your cameras ("I hear Mr. Eastman is making great advances in photography for the masses") and get ready for March 1.

The Dowager also reminds us the March 10 is the birthday of Prince Edward of Great Britain, Earl of Wessex. Lest we forget.

Coming soon: The Dowager's Rules for March Madness Photography

"What is 'email'?" The Countess Tells How to Submit Photo Entries

The Dowager Countess today writes,

"I am told that this 'contest' I have been asked to lead involves the making of photographs, which are sent in via an 'email' service. I am totally unfamiliar with this technology. I think England and civilization in general took a giant step backward with the invention of the telegraph. People nowadays are in such a hurry, dashing across the Estate in motorcars at 25 miles per hour!"

Her feelings about technology notwithstanding, the Countess advises persons wishing to send photographs of the March cycling exploits to: membership@davisbikeclub.org  A friendly valet will retrieve your message and place the photos in an online Flickr account that has been established for the contest.

"Please remind the female members of the club (good God, if there are any!) that photography may be practiced as a hobby only. Never, ever consider this as path to a career!"

The Dowager Countess Violet Crawley has graciously agreed to host this year's March Madness Photo Contest, part of the annual celebration of bicycling that helps raise money to purchase helmets for children in Yolo County.

March is Almost Here!

The Dowager Countess has asked me to remind all members of the Davis Bicycling Society that the time for counting miles and making photographic images is almost here.

"Don't just stand around like a bunch of dimwitted house maids," the Countess asked me to remind you. "Get on those infernal two-wheeled contraptions and start ... doing whatever it is you do on those things!"

Added the Countess, "The ladies won't be riding, will they? What? Oh no. Good God, what have we come to?"

Welcome!

Dear Fellow DBC Riders and Photographers:

Big, BIG news for 2016!

Forget hippies, Russians, and obscure telenovela stars! This year's DBC March Madness Photo Contest is moving up ... waaaay up the social ladder! Your hostess for this year's photo contest will be none other than her Ladyship, Violet Crawley, the Dowager Countess of Grantham!

Watch this space for a high-toned and, of course, well-manner photo contest.

Full contest rules (yes, the Countess loves rules) will be posted soon.

P.S. For those of you who don't own a TV: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/downtonabbey/characters.html  The Countess will NOT accept criticism from readers who aren't familiar with the source material. If you're reading this, you have a computer--crank up that old Googler and educate yourselves.

P.P.S. Readers are reminded not to comment on the Dowager Countess' posts unless they are spoken to first.

P.P.P.S. Formal attire will be required for this year's awards banquet (where did I put my dinner jacket? Carson!!)