function preloadSlides(totalSlides, imgPath) {
	
	$(document).ready(function() {
				
		var slidesArray = [];
		var path = location.pathname;
			 
		// preload slides 3 - x (slides 1-2 already in DOM) 
		for (var i = 3; i <= totalSlides; i++) { 
			var img = new Image(555, 419);
			
			if (path.match("lenticular")) {
				img.src = imgPath + i + '.gif';	// slides are animated gifs	
			} else {			
				img.src = imgPath + i + '.jpg';
			}
			slidesArray.push(img);
			
			/*if (i == 5){
				var a = $('<a/>').attr('href', '/about/environment.html'); 
				$(img).wrap(a);	
			}*/
		}	 
				
		// start slideshow 
		$('#slideshow').cycle({
			fx: 'fade', 
			speed: 1500,
			timeout: 5500, 
			before: onBefore
		}); 
			 
		// add images to slideshow 
		function onBefore(curr, next, opts) { 
			if (opts.addSlide) {// <-- important! 
				while(slidesArray.length) {
					opts.addSlide(slidesArray.shift());
				}
			}
		};
	});
}