One Tree Hill Park

Well, obviously not. It was a beautiful October Saturday, at least it sure looked beautiful from the inside side of the front window. In a minor upset, one which I am sure will surprise many, I decided to ride my bicycle.

W I N D Y !

It was so windy that I as I rode I settled on an explanation of why I rode which begins, and ends, with the Auckland rule. I intended to illustrate the Auckland rule by going to Auckland Daily Photo and finding some sort of photo illustrating windy conditions. I went there and found a couple of quite nice photos of One Tree Hill but started to feel sheepish about taking a photo without permission (just look to the left under my own copyright declaration for an explanation of why).

So I ended up illustrating the ride with this photo of Ole Olson Park.It's the kind of thing that I would make up but I didn't have to. It actually is Ole Olson Park.

I rode southwest into the strong wind, crossed the Stone Arch Bridge and rode to the end of the River Road in Minneapolis. I think the sign is new. I have ridden there several times before but it never penetrated my consciousness that the piece of public land along the river there is Ole Olson Park.

Parks and public buildings should be named after citizens. On the way home I rode past the U of Minnesota's new football stadium.TCF Stadium is nearing completion. I have no trouble declaring that I much prefer the name of the park to the name of the stadium. I suspect that Orvin "Ole" Olson made some sort of contribution to the public good and has been honored by having his name put on a park. TCF has made a huge financial contribution to the stadium construction and has been awarded what is now referred to as "naming rights".

It is my belief that we would all be better off today if the new University football stadium had been named in the way the old University football stadium was named or in the way the stadium in which the University football team currently plays was named.

I refer to Memorial Stadium and the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome.