Shifts

This World Cup thing is really throwing my routine off.  I knew I wanted to watch the Dutch in the first game today but I thought (and hoped) that they might settle things early allowing me to take off and get in a ride before the start of the second game, an absolute must see featuring world number 1 Spain.

What actually happened is that the designated opponents of the Dutch, the Australians, the lowest ranked team coming into the tournament, refused to go quietly, instead producing off the charts entertainment.  Cahill's goal for Australia to tie immediately after Holland took the lead is one of the highlights of the tournament to this point.

And then, by golly, those plucky lads took the lead.

Amazing.

So I had to stay until the very end of the game.  That meant there really wasn't enough time for a full ride before Chile v. Spain got under way.  I decided to ride in shifts, a shortish ride for now to get back in time to watch most of the expected thrashing of Chile by the world number 1 and then another ride after that game was settled.

Well, tickle my ass with a feather*.  Particularly nasty weather.

*there is a whole joke that goes with that which I promise to recite to anyone who wants to hear it but not on the internet.

The first part of my plan worked, I took a shortish ride and ended up getting in my full ride only by riding in shifts.

There is definitely something big being planned at the Grounds this weekend.  As proof I offer the big three of modern festivals:  trash barrel, recycling container and ATM.

Those are placed in front of the Salem Lutheran Church dining hall, one of the I believe now down to two surviving church dining halls on the Grounds.  You can sorta see the sign over there on top of the building but here is a better look.

Yes, indeed, serving great food since 1949.  Which is a while.

And I now totally know if I ever want to get a coffee at the Fair where I am going to go to get it.

Swedish Egg Coffee.

Take that S***bucks.

The old cars are starting to arrive.  Here's a 57 Chevy 2-door station wagon, a pretty rare bird when it was new, an extremely rare bird 57 years later.

I am fairly confident that this is a 55 Ford although I concede without a better look at the tail lights I am a little insecure in that identification as it could just possibly be a 56.  I think 55.

Lots of things about that car are probably stock but one thing I am sure is not stock is the color.  There were no factory painted orange cars in the 50s.

I distinctly remember the very first orange car I ever saw in the USA.  Horse had been to Europe for some student program in the summer of '68.  When he came home I and several of his friends helped him paint, with paint brushes and a can of paint purchased at the hardware store, his previously grey Volkswagen beetle in bright orange in homage to the orange beetles he had seen in Europa.  It was absolutely the very first orange car I ever saw.

Within a year or so factory painted orange VW's began to appear on the streets.

Copa:

The second game, what an amazing game.  Upstart Chile absolutely dismisses the erstwhile world number 1.  Winners of the last three major international tournaments and defending World Cup Champion Spain is the first team eliminated from this year's event.

Stunning.

And perhaps most stunning, it was no upset.  Chile didn't hang on to win some sort of major upset or anything like that.  Chile DISMISSED the reigning world champions as the pretenders they clearly were at this year's Copa.

Going forward?  Huge game next Monday, Holland v. Chile for first place in that group.  Second place team plays winner of Group A in first round of the knockout phase.  Brazil has only a game against also already eliminated Cameroon to secure that first place in Group A.  That game looks a lot different now that it will NOT be Spain.  Brazil v. Holland and Brazil v. Chile (in South America) both shape up as wonderfully entertaining possibilities.

I love the World Cup.