OMD&E

At the start of the season riding in the middle of the day is the best option. When light and heat are at a premium riding at maximum light and maximum heat makes lots and lots of sense. However, we are reaching that part of the year when only Mad Dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun. The problem for me is that these sporting events going on in South Africa and England conflict with a riding schedule removed from that time of day. I still find myself out there riding in the middle of the day.

Today at least was not humid but it was a trifle warmish. It was OK but if the humidity rises it isn't going to be OK. Plus the SUN. The sun can hurt you when it is that far up in the sky.

So it was early afternoon when I rode. I have fairly regularly posted photos of the flower yard in my neighborhood but almost always of the front yard. Here's what the back yard looks like today.They have a bunch of relatively new plantings back there.

Less than a pedal stroke further down the street, here is what the front yard currently looks like, for reference.Here is another yard displaying the efforts of someone on a mission.But actually that picture is really here just for purposes of the parking ban sign. NO PARKING, Tow Away Zone. This is a serious temporary ban, I think they mean it. The reason for this ban is the Hmong Freedom Celebration and International Sports Tournament going on at McMurray Fields over the 4th of July weekend. This is something like the 30th year this festival has been held. Year One was held in the fields next to our house but the festival outgrew that site in a single year.

They get an enormous crowd. In an effort to defray the costs of putting on such a large event the organizers intend to charge admission.

Now McMurray is a public recreational facility, softball fields, soccer, baseball, flag football in the fall, skating rinks in the winter. It is wide open and generally freely open to the public. If you intend to charge admission you have to change the atmosphere.

Do we all know where this is going?

They rented a fence.I reported on a former co-worker who has a truck and a matching vacation mini-trailer earlier this year. I had not ridden through that neighborhood since then until today.

It appears that he may have added a convertible to the fleet.Football resumes tomorrow. As I noted yesterday, Argentina remains my pick to prevail. In tomorrow's games:

Netherlands v. Brazil: Brazil. Brazil is very talented but at this stage of the tournament nearly all of the teams are very talented. The problem for Brazil is that the Dutch are also very talented. I like the Dutch, I like them a lot, but Brazil.

Uruguay v. Ghana: Ghana. The upset special of the quarterfinals. Uruguay deserves its position in the final 8. The team has played the games on the schedule and won the ones it needed to win to get here. And Uruguay will justifiably be a slight favorite but Ghana is the last hope of Africa in a tournament played in Africa. I am not sure how they will ever score against the stout defense of Uruguay but my pick here is Ghana, perhaps in penalty kicks.

And on Saturday:

Argentina v. Germany: Argentina. Germany looked the best early in the tournament but Argentina has found its form. They have the best player in the world. Argentina.

Paraguay v. Spain: Spain. Spain's best player, Fernando Torres has not yet found himself as he comes back from injury. However, the play of David Villa is a revelation. I certainly remember him from Euro 2008 but his play at this tournament has been simply brilliant.

The tennis has been pretty good too, don't you think. Who is this Tomas Berdych anyway? He advances to the semi-finals of two straight grand slam tournaments, impressive results. The remaining matches for both the men and the women promise to be good stuff.

Uh, the bicycle race starts Saturday.