Happy 4th to my south of the border friends!
 

Hope you all have a happy, healthy and safe holiday weekend!

I'll second that.

Great start to a great day: http://www.sportstracklive.com/track...g/1090738/full

Not a long ride (27 miles), but it was cool, calm, flat and three friends were along. The most enjoyable ride I've done in a long time. The temperature felt more like May 4th - At least 10 degrees cooler than typical for this time of the year. We came across about a dozen other cyclists along the way.

...and thanks for the well-wishes. Back to work tomorrow, then the weekend. :thumb:

Thanks Jdon, and a belted Happy Canada Day to you and the others up to the north.

Bill

I love this place. On rounds today I heard a Russian physician wish a Romanian physician a Happy 4th. Only in Merka.

Of course, if I were in France in ten days maybe the two would be wishing each other a Merry Bastille Day.

But anyway.

Yeah, all the best for the 4th! Hope you can get out and enjoy a ride today.

+1

Thanks for the good thoughts, gentlemen.

We had a great ride this morning. A couple of people got several of the cycling groups in northwest Arkansas together. It was not an official "organized" ride, just a bunch of folks out for a ride on the 4th of July. We had over a hundred riders, tall, short, fat, thin, male, female, a bunch of nationalities, racers, slow pokes, fast folks, and the in between. If you couldn't find a niche in this crowd, you were in need of serious help. Oh yeah, there were some bents as well. It was an outstanding ride.

Thanks jdon and am rooting for Canadian Ryder Hesjedal in the TDF this year....fractured rib and all.

It wouldn't be complete without the Boston Pops playing over the fireworks with Russian patriotic music. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvriN62Y5bY

Our little town, Bristol, Rhode Island, had it's 4th of July Parade, just as it has for about 220 years. It is quite a big deal for such a small town requiring lots of resources. The night before, on the 3rd, there is a battle of the bands with marching bands from half the country, about 10 of them. For every band member there are is at least one other person in their group backing them up, providing necessary services such as food and drink, props and taking care of instruments and drivers for buses and equipment vehicles.

The parade itself is fun for me, not only for the marching bands which are all very good, but I love seeing old fire engines and old cars and such. One fire company had an antique pumper, imaculately maintained and from 1830 or so. There are several militia groups, from revolutionary days of civil war days such as the Rhode Island Train of Artillary, the Cranston Rifles, fife and drum corps, and several Highland groups with their pipes and drums. The groups wearing tri-cornered hats delight in firing their muskets in the air. For some reason there are always lots of people in uniforms who are not in the marching bands and polititions are always horning in. This year, for the first time there were several men with FBI vests about. I've yet to see a decent video. The sound and videography is typically awful but here is a link. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKp0Y_lzEHc

Berner,
I'd much rather see or participate in the small town or village 4 July parades or celebrations any time. The people seem genuine in their enthusiasm and patriotism, no high tech displays or gadgets, just local groups, high school marching bands, local veterans and volunteer groups like the VFD trucks and usually a local beauty queen in an antique convertible. Lots of good eats and then a fireworks show put on by local enthusiast. That is want Independence Day is all about to me. thanks for the post.

Bill

Yeah Bill, this town is very proud of their parade. The town paints red, white and blue stripes down the middle of the parade route and homes are decorated in thousands of yards of bunting.

I did the edge-of-the-continent Neptune Av. parade again this year, this time back on the red-white-and-blue made-in-USA mountain bike. I overheard spectators commenting on my bright yellow gloves, rather than on the Schwinn.

Earlier in the day I did my favorite flat ride up old Coast Highway 101 to and around Oceanside harbor.

The big news from downtown San Diego is that the fireworks show on the bay came off beautifully this time, unlike last year's disaster, in which 20 mins. worth of explosives ignited simultaneously. I think this year's show was on the house, to compensate.

Next weekend I am having one of my history buff friends tell the story of the French revolution in one hour to my weekly Sunday discussion group -- I hope the note takers in the audience can write fast. :)