I thought it was supposed to be cooler and less humid today but I guess that’s tomorrow. While I was out I ran into a couple I know. The wife is a Cal grad. Used running into them as an excuse to take a break from the run.
El Niño is back, and it might be bigger than ever. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration declared in June that the threshold for an El Niño had been met in the eastern Pacific Ocean, and that it was likely to strengthen significantly through the end of the year — potentially becoming the strongest on record by a wide margin.
We're outside the park in a house in Groveland. Looks like about an hour and a half from there to the valley. So there's gonna be some driving involved.
See if they changed to rules to require day passes again. They did require a day pass to enter (limited numbers), but I think they removed that requirement. It's been so crowded that they are thinking of requiring reservations again.
graduation party at home in NY for older (traitor) daughter. she needs to fly back right away start her own XC road trip to get to Rochester NY/Boston in mid Aug.
tentative stops in western WA, Bozeman MT, somewhere in SD (?), Chicago.
Yes, I rode one when Marine World was in Redwood Shores when you had a choice of camels or elephants. My memory is a bit hazy, but I think they did away with the elephant ride and changed it to horses. Weirdly, I ended up buying a condo in the redeveloped land of the old Marine World.
I always think about Marine World when driving on 101. I think it's by the Oracle campus now. For a while the exit was still called Marine World, though I think they may have changed the sign now.
I didn't think the country was right. I think the borders in this aren't exactly what I thought the country was because there is more detail than what I pictured so it took me a second.
Also Violet Bobblehead giveaway night to the first 10,000. Violet is the bird mascot. I'm not a Violet fan, but she is very popular. The Hello Kitty giveaway night was a bit of a madhouse.
LONG BEACH, CA – The Oakland Ballers (0-7, 22-33) were shut out for the first time this season as the Long Beach Coast (7-0, 44-11) defeated Oakland 7-0 in the series opener from Blair Field.
Starting right-hander Hunter Day (L, 0-3) gave up one run through his first three innings of work but Cuba Bess took him deep in the fourth with a three-run homer to push the Coast lead to four.
Justin Wrobleski went deep yet again, as did Max Muncy in the Dodgers’ 2-1 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday night at Citizens Bank Park, in a game delayed at the start by 80 minutes due to rain.
One week after striking out five in his All-Star debut in this same ballpark, Wrobleski struck out seven Phillies on Tuesday. He allowed two loud hits with two outs in the first inning, as a Bryce Harper double was cashed in by an Alec Bohm single. But that was the only run Wrobleski allowed in hia 6 1/3 innings, which actually lowered the left-handers average outing length this season from 6.422 innings per start to 6.417, third best in the majors.
Remco Evenpoel wins 2nd straight stage. he was always going to win the indiv time trial as he is the 2x defending champ. it only netted him 30 sec back of his 5 min defecit to Pogacar.
when asked about the rest of the tour he graciously conceded to "the best rider of his generation" and said it was an honor to race against and learn from Pogacar.
DBD Weather
not a bad summer day in NYC area. smoke has cleared 32 aqi and weather in low 80s
Hot. Humid. Still a drought. Thanks, El Nino.
I thought it was supposed to be cooler and less humid today but I guess that’s tomorrow. While I was out I ran into a couple I know. The wife is a Cal grad. Used running into them as an excuse to take a break from the run.
Super El Niño charging ‘full steam ahead,’ potentially drenching California like never before
https://www.sacbee.com/news/california/article316467041.html
El Niño is back, and it might be bigger than ever. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration declared in June that the threshold for an El Niño had been met in the eastern Pacific Ocean, and that it was likely to strengthen significantly through the end of the year — potentially becoming the strongest on record by a wide margin.
TL;DR. Warmer winter with lots of rain so less snowpack.
hopefully that is CA and not all of west coast. Xmas ski plans are to go to Sun Valley ID
This story specifically is CA so hopefully that doesn't impact Sun Valley
Hump Day - what's in store for your weekend?
the start of a TWO WEEK VACATION!
tell us more. Lake George? something else?
first week: you guessed it - Lake George
second week: Bay Area and Yosemite
where does one stay in Yosemite these days? i have not been in 20+ years.
is it impossible to book the tent cabins unless you reserve a year in advance?
We're outside the park in a house in Groveland. Looks like about an hour and a half from there to the valley. So there's gonna be some driving involved.
See if they changed to rules to require day passes again. They did require a day pass to enter (limited numbers), but I think they removed that requirement. It's been so crowded that they are thinking of requiring reservations again.
graduation party at home in NY for older (traitor) daughter. she needs to fly back right away start her own XC road trip to get to Rochester NY/Boston in mid Aug.
tentative stops in western WA, Bozeman MT, somewhere in SD (?), Chicago.
Got my niece in town. Probably will make focaccia with her and have a day in the town center with a free concert.
Polish and wax No 3's car before we drive cross country to move him to Arlington, Va for PT school.
Camels
I read that book to my kids, Everyone Poops.
have you ridden one?
In Morocco. Up sand dunes, and then Berber “skiing” down. Sitting on cardboard and sliding, iirc
Yes, I rode one when Marine World was in Redwood Shores when you had a choice of camels or elephants. My memory is a bit hazy, but I think they did away with the elephant ride and changed it to horses. Weirdly, I ended up buying a condo in the redeveloped land of the old Marine World.
I always think about Marine World when driving on 101. I think it's by the Oracle campus now. For a while the exit was still called Marine World, though I think they may have changed the sign now.
we were in the Rajasthan desert in India a few years ago and did a fun family camel riding excursion on the dunes at sunset
those things can really move if they want to. i am sure we got just a taste of what it must be like if you were moving along quicky.
the most unnerving thing is when the camel sits or stands, you lurch forward and nearly fall off because you are tilted so far forward.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/FAnQ9EMExjbf7xKt8
Digital Diversions
🌎 Jul 22, 2026 🌍
🔥 4 | Avg. Guesses: 8.44
🟨🟨🟨🟨🟧🟥🟥🟥
🟥🟥🟥🟥🟥🟥🟩 = 15
https://globle-game.com
#globle
I guess these countries are so much smaller than I think. The distance is throwing me off
🌎 Jul 22, 2026 🌍
🔥 1 | Avg. Guesses: 11
🟨🟧🟨🟥🟥🟥🟥🟥
🟥🟥🟩 = 11
https://globle-game.com
#globle
I've got 3 adjacent countries and for the life of me can't think of the one in question.
i took me a moment to get it too.
Worldle
#Worldle #1643 (22.07.2026) 1/6 (100%)
🔥 Current Win Streak: 1 days
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🎉
https://worldle.teuteuf.fr/share
#Worldle #1643 (22.07.2026) 5/6 (100%)
🔥 Current Win Streak: 2 days
🟩🟩⬜⬜⬜⬅️
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟨⬇️
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟨➡️
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟨➡️
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🎉
https://worldle.teuteuf.fr/share
took me a minute too. i suppose i could have used the distance and direction clues better.
#Worldle #1643 (22.07.2026) 4/6 (100%)
🔥 Current Win Streak: 1 days
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟨➡️
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟨➡️
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟨➡️
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🎉
https://worldle.teuteuf.fr/share
I didn't think the country was right. I think the borders in this aren't exactly what I thought the country was because there is more detail than what I pictured so it took me a second.
Octordle
Daily Octordle #1640
9️⃣8️⃣
🕛7️⃣
🔟6️⃣
4️⃣5️⃣
Score: 61
Quordle
🙂 Daily Quordle 1640
8️⃣4️⃣
6️⃣7️⃣
m-w.com/games/quordle/
failure 2 days in a row. foiled by too many guesses on one pesky word
I think that's what my guess 5 was. I think I could've done 4-7 if I didn't do that.
SEA OF GREENS
Wordle 1,859 4/6*
⬛⬛🟩⬛⬛
⬛🟩🟩⬛⬛
⬛🟩🟩🟩🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩
WordleBot
Skill 92/99
Luck 51/99
Wordle 1,859 5/6*
⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜
⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜
⬜🟨🟨⬜⬜
⬜🟩🟩⬜🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩
Wordle 1,859 5/6
⬜🟨⬜⬜⬜
⬜🟨⬜🟨⬜
⬜🟩⬜⬜⬜
🟨🟩🟨⬜🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩
WordleBot
Skill 65/99
Luck 47/99
I don’t think that is an American English word.
I wondered even as I used it.
i little on the shady side
Wordle 1,859 4/6*
⬛⬛⬛🟩⬛
⬛⬛🟨🟩⬛
⬛🟩⬛🟩⬛
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩
WordleBot
Skill 81/99
Luck 45/99
Cal
Cal night at the Valkyires
https://events.berkeley.edu/CAA/event/301388-cal-night-at-the-golden-state-valkyries
that link seems to be to last year's Cal Night, Aug 6, 2025.
This year Cal night is August 12, 2026.
https://www.instagram.com/p/DaeGGaTiPun/
oh oops...sorry. I got a notification on my phone and tried to search on my laptop for the DBD.
True, it's really the fault of the search engine, or maybe of the events website.
PRO
Valkyries don't play until next Wed.
Cal Night at the Valkyries, August 12
https://www.instagram.com/p/DaeGGaTiPun/
Also Violet Bobblehead giveaway night to the first 10,000. Violet is the bird mascot. I'm not a Violet fan, but she is very popular. The Hello Kitty giveaway night was a bit of a madhouse.
All-star break.
It’s gonna be a longer stretch when the W shuts down for a couple of weeks in Sept for FIBA WC(?)
Ahh...that makes sense.
They do have Gabby Williams in the All Star Game, and Janelle Salaun in the 3 pt shootout.
Ballers shut out by Coast in Tuesday series opener (7-0)
https://www.oaklandballers.com/sports/bsb/2026/releases/2026072259cq04
LONG BEACH, CA – The Oakland Ballers (0-7, 22-33) were shut out for the first time this season as the Long Beach Coast (7-0, 44-11) defeated Oakland 7-0 in the series opener from Blair Field.
Starting right-hander Hunter Day (L, 0-3) gave up one run through his first three innings of work but Cuba Bess took him deep in the fourth with a three-run homer to push the Coast lead to four.
Cubs declined to ban fan who struck another fan for not standing for the anthem
https://www.reddit.com/r/baseball/comments/1v3bx0a/cubs_declined_to_ban_fan_who_struck_another_fan/
Original new story
https://www.nbcchicago.com/mlb/chicago-cubs/viral-video-shows-cubs-fan-being-slapped-for-not-standing-during-national-anthem/3964302/
Giants lose to the Royals, 3-2
Muncy off Wheeler helps Wrobleski the dealer
Max Muncy homers off Zack Wheeler to beat Phillies (2-1)
https://www.truebluela.com/https://www.truebluela.com/dodgers-scores-standings/120240/max-muncy-justin-wrobleski-zack-wheeler-phillies
Justin Wrobleski went deep yet again, as did Max Muncy in the Dodgers’ 2-1 win over the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday night at Citizens Bank Park, in a game delayed at the start by 80 minutes due to rain.
One week after striking out five in his All-Star debut in this same ballpark, Wrobleski struck out seven Phillies on Tuesday. He allowed two loud hits with two outs in the first inning, as a Bryce Harper double was cashed in by an Alec Bohm single. But that was the only run Wrobleski allowed in hia 6 1/3 innings, which actually lowered the left-handers average outing length this season from 6.422 innings per start to 6.417, third best in the majors.
TOOTBLAN x2 ends the game
https://www.reddit.com/r/baseball/comments/1v3332v/highlight_the_dodgers_turn_a_5264_double_play_to/
or ... TWOTBLAN
Oh Balls...
https://x.com/mickakers/status/2079701065952555020
Tour de France
Remco Evenpoel wins 2nd straight stage. he was always going to win the indiv time trial as he is the 2x defending champ. it only netted him 30 sec back of his 5 min defecit to Pogacar.
when asked about the rest of the tour he graciously conceded to "the best rider of his generation" and said it was an honor to race against and learn from Pogacar.