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We’ve officially hit those dog days¹ of Summer here in DC. So, needless to say I’ve either been seeking out city pools, holed up in the air conditioning reading (currently: Night Watch), or watching copious amounts of amazing TV. [NOTE: Hacks season 3 was hilarious, Unchained Season 2 was worth every minute, and this year’s Tour de France has been absolutely exhilarating.

Oh and soccer… ay dios mio… the last 15 minutes of the Copa America Colombia v Uruguay game was some of the most intense and exciting futbol I’ve seen in a while! And even though the USMNT flamed out early, it led to the firing of coach Gregg Berhalter, so not all was lost. And in the Euros… Türkiye was my underdog team and it was great to see them get so far, the Dutch fans were so fun to watch, the top-tier teams have kept me on the edge of my seat. Sorry to see France out, but the Spain v England final on Sunday should be a masterclass of a match!

If you’ve been reading this Substack for a while now — first of all, thank you — then you know how much I love the rabbit hole that is the Library of Congress. The photo below is one of my favorite cycling photos in the archives, it’s titled “A Perilous Ride” and the caption reads, “Photograph shows a man riding a bicycle down the steps of the U.S. Capitol as another man with a bicycle waits at the top.” It was an albumen print on card mount taken in 1884 by the Platt Brothers. And it’s remarkable on so many levels. I’m glad it still exists. 1884

Speaking of penny farthings²… if you’re in the DMV, this is happening on Saturday. And if you’re not watching the Tour de France, it’s been an epic race so far. Team Gruber is back and they are absolutely crushing it. This year, I also started following Russ Ellis’ work thanks to a video a friend sent me. And these classic Robert Capa photos from the 1939 TdF recently resurfaced and I’m glad.

Blah blah blah, go ride your bike, you’ll live longer and be healthier.

Here are 5 things I was looking at this week:

What Was ‘Parts Unknown’? and Why there won't be a "new" Anthony Bourdain

I keep seeing promos for The Bikeriders at my local indie movie house and thought it looked vaguely familiar. And now I know why… Danny Lyon’s project turned photobook on biker gangs inspired it. Here’s the story behind it.

“…you’re going to spend 1000x more time in your surrounding 5 blocks than you will in any other neighborhood in your city” The Importance of Picking Your Neighborhood struck a chord with me (note: in DC it’s about a one-mile radius, or you know, a 15-minute city — which I’m all about.

Treat yourself to some Snoop Frogg today. You deserve it.

471 days in captivity and counting. Enough is enough! #FreeEvan

If you’ve made it this far, here’s a bonus: I spoke about visual storytelling at the 2024 Utah Symposium of the University Photographer's Association of America last week. They hosted a terrific and inspiring conference. It was also great catching up with old friends and making a few new ones. Plus, I got to take an epic selfie with a dozen APAD OGs. And because I arrived in Provo after the Legends panel (with Dan Winters, Gregory Heisler, and Joe McNally) happened, I’m going back to watch it now. For those who were worried for me, yes I found COFFEE and BEER. I also hit a fun soda shop³ a young LDS kid recommended.

1. The dog days or dog days of summer are the hot, sultry days of summer. They were historically the period following the heliacal rising of the star system Sirius (known colloquially as the "Dog Star" — AHA!), which Hellenistic astrology connected with heat, drought, sudden thunderstorms, lethargy, fever, mad dogs, and bad luck. It now describes the hottest, most uncomfortable part of summer in the Northern Hemisphere.

2. The name came from the British penny and farthing coins, the penny being much larger than the farthing, so from the side view of the bicycle, it resembles a larger penny (the big wheel) leading a smaller farthing (the other wheel).

3. I ordered the Dr. Pepper + Almond + Cherry, which on the menu is called the “Amen.” So, of course, I had to ask “Can I get an amen?!” It was as delicious as it sounds.