Good News and Bad News

     The first full day of action brought lots of news, good and bad depending on your country and you choice of tickets.  Good news for Italy, which badly needed something other than the economy to talk about.  A Gold Medal women's Fencing and another in team Archery over the US with a bulls-eye on the last shot.  There was bad news for the host country which could not pull off a Gold in the road cycling event despite eager anticipation and thousands of cheering fans along the route.  Bad news also for ticket holders of the first session of archery in Lord's Cricket Ground.  Expecting to see all teams in action, US fans were dismayed that the number one ranked US team had earned a bye in the first round. Lost forever was a chance to chant "USA, USA" in the hallowed home of British cricket where anything more than mild applause is discouraged.
     Doing a double proved demanding with Archery in the a.m., then taking tube, train and two buses to get over to Richmond Park for a good vantage point on the cycling route heading back to central London for the finish line.  It was worth it to watch 140 cyclists barrel past at about 30 mph.  Careful British planning came to naught when a large group of top riders broke from the main group and established an insurmountable lead.

British team leads peleton attempting to catch the leaders one minute ahead with 15 kilometers to go.