Everything about last night’s Timbers match against Seattle was fantastic, except for the result. One of the highlights for me was watching a drunk and/or belligerent Sounder customer/fan hog-tied and carried out of the beer garden by a swarm of security and police. Good times.

A League Below, a Class Above

That’s what the banner in the North End stated, and it was true last night.

The MLS Sounders are more talented than the USL teams the Timbers have faced this season, but the outcome could have been different; the Timbers unfortunately let in an early goal, then went down by 2. They fought back and played well, but couldn’t pass circles around this team like they have done against some of this year’s USL competition.

Tonight, the Timbers return to the scene of the crime, to host Bayern Munich II, in a much more friendly game. It’s doubtful that 16,382 fans will make it out tonight, but the atmosphere should be good, as it always is against the European teams. We’ll be arriving to this one late – we’re picking up some first time Portland visitors at the airport. What better way to introduce them to Portland than to bring them straight to a Timbers match on a balmy July evening?

Craft beer events occur almost every day of the month in July, throughout the state. Here are some highlights:

July 1st
OCBM Kick Off Event
Horse Brass Pub
4534 SE Belmont
Portland
503-232-2202
5-9pm

July 11th
2500th SNOB Party
Bailey’s Taproom
213 SW Broadway
Portland
503-295-1004
1-4pm
Open to new, current and renewing SNOB’s.

July 17th-19th
Portland International Beerfest
North Park Blocks
Portland
Friday 4-9pm
Saturday 12-10pm
Sunday 12-7pm

July 23rd-26
Oregon Brewers Festival
Tom McCall Waterfront Park
SW Bill Naito Parkway & Oak St
Portland
503-778-5917
www.oregonbrewfest.com
12-9pm Thur-Sat
12-7pm Sun

I’ve seen quite a few USL vs MLS matches over the years – in general there is not much difference in player quality between the better USL teams like this year’s Portland team, and an MLS side.

The best good-sized forwards with a knack for scoring don’t stay in the USL for long (see Gordon, Alan), but in all other positions the main differences are size and fitness, not skill (again, I’m talking only about the best USL teams); the MLS players are generally bigger and fitter (they train year round). The 2009 Timbers have good size, okay speed, considerable midfield skill, and play exceptional team defense so they should match up as well as any USL team against the MLS side. How the Timbers defend Seattle’s best playmakers (suggestion: smother them), and fitness will be the key. Gavin can counteract deficiency in fitness by using his substitutions wisely. Pore and McManus will be available for this game, Keita, Hayes, Suzuki, Farber, Cronin, and others are in excellent form. The Timbers won’t be going for a moral victory. This is going to be hell of a lot of fun. See you there!

Buy your tickets posthaste, as it appears this match may sell out!

I bought my 7 tickets the day the tickets went on sale, so I’m breathing a sigh of relief right now.

By this I mean that on any weekend from late June through September you’d be hard pressed to not find a fair or festival I will probably be going to.

With the month of July, we reach that saturation point. So I have resurrected the Dave Knows Calendar.

On this calendar you will find most of the summer street fairs, fall festivals, and beer festivals. And of course all the Timbers matches (thanks to whoever created this public calendar!).

Hopefully my calendar will be as useful to you as it is to me!

In addition to the separate page on this site (see navigation bar at top of page), it’s also available as a public Google Calendar (Calendar ID: l4op4el7t7e8lkm3crkb4echfk@group.calendar.google.com), so you can snag the XML feed, import it into iCal, or just link to it:

Last year at this time I was averaging 4.9 posts per week. This year it’s up to 5.1, with 530 posts under my belt (as of 6/22 – actually with this post the tally is 536). I’m patting myself on the back right now.

Thanks for reading, commenting, and linking!

Saturday celebrate the summer solstice (a week late) at the 81st annual Scandinavian Midsummer Festival with the Scandinavian Heritage Foundation and The League of Swedish Societies. The details:

Saturday, June 27, 2009
11am-6pm • Raising of the Maypole 1pm
Dancing 6-9pm • Music by Fossegrimen
German American Cultural Center
7901 SE Division Street, Portland, Oregon
Admission: $5 Adults • $3 Children 6-12 • $15 Family

I’ve never been to this festival, but we had so much fun last weekend at the Astoria Scandinavian Midsummer Festival, I’m hoping to be able to check it out. There is a beer garden, after all!

Sunday the Timbers face the Montreal Impact at PGE park. The kick off is at 5pm.

Earlier in the day, at 1pm, the Portland Timbers U-23’s take on the Vancouver Whitecaps Residency at PGE Park. Come to that match, then cross 18th for the bbq and tailgate at the parking lot between SW Taylor and SW Salmon on 18th Ave (behind Cheerful Bullpen). Several Timbers players will be making some appearances to hang out with the fans. For more information check out this thread.

It’s my favorite summer beer festival; not as crowded as the Big One, nor as expensive as the Pearl One. And so far (I’ve been every year) the crowds are reasonable.

The hours Friday and Saturday are noon to 9pm, and noon to 5pm Sunday. Most samples cost one $1 token, though some of the stronger ones take two. The tasting mug costs $6, but you get a $1 off if you show a validated MAX ticket. The Yellow Line stops just across the street, at the Overlook Park Station. There’s really no parking, and you’ll be drinking beer, so take the train!

It hit the 90s last year, but the weather this year looks to be perfect for beer drinking, and this year’s beer selection also looks good (Heather will be delighted to see five cider options!). I’m looking forward to trying the two Belgian style IPAs – one from the excellent Hood River brewery Double Mountain, and one from a brewery I’m unfamiliar with, Elliot Bay Brewing. Roots’s perfect summer kölsch will be on tap, but they will also be featuring a rotating tap. There will be plenty of IPAs for the hop heads, as per usual, and quite a few Belgians, lagers, and lighter stuff.

I may have to come back Saturday too.

As usual, Heather has posted an amusing account of our fantastic trip, with photos and videos, at her blog:

Tank Full Of Gas, Chapter 16: Astoria Midsummer Scandinavian Fest – Part 1

Tank Full Of Gas, Chapter 16: Astoria Midsummer Scandinavian Fest – Part 2

Here’s a taste:

Kerry Christensen, Master Yodeler, The Norwegian Cow Song from Mile73 on Vimeo.

This past weekend I was in the NW corner of our fine state and I learned something else that I thought was very cool – Cable Television was invented in Astoria, Oregon.* In 1948 a man named Leroy E. “Ed” Parsons raised an antenna above the Astoria Hotel to pick up the signal from the new Seattle television station KRSK (now KING). He connected coaxial cable and ran it across the street to his apartment – et voila, cable television! Eventually he helped others in town hook up, for a fee, to the cable. A plaque sits at the site of the Astoria Column to commemorate Parsons’ ingenuity and contribution to Astoria.

And yesterday I learned about the 70+ mph pulse jet bicycles made by Medford, Oregon resident Robert Maddox. From Joseph Rose’s Oregonlive.com blog Hard Drive:

Maddox, 48, who has been tinkering with pulse jet engines for 10 years now, recently decided to bolt twin engines to an old-school cruiser bicycle and take it for a 73 mph test drive … er, ride on a remote southern Oregon highway.

Read the rest, and watch the video: It’s not a rocket, officer, it’s a jet bicycle.

* There are other claims to the first cable system too; I think Leroy E. “Ed” Parsons is credited though with the first coaxial cable, amplifier, and community antenna system.

Creston Pool, Southeast 44th Avenue and Powell Boulevard.

Grant Pool, Northeast 33rd Avenue and U.S. Grant Place.

Montavilla Pool, 8219 NE Glisan

Peninsula Pool, 700 N Rosa Parks Way.

Pier Pool, North Seneca Street and St. Johns Avenue.

Sellwood Pool, 7951 SE 7th

Wilson Pool, 1151 SW Vermont St.

More info at Oregonlive. Schedule of aquatic events here (pdf).