Road Trip

Today was our first event outside of the reach of transit - Ladies' Half Pipe Snowboard. We got up earlier than we have been and took two transit buses out to Simon Fraser University, where we caught an Olympic Bus Network bus to Cypress Mountain. There was no wait for the bus and the scenery on the ride was beautiful.

There was virtually no wait at security, but oddly they decided not to confiscate an open bottle of water in Paul's satchel. After climbing a lot of stairs we arrived at out seats. We were lucky to have seats, especially since the standing room tickets had been canceled because the standing area had become unsafe.

We were surrounded by Americans. Interestingly a lot of them said that they weren't wearing American Olympic gear because they still felt that the U.S. was disliked abroad and they didn't want to deal with the resentment. Paul took the opportunity to make them feel welcome by giving the American behind him one of the pins Paul had bought the night before for the man's daughter who traded pins at youth events. He seemed surprised and genuinely grateful.

The day was warmer than it had any business being. We knew that the weather at Cypress was the warmest in 100 years, but there were people bare chested (men only), and Kim was comfortable in just a tank top. The sun was blazing down on us very intensely. Kim even borrowed sun block from the woman next to her, who was the massage therapist for a number of the American snowboarders we were watching today.

Between 60 qualifying runs (each of 30 boarders got two runs), a break, 24 semi-final runs, a break, and 12 final runs, the event lasted the whole day and was more fun than you could shake a stick at. Snowboarders have a sense of hummour and comraderie that other sports often lack. You don't see figure skaters, for instance, bust out a break dancing move and a grin while waiting for their scores. The sport also has the drama of big tricks performed in the air and falls that happen when the big tricks don't work.

It also has its risks. One boarder, on a training run before the semi, had what looked like an ordinary fall, but just didn't get up. It took a while for the hosts/announcers to realize what was going on and there was a surreal moment when we were being asked to "make some noise" while half a dozen people, including medics, clustered around a still form on the snow. The spectre of the dead luger hovered. The fallen boarder was removed on a stretcher and was unable to compete. We hope that she will be ok, apart from the disappointment of missing her event.

Once the sun went down behind the mountains, things actually got chilly and we went from late spring to winter, albeit a mild winter. The final was exciting, and while Canadians didn't medal, one, Mercedes Nichol we think was the name, did better than she was expected to, and the boarders were so likable you found yourself drawn into their attitude and cheering a good run from anyone and consoling a fall regardless of the origin of the boarder.

After the Olympic bus, another bus, two trains and a walk home we ordered pizza and are now watching recorded Olympic coverage. We rejoice over Canada's third gold and are pleased as well, for the sake of the Dutch we spoke to yesterday, to hear that the Netherlands earned a silver. We are dismayed that Canada needed a shootout to beat the Swiss.

Tomorrow is the first of a few days without events and we look forward to the time to investigate some national houses and other aspects of this Olympic city. Vij's anyone?

With memories of sun and snow,

The Entity
Paul McCulloch Alexander
Kim Boara Alexander