Day Fourteen, and I'm coming home!

Well, it turns out that Thursday's shift was also my last. Friday (today) I have off, and Saturday's got cancelled because they have enough people. So, that means I had to make it the best shift ever. Though the Canadian men didn't medal at the aerial competition, I had one of the best seats in the house.

My shift was spent in Free10, which is on the snow in the Freestyle stadium. I was manning the media gate, so if you watched it on television, look for the interviews with with the cute CTV girl and the aerialists. I'm the guy in the blue beanie looking official, or officially trying to look inconspicuous.

I met some really great people during my time out here - Darrin, Amelia, Kara, Helen, Chris, Don, Joseph and Marcel. A few of them I will try to keep in touch with, but even if we do lose contact, I know that we'll always share the special bond as the Team 2010 smurfs! I had a lot of laughs, incredible memories, awesome stories, and an experience of a lifetime.

The Games aren't over though. I've managed to switch my flight to Saturday, so I have a down day to readjust my time zones, spend time with my family, watch (hopefully) Canada win GOLD in men's hockey, and watch the closing ceremonies. Tonight I will have dinner and watch hockey with the two wonderful people that allowed me to stay at their house, making my stay that much more enjoyable. Words cannot thank them enough.

Maybe when I'm on the plane will the real impact of being part of a global event finally sink in - maybe it never will. What I do know is that the Games are a gift to the world, Vancouver is a gem to this country, and Canadians are by far the most gracious hosts you could ever wish for.

Honey, change the sheets, kick the boyfriend out, and put the kids to bed - I'm coming home!

Day Thirteen - only two shifts left and props from the CBC :)

So I'm getting ready to head out to Cypress for tonight's Men's Aerials. If you are wondering why the competitors prefer jumping at night, it is because the large spotlights on venue don't leave any flat lighting, which makes seeing the landing better. Also, the T.V. broadcasters prefer it because during a cloudy day when a skier jumps, they get 'lost' in the air, and therefore does not make for a pretty picture on your television screens at home. So, there you have it.

Besides, doesn't it look amazing at night, with the lights and the gallery below?

Here's a little something I came across from the CBC website on volunteers. It could have been a bit more comprehensive, but still, it's nice exposure.

CBC News - Canada - Meet the Games' unsung heroes

Day Twelve - Day Off and a beers with Billy Dean!

Yesterday (Wednesday) was another scheduled day off from the Olympics, but a work day for me at Canadian Blood Services.

First, I have to say that working outside with all that fresh air makes one very tired, which has been translating to great sleeps. It's probably one of the reasons why (knocking on wood right now) I've managed to stay healthy so far. With all of the people in Vancouver, the coughs and germs and handshakes I've been exposed to, either on venue or particularly on public transit, it's a small miracle.

I spent my morning checking work emails, and then for lunch went wandering around 4th Ave in Kitsilano. Think of the Glebe without the snobbery. Did a bit of shopping, haircut at a real barbershop, and ate the BEST chicken shawarma I've ever had, and that's saying a lot.

Then it was back to the house to watch the first half of the first period of hockey, and off to my Diversity Liaison Committee meeting at our permanent clinic on Oak St.

The DLC, like many of our other liaison committees, are comprised of incredibly warm and genuine people. Last night's meeting I learned about the Filipino community, and was once again reminded why I love my job so much. I get very inspired by our committee members, and I always come away learning something new. And, as proud Canadians that we are, we were very happy to learn that our hockey team crushed the Russian squad. Bring on the Slovaks!

As I was walking out of the building, my cell phone indicated I had a voice mail. My good friend Will Dean, who I had worked with at the Algonquin Hotel back in '95, was in town and at a pub that I had passed by no more than six hours ago in Kits. So on the bus I went for a great night of reminiscing, beers, hockey, and more beers. He's from Newfoundland, he's a chef by trade, so that's probably why we get along so well.

So, no pictures to add this time. You'll have to go to my Facebook page for the hundreds I've taken since I've been here.

Marc, out.

Day Eleven, Gold returns to Cypress

My luck returns to the Mountain.

First part of my luck, positioning for my shift. In the grandstands, the very top, doing access control to the media booths. One of the best views in the stadium. I stood there my whole shift, feet and fingers cold, snow coming down and making Cypress finally look like the Winter Games. Looks like 10 cm tonight and more on the way.

It was incredible to see Canada win another gold, especially in a historic, inaugral Olympic sport.

Met TSN's Jamie Campbell, finished early, got a ride back to Dunbar in time to catch the third period of the hockey game with beer and pizza.

Tomorrow, day off and work meeting. Only three shifts left.

Day Ten - day off, loving Vancouver.

When they say Vancouver is one of the most beautiful cities in the world, you better believe it!

I spent the day at Stanley Park, first at the aquarium, which was very cool, and then renting a bike and touring around the sea wall 8 km around the park. It's a great opportunity to get a 360 degree view of all that Vancouver has to offer - snow-capped mountains, quiet bays, rock and sand beaches, gorgeous city scape, oceans, tall firs, you name it.

The bike ride normally takes one hour, but I believe that's only if you are going around without a camera, or live in the city, because at each and every new turn, a perfect picture moment would appear.

On my list of things to do is definitely a romantic vacation with Lisa here. I know she would absolutely adore it. It's hard not to.

Heading back to Dunbar, I decided to soak up some of the downtown excitement. Got off at West Georgia St and walked up Howe to Robson St. Many of the blocks around here are closed to traffic, so it's wall-to-wall people milling about. This city is so alive with Olympic spirit!

I walked through The Bay where the main Olympic Apparel Store is. The line-up to get inside was huge, and apparently other stores from across the country are shipping their inventory to Vancouver to meet demand. Imagine, a line-up to get into The Bay??!!

Then it was off to Robson Square, one of the main street hubs for the Olympics. They have constructed two towers to allow people to Zip Line over the city. It takes about 7 seconds, and for only a six hour wait, that opportunity could be yours.

A lot of walking, some sore feet, and a delicious dinner to close out a great day. The only way it would have made it perfect is if Lisa and the kids were here to share it. Well, for now words and pictures will have to do.

Marc, out.

Day Nine - Golden Luck runs out at Cypress

Chris Del Bosco went for it and lost.

There I was amongst the Canadian, American, Swiss, and Norwegian fans at Cypress yesterday, soaking up the sun, watching the debut of ski cross at the Winter Games. Honestly, I can't imagine a more festive atmosphere to showcase this wild sport to the world. Sunshine and beer, painted faces and flags, upbeat music and dancing, you could mistaken the day for an outdoor rock concert! There was even a live band to warm up the crowd before the competition began.

I worked the top of the stairs for the 1/8 and Quarterfinals, with a promise to be working in the stands for the Semis and Finals. Little did I know that television would bring my tongue and rock horns to my family and friends watching on CTV! Talk about luck, timing, and fate. And as my friend Ian aptly pointed out, the camera does add 20 lbs. Had a good laugh at that one! Thanks buddy.

The Small Final had Canadian Davey Barr racing for the bottom 8 spots. Two racers crashed which allowed Barr to finish sixth. Good on him, as he was a last minute replacement for two injured skiers and probably didn't train the same way.

Then the Final started, with Chris Del Bosco favoured to medal. Out of the gate, he was fighting for third place, and as the crowd below watched the jockeying of positions on the big screen, roars of applause would erupt every time Chris pulled into a medal spot. I think we all knew around the half-way point that he didn't have a chance at gold unless the two skiers ahead of him bailed, but their lead was pretty commanding.

We saw the racers come around the final corner, heading into the final jump, Chris looking like he would hold on to third place. Everyone was going crazy! Then, Del Bosco makes a decision that will ultimately cost him any podium finish - he takes the inside line, over the gate, and launches himself off-balance into the air, a spectacular crash that solicits many 'oohs' and 'awwwhhs', and finally, silence, save for the small but proud contingent from Switzerland. Their racer, Mike Schmid, had won ski cross's first ever gold medal.

Still, many people left extremely happy. It was another beautiful day on the mountain, Canada vs. USA was playing later in the afternoon, Kristina Groves wins another Silver, and Bode Miller wins Gold in Whistler. All that and Ice Dancing too!

I came home thinking it'd be an empty house, so I picked up a pizza and planned on sitting down with a beer and watch hockey. However, my hosts were back early from Whistler and had made reservations to a Japanese restaurant for after the game. I couldn't say no to the invitation, as I'd heard that outside of Japan, the food in Vancouver is some of the best in the world. It certainly didn't disappoint! What a nice treat, and again, I can't thank Don and Dana enough for their hospitality.

Today (Tuesday) is Ladies Aerials, but I have the day off. So it's tourist time in the big city. I'm planning on heading to Stanley Park, maybe rent a bike, go to the aquarium, and soak up some sun as well. Then, back here for a home cooked meal, bed, and another day at Cypress tomorrow.

I'll be home in six days, and I can't wait to see my family! More pics later.

Marc, out.

Day Eight - Women's Aerial Qualifications and Pin Trading with children

Quite possibly my easiest and shortest day so far.

My shift started at 11 a.m. which means I left the house at 8:30 a.m. If it weren't for the books (thanks Mom) and the view (thanks, God), I'd probably chew my left arm off. I think people commute like this on a regular basis just so that they can live affordably in Vancouver. It is such a beautiful city, but so very expensive to live in.

Sun was served up again for today's weather menu, a beautiful spring day anywhere else in this country. I kind of feel bad for the rest of Canada...kind of.

The 11 o'clock crew was asked if anyone wanted to leave early today by working the transportation mall (where all of the buses leave), or stay and very likely leave earlier than shifts end. With a five-hour round trip commute, I decided to stay. It was a day spent doing Access Control and suntanning, with my day on the mountain ending at two. Sadly, I did miss seeing any of the aerial qualifications, but I was in a position to meet briefly with my friend and fellow patroller Kym. It's actually quite amazing the amount of people I have run into since I've been here. There are literally thousands of people here for the Olympics in a city of millions, and I've spent time with family and shared some great experiences with friends from back home.

While doing a bit of Access Control during Egress (technical term for 'people exiting'), a few kids passed by admiring my pins.

At the Olympics, pins are currency. People collect them from Games to Games, around the world, right up there with stamps, coins, hockey cards, whatever. I started my Games journey with no pins. On my third shift, I was rewarded with my first. By the time I left Whistler, I had 10. Collecting and trading pins is an Olympic sport all on it's own. So when a couple of cute kids come up and admire my pins, saying they need this one or that one for their collection, I turn all mushy and gladly give or trade with them. But when the smoke clears and my Games experiences finish, I plan on saving those pins for my kids, as they may hold some value to them as they get older.

It was a very busy day in Vancouver. Hockey, curling and and speed skating made the Seabus and bus ride very long. Thousands of people lining Granville and Robson St, the fever growing as each day passes, the city swelling with Olympic pride. You can't help but be swept up by it, and even the harshest critics must be softening a bit. On one of my days off, I'm getting up early and taking the bus downtown where I will be part of the excitement and take pictures that will hopefully capture this moment for you.

I had extra time to get some groceries, and with the house to myself, and a bottle of wine to kill, a nice BBQ steak and sweet potato was in order. With weather like this in February, an Ottawan considers this prime patio weather.

So here I am, watching speed skating, sharing my memories. I miss home and my family, but luckily, this city has so many friendly people willing to share a moment with a stranger that the days go by fairly quickly. Thankfully I enjoy talking and meeting new people. It's quite incredible sharing a bus or boat ride with people from around the globe. My own daily United Nations!

Tomorrow it's Men's Ski Cross at Cypress, Canada vs. USA in hockey, and two man bobsleigh - don't be afraid to spend your entire day in front of the television. Could be a golden day for us again. Longer shift tomorrow, 10 to four, and add the commute! Thankfully, I have an extra day off now, so I won't hesitate to sleep in.

Till then, stay cool, fools :)

P.S. - Hey Lisa, I think I've thought of the perfect way to thank my accommodation hosts.

Ski Day, Whistler and Blackcomb

Now, where did I leave off?? Ah yes, my day of skiing with my cousin, Geoff.

Woke up early with a wee hangie, but nothing Raisin Bran, toast and coffee couldn't cure. Played with the kiddies for a bit, watched tape-delayed hockey shootout game between Russia and Slovakia, and then it was on the bus and up to the mountain.

Rented my skis at Carleton Lodge and then we were on our way. The weather was an absolute perfect spring day - bluebird skies, 6C at the base, -4C at the summit, no ice, just nice fast snow.

Geoff took it easy on me early, hitting some nice, fast cruisers. It gave us a chance to warm up as the tougher challenges were looming for me. I hadn't skied too many days this year, so I was a bit apprehensive about my leg strength and stamina, but I was determined not to slow my cousin up too much.

On the chair lift, we met (again) some interesting people, most notably two bomb techs from Hamilton. They are up as part of the larger security force that is in Vancouver and Whistler. We had a really nice chat, and once we reached the summit, it was time to part ways. A few runs and then we went over to watch the men's Super G race course. We stayed for about 30 minutes, managed to see Manny ski (and fall), as well as several others. What a rush to see them pass by us at such incredible speeds!

Whistler Bowl, Bagel Bowl, and then...The Couloir, possibly Whistler Mountains most famous double-black run. Geoff first took me to 'the hard way', just for the view, and believe me, it is an insane drop in. We moved down to the 'easy way', which was still a really nice challenge. The first thing to remember is not to be too much in awe of the view. The next thing to remember - don't screw up, because it's a loooong way down. As you can guess, I survived that run, and my quad muscles are still rebelling against me as I type this.

The Peak 2 Peak Gondola is not only a spectacle of engineering, but one of the most thrilling 11 minutes of your life. As the longest gondola in the world, it joins Whistler and Blackcomb mountain. Debate rages amongst locals as to which mountain is best, but to me, skiing both in the same day is the cat's ass. In fact, there is nothing more breathtaking than hiking up a few metres to the entrance of Blackcomb Glacier. Imagine a valley of white snow, walls of rock surround you as they climb into the sky, the people below looking like ants. It is one of the reasons why people from around the world flock to ski this piece of alpine heaven.

This was our last run of the day, partly because it was mid-afternoon, and partly because it can be physically demanding. We dropped in and stayed to the left, as I wondered in my head why we weren't heading towards the middle and the easiest route down.

Geoff does not do easy.

We ended up at a section that he had never skied before. Surrounded by cliffs behind us and cliffs below us, it was a sketchy decision moment of whether we would be able to find a safe way down or hike back up to the trail. We found a way down, but it would be one I will never forget!

Quite simply, it was the steepest, hairiest run I had ever done in my entire life, and I've been skiing for close to 37 years! The first two turns are the ones that will determine whether you will make it down without falling, without losing your equipment, and escaping serious injury. With visions of my children and wife in my mind, I headed down with more determination than I've ever had, skiing, quite literally, as if my life depended on it.

As I made my way down, confidence building with every turn, I knew that I quite possibly skied the run of my recreational career. It was a fantastic way to end my day, and a well deserved beer was waiting back at the house.

Shower, beer, and nachos, and then it was time to take the 4 hr trek back to Vancouver. As I entered the door in Dunbar, I noticed that my hosts, who had left for Whistler that day, left me a very nice note and a delicious bottle of '98 Cab Sauv for my consumption. However, it was 10 pm and I was exhausted, so the wine would have to wait for the next day.

Day Off - Weasel's, Free Beer, and Nancy Greene

Finally, two days off from working at the Olympics, with an opportunity to relax and ski in Whistler. But let's be honest. This is B.C., and you can't get away from the Olympics.

It was nice to actually be a part of them from a fan perspective. I arrived in Whistler in record time. My cousin Geoff was out skiing and wouldn't be back until one, so I had time to catch up with his wife Jackie and play with their kids Zachary, Sammy, and Isabelle.

When Geoff got home, we all decided to go walking around Whistler Village. The place was packed with people, more than the busiest day outside of the Games. But the energy was incredible, lots of very friendly people, and a nice opportunity to soak in the festivities.

After taking lots of pictures, finding free stuff (pins and a foam finger to cheer on Jamaica), we parted ways so that I could meet up with my friend and fellow ski patroller Ashley. Ashley's role is Course Setter, and he's one of those people that put up the 'B' nets, or the blue safety nets on the race course. Collectively, all of the alpine crew are known as Weasel Workers, secret hand shakes and all. They also have their own 'house', which, as you can guess, is aptly named "Weasel House". Translation - free beer! Yes, Marc's incredible run of dumb luck continues.

At the Weasel House, we enjoyed some nice local draft, met some other patrollers from around Canada, including one from Mont Saint Marie who I remember from meeting years ago. But the two highlights for me were meeting Carl Ricker, the father of snowboard cross Gold medal winner Maelle Ricker, and the lovely (and short) Nancy Greene.

I left in time to catch dinner back at the house, and then Geoff and I went back into the village because we had tickets to Victory Square and the medal ceremonies. Again, another fantastic experience to see athletes get what they readily deserved for all of their hard work and dedication.

Again, met some really cool Canadians, surly Swiss, jolly Americans, and gnarly Norwegians. We bar hopped a few places, met a guy from Texas who came up to ski, and when he booked, didn't realize the Olympics were going on! Of course, I asked him if he lived in a cave, but I guess we now know how popular the Games coverage is down South.

Finally, it was home to bed because Day Two of my days off was....Whistler/Blackcomb ski day!

Off to work now, will update Day Two tonight (tomorrow for those of you in the East).

Marc, out!

Men's Halfpipe, Day of Crapper Duty, tanning at Cypress???

Day Five - and I'm almost halfway there.

Woke up to still wet boots from the rain yesterday, and Dana kindly gave me some plastic bags to wear inside them. Still, with the gorgeous weather at Cypress and my wonderful sweaty feet, I ended up changing my socks three times. I think I'm the only person who constantly changes their socks - it's a ski patrol habit I have, I guess.

It was bluebird skies all day today, and one of the nicest days since I arrived in Vancouver. I knew when I arrived at the mountain that it would be a great day. The Men's Halfpipe is one of the marquee events at the Olympics, and to be honest, I had never heard of Shaun White until today. By the end of my shift, I knew the Americans had a very strong team.

Talked to a volunteer on my way to work who works at Whistler as part of the anti-doping unit. Now that is a cool gig. She got involved because her dad did a similar role back at Squaw Valley.

My role today was Support team, which essentially means floater to relieve other positions throughout the day. My first spot was the concession line. For some reason, my 5' 10', 210 lbs frame makes people think that I can play the 'bouncer' role, which I happily oblige, if for nothing than to alleviate stress from the more 'quiet' volunteers and get things moving. The perception of being organized goes a long way to making people happy when they are in a food line up.

From there I was rewarded (or punished) by spending 30 minutes up in the stands to watch the quarterfinals on the Halfpipe. Punished, because to reach the seating area, you have to climb 246 steps which really works the quads. However, I got some good pictures and felt the energy of the crowd.

There are a few dreaded jobs at Cypress. Ticketing or Entry is one of them, because you are so far removed from the action. The other one is the Crapper. Below the stairs sit over 40 port o' johns, and the only thing that separates this area and the ski-out where the athletes come down from is a plastic race fence. It's a popular area for fans to hang out and enjoy some of BC's famous smokeable herb, and with a small hole where people have slipped through, it needs some security. This was where I spent my last 40 minutes of my day. It truly is a shitty job. However, I did meet the ex-coach of Shaun White and Scotty Lagos, and I made it back to town to watch the finals on television. Weather-wise, we couldn't of asked for better.

If you had a chance to watch the women's downhill, you were treated to a bunch of spectacular crashes, and a Gold medal run by the US's Lindsey Vonn. Twice on T.V, I heard the reference by CTV announcers that he/she was "The Gretzkey of their sport". It's just a matter of time before Gretzky becomes a word in Webster's dictionary to mean one who is the best in their given profession.

I now have two well-deserved days off. My feet are sore, my legs hate me, every time I see a family with their children my heart aches. But I know that 10, 20, or 30 years from now, surrounded by my grandkids, Lisa just in earshot, Aiden and Marissa looking nearby, I'll have these wonderful memories to share. Maybe Lisa and I will be watching a future Olympic Games knowing that our children are there in some capacity?? Either way, these 16 days will be a hiccup in the timeline of my life. This online dairy of sorts will hopefully last longer than my memory :)

I can't tell you how happy I am that you are not only reading my daily experiences and enjoying them, but are so supportive with your comments here and on Facebook. It feels that you are all with me in some small way, and I don't feel alone in this! So thank you, thank you, and thank you.

With that, I'm off to Whistler tomorrow to spend a few days with my cuz Geoff and his family, get some skiing in, experience the Games from our other main location, and maybe share a beer or two with a few volunteers that are working up there.

The blog will take a break, but I'll be back on Saturday with more pics and the lowdown from Whistler Creekside. Till then, be cool, stay healthy, hug your loved ones, and don't be a Quatchi!

I'm the lucky Loonie (or looney). Day Four, another Gold on Cypress.

I'm starting to think there's some magic in my tired bones. Both times I've watched the medal race, both times Canada wins gold. And when Mike Robertson won Silver, where was I? Down below, NOT watching. So, there you have it. The secret to Canada's success is me!

But honestly, what a great win for such a nice, cute, humble Canadian girl. Way to go Maelle.

The day for me started very wet. The bus up to Cypress climbed into fog/clouds, where it would delay the ladies' snowcross for over two hours. Up at the Grandstand where I was, constant drizzle poured over my plastic poncho, dripping endlessly over my water-resistent (not proof) boots.

Three pairs of socks later, the sun came out and I was deployed in the stands, where I was able to not only witness a golden run, but once again feel the excitment with the other spectators. There really is no feeling like it.

Celebrity sighting of the day? GG Michaelle Jean.

Right after the win, I phoned home where I got to talk to Lisa, and found out that her, Marissa, and Aiden watched the race as well. In Aiden's words, it was "Frickin' awesome".

Some funny/odd/interesting little things that happen in my world or that I observe lately:

- Bulgarian men get very upset when you ask to see their accreditation. And they are BIG men!

- It's wet, cold, and foggy, but still, Canadians will buy four $10 cans of beer and can party like no other country

- Quatchi, the big hairy mascot of the three we have at the Games, has become my arch enemy. My friend Matt said Quatchi is a bitch. Therefore, Quatchi means bitch.
"Dude, I'm soaking wet. My feet hurt. I want to go home."
"Johnny, stop being such a Quatchi."

- When I walk downtown Van to my bus stop with my blue jacket on, EVERYONE thinks you have the answers. Sometimes I do, but most times I make it up. (kidding)

- You CAN take public transit and strike up a perfectly normal conversation with complete strangers. It makes the trip go by so much quicker, and you meet really interesting people.

- Regardless of what you read or hear in the media, these Olympic Games are going great! Yes, tickets were cancelled, people were pissed, but spectators also avoided injury and the ones that were there had the time of their lives. No, VANOC cannot control weather, especially in February. Yes, we tried being Green, but sometimes old methods work best. A Zamboni will never let you down. Yes, an athlete died before the Games even began, but no, there was nothing that could have prevented it. No Olympic Games has ever gone off without a hitch, no, Vancouver 2010 isn't perfect, yes, they are working out the kinks, yes, Canadians are the most friendliest, helpful, caring, and passionate people in the world.

- The Canadian Heritage Minister needs to butt out and keep his mouth shut. He's acting like a little Quatchi.

Tomorrow, one of the biggest events to date at Cypress - Halfpipe!

Day Three - Silver Lining at Cypress

Ah yes, another day, another medal.

Today things shifted from Freestyle Plaza to Snocross Centre. On one hand, there were 4000 disappointed people in Vancouver who found out that their general admission tickets were cancelled for today's Snocross because of safety issues, and on the other, hundreds of EVS (Event Services) staff breathing a small sigh of relief that we only had to manage 5000 people.

The half-pipe/cross course is quite amazing. It sits to the right of the new Day Lodge on the other side of the mountain. The Grandstands tower 14 stories over the arriving crowd, and people get to climb over 216 stairs to reach the top, and another 30 if they are sitting at the top row. On the way to the field of play area, spectators pass a Graffiti Wall, a sectioned area sponsored by VANOC to highlight Urban Art. For people who have been up to Cypress the last few days, it's nice to change up the dynamics.

My section today was in the path area, which meant crowd and access control, answering questions, and making the spectators feel welcome. Although I wasn't in a position to see any of the action (other than 10 minutes of it on my lunch), I could hear the roar of the crowd, particularly when Canada's Mike Roberston narrowly missed winning gold by about a foot to American Bryon Wilson.

And so there I was among the departing fans thanking them for coming, wishing them a good night, asking if they had a great time, congratulating the Americans on their gold. The smile on my face is always genuine, my thanks always sincere. It's just so cool being surrounded by Austrians, Norweigians, French, Germans, Japanese, Chinese, Poles, Americans, fellow Canadians....we speak so many different languages, but deep down we are so much alike.

I was able to see many of the athletes come down and into the access controlled area, many of them greeted by their families. For many of these 'kids', it's their first Olympic Games. For the mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, all of their many family members, it must be such a sense of pride to watch them compete. We put so much emphasis on placing in the medals, and gold is so coveted, but for many countries, and for many athletes, the chance to just compete, attend, and finish their event is gold enough.

Off to bed, short sleep followed by my longest shift tomorrow - 5:30 a.m. until 3:15, not counting the 5 hrs of commuting total. Ladies' snocross, should be exciting.

Reporting from Cypress Mountain, British Columbia...

Golden Day Two

Day two is now in the books, and what a day it was!

As you all know by now, Canada's Alexandre Bilodeau made Canadian Olympic history tonight by winning a gold medal on home soil. Yes, I believe!



Here's how my day unfolded.

Shift was for 10 a.m., so I left the house at 7:30 a.m. Walked to my new local Starbucks. No rain this morning, so I started feeling confident about the weather today on the mountain. Bus was late, which meant I started worrying I would be late for my shift, however, my connections on the Seabus and then the Cypress shuttle all clicked, and as we drove up to Cypress, we burst through the clouds to see hints of blue sky, and a glimmer of hope that we'd have a dry day.

In the briefing, I was teamed with a new group of people. I am starting to like this, because with thousands of volunteers, there's so many interesting people to meet and talk to, and mixing up the teams and daily duties keeps each day fresh.
So today our team was Plaza 10. I don't get the 10, but Plaza means we are basically doing crowd and access control from the point when spectators enter the main viewing area (merchandise, food concessions, first aid, lost and found, bathrooms and grandstand). As the role of Hosts for Event Services, we basically 'touch' each and every person who attends an event.

So as I stood outside the operations building, greeting people, the sun started coming out, which was a far cry from the wet weather yesterday. And sun really gets people in a fantastic mood, so another grand day of me smiling, helping people find there way, making sure they are in a positive and festive frame of mind before the action starts.

I will say the one common complaint amongst spectators is that the food concession lineups are way too long. There are only two areas where people can buy food (and the rules state that you cannot bring your own in for security reasons), so there are two very long lineups for a good chunk of the day. Thankfully, the weather helped to ease some distress, but overall, it's something that cannot be alleviated. Cypress is not built to accommodate upwards of 9000 people for an event.

In any case, my shift went incredibly well, and although we were short staffed, we more than made due. As I was finishing up, a senior supervisor asked if I minded giving him a hand moving the crowd to allow a vehicle to transport food to the athletes. Of course, I'm more than willing to lend a hand, and after I did, Glenn rewarded me with a dinner voucher. This is important to note because on shift, you only get one meal voucher, and I will honestly say, volunteers are fed very well. So to have two meals taken care of is a real bonus.

As I sat in the main day lodge eating my dinner and watching luge on the television, I had the time to call home - finally! Lisa and I have missed each other's calls lately, so this being Valentine's Day, I really wanted to hear her voice. After our call, I had to decide whether to head back to Vancouver or stay and watch the Men's Mogul medal run. It was an easy decision to make, and one that I am grateful I made.

Sitting in the crowd, I watched the top ten men come down the run, many of which had some great times, some with great aerials, but not many with both. Third last to go was Canadian-born Aussie Dale Bigg-Smith, who put in an incredible run and was in first place. Alexandre Bilodeau followed, and when his name was announced, the crowd roared and then we all cheered each and every twist, turn, and jump that he made. When the scores were announced and Bilodeau had beaten Bigg-Smith, everyone went nuts! It was the most incredible feeling, like when your favourite team scores that point on the final play or scores in overtime to win the championship. We all knew we had witnessed something special. Of course, there was one more skier to follow, and so we collectively held our breath, some of us wishing for him to fall or at least screw up. French skier Guilbaut Colas raced down the course but did not secure very good aerial points, so when he crossed the finish line, we all knew the gold was ours.

So there you have it. A gold medal day for Canada (as well as a bronze from fellow Ottawan Kristina Groves for her third place finish in the 3000m speed skate), an historic experience, a bus full of happy Canucks singing Oh Canada on the way down. And it's only Day Two.

Good night everyone!