Day 04 - Only 7 more days till the Downhill

You know that people spend thousand of dollars to climb to the top of major mountains to watch the sun rise across the peaks. Well Olympic Alpine volunteers just have to get up early, (5:30 a.m.) and get to work. And then turn and look over your shoulder as you work to build the ski race course at the pink sunrise on the peaks across the valley.

Today I realized after having to remove and relocate over 400 meters of safety fencing so that the TV cameras had a more clear view of the track that alot of the Olympics to the rest of the World is just a television events. But the the volunteers building the course and the racers who have to ski down at 135 kms this is more than reality TV. This is real scary business.

But lots of sunshine and cold temperatures so things continue to look good for the Olympics in one week.

Keep watching.

The two picture are of John Benbow, the Chief of Course who is the only person I report to and Phil Hunt and his crew. Phil is one of the young crew chiefs I have brought along and into the Weasel fold to ensure that there is younger people still interested and trained to continue the Weasel Downhill Ski Racing legacy at Whistle following the 2010 Olympics.

Gerry

Day 03 - A New Day & New Snow

Day 03 We awoke to 10 cms of new snow that really cleaned up the valley and provided additional work for the Course Workers as the safety systems continued to be installed all along the Dave Murray Downhill Course.

But with many hardy crews, such as Greg Stoddard's band of old experienced workers with a couple of rookies, rose to the test and installed B nets all day. When not installing nets the crews worked at getting the track itself ready by removing the new snow and smoothing the track. And what the crews can not do then along comes the "Piston Bully" snow cats. These $300,000 machines can take a rutted and snow filled course and turn it into a sloped table top ready for racing.

Today the Olympic Torch came to Whistler and all sorts of special events and people along the route welcomed the Torch. It is starting to get really exciting!

More tomorrow

Gerry

Day 2 The Work Really Starts

Crew Installing B Net

Carousel Corner

The "Toilet Bowl"

Thursday Febuary 04, 2010

Whistler Village stroll with Lights

Today the crews all started to arrive. Many of my long time crew members and long time friends today after their Olympic training session arrived on the mountain. Helen Brown from Campbell River brought her husband Casey to work with us for the first time ( I think he realized that Helen was just having way too much fun), Greg Stoddard who started working with me over 15 years ago arrived and is now leading his own crew, and Steve Nader from Toronto arrived also to share in the excitement of the Olympics. The crews are all filling out and settling in and should be ready for the next three days of work building all of the required safety systems along the race course.

The sun shone most of the day and I can feel the sunburn and wind burn on my face as I sit here putting this blog together. Its was still cold and it is crystal clear tonight which will help to set up the race track and make it even harder.

The Weasel House opened tonight for the first time. Weasel House is a 6, 000 sq. ft. sprung structure "tent" that is the hospitality centre for all Apline Course workers and a symbol of the connection of the Whistler Weasel Workers to designing and building ski race courses at Whistler. The Olympics are so gald to have us and all of our experience.

Till tomorrow

Gerry

Feb. 03, 2010 - the First Day

Ger in Olympic Blue

Sea to Sky Highway The Carousel Net Looking up the Toilet Bowl

Arriving at Creek Side this morning was like entering a whole new world. VANOC has transformed the roof of the parking garage into a high security zone with full cameras, high fences and large men who check your security clearance. But once at the Chief's Tent I was met by lots of familiar Weasel Worker faces, old friends and a couple of members of my Crew. Everyone is now dressed in the Olympic light blue jackets and hats. (See attached Picture).
Throughout the morning we were introduced to all of the various leaders, chiefs and head honchoes of the Men's and Ladies Venue. Safety, protection of the public & the racers and representing the Olympics are the major concerns and we were given alot of instructions and protocalls to adhere to.
Then finally at lunch it was into my skis and up the mountain for some on site training and refreshing on the installation and maintenance of the safety systems along the course. The feeling of skiing with no poles and just skiing as fast as possible between lifts and the course is still one of the thrills of Course Work.
The weather up here today was high overcast and it was getting cooler as the day went on. The top of the Race Track is in great shape - hard, smooth & fast. But past midstation the course is quite soft but should set up hard as the weather gets colder.
I am taking the buses up here and other than taking extra time is definitely the only way to get around the valley as there is little public parking.
Tomorrow the crews all start arriving and then the work will begin in earnest.

The Excitement is Starting to Build

Now that there is only 21 days to the start of the 2010 Olympic and 12 days till I start working on the Men's Track things are really getting exciting.