Is Toronto City Hall spinning its wheels?

I am an avid cyclist that supports bike lanes, but only when developed to make cycling safe and easy and not to impair current traffic patterns. I like to ride 4 or 5 times a week for exercise and when the weather became suitable for riding last month, I pulled out my TO cycling map to look for routes to explore and enjoy the city. What a frustrating experience this was, as there is no rhyme or reason as to where the lanes and paths start and end. Ideally, you should be able to move from your starting point to your destination using a grid system that is totally connected. Unfortunately, the mandarins at city hall continue to complicate matters by announcing solutions one at a time. First they choose Jarvis St. for dedicated bike lanes and now University Ave. What impact will this have on traffic and more importantly what impact will this have on the relationship between auto drivers and cyclists? In an effort to improve cycling in the City, they have created a situation where the auto community hates cyclists even more. Where is the strategy about cycling in Toronto? You can’t start executing a plan if there isn’t one. While I applaud the City’s focus on cycling, maybe more councillors and decision makers need to hop on a bike and see what the current system entails. Then they can develop a sound strategy and implementation plan.


Why can’t City Hall see this …citizens are asking; “are they all brain dead?” As a Board member of one of Toronto's 70 plus BIA's I get to see how the city makes decisions first hand and by and large most of the city managers I have met are hard working, dedicated people that want to make the city a better place. However, I see a lot of middle managers that only have the power to say no, no one seems to have the ability to say yes and everything requires a committee. Committee’s certainly have a role to play in decision making, but when all decisions must be made by committee, the end result is a slow process and resultant decisions that are negotiated compromises. I remember many years ago my mentor asking me; “what is the definition of a camel?” The answer; “A horse designed by a committee!” Why have we gotten to this position? Is it the system and/or top leadership that is the problem? I believe the solution is one where both the City Council and the bureaucracy needs to be trimmed, the deadwood removed and processes put in place that can make simple decisions quickly.

Hopefully our next mayor will have a large broom, so that they can sweep away the deadwood that has kept Tdot's growth and development mired in cement for the past 30 years. Which mayoral candidate has the chutzpah/cajones to do this right?

Finally, with regard to the current bike lane dilemma, should they also accommodate wheel chairs? I hope so, because my fear is that I will be in a wheelchair long before we see a good bicycle grid plan. City Hall are you listening?

Start of the Cycling Season in dotTO

With all the fine weather we have had in Toronto this month (today excluded) the cycling season has gotten off to an early start. I like to ride at least 4 or 5 times per week and my goal this year is to ride at least 300 km per week. This breaks down to three rides of 60km (typically after work) and a weekend ride of 120km with TBN (Toronto Bicycling Network).

I did three to four spin classes per week during the winter and last week I did three break-in rides and two spin classes, so the legs are slowly getting into shape. For this week, Wednesday and Thursday look like great days, so I'm hoping to step up the pace and ride at least 60km on each of those days.

I have signed up for the two rides in June; The Ride for Heart and Stroke (75km) and the 2-day Ride to Conquer Cancer (100 miles each day). If you would like to sponsor me you can go to my web pages for each event at these links:

Ride for Heart and Stroke - http://bit.ly/bRC2ku

Ride to Conquer Cancer - http://bit.ly/aemKtV

Last year I was living in Northeast Oakville, so I had great access to the country roads north of Dundas/Highway 5, heading out towards Milton. It is a great place to ride and on any given night you would see a lot of fellow riders on the roads. In late August I moved into the city and now reside in Leaside, so I'm now exploring the city for good rides (without getting killed). Last week I discovered the Don River trail. It has it's pros and cons. On the pro side there are no cars and you don't need to stop every block for a light or stop sign. On the down side, you can't ride very fast and the trail rattles the hell out of your bones. The best part of the ride is tackling the hill on Bayview from Pottery Road up to Moore St. I like to sprint that puppy, out of the saddle and keep track of the time it takes me each time I ride it. I'm a little competitive and it's fun to 'blow the doors off’ a fellow cyclist, especially when it's at the end of your two hour ride. I think my nightly ride will be to take the Don Trail down to the Lakeshore and then do the Lakefront Trail from Woodbine to Humber and back. Woodbine to Humber is about 20km, so if you do it there and back plus the Don trail loop, it will be about 60km. The only pain on the Lakeshore is the section along Queen’s Quay …hopefully future Mayor Rocco will remedy this situation.

I've also been exploring the nutrition side of cycling and I have learned a lot in the past year. I have downloaded a number of recipes to make my own energy bars, gels and electrolyte drinks. Many of the products are loaded with ingredients that I can't even say ...and that is not good. I will experiment with a few of these products and post them in the next few weeks.

Have a great day and if you're in the Toronto area, give me a shout if you would like to go for a ride some evening or on a Sunday morning.

All the best ...Greg

Sad news :(

Please click on this link to my blog or read below:

http://bit.ly/bMw0UN

After the Olympics I was contemplating different subjects that I could blog about.
The name of my Blog is Avid Cyclist, so I should really be blogging about cycling. Last night the skies cleared and I decided it was time for the first ride of the year. It was a beautiful evening and I had a great ride. This morning I woke up to beautiful blue skies and I was noodling how I could fit in another ride today.
Before heading out, I then checked my messages and heard that a dear friend had passed away on the weekend at the age of 41. I immediately knew what I had to write about.
Mike Van Vlack owned the BioPed franchise in Windsor. He was very healthy, a great Dad, with three young kids, had a wonderful wife and was an amazing person. He will be missed by many.
I remember Mike as a young 23 year old coming out of college and beginning his first job at BioPed. There was something very special about him ...he could always ask the tough question, but in a way that he didn't hurt or insult the other person. He was also a great listener and a sponge for learning. While Windsor was a long drive from Toronto, I never hesitated when Mike asked for help. Besides, he was an amazing golfer and it was an opportunity to play with him. I remember inviting him to be my partner one year at my member guest golf tournament. He had never played the course and didn't have his "A" game with him that day, but still shot even par 71. He never got mad or didn't panic when he made a bad shot, but had faith that he could get the job done. He lived his life in exactly the same way.
Mike grew up as a farmer and it was always my belief that farmer's kids made the best hires. They understood a good work ethic, commitment, perseverance and most importantly were just 'good' people. I always wished that I could clone Mike. It may be too late to do that, but I have a good feeling that his three children will be very like him.
The Obit in today's Windsor Star is a great tribute to him and really speaks volumes about the type of person he is. (The link to the Star article is below)
As the article explains, Mike was just being Mike and had organized a fund raiser to help out a close friend who was going through very expensive Cancer treatments. He never asked someone to do something that he wouldn't do himself.
When things like this happen, I ask the questions; "why them? why so young? And just why?"
Of course, there are no answers, but when I go for a ride later today, I will try to find some. :(

http://bit.ly/cmpQh9

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Greg
M 416-347-1545

A Survey for The Chef Upstairs

Many of our clients have shown an interest in learning more about wine. We think that it would be great to offer Wine Courses to our clients, but before doing so we wanted to ask you about your preferences.
We would really appreciate if you could take two or three minutes and answer the 10 survey questions. Please click on the link below and follow the instructions. Also, if you know any other wine lovers, please forward this email to them as well.
Thank you for your help and have a great weekend.

http://bit.ly/a4ceKJ

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Greg
M 416-347-1545

A Volunteer's Olympic Recap

Please click on this link to see today's Blog as well as all of the previous Blog posts, or just read below. Enjoy!

http://bit.ly/bMw0UN

Today was my 2nd last day in Whistler and the last day as a Volunteer. It has been an incredible experience and a time that I will always remember.

This morning I drove a young Luger from Romania into the Village for last minute shopping. He was a very articulate and thankful young man and told me how all of the Lugers were a close knit group. He was a friend of Georgian Luger Nodar and was very appreciative of how John Furlong and VANOC handled the tragedy of Nodar's death at both the Opening and Closing ceremonies.

Here is the web link to a great article in the March 1, 2010 L.A. Times http://bit.ly/ddQZ1S

The L.A. Times article reiterated why I volunteered for these Games and how appreciative the visitors have been to us. After reading the article this morning it really made me think ...Why did I do this? ...My simplest answer, would be that it was the Canadian thing to do. But honestly, I think it was ingrained in my DNA. Both of my parents certainly taught me the importance of giving and helping others. They have been great role models for me and why I think that Volunteering should be a very important part of our lives. My Mother has always had their door open to friends and family and once inside, she feels compelled to feed them and surround them in kindness. If they can't get to visit her, she takes her show on the road! My father on the other hand has always been a tireless volunteer, whether it was the PTA, Scouts, Kiwanis or coaching and now he sits on the board of their Condo Corporation. The message I've learned from both of them is that "it is better to give than to receive". While this may be an overused phrase, it is something that I truly believe in. I hope that I have been a good student and that I can make as much of a difference as my parents have.
So what's my next volunteer venture? I have never been involved in politics, but when I heard that Rocco Rossi would be running for Mayor of Toronto, I knew that it was something that I wanted to get involved with. I have known Rocco for several years. He is a brilliant man, that understands what the city needs and has a plan to bring Toronto into the 21st Century. I believe that we will see a truly great election race. Watch for my upcoming Blog about this exciting election.

And I'm not giving up on the Olympics. I will be thinking about returning as a volunteer for both London 2012 and Sochi 2014 ...the journey has just begun.

P.S. I will try to download some pictures and post them in the next day or so.

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Greg
M 416-347-1545

DAY 17 - Colour the Games RED!!

Please click on this link to see today's Blog as well as all of the previous Blog posts, or just read below. Enjoy!
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Wow ...what an astounding, amazing and unbelievable day. Ernest Hemingway could not have written a better closing script than what we witnessed today. I still remember the '72 Soviet Series and how it gripped the country from sea to shining sea. These games were certainly comparable and I am certain that there were a record number of viewers this afternoon watching the hockey game.
I am so happy for John Furlong and the Vanoc 2010 team. They had several nearly insurmountable problems that tried to derail the games, but through the will, spirit and excitement of all of Canada we pulled it off and created one of the best games ever.
I decided yesterday that I would stay in Whistler to watch the hockey game and see the Closing Ceremonies on the big screen in the Village. Vancouver would have been exciting, but the logistics to get there and back were too complicated.

Today's hockey game was probably the most amazing I have ever witnessed. There was the US with a solid unyielding defense and the best goaltending in the world. Canada had a relentless forecheck, defense that moved the puck better than any and Luuuuu made the big saves when required. I need not describe what happened but I can tell you that the excitement was at a fever pitch in the bar where I watched the game. When the US tied the game with 24 seconds remaining we were all prepared for a Cdn loss.
I was happy for the win as it gave Canada their 14th Gold, to break the all time record for most Gold medals at a Winter Olympics. While we did not "Own" the Podium, I believe that we have a firm 4-year Lease on it.
As the game ended, the bars emptied and impromptu parties broke out everywhere. Even the skies cleared and the Sun came out to make it a perfect afternoon. People converged on the Central Square in Whistler and within minutes there were 20,000 people packed into the area. The post game medal ceremony was displayed on the big screen and hundreds of flags were waving as we all sang Oh Canada. Words cannot describe the pride and emotion that we all felt, but it is something that I wish everyone could experience at least once in their lifetime. (Attached picture)
Before the Closing Ceremonies there was a concert in the Village Square with the band Blue Rodeo. They played on the energy of the crowd and were awesome. Our international visitors were quite awe struck by the whole experience and weren't sure what had happened to all the polite Canadians. The band played for close to an hour and we then waited about 30 minutes for the Closing Ceremonies to begin.
I thought that Joannie Rochette was the perfect choice for our flag bearer. While she only won bronze, there was no other Athlete who faced circumstances as difficult as hers. She was the pen ultimate performer under pressure.
The Closing Ceremonies continued the positive vibe and energy that was created by the win in men's hockey. Fixing the torch was a great bit of humour and hopefully will silence the anal critics who have a need to destroy and expose at any cost.
John Furlong's speech was very good and I believe that he went out of his way to give the Smurf Team a very kind thank you. I believe that Van2010 had more Volunteers than any other Winter games. Furlong also did a nice job of honouring Nodar the deceased luge competitor and the ovation by the Athletes was very heartfelt.
The Dancing Mounties, flying beavers, Dancing Mooses and I am Canadian monologues were very cute. Finally, there was no better way to finish than with Neil Young ...who doesn't like him (besides you Brian!)
Tomorrow I will write a wrap-up with my top 10 highlights of the games. We have certainly set the bar high for Sochi 2014 and we wish them great success.

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Greg
M 416-347-1545

Day 16 - Canada is Golden

As usual you can click on this link to see all of the previous Blog posts or just read below. Enjoy!
http://bit.ly/bMw0UN
So is the lead story today the fact that Canada won 3 Golds and 1 Bronze to tie with the most Golds won by a country in the history of the Winter Olympics OR is it about Brian McKeever the nearly blind Cross Country Skier who was not picked to race in the 50km race tomorrow?
If you were Dave Perkins the Sports Editor for the Toronto Star, you would pick the latter. McKeever is an extremely talented para athlete and has dominated his sport. He made the Canadian Olympic Team this year despite his limited eyesite, but has not raced in these games. Tomorrow is the 50km mass start, but only 4 athletes may compete for their country in CC events. On Friday McKeever was left off the roster because he was clearly not of the same ilk as the four men chosen to race. While McKeever was disappointed, I'm sure he would want to be picked on his athletic merits and not out of sympathy. The other 4 athletes have earned the right to be here and should not have to think about giving up their spot to a lesser athlete because he was disabled. Mr. Perkins does not agree with me and thinks that the Cross Country Manager and Coach should be fired. Well, I think Perkins should step aside as Sports Editor, as he clearly does not understand that the Olympics is about playing the best people, it's not about sympathetic choices. All of our athletes have trained for many years to be the best they can be and to earn the right to represent their country based on their performances. The key word here is "EARN". What do you think? You can read Perkins' article at this link and please leave him a comment:
http://bit.ly/9llL7b
I will now set aside my soap box and return to what I saw and experienced today. The weather improved a bit today and was not as wet as the past few days (the glass half full version). Our long track skaters got the day off to a flying start with a victory in the team pursuit. This was then followed up by a come from behind victory by Jacey Jay Anderson in the Dual GS, a Bronze in Bob Sleigh and then Kevin Martin extinguishing the 'Hot Pants' from Norway. They were all incredible performances that have vaulted us up the Medal Standings. We may not 'Own the Podium' but we have certainly acquired a 4-Year Lease on it!!!
Whistler's three venues were bustling with large crowds today and the Athlete's Village was busy all afternoon and evening. For the T-3 drivers, we would pull up in front, load with 3 to 6 people, drive into the village, come back and do it again. I think I made 8 trips over a 4 hour period driving about 160km. Among others, tonight I had Italian and American Women Bob sledders, Latvian 4-man Bob Sleigh, 2 Austrian Cross Country skiers, a large Korean delegation and one of Canada's Male downhill skiers. The Latvians were funny, they wanted a ride to the liquor store to buy Canadian Whiskey and then a ride back to Athlete's Village to find Canadian Women. I have a funny feeling that their pick-up techniques were not Olympic caliber (ha).
Finally, I wanted to share the "line" of the day. I was doing my laundry early this morning and as I was walking down the corridor I saw this sullen looking young man (early twenties) talking to a young woman. His body language clearly showed that he was sad and the only piece of the conversation I heard, was him saying "...yeah I'm bummed. I lost my zigzags last night..." If you don't understand his despair ...find a young college student to explain it for you ...or B and M ...you can ask J!!
Don't forget to wear RED tomorrow and to cheer Team Canada on to victory. It should be a great game and a perfect ending to these 2010 games.
Enjoy!!!
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Greg
M 416-347-1545

Day 15 - Medal Bonanza

-As usual you can click on this link to see all of the Blog posts or read below. Enjoy!
http://bit.ly/bMw0UN
Wow, it's hard to believe that on a drizzly, foggy, rainy, slushy, damp and miserable day you could find so many happy and elated people.
There is this amazing current of life flowing through Whistler and Vancouver that is totally contagious. If you were to interview a 13 year old, they might say that this is 'totally random' but having studied enough math over the years I know that this is not a random event. This is an amazing culmination of work that was 7 years in the making. Everything from creating two olympic villages (so that all Athletes feel part of the games), to an amazing volunteer workforce, unparalleled transportation, friendly but strong security and last but not least, enthusiasm from RED bedraggled Canadians from Coast to Coast.
I was fortunate today to drive many officials and Olympic Athletes ...3 women Bobsledders from the US, 2 German Cross Country skiers, 1 of the 2 athletes from Tazikstan, Canada's Alpine Doctor, an Australian Women's Skier, A Japanese IOC official, the Director of IT for London 2012 and finally a woman from Germany who won a bronze medal in the biathalon earlier this week. She was ecstatic about the venues, the games, the friendliness, etc. Her first Olympics were in Turin and she never felt like they were part of the games, as their events were staged 7 hours away. Also, there was no Olympic village where she could meet and talk with other athletes from around the world, as each country had their own hotel. Here in Whistler they have resolved all of those problems, plus there is a beautiful village with all the amenities. I think that these words from the German medalist would be echoed by athletes from all nations.
When I hear kind and sincere praise like this, it really makes me proud to be a Canadian ...and it makes it even better when you have a 4 medal day like today!!! While I think that the COC were dumb for thinking they could "own" the podium, I do think that our athletes have come through with flying colours ...10 Golds leading all countries and to think that it could have been 11, if Canada's most popular "Cougar" could have delivered that killer takeout in the 10th or 11th end.
Our Canadian Hockey boys have also gelled at the right time and have set the table for Sunday's Closing event. I hear that the cigars and beers will be there when they need them!!
Win or lose these games will be remembered for years by millions of red adorned Canadians. So, where will you be on Sunday afternoon?
Speaking of proud little Canadians, my little 5 year old niece has been enjoying the games here and in Vancouver for the past week. My sister Lori took her to the Women's Figure Skating last night and she was captivated by the performance of Joannie Rochelle. So just as Joannie was motivated by Elizabeth Manley, many little Canadian girls will want to skate just like Joannie. While Joannie was skating little Kyra said to Lori, "would you be my coach when I skate at the Olympics?" Now those of you that know Lori, know that she can be a little awkward and clumsy at times, but who knows ...maybe she could pull it off and in 2026 Kyra Welch might perform the first "Triple Klutz" in Olympic History.
Enjoy the games tomorrow, wear "Red" and continue to display the "Red Spirit" of the Games.

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Greg
M 416-347-1545

Day 14 - Facing Adversity

As usual you can click on this link to see all of the Blog posts or read below. Enjoy!
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The games have provided me with many enjoyable moments that I will always cherish, but more importantly are the life lessons. After all, these are just games and sporting events. But it is amazing that an event such as the Olympics can create such positive change in many people. The death of the Georgian Luge athlete on the opening day. The way the world responded to the death of Joannie Rochelle's mother and her herculean performance 2 days later and the death of Brendan Burke just prior to the Olympics are examples of how life can transcend the games.
I have supplied a web link below to a must read story from Sports Illustrated on US Hockey GM and Toronto Leafs GM Brian Burke and the death of his son just one week before the Olympic Games. I was not a big fan of Burke, but reading this he has won me over. http://bit.ly/9sjb46
Today was also a short ski day for me, as I didn't have to work until 2:30. There was fresh snow overnight and we were skiing in 6" to 12" of fresh powder in the upper bowls. However, visibility was poor due to low clouds covering mid-mountain and many times we couldn't see more than 20 or 30 feet ahead. At times it was like skiing in braille. I was skiing with my cousin Chris today, but unfortunately, he caught a ski on his first run and incurred a mild knee sprain, but being of tough Polish blood he was able to finish out the morning, while taking it easy.
This afternoon was very quiet on the driving front with very few clients. I was able to slip into the village to catch the 2nd period of the hockey game and then was able to listen to the rest of the game on the car radio. I also went into the Village to see the last 4 skaters and Joannie win her bronze medal. It was great to see the Canadian Women come through with a big win in Hockey and both the Men and Women curlers will be contending for gold tomorrow and Saturday. If you don't fully understand curling, read my Blog post from day 13.
Finally, the Joannie Rochette story had a great ending, with her taking the Bronze Medal. The young Korean was truly amazing and blew away the rest of the field.
Men's hockey, curling and slalom skiing are all on the agenda tomorrow, but unfortunately I will be working in the afternoon and will try to get a post close to a TV. Tonight is my last night in Whistler and will return to the ship in Squamish after 5 days away. It's hard to believe that there are only 3 days left. Enjoy them while they last!

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Greg
M 416-347-1545

Day 13 - Cdn Women's Day!!!

As usual you can click on this link to see all of the Blog posts or read below. Enjoy!
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Wow, what a great day for our Canadian Women with 1 Gold, 2 silver and a bronze. And not to be outdone, Team Canada man handled the Russians.
Tomorrow will be equally exciting with Women's hockey and Women's figure skating.
I watched the hockey game with my cousin Chris and we were lucky enough to get good seats in a bar. After the game we stayed to see the bobsleigh finals. What a victory for Canada 1 and Canada 2!!
A good friend from Ausland has been a little perplexed by curling, so I thought I would give her the simple elements of the game, in 10,000 words or less.
1) You need to go to the north of Scotland and harvest 16 blocks of granite that can then be ground down into large 40lb 'checkers'. Don't forget that the bottom of the rock rides on a ring about 1/4" wide and the diameter of a salad plate. Finish it off with a handle on top. You need 8 yellow handles and 8 red handles.
2). Find a smooth sheet of ice that is almost as long as a hockey rink and about 14' wide. Draw some circles at both ends. The large ring is 12' in diameter and the inner ring is 4' There is a large dot in the centre of the rings and it is called the button. Each ring and the button are 1 foot wide. Finally, to make the rocks glide properly, you will need to sprinkle the ice with little droplets of water. So essentially the ring on the bottom of the rock will barely touch the ice, which is why it glides so far.
3). You then need 7 friends to play with you. 4 on each team
4). Don't forget brooms. Each player will need one. They are special brooms made of a synthetic material. The purpose of the broom is two-fold; i) to clear any dust away from the gliding rock, as hitting this could cause the rock to veer drastically off course and ii) sweeping can also speed up the rock to keep it from curling too much or to increase how far it will glide. A good sweeping team can drag a rock 30' farther than without any sweeping.
5). For shoes you will need one sole that is sticky and the other is smooth and slippery so that you can glide on that foot
6). The teams alternate throwing rocks and each member of the team throws two rocks for a total of 8 rocks each end. An end is a mini-game and there are 10 ends in a game
7). When the rocks are thrown you can turn the handle clockwise or counter clockwise. If you throw the rock hard it will stay straight and not curl, but if you throw it slow it may curl 3 or 4 feet.
8). Scoring. The team that has its rock closest to the centre of the button scores one point. If Team 1 has their rock closest to the button and Team 2 has a rock second closest then Team 1 only scores 1 point regardless of how many rocks the team has in the rings. The max any team can score in one end is 8 points, but this is very rare.
9). The player that throws first is called the 'Lead'; the next player is called the 'Second' the third player is called the 'Third' or 'Vice' and the last player is the captain and team strategist and is called the 'Skip'
10) If the Skip wants you to sweep he yells yes, hurry or harder if he thinks the throw is short. If he wants no sweeping they may yell 'No' or 'Never'
11) A rock left in front of the rings is called a guard. This is used to protect a scoring rock sitting within the rings. The rings may also be called the house.
12) If the Skip wants an opposing rock removed he will call for a hard throw, which is called a takeout. If he wants a rock to stop in the house, he wants light weight. This is called a draw.
13) The team that throws last in the end has the advantage and this called having the hammer
14) If you win the end, the other team gets the hammer in the next end
15) The game is very strategic and the skip must be able to read the ice to see how fast it is and how much the rocks will typically curl.
16) The team with the most points at the end of 10 ends wins and must buy a round of drinks for the losing team. If the losers are good sports they buy the second round.
17) Finally, when watching curling on TV I suggest that a little wine pairing will ease the confusion and make the game more interesting. When a yellow rock is thrown, I suggest that you pair with a deep yellow Chardonnay and when a red rock is thrown you would pair with a nice Aussie Shiraz. By the end of the game it won't matter what the rules are or how the game is played.
That is 'Curling' in 10,000 words or less and hopefully we will see Canada win both the Men's and Women's events.

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Greg
M 416-347-1545

Day 12 - courage and determination!

As usual you can click on this link to see all of the Blog posts or read below. Enjoy!

http://bit.ly/bMw0UN

What can you say about the performance by Joannie Rochette tonight. Probably one of the most courageous and amazing things I have ever seen. Not only would her mother have been proud, but she now has millions of fans around the world that share in her grief. Let's hope that she will get rewarded with a medal as a lasting memory of her mother who was also her biggest fan.
Well today was my 3rd and last day off. The sun disappeared and snow and light rain returned. I was fortunate to team up and ski with my good friend Mark Shea from Toronto today and then tonight met up with my cousin Chris who came up to Whistler from Seattle. I haven't seen Chris in over 10 years, so it was great to catch up with him. I will stay with him tomorrow night in Whistler and we will then do some runs together on Thursday morning. Chris has a very cool company that does extreme bending of hardwoods, for architectural products, marine, furniture, etc. and is the only company of this type in North America. Check it out at http://www.flutedbeams.com/
After skiing today Lori, Kyra, Mark, Chris and I went to see Women's bobsleigh. It was very cool and Canada is in the #1 and #4 positions heading in to tomorrows final two runs. After the bobsleigh we had a quick bite then went to take some pictures at the Olympic Rings in the Village. (See attached)
...And not to be left out a Gold medal for Whistler's Ashleigh McIvor and #6 for the Big Red Machine.
Tomorrow I'm back to volunteering and then plan on watching Canada vs Russia. Let's hope that tonight's game against the Deutch prepared them for this big game!!!
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Best regards,

Greg
M 416-347-1545

Day 11 - Patience is a Virtue...

As usual you can click on this link to see all of the Blog posts or read below. Enjoy!

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Wow, what a great way to end the day. Virtue and Moir slammed the door on their competition with a truly flawless performance. The are both so cute and genuine, making them the darlings of the Canadian Team. They certainly deserved the Gold.
Today was the 6th amazing day of sunshine here in Whistler. The result is that there is an incredible positive vibe emanating throughout the Village. My sister Lori and I shared a picnic table with 2 fellow volunteers from Toronto at lunch time. The sun was blindingly bright, the beer was cold and no one was in a hurry to get back on the hill. And when you're sitting out in the sunshine without a jacket, it's hard to believe that it is February. However I'm sure that my burning red face will remind me tomorrow of what a great day it was.
Finally, it was just reported that over 10 million people watched the Canada vs USA hockey game last night. While that seems remarkable, I would like to know what the other 23 million folks were doing!! Let's hope the Men's Hockey Team gets back on track vs Germany, but just in case I will be skiing with my fingers crossed tomorrow.

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Greg
M 416-347-1545

Day 10 - A Sea of Red!

As usual you can click on this link to see all of the Blog posts or read below. Enjoy!

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Wow, what a day it was yesterday. I have 3 consecutive days off and I was on the 6 am bus from Squamish to Whistler so that I could meet my sister Lori and 5 year old niece Kyra for skiing. By 9 o'clock we had Kyra set up in Ski School and we were on the chair heading to the top. It was the fifth amazing day in a row and we never saw a cloud all day. The conditions were great and there were not many people on the hill ...probably 20% of a normal Sunday.
We met up with a friend from Toronto at lunch, who is volunteering for 7 weeks. He is working on the Women's Alpine courses and had some great insights into what it takes to pull off a Downhill or GS event. In the first week when the weather was bad, they were often on the course until 2 or 3 am trying to clear snow and keep the course in great shape. This was his first day off in 3 weeks and he was enjoying ripping up the slopes and blowing off some steam.
After skiing the Village was crazy with anticipation of the Canada vs US hockey game. People were scrambling for seats in bars to watch the game and there was red sweaters everywhere. We caught the bus over to Blackcomb to watch the game at Merlins, which is the Apres Ski preferred location. There was a huge line-up to get in, but friend's of Lori's had saved a table. The place was packed, noisy and a Sea of Red ...my gosh do people love this country!
The game was spectacular, unfortunately the US has the better goalie and Brodeur at 36 is not the same as he was winning Gold 8 years ago. You can't give up 4 goals on 20 shots ...just ask the Leafs (ha). Like they say, "it's just a game." The big win yesterday was the National Unity and the great spirit that resonated in both Vancouver and Whistler.
In spite of the big loss, Canada got back on the medal podium with a silver in speed skating and lost one in the Skier Cross.
Today is the 6th day of sun here in Whistler and it is time to hit the slopes again!
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Greg
M 416-347-1545

Day 9 - no medals :(

Here's the Link to the Blog site, or read below

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It's hard to believe that I've been here 12 days and that today is the 10th day of the Games. That being said yesterday was a quiet day for both me and the Canadian Olympic team. I did laundry and worked the 2 to 10 shift. Our Red and White group got taken to the cleaners in almost every event, but that's the nature of the Olympic Games ...they are always full of surprises!
Line of the Day - in the Laundry room I ask this 60ish guy how long the dryer cycle is. His reply, "you asked the wrong guy, this is only the 2nd time I've done laundry in 40 years."
The weather was gorgeous again yesterday and we are expecting more of the same for the next 3 to 4 days. I now have 3 days off and will spend it with my youngest sister and my 5 year old niece. They have a big chalet all to themselves in Whistler and it will save me 3 hrs of busing every day.
My highlight yesterday was transporting 2 extremely cute women's figure skaters from Estonia (one was a pairs skater and the other competes in singles next week) ...if I was 30 years younger I would be denouncing my Canadian citizenship today!!
Let's hope our hockey boys can beat the US this afternoon and that our athletes get back on the Podium today.

Last but not least, a big shout out to the T family, J and W who start their ski vacation in Kicking Horse today. Have a great day...


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Greg
M 416-347-1545

Day 8 - Almost my first Virgin...

...CEO.
Today I worked my first afternoon/evening shift at the Sliding Centre. It was very busy with finals in the Women's and Men's Skelton. On my 4th run the Load Supervisor told me that Richard Branson and his crew would be departing with me, but unfortunately for me they were delayed a few minutes, so I ended up with the president of the Swiss Bobsled and Sliding Federation. They say that close only counts in Curling and Grenades (ha).
Today was the 3rd straight amazing day in Whistler. There were no clouds in the sky and the temp was perfect for skiing (-4C). I skied for 3 hours straight and had a great time, getting in 10 or 12 runs. I have skied more than 50 days at Whistler over the years and this was certainly a top 3 day. The attached picture was taken at noon from the top of Whistler looking over at Blackcomb's 7th Heaven.
And ...to end the evening on a perfect note Jon Montgomery just won Canada's 4th Gold in Men's Skelton. ....Go Canada Go!!!!!
Tomorrow night will be crazy in Whistler when Montgomery receives his Gold medal. I will let you know how that transpires.
Ciao...



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Greg
M 416-347-1545

Day 7 - A Golden Shootout?

Day 7 in Whistler was another spectacular sunny day. Hopefully the International complaints will stop now that they have seen the mountain in all its Glory.
Yesterday I worked the early shift and was stationed at the Transportation Mall (Vanoc speak for big empty parking lot that services 1 bus per hour). The attached picture was taken through my windshield from where I was parked. The nice part of this location is that it is a 3 minute walk into the Village where I could get a nice latte at 5bucks (what the kids call Starbucks). I did get 2 client groups ...a family from Peru (the first Winter Olympics for their country) and 3 delegates from Rio who are hosting the 2016 Summer Games.
I finished early and got back to the boat in time to see the hockey game. The Swiss play an incredible defensive game and know how to shut down Canada. It was very nerve racking watching the game, because goals were not easy to come by and the Swiss were certainly capable of winning. In the end Sydney came through and all was well from Victoria to St. John's. We must now beat the Americans on Sunday to win our pool.
The other exciting news was Christine Nesbitt winning Canada's 3rd Gold of the games. I can now brag that she was from my old Home town. I find the Cdn athletes are very gracious and Christine had a smile that just wouldn't quit. The men's figure skating was also very exciting and it was good to see the Quadruple Jerk from Russia lose by 1 point. I felt bad for the Chinese skater who had the lace "malfunction". It was a real shame, as he had a great program going before the lace broke.
Today it's another beautiful day and I don't work until 2:30, so I am going to ski for a few hours before reporting in.
Let's hope for more medals today!!


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Greg
M 416-347-1545

Day 6 at the Luge

You can click on this link to see today's Blog as well as all of the previous posts or just read below.

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Yesterday was one of those "oh wow" days in Whistler. Blue, blue skies and nary a cloud in sight. I slept in until 7 and caught the 10 am bus so we could watch the Women's Downhill. We found a great bar in Creekside just below the race. They had a beautiful elevated patio with great views of both Creekside Village and Whistler Mountain and several large flat screen TVs that were actually showing in HD. For those that really know me, my favourite pet peeve is wide screen TVs that are not set up properly. Do people not notice when everyone looks short and fat and the picture is not crisp? If your TV looks like that call me when I get back and I will help you fix it ...or better yet, make sure you are watching an HD channel. If the channel is not in HD set the TV to standard format and DO NOT stretch the picture wide ...that is why people look short and fat!!! ...sorry I digress.
The Women's Downhill race was phenomenal and Lindsay Vonn deserved to win. There were a few horrific crashes though, which you never like to see. After the race I found a Starbucks nearby where I wanted to use their wireless. I think it is their only store in North America that doesn't have free wireless ...did they not know the Olympics were in town?
I was able to find a signal never the less and log on. However it was very slow and it took forever to do my work ...that and my 5 year old laptop has emphysema and is on it's last breaths.
I then caught a bus over to Whistler Village and arrived just in time to grab the Blackcomb gondola to the Sliding Centre where I would watch 2-man Luge. The track is used for Luge, Skelton and Bobsled and is over 1 km in length. On the turns the sledders are at 90 degrees to the ground and they move so fast (140 km) that you will miss them if you blink. There is a lot of room for spectators and was amazing to see in person. On a down note we were standing close to where the young Georgian was killed and they now have those steel girders covered in plywood ...many of us were asking why this wasn't done in the first place ...it just didn't make sense to have exposed beams in that area. While the games have been great from my perspective there have been many glaring oversights that are giving VANOC a bad name in the world arena. Hopefully, the good will overcome the bad and at the end of the games it will be a true success.
We left the Luge after the first run as it was getting very cold and we wanted to see the Bare Naked Ladies who were playing in the Village Square.
The Square was packed, as was the whole village. There is a real carnival atmosphere both in Whistler and Vancouver and the streets, restaurants, bars and shops are jammed day and night.
Here is a report from Karen Millar on their day in Vancouver...
Got into Vancouver yesterday mid-afternoon. The place is crazy - the biggest street party you've ever seen.
Went to the medal ceremony which was supposed to include the gold for Maelle Ricker. 1 hr before the ceremony they moved her medal ceremony to today - bummer! Wandered by the flame just as they started taking the fence down. Another crazy spot.
The "ignite the dream" show at Robson Sq at 9 pm was worth it. Beats the Fire & Ice show in Whistler. Still a 4-5 hour lineup for the zip line in the square. Dan may not get to do that.
The line-up to get into the Bay to get Olympic gear was huge even at 10 p.m. We hope to get in today.
Well that's it for today ...let's hope that we pick up a few more medals!!
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Greg
M 416-347-1545

Day 5 and more Gold

There are now two ways to read my daily Blog. You can scroll down on this email or click on this link and see all of the daily articles. Enjoy!
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Day 5 started out with a miserable rainy and foggy ride from Squamish to Whistler. It is a very hard ride for the bus drivers who do 3 or 4 trips a day, with each round trip taking about 3 hours. By the time we arrived in Whistler the rain had changed to heavy wet slushy snow. The Village looked beautiful but it ruined the Downhill Course forcing the cancellation of the Super Combined. A friend of Janet's is a course manager with over 200 other Smurfs and they have been working until 2 or 3 every morning trying to keep the course in shape. Mother nature has not been kind to them. They have been getting 12" of snow at the top of the course, wet slush in the middle and rain at the bottom. They must clear the snow and slush every day, which must be a herculean task.
The next 5 to 7 days are to be sunny and amazing, which means we will see alpine events every day.
Yesterday I was stationed at the Athlete's Village and I was the only driver out of 12 to get a ride. He was an Olympic official from Tazikstan, which only has 2 athletes ...I believe he was a second cousin 4 times removed of Borat (ha)
The Canadian Hockey team looked good once they shook the rust from their skates. The Russians also look strong and we can't forget the US, Swedes, and Czech's ...so it will be a great tournament.
The women's border cross was an amazing win and 2nd gold for Canada. She failed to qualify in her first run, but through shear determination she still finished and then used that strength to propel herself to victory.
Today I am off and will see the Women's Downhill later this morning and then I have a ticket to the Luge doubles at 5pm tonight. I'm really looking forward to see the track. Stay tuned for an early report tomorrow as I will be back on the bus at 5am.


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Greg
M 416-347-1545

Day 4 - the Downhill

Yesterday was a beautiful and crisp winter morning and because it was my day off I slept in until 5:30 am (ha). I was meeting some good friends from Portland Oregon and we were going to ski for the day. After standing in line for my ski pass and finding a place to store my bag we were finally going up the hill at 9:30. The gondola was very busy so we took the chair which only goes up to the mid-point of the mountain. As we transferred to the second chair we saw several skiers in racing suits and realized it was the Men's Downhillers who were racing at 10:30. There was one Italian monster who was 6'5" and 230 lbs. We decided to ski down to the Downhill course to see if we could get a good vantage point. We found an amazing spot towards the end of the upper section of the course which allowed us to see them coming out of the starting gate and then through the first turns and rollers including the first big jump. The atmosphere was electric and we were soon joined by several hundred people. There was a Swiss contingent, Canadian group, Americans, Austrians and even a few Vikings from Norway ...complete with horns!
The temp was perfect, there was nice sunshine and the course was hard and fast. I had called my son Marc and girlfriend Janet who I knew would both be watching the race and they were sending me updates on my BlackBerry so that we knew how each skier finished and who was leading ...again thanks Janet and Marc ...my 200 new friends really appreciated the updates!
After the race we decided to get back to skiing. We did a few runs at Whistler, but the lift lines were quite long so we decided to take the new Peak to Peak Gondola over to Blackcomb. It was an amazing ride and the views were spectacular.
I hadn't skied with the Millars for 7 or 8 years and it was great to ski with the boys who are now 21 and 17. They are both incredible skiers and great kids ...kudos to Dave and Karen for good parenting. Ben is in 4th year at UBC and both coaches and skis on the varsity ski team. He did one mogul run, where he looked like Alex Bilodeau ...it made my knees sore just watching.
We were back in the village at 3:30 and the village was packed with people. We couldn't even get into the Longhorn for an apres ski beer :( for those of you who have never been to Whistler, at the end of the day there are several outdoor bars to enjoy a beer even if it is only 2C outside. It's a truly Canadian thing!
I'm back to work for Day 5 and on the 5am bus again. Not so nice today ...rainy in Squamish, but the next 5 days are supposed to be clear.
Stay tuned for my next update tomorrow.

P.S. Ben did you meet up last night with the Hungarian Downhiller that you met on the chair?

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Greg
M 416-347-1545

A Golden Day 3!!!

Day 3 was a Golden Day thanks to Alex Bilodeau ...it was very exciting watching the moguls with a few hundred people in the ship's lounge. It was noisier than a Leaf's game (ha).
Yesterday was a typical Whistler day. Rain, wind, snow, sunshine, rain, snow, wet snow ...if you didn't like the weather you only had to wait 15 minutes and it would change ...thank you VANOC for the great Goretex Smurf outfits!!
Driving was uneventful yesterday ...I only picked up one group, but it was the Croation IOC member after they won Bronze in Biathalon. So I now have transported Gold, Silver and Bronze winning countries.
The ride back to the ship in Squamish was amazing last night. The skies cleared late in the day and the scenery with a setting sun was spectacular.
The best part of the Games is meeting people from all over the world ...people proudly display their country's colours in their jackets, hats, scarves, banners and face paint, but on the streets, in the bars and restaurants it is one big happy Olympic family.
The funniest part of the day happened in Starbucks ...two guys behind me were wearing identical grey jackets but their country was not identified. The young Aussie barista must have detected an accent and asked the two guys how they say "Thank you" in their language ...one guy replies "Thank You" ...we're American!
Today is an off day for me so I will be skiing this morning and then finishing some tax reports later in the day ...hopefully the ship's WiFi will be functioning better.
Have a Happy Family day!

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Greg
M 416-347-1545

Day 2 of the Games

I still have Olympic Fever and yesterday I got a cold to go with it. I've been fighting it for a week, but it finally won. Oh well, I have lots of Cold FX and decongestants to keep it at bay.
I'm now on the bus again at 5 am for the start of Day 3. It's been raining for about 15 hrs now, so hopefully it is snow on the mountain, as tomorrow is my day off and I am meeting friends for a day of skiing. The best part is getting to sleep in until 7am!!!
Yesterday I was assigned to Olympic Park, which is about 25 km south of Whistler. All of the Nordic events are held there (cc skiing, biathalon, ski jumping). When we arrived at 7:30 it was sunny and crisp and there was bus after bus of spectators arriving for the ski jumping. We had 10 vehicles staged and after 9 we started to get busy. I had my first passengers of the Games at 9:20 (2 TV reporters from Switzerland and 2 government press agents from England). As we were exiting WOP (acronym for Whistler Olympic park ...not a Pizza and Pasta restaurant) we were stopped for 30 behind a large line of vehicles. It turns out that US vice president Joe Biden's 40 car motorcade was coming through ...it was very interesting to see. Cindy Crawford was here as well but she just had 2 buff bodyguards in silver ski suits. (Note to Warren Ross - you would so want one of those suits for Kicking Horse). The trip back to Whistler was uneventful and I was back after 11 to queue up for my next ride. At 1pm I picked up 2 gentlemen ...the Olympic Presidents for Austria and Switzerland. They were both happy as they had just won the first medals of the games in the Ski Jump ...Swiss Gold and Austria Silver. I dropped them off in Whistler and was called back to base to end the day. The rest of the day was uneventful, we went to the Brewhouse for a beer (my 2nd of the week ...whoaaa) and was back on the ship at 5. After dinner I watched some events in the ship's theatre ...I love the moguls and short track speed skating and was in bed by 9:30. Tonight I'm going to go crazy and stay up until 10.
Let's hope to get our first Gold today!!!
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Greg
M 416-347-1545

A Bitter/Sweet Opening Day Recap

Day 1 of the 2010 games was full of emotion both good and bad. The sun came out a few times in the morning and there was a real energy in the air. The Athletes were off to train early in order to leave for Vancouver by 2 pm for the Opening Ceremony. I was staged with 20 other vehicles at the Athletes Village and at about 11am there was a lot of sirens and several police cars escorting 2 ambulances. We new right away that it was very serious. Within minutes there were reports via Twitter that there was a horrific accident on the Luge and within 15 minutes of the accident there were videos and pictures posted on line. From first hand reports it was very clear that the young Georgian died instantly. Everyone was in shock.
We were in the front lobby of the Athletes entrance watching the ski jumping when buses of athletes started returning. As word spread of the accident, the mood changed dramatically. We saw many of the sliders returning with their sleds and many had a very "empty" look on their faces.
As the afternoon proceeded our fleet did a lot of short trips moving athletes and officials. We met two German bobsledders and they were built like football linebackers. They asked us for directions to the front security area and we told them that it would take 5 minutes to walk there. They walked about 100 metres and then broke into a jog ...they were like 'high strung' horses that would rather run than walk.
It is amazing to watch all the jackets from the various countries and I am trying to catch pics of as many as possible.
We finished our shift and returned to the fleet base. My original plan was to stay in the Village and watch the ceremonies in the Square, but after the accident I wasn't sure where to go. Soon a few other Smurfs returned and we all decided to stay vs watching on the ship. One of the Ladies had purchased Luge and Bobsled tickets for next week, so when we got to the Village I picked up a ticket for 2-man luge next Wednesday (after waiting an hour in the line). We then grabbed a cup of soup and headed for the Village Square. We found a great place to stand and could see the stage and screens perfectly.
On the way to the Square we passed the Olympic Rings outside the Medal Stage. People had placed flowers and candles to start a memorial to the young Luger. It was a very emotional scene as everyone stopped to take pictures (see attached).
The ceremony was electric standing with over 20,000 people. However on several occasions we lost the Bell TV feed from Vancouver and then when it came back it was the French feed for 30 minutes as the Athletes entered the Village. The highlight of our event was 75 Cdn athletes being marched on stage by a RCMP colour guard, followed by a great rendition of OH Canada.
I loved how they lit the torch with the 5 great Canadians ...too bad that the columns didn't all work.
I thought that the IOC and VANOC handled the death very well and were able to turn a tragedy into an inspirational moment by celebrating and honouring the young Georgian's life. At the end of the night the crowd in Whistler was inspired and ready to take on the games. On another note Canada's Governed General looked regal and amazing, while Harper's wife looked like she bought her dress from Zellers ...what's up with that?
Also, what did everyone think about Canada's Bob and Doug inspired uniforms?
We got back to the ship at 11:15 and was asleep by midnight.
Now it's 5;30 and was up at 4:15 ...I think there will be a few cat naps today. Oliver and Patrick can you give me a few tips?

Have a great day and enjoy the games.
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Greg
M 416-347-1545

Today's the Day!

On the bus at 5am again today. If they ever get the WiFi working on the ship I will download "on the Road again" and make it my theme song.
Yesterday was very uneventful as the west coast is socked in for the next few days. In Whistler it was very wet snow all day in the village and occasionally switching to rain. The alpine training runs were cancelled and it was very quiet. My first day on the road went like this: arrive at fleet compound late due to train blocking the road. Divide into teams and get assigned vehicles and "on demand" locations. We were assigned the Whistler Village where the athletes live and is also public access to alpine events. There were 20 vehicles positioned there all day and we had zero clients. So I figured out how to hook up my phone to the hands free bluetooth, got the navigation system working, wired my iPod into the audio system and then recharged my phone and camera. At 11:30 we were given a 2 hour break, so I went touring to all the events and hotels in the village. I returned at 1:30 and sat for 2 more hours until end of shift. We got back to the boat at 6, just in time for dinner and then found out that the TV was out and we still don't have internet. It seems that Bell and Telus are just as inept in BC as they are in Ontario (ha).
Hopefully today will be more eventful with ski jumping starting this morning.
The opening ceremonies will be spectacular, so I'm looking forward to watching in the village ...let the Games begin!!!


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Best regards,

Greg
M 416-347-1545

Day 2 - Vancouver 2010

It's actually Day 3 and I'm on the bus at 5am heading for my first full shift. For now I am keeping myself on Toronto time, which makes getting up at 4:15 am much easier.
Day 2 was training day and we had to be in Whistler for an 8 am start. We now catch a nice highway coach right in front of the ship and only have a short transfer to the fleet compound. The classroom training was quite simple and straight forward. We will be dealing with Level 3 clients. Level 1 is one driver/car for one client. Level 2 is one car/driver for 2 clients. Level 3 is more like an Airport Limo service. Clients can book a pick-up at least 4 hrs in advance or we stage at hotels or events where we anticipate a large number of rides will be required. Clients are typically high level IOC members, COC members, Sponsors, member delegations and Athlete families. The security is incredible and police are everywhere. There are 20,000 police on hand for the games. As we go into certain areas the vehicles are checked underneath, inside, etc. They are very thorough. There are also balloons in the sky with cameras and infrared detectors ...and snipers in the woods. The venues look great and you see "Smurfs" everywhere. Our uni's are the colour of smurfs ...they actually look great!
After training we walked around Whistler Village and checked out the Olympic store. The products are great and pricing isn't too bad.
I didn't go to Vancouver for the Olympic rehearsal as the logistics were far too complicated.
I am getting used to the ship and I was lucky to get my room changed. There are now just 2 of us sharing the room. We have lots of room for clothing storage and the meals have been quite good. Well rounded and reasonably healthy for a buffet. I was in bed by 9 pm and up at 4:15. Now off to work! It will probably be a quiet day as most clients won't be arriving until tomorrow or after the opening ceremonies.
One more sleep until the games begin.

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Greg
M 416-347-1545

Day 1 of my Olympic Journey

The day started early, with my alarm sounding off at 4:15. I finished packing ...which was a tough task when you're going to be gone for 3 weeks and need clothes for work, play and skiing. My flight to YVR had a stop in Edmonchuk. It was a very smooth flight and uneventful until time to land. They were socked in with Ice Fog and we were forced to circle for 1 hour until it lifted. Because of the delay I thought that I had missed my connection to YVR, but lady luck was smiling and I was on the same plane. We got into YVR an hour late, but the weather in Vancouver was gorgeous ...sunny and +8C. I felt funny traveling with skis when my bike and golf clubs would be more appropriate today.
For the next 3 weeks I will be residing on a cruise ship in Squamish (more on this later). I grabbed a bus to Squamish from the airport and it took us right through the heart of Vancouver. The decorations are fabulous and there is a real Olympic feel in the air. We arrived at the ship at 4 pm after 2 transfers. It's a nice looking old boat, but boarding was up a long gang plank via 70 metal steps ...it was a real workout lugging up my 3 bags plus skis. The rooms are the size of a small closet with a single bed and two bunks. It does have a full washroom, but very little storage for suitcases or skis.
I left the boat at 5pm to head up to Whistler to grab my uniform and get accreditation documents. Of course, since we didn't have any accreditation we had to pay for the bus transport ...I'm on the verge of a rant here as they seem to be very disorganized with regard to communicating with the Volunteer work force.
Everything else went fine. The uniforms look great and I hope to be back to the ship by 9:30. I need to be up at 5am tomorrow to be catching the 6 am bus.
Dinner was a bag of nuts! Stay tuned for tomorrow's update ...driver training and Opening Dress Rehearsal (maybe, if I can get there). Ciao!

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Greg
M 416-347-1545

My First Blog Post

I am off to Whistler BC in 7 days to participate in the 2010 Winter Olympics. While my volunteer position is not one which is high profile, it will still be amazing to be part of the games. I have always been an Olympic Junkie, so for me this is a dream come true.
Please follow my daily blog postings for the next 4 weeks, as I take you on the adventures of a "Load Zone Attendant". All the best ...Greg