Sunshine and snowstorms

I was supposed to start my day at Women's Combined Downhill training. Bad weather kept them off the hill again. This time it was snow on the hill and bad visibility. So after a Starbuck's in The Village I decided to get on a Gondola and visit the Inukshuk atop Whistler Mountain. The XDCam will take time lapse video. I thought the mixed blue skies and low clouds wrapping the ski runs would make the perfect subject. After taking the Whistler Gondola to the top of Whistler I was met by mixed skies and Inukshuk. I trudged through the deep and heavy snow that came to my waist. Looking back at the Roundhouse Chalet behind me I could see the snow was above the roof of the lodge. There must be 20 feet of snow beneath my feet. Who said Whistler had no snow. Plenty of it up here. The recreational skiers on the hill all say it's the best skiing ever and the snow is heavy and plentiful. As I approach the Inukshuk the blue skies of a few moments ago are quickly wrapped by low and thick white clouds. As I set-up my camera the wind whips corn snow into my face and fills my viewfinder. I make a futile attempt at a time lapse video but my plan of clouds and blue skies as background for Inukshuk are blown away in the snow. As is my lens cloth. After taking some shots of the sideways falling snow, and a couple stills, my assignment editor is calling me back down the mountain.

The Whistler Village Stroll has become increasingly congested with people in the last two days. Olympic ticket holders coming up from Vancouver on transit are arriving to postponed events. Why go back to Vancouver and waste the trip. People are heading into Whistler Village in huge numbers making the most of their bus ride up the valley. My latest daily assignment involves walking through the Stroll with my camera rolling. Editors and Producers will go through my footage and play it back on CTV, TSN, RDS, MTV, Much Music and Sportsnet. Wow, dozens of TV cameras from every country are on the Stroll.

Last night as I walked back from the Medals Plaza in a heavy warm rain there was a lot of commotion at the Suisse Broadcasting studio. It seems Simon Ammann the Ski Jumpers who had moments before just received his Gold medal, the first medal of the games, would be walking up shortly. So along with a half dozen foreign TV crews and a dozen European print photographers I and a hundred Swiss fans awaited his arrival. After finding out he would be coming down a trail a little ways away I positioned myself away from the crowd. A short time later the sound of large Swiss cowbells announced Simon's approach. The media ran to get close to him. His LARGE security guard pushed us away to clear him a path. I got several good shots as I muscled myself a place amongst the other media as the scrum moved through a huge crowd. This could only happen in Whistler. I walked back to ingest my video. Not sure if my clothes were soaked more on the outside or in.

Later today as I walked the Stroll with my camera a small group of people were gathered taking picture with a couple French team members. I got right up close to get some shots. As they turned towards me for another photo they both pull Gold medals from their jackets. People freely approached them for a photo with Olympic Gold. Again my path crosses the Swiss Gold medalists path. A man hands him a rubber chicken and Simon poses with his medal around the chickens neck. These athletes are easily approached in the Village and those of us who get close feel more a part of the Olympic experience. Only in Whistler.