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| Last night in Revelstoke, B.C. was cold and rainy. There was a terrific storm that knocked out the electricity for a while. I got a good nights sleep anyway and hit the highway early. A short way down Highway 1 is the Glacier National Park. GNP was described to me by a local as a beautiful park that nobody sees. I understood why as I drove through. The clouds were everywhere. Sometimes I would be above them and then drive right back into them. I did stop at the scenic viewpoints but didn't see much other than clouds. Every once in a while I would get a glimpse of the mountains and I could see fresh snow on the peaks. |
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The cold and rain stayed with me through Yoho National Park and Banff National Park but when I cleared Bow Valley the road into Calgary was near perfect. The sun was out and traffic was flowing smoothly. It was with a smile on my face that I cruised into Calgary. Right on the edge of town is the Canada Olympic Park. This was home to the 1988 Winter Olympics. The park is open year round and athletes still train here. There's mountain bike park, Olympic Hall of Fame and Museum, Summer Luge rides and a summer sports camp. The museum has displays from all the Winter Olympics that include clothing worn by participants. A ride to the top of the 90 meter ski jump tower took me to the highest spot in Calgary and presented an incredible view. There are four jumps. 30, 50, 70 and 90 meters. All but the 90 are used year round with contoured plastic fiber mats taking the place of snow. Standing at the top of the 90 meter jump and looking down gave me a new respect for the athletes that hurtle down that slope. It doesn't look so bad from the ground. Ski jumping began in the Scandinavian countries and became an event in the first Winter Games in Chamonix, France in 1924. I was amazed at the length of the skis. They can be up to 80 cm taller than the athletes. The other thing I found interesting is that the skier is never more than 10' off the ground. It sure looks higher on TV. |
