[MikeWhalen]

There are actually 2 main spots for the winter olympics in BC Canada
The one that has the most outdoor activities is Whistler mtn and it has tons of snow and will do very well

The other site in around Vancouver and they are the ones with the problem...the warmest winter there in 100+ years
...the good news is for several months they have been making snow and storing above the snow line on the surrounding mountains,they have been making the short haul and transporting that down to the actual runs, so there is enough to make decent events
...but no doubt the organizers are sweating (no pun intended) and the over 0 degrees during the night are really being a pain for keeping a good base

M

reality, on 08 February 2010 - 14:48 PM, said:

What happens to many of the events of the winter Olympics if British Colombia simply can not truck enough snow to the sites in time? It's a long way from Washington D.C. and Baltimore to move that snow.

[MikeWhalen]

lol
given how hot the nights have been lately around Vancouver, god knows what they might have as a back up, back up, back up plan

M

reality, on 08 February 2010 - 16:07 PM, said:

Super bowl was played on artificial (plastic) turf; given I'll watch the Olympics on TV, I probably would not know if some of the events were held on plastic snow.

[just curious]

The winter climate at sea level in the Vancouver, BC area is normally above freezing. I'm sure they planned for that.

We get two Canadian TV stations on cable (plus another here in Bellingham that is owned by Canadians). I'll probably watch the Winter Olympics on a Canadian channel; fewer and shorter commercials.

[Vince]

Whistler seems to be OK, but they're resorting to creativity at Cypress Mountain.

http://www.cbc.ca/ol...-injection.html

Vancouver's warm weather has prompted Olympic organizers to use "dry ice" in a new snow preservation technique on Cypress Mountain.

Tubes filled with dry ice — actually a solid form of carbon dioxide — have been placed in moguls and on the aerials course to keep snow from breaking down.

"Rather than having to use chemicals or use something on the hill to preserve the snow and keep the surface hard, they're using this, which has never been done before," Peter Judge, CEO of the Canadian Freestyle Ski Association, said at a news conference Monday.

Judge describes the black tubes as like those that are buried around houses for drainage. Pumped full of dry ice and frozen for 12 hours, the cold permeates the snow around it, he explained.

Environment Canada says highs will hover around 3 C this week at Cypress, leading up to the first day of competition Saturday, when there is a 60 per cent chance of rain on the mountain in West Vancouver.

[ilmari]

^ And they are putting hay on top of that to hold any "snow" that they'll add later.

[ilmari]

Here is a really cool time lapse video of Vancouver

"Vancouver City" music video is an artistic collaboration between Innerlife Project and TimeLapseHD. For more information and music downloads go to www.innerlifeproject.com
These time lapses are shot with a 12 mega pixel digital single lens reflex cameras. Original resolution is 6 times better then HD (high definition). The images have been resized for HD and are much better quality then shown here on YouTube."



http://www.youtube.c...h?v=_xMz2SnSWS4

[GregKiroKH]

Hey, that is my joke (developed independently I assume) . . . EE(X(i,j) - L(i))^n/(AB)

reality, on 08 February 2010 - 19:48 PM, said:

What happens to many of the events of the winter Olympics if British Colombia simply can not truck enough snow to the sites in time? It's a long way from Washington D.C. and Baltimore to move that snow.

[Catchabus]

Looking forward to the Olympics, winter always seems to have more excitement.

I know Canada is very serious about putting on a great games and a making good showing. I hope for your collective mental health you'll get a gold medal really quickly. ;)

[just curious]

I have the Canadian cable channel CTV on right now. They are showing the torch being relayed through the streets of Vancouver by deserving citizens. The opening ceremonies will be held this evening (Pacific Time).:celeb:
http://www.vancouversun.com/

[MikeWhalen]

Thanks!
I hear the unofficail slogan for our mens hockey team is 'win or die'
it better be!!

M
ps and finally the vancover area site has gotten some below 0 temps during the night so they have been able to improve the snow base on the runs

now if we can just get rid of the goddamn fog at Whistler....man, if its not one thing, its another

Catchabus, on 09 February 2010 - 21:29 PM, said:

I know Canada is very serious about putting on a great games and a making good showing. I hope for your collective mental health you'll get a gold medal really quickly. ;)

[Johnserrat]

reality, on 12 February 2010 - 12:38 PM, said:

That slogan almost sounds stolen from that state which borders Canada --- NH --- whose license plates read "Live Free or Die"?

But if it is Russia and Canada in the finals, I'll be waving the Maple Leaf.

I'll do the same thing for the US should Canada not make the final, God forbid!

John

[MikeWhalen]

Jeeeeezzzz John!!!

bite your toungue
the Hockey Gods might be listening!!

I will be happy to cheer for my favourite southern cousins when they battle for bronze with Sweden or the Czechs

M

<friggen leaf fans!>

Johnserrat, on 12 February 2010 - 16:58 PM, said:

I'll do the same thing for the US should [b]Canada not make the final, God forbid![/b]
John

[Victor Hawk]

Sigh. Opening ceremonies. But soon, the games begin! Winter Olympics have long been my favorite. I always think back to my favorite Olympic moment - Franz Klammer's gold medal run in the downhill at Innsbruck. I still get chills thinking about that.

Good luck, Canada!

[MikeWhalen]

LOL, what a perfect opportunity!
and they all are giving various fluid samples for the anti doping stratigy, so just a bit of blood or even spit for dna geniology

ahh, we need a president or prime minister of a host country to be a dna geniology freak!

M

reality, on 12 February 2010 - 22:54 PM, said:

As I watch the parade of athletes all I could think about was "it would be interesting to have extended haplotypes from all those athleletes"?

[handschar]

Speaking of hockey, did you guys notice all of the former NHLers serving as flagbearers? Forsberg, Palffy, and the man who made the mullet fashionable again, Jagr. Looking forward to watching Jagr play against international competition again. Same goes for Ziggy.

Perhaps the big boys will pick up from where our juniors left off. :P Eh!O!Canada NO! ;)

http://www.iihf.com/typo3temp/pics/eed28a018f.jpg