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Monday, January 12, 2009
Blue Monday #16: USOC Training Center
Back in 2005 my son and I went on the Great College Road Trip, and since out route took us almost directly through Lake Placid, we felt a moral obligation to stop and visit the site of the 1980 Olympics (the real Olympics, not those nantsy Summer ones) and the US Olympic Training Center at Lake Placid, NY. There's not a whole lot to see when it's the height of summer, but in the center of town, you'll find a sign that reads "It's not a miracle, it's real snow!" standing over a heap of frozen white stuff. The average tourist might buy this, but I rather suspect that the snow "falls" when they dump the zambonis from the two ice rinks nearby.
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15 comments:
All those colorful flags against that deep blue sky - it just can't help but make your heart soar. Shame they stuck that streetlight right in the middle of them though.
Many (MANY) years ago, when my dad was just out of college and tending bar in the Adirondacks, he met the guys on the US bobsled team. After what was apparently a fairly raucous night (read: they were all plastered) they invited him to go down the official Olympic training course run with them (it was there long before the Placid Olympics). He describes it as the most exhilarating and terrifying thing he's ever done. Those suckers are FAST!
I remember the days of the real Olympics. I knew when they were coming, and I cared. That's a nice photo.
i remember building a puzzle once, not sure of which city, of the country's flags, just as you picture here, outside an olympic statium. you are a great memory evoker with your photos!
I remember getting caught in an ice storm one winter up by Lake Placid. They get some nasty lake effect weather. I bet is beautiful in the summer. Road trips are great, aren't they? We have several planned for this spring and summer.
Have a great Monday.
great photo and story. thanks for the comment. texas sunrises and sunsets are pretty awesome if you are in the right place. that was Decatur, TX about 1.5 hours from Dallas - east I think?? who knows I suck at directions. I have been to the military base here - husband was in the navy from 88 to 99.
I always love seeing colorful flags against a blue sky!
I would be one of the gullible ones. :)
Stirring picture. Too bad the actual site of the Miracle rink inside is so blah. Major letdown. The village is so nice there though - we have been in the fall and winter. The sled ramp out onto the frozen lake looks like a lot of fun. We rode the rickety bobsled down the now inactive concrete run - I can see why it is no longer used! Good way to kill a tourist if ever there was one! Wicked fun though. Thanks for reminding me of all this.
I was all ready to see a pile of snow! Happy Blue Monday.
Growing up in Montreal, it was easy to believe that the Lake Placid games were "our" Olympics. All the U.S. channels that we got were based in the North Country, and we felt much closer to these events than we did the summer ones in '76 (those concrete monstrosities still give me nightmares, too.)
How cool that you got to experience this place with your son. I need to get back there soon...it's a part of the world that has always brought me peace.
Love it, Mojo!
XO,
Sheila :-)
hahaha...i just knew you were going to show us the snow with the blue sky behind it...
Pretty photo...
I enjoyed hearing about the adventures of you and your son. The photo of the flags is wonderful. Happy Blue Monday!
Sweetie
Lovely crisp picture ... flags are always a joy to behold. 2 summers ago, I flew to Calgary to teach a literacy workshop, and I decided to teach hold it at a hotel directly across the street from COP (Canadian Olympic Park), the site of the Calgary Olympics. The view out my window was of the ski jumps and, man, were they tall! I spent a couple hours wandering around the site, which of course was snowless in August. The ambiance was like visiting Coney Island after it closed ... without the hustle and bustle, things looked a bit lonely and worn up close. I was fascinated by the Luge track (how many people have really walked right up to a luge?), and stunned by the height and slope of the ski jumps, along with the deep pits dug at the bottom to "catch" the skiers. During the summer months, the old chair lifts are used for kids with mountain bikes, who come barreling down the slopes at dangerous speeds. And the views from the mountain were incredible and crystal clear to this California girl.
Happy Blue Monday!
Victoria
http://auctiongirlvintage.typepad.com
Happy Blue Monday! Love your photo of the blue skies!
I like that post. Happy Blue Monday!
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