Well today is my last day of school for the semester, just finishing off a research proposal that has owned me this week. Anders Gustaffson is in town for a visit and I will be glad to finally get to hang out with the big swede tonight and show him around town a bit. Check out the weather map that greeted me this morning! The coldest place, in all of Canada....Ottawa. A 16 degree difference between here and Toronto and it is 2 above in Iqaluit. I hope Anders brought his Toque.

From the Ottawa Citizen - -

The flame got off to an early start Sunday, leaving Ben Franklin Place at 7:30 a.m. on its way west to Pembroke.

Among the early-morning torchbearers was 1948 Olympic gold-medallist Barbara Ann Scott-King, who finished her 300-metre run on Baseline Road saying "Is that all?"

The 81-year-old said she'd been training for the past two months in her neighbourhood on Amelia Island, Florida.

"I had to have something that was 3-1/2 pounds to practice with," she said. "The only thing I could find was my big long garden shears, and I had to tell my neighbours I wasn't attacking them, that I was only practicing."

Scott-King, who also carried the Olympic flame into the House of Commons on Thursday, said it was an honour to be a torchbearer.

"This is the greatest thrill anyone could have. For a little old lady to be remembered and have the privilege to carry the torch is great."

Her husband Tom King, who waited in a nearby car as friends and fans wished his wife well and snapped photos, noted that their hometown newspaper had been closely following her training regimen.

"She's a big star there," he said.

http://www.ottawacitizen.com/Torch+training+pays+1948+gold+medallist/2336296/story.html

It was a great day here in Ottawa today. The crisp winter weather froze up the ski tracks beautifully in Gatineau and the sun was shinning on us as we headed out for a rip after our weights were polished off this morning. Adam V is up and he came out for the ski, along with a gang of usual suspects. We had a great time taking advantage of the fast conditions. Ridge Road was in great condition and we had a blast ripping it down Penguin.

The boys at the Top of Penguin Hill


On the way home from the park Angus and I stopped of at city hall to be part of the celebraiton of the Olmypic flame coming to Ottawa. It was a great event with local athletes, politicians and just lots of regular folks out to share in the joy and excitement that the flame brings. I was cheering like a little kid on Christmas when I saw the flame come down Laurier across the canal. Here is a shot of the first torch bearer I saw, an Aboriginal Veteran who brought the flame to the beautiful Aboriginal monument which sits on Elgin Street in Confederation Park. The flame was then brought back around the park and into what is now known as Marion Dewar Plaza in front of city hall. It was a really specially moment for the city and everyone there to see a special cauldron lit on the steps of city hall, I personally was very moved and excited to see the flame and watch the Vancouver Olympic flag be raised. As you might expect Rideau was very well represented in the crowd and on the stage. Sue Holloway and Greg Joy were honoured along with other Olympians including the real darling of this weeks festivities in Ottawa, Barbra Anne Scott. (My new hero) Here are Sue and Greg along with great friend of the club, former mayor of Ottawa Jim Watson, with the flame.

The tense and adversarial atmosphere of the House of Commons melted away today in an instant, when an 81 year old Canadian Olympic hero brought the hope, excitement and tradition of the Olympic flame into the heart of Canada's seat of Government.

Watch the video below of Ottawa native and 1948 Olympic Champion Barbra Anne Scott carrying the Vancouver Torch into the House of Commons. The usually snippy and guarded MP's are almost child-like in their excitement and exuberance in the presence of the flame in the hands of this truly amazing woman. Check out the video and get excited for the Games!

After a big dump yesterday I was chomping at the bit to get up to the Gatineau Hills to get my first ski of the season. I dutifully got my core weights in this morning and rounded up Jamie and Johnny and headed to P10 for a ski session this afternoon. The fresh snow was still soft which made it a bit of a slow ski, but compared to the asphalt of two days before the parkways were perfect! We had a great rip up to the top of Champlain Lookout and just enjoyed getting back out in the beautiful park. As is usual when we start at P10, we raced down the final big hill at fortune lake. I am proud to tell you that Johnny has finally scored a win for the whitewater column with a convincing downhill effort. John and I were neck and neck going into the last big corner, but John got and held the inside, leaving me no choice but to attempt a difficult skate around his flying poles. His power was too daunting and the soft snow no help and I took a big spill, leaving Johnny the cruise to victory. Well done Hastings, rematch tomorrow on Penguin.