It’s always sad when the Olympic torch goes out… It was even sadder when NBC cut away to a new TV program saying that if we want to see the rest of the closing of the Olympics, along with Nickleback, we’d have to wait till 11:30 PM. In the meantime, we get to watch “Marriage Ref.” No thank you. If I wanted to see Nickleback that bad, I’d go to YouTube. That said, it was a pretty good Olympics. Sunday’s hockey game was intense and it’s a metal our neighbors to the north deserve. Our over-stuff boys in spandex (the four-men bobsled team) melted the track behind them as they raced to the gold. And then there is the skiing and skating. I love the downhill skiing almost as much as I love watching the women's figure skating--go figure.
Saturday, I headed up north to do a little skiing on my on, as well as to serve as a chaperon for our Middle School ski club.
I've come across a couple of interesting blogs that I thought I’d pass on. David Sailer, “The Ultralighter,” often posts about lightweight backpacking techniques such as making alcohol stoves from aluminum cans. About once he week, he has a great “out-takes,” which are links to hiking posts from bloggers around the world and I have enjoyed reading many of them. As I know a few of my regular readers enjoy desert hiking, another blog that I came to through The Ultralighter is Sirena’s blog. She is currently hiking the Grand Enhancement Trail, a 700 mile path across
The photo at the top of the post was taken a few years ago on an Isle Royale National Park backpack trip.
As soon as they cut away for the Marriage Ref, I turned the television off. I didn't even see the announcement that it would continue after 11:30. I'm not sure I'd give a nickle to hear Nickleback play.
ReplyDeleteI was still spent from the opening ceremonies so I skipped the closing. I did wish I had seen the 4 man bobsled. I happened to catch one of the team members that had a bit of a belly on him. Poor guy must've forgotten that the team uniform was head-to-toe spandex.
ReplyDeleteWe've had enough wind down here the past few days to power a trip to Mars.
ReplyDeleteThe only worry that I've got on windpower is that we will see the developement vanish, for I hold that we are little more than on the sands at Kitty Hawk messing about with balsawood and 1/2hp motors. We really need to see $120+ a barrel to concentrate the mind.
ReplyDeleteBut what I do know is that any of the big institutions that installed are making a saving YOY of 10,000$ per 100k invested.
Ski slopes always seemed to draw me to them as the perfect place to fall down. Then I realized how soft the snow really isn't.
ReplyDeleteEd, I was about as sick of hearing about the Marriage Ref as I was about the Dreamworks movie and feel that using the announcers to hype such commericial interest was an attempt at bastardization of what was a pretty good event.
ReplyDeleteMurf, you did watch the hockey game, didn't you? I'd thought you couldn't get enough of the maple leaves
Charles, hold on to your hat?
Vince, there are some big projects going on over here--in California, there's been big wind projects for 25 years. REcently, in places like the Dakotas and western Minnesota, you're seeing them pop up. Although I like them, they ain't the prettiest things around.
Walking Guy, gotta learn how to stay upright... I have yet to fall down hill skiing in Michigan (knockk on wood) I shouldn't say that too loud, some would say it's because I'm not skiing hard enough.
Vince's comment reminded me of something that makes me hesitate with wind power. Windmills can only make efficient use of the wind to convert to energy with use of motors with rare earth magnets. Rare earth magnets have only been found in significant quantities in two places on this earth. One place is in California and has been shut down due to environmental regulations. The other place which is now the sole supplier of rare earth materials is in China. It makes me ask the question, who do we want to be dependent on, the Middle East for oil or China for rare earth material? Not sure I like either choice.
ReplyDeleteEd, the good thing is that once we own the metal, it will keep producing electricity and we won't need to import new for that particular windmill, (at least not in the near future and then only if there is wear on the magnets from the rotation). With oil, it all goes up in smoke and has to be constantly renewed!
ReplyDeleteI do not find them that pretty either, but then I do not hold that the 100yd span of the current design is going to be the last word, if for no other reason than if you can hear it then it is leaching energy.
ReplyDeleteAnd to Ed's point, the study needed is not being done, but once it is, then a critical mass will keep it on the move.
Thanks for pointing out Sirena. Ideas for new trips! I better kiss off work for the rest of the day.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the Crystal Mountain tip. It sounds within reasonable distance from us, given that Galena, IL is probably the closest. My wife is desperate to do more skiing, but Colorado at 16 hours driving is just too far for even along weekend.
Cheers.
Thay hockey final must have been amazing, as i've also known from some Canadian blogger fellows. Just sorry that NBC cut the broadcast...
ReplyDeletevince, I agree that more study is needed to be done. My guess is that most of the windmill blades in the midwest are a little over 100 feet--as they can place the blades on a standard trail with them sticking out a bit--the standard size trailer is 53 feet
ReplyDeleteRandall, it looks to be a nice place and the towns of Traverse City and Frankfort are nice (your wife might get homsick at frankfort). It would still be a haul from SL, maybe 10 hours?
leni, it was a great game.
It's tough to be upset about the outcome of that game. Yeah, I was bummed we didn't win, but it was such a good game that you certainly can't be mad about it. What a way to end the Olympics, huh?
ReplyDeleteThe bobsled is interesting. I guess it's a delicate balance between tubbiness and being able to run at a relatively decent pace for the start.
ReplyDeleteI was pretty impressed at how in shape most of the curlers seemed.
I couldn't be angry about the Olympics either and we won so many medals
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you had another father so your daughter could ski with a friend even if if just for a little while
Bone is totally obsessed with curlers and curling. Might have to change the name and scope of his blog :)
I'm with Bone, slightly fascinated with curling. It's like a game of marbles on ice! Oh the strategy! I do like the skiing. I have never been on skis and think it would be something I would enjoy.
ReplyDeleteMy son saw me reading this post, saw your photo and said, "Is that the guy that lives outside?" I had to laugh; he remembers when I read about your hiking adventures and assumed the great outdoors was your home. :)
ReplyDeleteCrystal Mountain sounds like a place I'd like to visit someday (when I actually learn to downhill ski).
I miss tuning into the Olympics. My son kept watching the hockey players and saying one day he and Booth will both be playing Olylmpic hockey on the same team...three Olympics from now. (Hey, you never know.)
Nice picture! Looks like you were enjoying yourself... Never heard of Crystal Mountain- sounds fun.
ReplyDeleteI so miss skiing. It's been over 10 years since I last skied. I used to take an annual trip to Mammoth Mountain in northern California. I would try to hit our local San Bernardino mountains a couple of times each year. This winter we are having near record-breaking snowfall in the local mountains. I don't have the time or the money to go skiing, and beside, I'm so out of shape my legs would probably fall off.
ReplyDeleteI'll chekc out the links to the blogs you provided. Maybe I'll find a story of someone who hiked through the California Mojave.
I was pretty upset when NBC decided to cut away from the ceremonies. Living in Canada, I simply kept watching on our Canadian network, but still...what a comment from the doofs at NBC that they'd rather promote a lousy reality show.
ReplyDeleteSilly them.
Thanks for the reminder that I need to go skiing more often. I got away from it after moving away from ski-friendly Montreal to ski-unfriendly London. I guess I just have to readjust my sights: we have some lovely local "hills" that would do just fine for memorable days with family.