Olympics (2002) Day 5

Ok- are you bored yet?  Just hit delete if you are!

Day 5- now up earlier than ever- we are out of the house at 6:00 to go stand in the cold for hours.  Why? Downhill Ski Jump finals of course! Now we are off to Olympic Park-near Park City.  It is still dark when we head towards security- the ski jumps lit on the hill like some kind of strange alien landing strip.  Through security- onto the bus.  You are given the option of walking a mile up the hill or taking the bus.  Yeah right- 10 degrees, dark, a mile, uphill, at this altitude.  So,we get on the bus.  Into the venue for the big ski jump.  We are standing for this one- in the snow- for 5 hours.  Oh my god, my feet are cold!  Oh even worse- these people are crazy!  You have to see what the hill really looks like.  It is sooooo high!  I mean really really high.  They are going so fast when they hit the bottom- so fast.  We cheer for everyone- suddenly we are Polish with the huge group in front of us.  Now we want to be Japanese, because the jumper is named Happy.  It is great- and Harry Potter wins.  What a great event.  

We have time to kill- lunch at Wendy's and a quick nap in the car in the parking lot.  Back to the buses, up the hill again for luge.  I am so fascinated by the sliders.  I mean really- it is so weird.  We are so excited- you can actually stand on the edge of the bin.  It's like a giant water slide, and we are standing next to it.  The first slider goes by.  I didn't see a thing- the second one I see a shadow, but that's it.  I can't believe how fast they are.  We are all laughing.  They sold us tickets to something that you can't even see unless you have bionic man vision.  But, we persist and actually find places where we can focus and see them.  But, they are really crazy.  Watch on tv- cause it is the only way you can even see what color they are wearing.  Another great day at the Olympics!  The cold is getting better.  The only problem now, is I can't get my hands on one of those USA beanies.  They are the most popular item here, and I want one!  Keep your fingers crossed for me...