Olympics with a Gorb, Part 1

It's midnight on Thursday evening. The Fix has just gone to press, and I'm frantically packing for a six day Olympic adventure. I somehow manage to catch a couple hours of sleep, a training run to our upcoming performances. I pick up Erin, we grab a coffee for the road, and talk and giggle like a couple of school girls all the way to Cranbrook. It's starting to sink in, we're going to the Olympics!

Once at the airport, we head to the lounge where we hope to watch some Olympic coverage (as we've been away from CTV for an entire hour, and are wondering how we'll survive the next four disconnected). Instead we find two guys in head to toe Canada wear and no TV. "Ya, we get it. You're going to the Olympics," I think to myself. Erin recognizes the duo, and I assume they're peeps from her days at Alpine Canada. We sit and chat, and are happy to find they're live streaming the Olympics on their phones. As our flight is announced Erin asks to take a photograph. I give her a curious glance, why would she want a photo with these duds? Turns out they are Mike Janyk and Ryan Semple, heading back to Whistler after training in Panorama for their upcoming tech races at the Olympics. Gorb move number one.

A quick hour flight and we find ourselves in the Vancouver airport. We meet with another Fernie girl, Jenny D, grab some road pops and snacks, and hop on a sea to sky bus. I feel like I'm on a High School field trip, and our driver - who has been travelling the route some 18 years - is our tour guide full of random facts, jokes and stories.

Once in Whistler, we find Rosemary's pad and our pieces of carpet (one under the kitchen table) and settle in front of the tele to catch up. We watch as Canadian Jon Montgomery takes gold. We're so excited, and about to pour ourselves another glass of wine when it dawns on us, that just happened outside our door! Energized, we set off to Firerock (which throughout the trip I have called Firebush - yikes, Fireside, Firestone, but never its actual name), which is the designated Alpine Canada House, to meet with the remainder of the Brydonouge.

I know I'm in trouble instantly. I hear a few whispers of athletes I'm supposed to know and while I recognize their names, not so much their faces. The night continues, we enjoy many beverages, and I meet a blur of people from Alpine Canada. One particular moment stands out. A young gentleman introduces himself as Manny and we enjoy a nice conversation. Later on in the evening, Erin asks what Manual Osborne-Paradis had to say. "Are you kidding? I just asked him which events he was going to watch!!!" Gorb move number two.

We tuck ourselves into our sleeping bags relatively early this night, tomorrow is a big day - Women's Super G.

A few hours later we are provided with tea in "bed" as a swarm of British folk eat breakfast (on the table above Erin). We quickly dress in our "Speed Princesses, Emily is our Queen" shirts (thanks Giv'er) and are on our way. It's been a tough week for our queen, but she's the strongest woman we know and we are excited to watch her race in her third, I repeat third, Olympics.

It's not Em's day, taking a fall which bruises both her buttocks and her heart. She wanted to do it for her friends, family, supporters and most of all Fernie more than anything, and it showed. After the event, we catch Emily behind the stands and give her the hugest hugs we can muster. As we are setting up a photograph with all princesses and queen, something magical happens - a swarm begins to grow and soon Em is signing autographs, posing for photographs, and providing hugs to her fans. We smile with tears in our eyes, we're so proud.

As Em goes home to ice her rump, we head to Rosemary's to prepare for the evening. Em's pals have organized festivities at Tokyo Tom's. We congregate at Rosemary's to enjoy champagne, a beautiful toast and appies, then we're off for the biggest night of the trip. Tokyo Tom's is full to the brim with Emily's closest in ski racing. Uh oh, the gorb in me is in trouble, and it doesn't take long...

Stay tuned for part two...if I can handle more embarrassment that is!