Magnet #178 - U.S. Olympic Training CenterWe ended up in Lake Placid, somewhat on a whim, a bit of a stopover on a roadtrip through Upstate NY and Vermont. Actually, I think Lake Placid was on the itinerary, but our Olympic adventures were sort of a bonus.
We visited the Miracle skating rink, where the U.S. Hockey team won that infamous game against the Russians, moving on to beat Finland for the gold. And, we visited the 1932 and 1980 Lake Placid Winter Olympics Museum, the U.S. Olympic Training Center, and even saw where the 1980 torch was lit. Through the trees, we could see the ski jumps, too.
For sure when I woke up that morning, I didn't think we'd be luging the Olympic course. Yes, yes, they tamed down the course for the tourists, but the adrenaline coursing through your veins as you decide that yes, you will spend that bunch of money to try your hand at an Olympic sport - holy crap. But, after a fair amount of convincing, my two roadtrip buddies agreed that we might never get the chance to do it again, so what the hell.
No fear, no regrets, dudes. I have to say, that was one of the funnest things I've ever done. Hearing the rush of the sled against the walls, and hearing the screams of my friends behind me (yes, I won gold) was just the most amazing thing ever.
We even got our own little podium shot with us in our USA jackets, and our little bouquets. All in all, a superfun, and very cold day.
eta:
Added the link to the actual podium shot...but not at actual size.
3 comments:
Lake Placid... That sounds familiar. I think I remember seeing a very informative, very realistic movie about a giant crocodile that lived in that lake and ate tourists. And Betty White from the Golden Girls fed and protected it. You didn't happen to see the crocodile, too, while you were there?
;-) What a terrible movie... Has Bill Pullman ever done anything worthwhile?
But that's so cool--you've actually luged? Sweet.
Oh, goodness, I'd forgotten about that movie!
For me, Bill Pullman will always be the guy from Spaceballs. Oh, and the president from Independence Day. He's been in a ton of things, but those two movies will always stand out for me in the Pullman oeuvre.
And, I wouldn't call it luged, so much as laid down in a sled and laughed so hard I had tears streaming down my face as I went whizzing down the twisty-turny hill.
"Has Bill Pullman ever done anything worthwhile?"
Only the gold medal of all romantic-comedy movies, While You Were Sleeping. Bill was the hero, the good guy, the champion of leaning.
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