Bring on the Paralympics

[hullnumbers]

Now that the olympics are over we can now cheer for the Paralympics. Our Canadian athletes sure showed us. Now its the Paralympians turn. Lets cheer them on.

GO CANADA

Oh, yah, and I will be carry the paralympic torch in Victoria tomorrow. So I will be carrying it in honor of Canadians.

[hullnumbers]

Ok, can someone fix the thread title to 'Bring on the Paralympics' My computers going hey wire on me and its very annoying.

[Scott]

Congratulations! Canada usually has a good medal showing for the Paralympics.

[FNS]

There's another neat thing about these Para-Olympic Games. The Cauldron on the waterfront is slated for re-lighting! Just found out that this is a permanent landmark as well.

So, if anyone missed the lit Cauldron on the waterfront during the Able-Olympics, you can see this during the Para Games. I will when I return this weekend!

I guess this will be the thread to use to display my pics I'll be taking of the Para-Olympics.

www.gamesbids.com/eng/other_news/1216135007.html

[hullnumbers]

The paralympics have officially begun. XD

What an Opening

[hullnumbers]

Sledge Hockey is on XD

[lmtengs]

The opening ceremonies were great!
I was there singing Singing 'We Rise Again' in the Paralympic Inspiration choir alongside Nikki Yanofski. It was an amazing experience. According to the organzing people in 'the big white tent' there were 2000 of us singing.

We wore big burgundy gospel choir style robes, and we all wore the ponchos and did the audience participation stuff, including the dancing and all that.
The idea was for us to be "inspired" by Nikki to sing, and that nobody would know we were a choir before it was actually our part, because of the ponchos, which made us all blend in.

At the end, all of the performers got two little lapel pins and a special medal for being a performer, along with a $2000 gift certificate to go toward any General Motors vehicle.

It was a great experience, not soon to be forgotten.

[FNS]

It's been more than a week since the Paralympics have closed. I've been too busy to have put my photos on this thread. So, now that I have found some time, here they are beginning with day one, the Opening Ceremony.

FRIDAY, MARCH 12, 2010
My Friday morning train from Seattle was quickly replaced by bus due to a mudslide on the tracks near Everett. It worked out better. I was able to see more of the Vancouver streets decked out with Paralympic decorations. Vancouver's people have out done themselves in making their city and the surrounding areas very festive. The folks even decorated the interior of the Canada Customs bus facility a little bit at the Truck Crossing. I did see the QUEEN OF SURREY, QUEEN OF CHILLIWACK, and the QUEEN OF PRINCE RUPERT at Deas as my bus used the Deas Tunnel. It was great to see so many cars having Canadian flags on them. The spirit of the Canadians have carried over from the Able-Olympics to the Paralympics very nicely.


One unofficial photo to show was from my hotel. Just after arriving, I see a favorite train ferry do her work up at North Vancouver. She's the SEASPAN DORIS.


Lots of traffic on the harbour. We see the barge with the Olympic Rings being towed back into position. The folks have added the Paralympic symbol on this.


Next, I walked by the Cauldron, soon to be re lit again. We see the Paralympic decorations now.


Just before the Opening Ceremony, I had some time to take a SeaBus ride across Burrard Inlet. We see the Olympic Rings barge, with the Paralympic symbol added, and a Vancouver icon together.


The clouds lifted just enough for me to capture another great icon. This mountain is just so beautiful.


After a quick and easy SkyTrain ride over to Stadium Station, I pass through Security Central one more time. This time, we see the Garage back to near normal with the Canucks garb with a bit of Games garb. The pole decorations have the Paralympic garb now.


I make my way to BC Place Stadium one last time. This is her final event with her tent roof. In May, the roof will be gone and the blowers retired. The event I'm attending is the Opening Ceremony of the Paralympics.


While walking to the stadium, we see a kind gesture from a previous Olympic/Paralympic venue city.


Here we are, back in BC Place Stadium. The stage is all set up for her final event before renovation.


This is self explanatory.


TEE MINUS TWO, ONE...


...IT'S SHOW TIME!


O CANADA...


Part of the artistry of this event.


The same. This all leads up to the entrance of the athletes. The empty seats you see below are for the athletes. There are lots of open spaces for the ones in wheelchairs.

Most of the participating countries have been photographed. For this thread, I'll just show Team USA and Team Canada and let you view the below links for others if you're interested in seeing them.

i139.photobucket.com/albums/q309/ferrynutseattle/ferrynutseattle1/IMG_2635.jpg
Team Australia.

i139.photobucket.com/albums/q309/ferrynutseattle/ferrynutseattle1/IMG_2637.jpg
Team China.

i139.photobucket.com/albums/q309/ferrynutseattle/ferrynutseattle1/IMG_2645.jpg
Team France.

i139.photobucket.com/albums/q309/ferrynutseattle/ferrynutseattle1/IMG_2647.jpg
Team Germany.

i139.photobucket.com/albums/q309/ferrynutseattle/ferrynutseattle1/IMG_2650.jpg
Team Great Britain.

i139.photobucket.com/albums/q309/ferrynutseattle/ferrynutseattle1/IMG_2651.jpg
Team Greece.

i139.photobucket.com/albums/q309/ferrynutseattle/ferrynutseattle1/IMG_2653.jpg
Team Italy.

i139.photobucket.com/albums/q309/ferrynutseattle/ferrynutseattle1/IMG_2654.jpg
Team Japan.

i139.photobucket.com/albums/q309/ferrynutseattle/ferrynutseattle1/IMG_2656.jpg
Team Mexico.

i139.photobucket.com/albums/q309/ferrynutseattle/ferrynutseattle1/IMG_2658.jpg
Team Russia.


Team USA enters the stadium.


And, finally, Team Canada enters.


More of the artistry of this event.


Very neat.


Now, that felt good on my face. Those flames were quite hot.


The Paralympic flag enters the stadium.


The official speeches.


Rick Hanson.


Terry Fox.


It's time to light up the indoor Cauldron. Only the middle one rose this time.


The Cauldron is lit.


The Opening Ceremony is over. The athletes make their way to the exits and get ready for their events the next day.


I get a closer look at the indoor Cauldron. This would soon be extinguished for the last time. The ones on the waterfront and Whistler would be the ones to see during these games.


By now, the waterfront Cauldron should have been lit. Workers inside BC Place Stadium have extinguished this one for good.


The indoor Cauldron is now lowered for the last time.


With the indoor Cauldron now safely put to bed, it's time for me to leave this wonderful venue for the last time in her current configuration. I plan to return when her new retractable roof is in place and we can see some daylight shine through the hole.


I make way to the exit.


Well, not quite yet. These tunnels had alternating logos on them.


This time, I leave for good. It's been a wonderful evening in a great venue. The next time I walk through her tunnels, we'll see a bit of a different look inside.


BC Place Stadium at night.


I make my way over to the waterfront again, just after an easy SkyTrain ride, to see the re lit Cauldron. This time, we see the Paralympic symbol on the barge.


As I make my way to my hotel on Broughton and Robson, I take one last photo of the Cauldron from the west side.

It was a great day, despite what happened to my originally intended mode of transportation. I slept well that night and got up very early the next morning for the first Ice Sledge Hockey game. I guess it's a Canadian thing to do in getting up early to go see a hockey game.

In my next installment on this thread, we'll see Team Canada and Team Italy as well as Team Norway and Team Sweden inside the intimate confines of Thunderbird Arena, a nice new barn for Ice Sledge Hockey as well as regular hockey et al.

[FNS]

SATURDAY, MARCH 13, 2010
This morning I rise early, get a bowl full of frosted flakes, take an elevator ride down to street level, and catch the Route 5 bus to Burrard Street. A couple of blocks away, I catch the Route 4 bus on Howe Street to UBC. These are electric lines.


This is the Route 4 bus I took to and from UBC for the Ice Sledge Hockey games. Inbound trips take you near the front door of the old CPR Waterfront station where you can catch SkyTrain and the SeaBus. Sure was nice to have game tickets in hand as these acted as transit daypasses as well. No digging in your pockets for correct change! ;D


Here I am arriving at the Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre, also known as Thunderbird Arena. It was about nine-ish in the morning when I arrived. It doesn't matter how early in the morning it is, it's a neat experience to go to a morning hockey game. Hot dogs in the morning? I'll let you decide whether that's a good breakfast entree or not.


Believe it or not, this was my assigned seat for the opening game. Right near center ice, a couple of rows up, right behind the "benches", quite unbelievable. You can really feel the action at this location. This is looking south.


Looking at the west goal and Team Canada's "bench".


Looking at the east goal and Team Italy's "bench".


We look up at the overhead of this barn to see the flags of nations participating in the Paralympic Ice Sledge Hockey games. We see six of the eight countries in this photo. Canada, USA, Sweden, Norway, South Korea, and Japan.


The central video and information boards. If you can look very closely at the bottom of the lower box, you'll see two white fixtures. These were the high-pitched scoreboard horns you heard. I guess the IOC likes these as they are loud enough, as they should be.


We continue to the last part of the overhead tour and see the other two nations. These are Italy and the Czech Republic. To the right of these we see the host nation, Canada, the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic banner, and the Paralympic Flag.


Team Canada takes to the ice for the warm up. They wore their red sweaters. As Don Cherry reminds us: you call them sweaters, not jerseys; you call them dressing rooms, not locker rooms.


Team Italy takes to the ice for the warm up.


Team Canada lines up for the introductions.


Team Italy lines up for the introductions. As you can see, the cameraman has a helmet on his head, to protect his noggin from being bopped by flying pucks.


Team Canada in a meeting before the opening face off.


FACE OFF! There are three fifteen minute periods in Ice Sledge Hockey.


Part of the action at the east end of the rink.


An Italian player heads into the penalty box to serve two minutes. As you can see, the boxes have ice inside and the door bottom sill matches the same as the ice level. This is the same as the "benches". Plexiglas is installed so these players can see the action from their sleds.


The door is closed. The player begins his sentence.


Part of the action at the west end.


Even the ref has to spend time in a penalty box. Two minutes for an official goal review! ;D
The review results in a Team Canada goal.


The game is over. Team Canada wins this game.


Good try, Team Italy.


Scoreboard shows Team Canada 4, Team Italy 0, and 24 seconds remaining in an Italian player's penalty.


Great sportsmanship is shown as both teams shake hands at the end of this game.


We go outside and wait for the rink to be reset for the next game.


Here I am, back in the rink. This time, sitting up higher in the nosebleed section. A broadcaster's gondola would be higher than this.


I pan my camera to the west end.


Center ice.


Team Norway takes to the ice in warm up.


Team Sweden takes to the ice in warm up.


Norway team meeting.


Sweden team meeting.


FACE OFF!


West end action.


East end action.


A Swedish player slides out of the penalty box.


The video board reminds us that this is a family event. We see MUKMUK and SUMI entertaining kids of all ages. We also did see MIGA and QUATCHI on the video board as well. These were adorable creatures for the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Fun and entertaining.


Final score: Team Norway 2, Team Sweden 1, in five periods. This game went into overtime. The Fourth Period features a sudden victory session lasting up to five minutes. The Fifth Period features a shootout with penalty shots. Norway won the shootout session and had a goal added to the final score to break the tie.


Great game, fellows!


After that second game, I got back on the Route 4 bus and went back to the waterfront. I take a SeaBus ride to see the Cauldron from a water perspective.


The Paralympic symbol is lit up on the Olympic rings barge, also with the Lions Gate Bridge in view.


After getting back to downtown Vancouver, I took SkyTrain to the Garage to revisit this place after seeing the Olympic hockey games there. We see this set up for the Canucks again. The Vancouver 2010 banner remained as well as the Olympic Flag.


We never forget to add this to this collection of photos on a ferry forum!


This is a researched photo of PA announcer John Ashbridge. He did the rink announcing duties for the Olympic and Paralympic hockey events. He's a really great announcer, one of the best. He was a very busy man that day. He did the announcing of the first two Paralympics Ice Sledge Hockey games at UBC before heading over to the Garage to do the Canucks game. It's not a hockey game in Vancouver without hearing the great voice from this gifted fellow!

Mr. Ashbridge comes from Hastings, Sussex, England. He's been in broadcasting for quite awhile. He's been the Vancouver Canucks rink announcer since 1987. He also does the rink announcing for the Vancouver Giants of the WHL in the Pacific Coliseum, a job he took in 2004.

It was really a great experience to hear this hockey rink voice in Thunderbird Arena and the Garage on the same day. Another announcer shared duties with Mr. Ashbridge during the Olympics and Paralympics.


This would be my very first attendance of a Vancouver Canucks home game. It was an unbelievable thrilling experience. The Canucks impeached the Senators that evening on Hockey Night In Canada.


Back to the waterfront again to see the Cauldron. This time, it was clearer enough to see Grouse Mountain's ski areas. The Paralympic symbol is seen below.


A closer look at the flames.


We end this night with a look at the Paralympic symbol under Grouse's lights. It was a great day. Two Paralympic Ice Sledge Hockey games, an NHL game, hearing PA announcer John Ashbridge in both rinks, and a SeaBus round trip. Time to go back to my hotel for a good night's sleep.


SUNDAY, MARCH 14, 2010
After managing in getting a morning round trip aboard the QUEEN OF COQUITLAM on the Langdale run before the forecasted clammy conditions set in, we see myself returning to Seattle under these conditions. We nearly hit a tow truck! The driver of that tow truck ignored the railway crossing signal. Had we hit, I would have been home very late. Thankfully, after letting the wheels cool down from the emergency braking situation, and after a trainset brake check lasting only a few minutes, we were underway again. I got home only a few minutes late.

Is there an encore visit coming? Yes there is! That'll be the next and final photo installment to this thread coming up sometime this weekend.

[FNS]

SATURDAY, MARCH 20, 2010

Today, I finish my Olympics/Paralympics spectator-ing experience in grand fashion. I got up very early, took a shared van to KSEA, take the first available flight to CYVR, enjoyed some Vancouver sights one more time, and see the Gold Medal Ice Sledge Hockey game before taking the train back to Seattle that evening.


I have broken my string of ground modes of transportation in getting to Vancouver by doing what most Olympic/Paralympic athletes and visitors did in getting there. By air. I leave KSEA just after 0720PDT off Runway 34R. It was a very quick trip, but there was time for the flight attendant to serve me a cup of delicious orange juice. That's Mount Rainier to the southeast.


Mount Baker as we began to descend to CYVR. I just wonder how many visitors to the Games knew about this great mountain they could see from Vancouver on a clear day?


Vancouver, as an Olympic/Paralympic venue city as a whole, comes into view under the starboard wing.


The Canada Line. A lot of Olympic/Paralympic visitors and spectators used this line as they came and went through CYVR. Runway 26R cleared to land.


Touchdown! I'm back in Canada.


Thank you Horizon for getting me to Vancouver for the Ice Sledge Hockey Gold Medal game.


On board the Canada Line now. We see the Olympic rings with the Paralympic symbol added. This was at CYVR's entrance/exit.


In the hole we go. You can see the streets decorated with Paralympic banners on the poles. Almost everywhere you went in this area, you would see this. It was just great to see this on Vancouver's streets.


Here I am, back to the place I love. Grouse is beautiful as she usually is. It was very neat to see Olympic rings within these views, even if this had the Paralympic symbol added. I had some time to use before I had to get aboard the bus and head to the rink.


The Olympic rings with the Paralympic symbol under Vancouver's magnificent mountain icon.


Sadly, this would be my last day in seeing the Cauldron lit. This was a beautiful sight in Vancouver. I was lucky with Horizon's scheduling as I wanted to incorporate some minutes of my day trip in seeing this. I did. And, am very thankful.


A closer look at the flames under a blue sky.


Another great angle with the Paralympic symbol in the foreground.


At this angle, I get Mount Seymour with the Cauldron.


I get in one last closeup of the rings barge with the Paralympics symbol.


As I leave this area for the Route 4 bus that would get me to UBC one more time, I get one last photo of the Cauldron and the mountain I love.


Here I am, back at the rink where I was a week ago.


SUMI, the mascot, greets us as we enter the barn.


A group of beautiful young lads entertain us outside. Neat costumes!


I found a lot of people taking pictures of the Mounties with these folks in wheelchairs. We are reminded that these are the Paralympic Games. We were treated with the courageous effort the Para-Olympians performed. It was truly amazing to see how well these real athletes did in putting aside their disabilities and playing these wonderful Games.


Back inside the barn. Team Japan and Team USA are in warm up. I had wished Team Canada would have been playing in this game. I would have come to this game even if Team USA was not playing in this match. All I was there for was to see the wonderful athletes of this sport overcome their disabilities and cheer their amazing efforts.


Team Japan lineup.


Team USA lineup.


Japan team meeting. They wore the white sweaters.


USA team meeting. They wore the blue sweaters.


Team captains meet with the men in stripes.


The opening face off in the Gold Medal Ice Sledge Hockey Game of the 2010 Vancouver Paralympic Games.


And, away they go, as Bob Cole would say.


Action at the west end of the rink.


Action at the east end of the rink.


That man in stripes gets set to drop the puck to start the Second Period.


And, again, away they go. It was a hard fought game between both teams. There were a lot of scoring opportunities.


Alright, fans! LET'S MAKE SOME NOISE IN THIS BARN!! It was an unbelievable experience to be at this game in person. The festive atmosphere was great. People brought in some noise makers. Lots of cow bells. Some big plastic horns as well. Lots of flags, too! We were treated again to hear the magnificent voice of rink announcer John Ashbridge.


With eight seconds remaining on the scoreboard clock in the Second Period, we see Team USA with a one goal advantage.


The final fifteen minutes begin.


One of the many face offs we did see at this end of the rink.


One of the saddest things we had to see in these Games was to see a team lose a game despite its best efforts. The mistakes Team Japan's net minder did was to allow two pucks cross his line into the net. On that note, that would be the final score as Team USA celebrates winning the Gold Medal in the Ice Sledge Hockey tournament of these Paralympic Games.


The sportsmanship of the teams in these Games was great.


Teams USA and Japan line up to receive their medals.


Team Norway enters the rink to receive the Bronze medals.


The Mounties bring in the flags to be raised.


Team Norway gets the Bronze medals.


Team Japan gets the Silver medals.


Team USA gets the Gold medals.


The rising of the flags during the playing of the "Star Spangled Banner". It was a bit strange for me to sing our US anthem in this Canadian rink. I did sing "O Canada" several times during these Games in front of a video screen as well as with Mark Donnelly and the fans in the Garage in that memorable night when the Canucks impeached the Senators a week before this game.


Team USA gets photographed.


Team Japan gets photographed.


Team Norway gets photographed.


The medal standings of this event.


The scoreboards are now officially retired.


The Vancouver 2010 nets are also retired. Almost all the teams have made their way into their dressing rooms.


The flags are lowered into the careful hands of the Mounties.


The Mounties take the hoisting lines off these flags.


The flags are taken into safekeeping.


All is now quiet in this rink. Time to leave.


Leaving this rink for the last time.


Vancouver 2010 were great Games.


Good bye, Thunderbird Arena.


Time to walk up the street to the trolley loop to catch the Route 4 bus for my ride back into downtown Vancouver.


I had a couple of moments before I had to get on SkyTrain to Pacific Central Station. So, I get one more photo of Vancouver's harbour.


I'm now aboard SkyTrain for the quick trip to Pacific Central. I get my last photo of BC Place Stadium before her air supported roof gets permanently deflated in May and gets a new kind of one in 2011.


Pacific Central Station was a nice foyer for the many visitors entering and departing Vancouver's streets for these Games. I can speak this for myself as well. Beautiful structure.


I leave a lot of happy memories of these Games behind now. My final train ride home. I have attended my last event in the Vancouver 2010 Games.


We leave the departing athletes of the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Games under the watchful eyes of the mighty Lions.


As we rounded the bend, we are reminded that it is truly constitutional to be a spectator cheering teams to victory. I did my part during the Olympics and Paralympics.

It was a great experience for me to attend these games. Four trips to Vancouver. Six train rides. One bus replacement trip due to a mudslide on the tracks near Everett. One ride in an aeroplane. And, one near miss of my train hitting a tow truck! Many trips aboard SeaBus as well as two round trips aboard BC Ferries. Three Olympic Hockey games. Three Paralympic Ice Sledge Hockey games. The Olympic Closing Ceremony. The Paralympic Opening Ceremony. And, one Canucks NHL game. Incredible.

THANK YOU, VANCOUVER!

END