How can you NOT be happy ?

Family Fun Day for the Big White Racers Saturday Feb 20th. Kids vs parents on a large Slalom but not quite GS course. Timers, Start Ref, Finish Ref, Chief of Course ( a VERY cranky one too ! ). It was all official.

http://vimeo.com/9613318

So - I knew Ilana was going to kick my arse. Did I know this bad ? NOPE. Was I happy ? OF COURSE.
I cannot believe the skill development she's evolving here - it's spectacular. For Ilana - this was 4 years in the making. I was always busy working - never available to race her.

Boy did she make up for the years past.

Yes I realize this is every parent's hope - the kids have fun, learn, and develop many skills with their choices. Sports, music, video mediums....the life skills, friendships, etc they build in these electives is priceless.

So here is a happy music video to look at on a rainy day. Enjoy - try not to laugh too much at my getting whooped. It was fun

Cheers,

Brent

Mike's new trail " UP "

Been slamming busy folks. The two school assemblies were incredible. Been running lots in the am. As far as the biking - well - no slack is the catch-phrase.

Rode last night at Rose Valley with 5 hearty mates. Ken dropped off early w battery issues - and my video camera was not running for the time I wanted it to.

See for yourself...

http://vimeo.com/9525130

Cheers & Enjoy,

Brent

Olympic Opening Day

My Torch & I have been busy bees in the last couple of days. Yesterday was us and 3 other Torchies at Lakeshore Place Retirement Residence for their Olympic Breakfast. Very humbling very cool. The senoirs loved it - and appreciated us bringing the Torches in to show.

January 25th ~ 11:00 am at Casorso Elementary. Lucky kids - the Olympic Flame wasn't even in Kelowna yet !!!

Today is kahuna day - for everybody. For me - Rose Valley Elementary School this am - room to room presentation - gym assembly - run around field. Plus two business stops - again in full regalia with Torch.
Then this afternoon is Raymer Elementary - same spiel - room to room - gym assembly.

Before today's date - I estimate that our Torch has been held by ~ 1200 people. Pictures ? At least 5,000.
The morning of my Torch Relay - Pierre-Luc reminded us that we were SELECTED on the merits of our application. He told us it will change our life - and challenged us to do something with it.

This sharing of the hardware has been so fulfilling - it is beyond words. The kids are so pumped to hold and grab the Torch. The questions are endless - and most creative.

I want to thank Jody Nelson - teacher at Casorso Elementary for asking me in late December if I could bring the Torch to the school assembly. It sparked me to share this special gift with as many people as possible.

I hope that many other Torchies are doing same.

Here's to a very successful Opening Day for the Olympics - here's to a spectacular day for everybody !!

Enjoy your day !! Pics to follow.

Cheers

Brent

Weasel House BWR Flag

As one of my last duties as a member of the Big White Racer Executive - here's the finished product. BC Alpine shipped us this flag - I had to organize and den-mother peoples and little racers to sign the flag - but not fill in the Maple Leaf. Thanks to Gerry Whittaker ( volunteering with Tom Fydell, and Chris Jaegli ) here's the finished product hanging in Weasel House at Whistler. Each registered Ski Club in BC had the opportunity - great idea. Weasel House is a R&R gathering place - Gerry writes that this is where all the volunteers go to drink !!
If that's the case - then the Maple Leaf will be filled up in no time.......LOL
Thanks to Kathy Stahr of BC Alpine. Thanks to the Big White Racer kids for writing their messages of luck and " bring out a can o' whoop-ass ".

GO CANADA !!

Thursday @ 7:30am - myself and 3 other Torchbearers ( with our flash outfits ) will be at Lakeshore Place Retirement Residence for their Breakfast Olympics. This is going to be special - as it sounds like there are going to be plenty of families with their residence members.
Friday AM - Rose Valley Elementary Olympic Assembly - room to room presentation of the Torch & I ( in the flash outfit ) plus a run around the field.
Friday PM - Raymer Elementary Olympic Assembly - sounds like same thing....in the flash outfit.

Have definitely lost count - but Dad & I have had more than 1000 people hold and take picture with our Torch. I trust that other Torchbearers can do same....

Cheers,

Brent

the official Torchbearer photo...

Not too many words needed here. Thanks again to the entire Torch logistics team, and especially to the RCMP security runners. Hard to believe it was 2 weeks ago today.

Cheers

Revelstoke K1 Race Jan 30th & 31st

I'm a tad late with this blog - the video took some time - but I did have it on FB and Twitland sooner. This photo is of our little ripper having fun.....Props and beer to Keith Nelson for lying on the snow for this shot !!

Ilana racing K1 Zone race at Revelstoke Mtn Resort

So here is the video to make sense of the madness. I'm really trying to expand my hack nature with new programs - but iMovie is the shit. Too many of my friends are saying my movies are too long - too fecking bad.

http://vimeo.com/9223457

By the way - VIMEO rocks. I cannot fathom why YouTub is still around. Vimeo is free - and allows you to upload ANY size video file - HD too. The video is taken with my GoPro HD Hero helmet camera. This little puppy is waterproof - bombproof - jiggleproof. ENJOY.

One last photo to whet the appetite. This is another shot from Keith Nelson with the kids doing course inspection. I love the staged nature of the shot - the " in the moment " raw nature of it.

Anybody that has raced will appreciate this - it's when " you better listen HARD " to Coach plotting your lines, position, where to look next....

Off for a ripper mountain bike and - gulp - yes some work tomorrow. Will keep you posted on upcoming video shoots ( too many planned in my head right now ).

CHEERS

oooops - forgot to post Climb Sturg III

Climbing Sturg III on Vimeo! viewer discretion advised - song lyrics and Jager references a plenty. Good ride w the dudes.




http://vimeo.com/8941367


Cheers,


Brent

Clyde's Secret Glades - Revelstoke Mtn Resort

http://vimeo.com/9148366

Still working on the video of the kids skiing. Here's a little downtime for yours truly. Trying to keep up to Jeff was impossible ! This guys ROCKS the boards.

Cannot write much - going for early morning run.......

Cheers,

Brent

2010 Olympic Torch Relay

So - for a few of my 5 followers - this is old news. For the others - here goes. Yours truly was selected to be an Olympic Torchbearer. My magical day was one week ago today. 7:23 am on January 25th at Osoyoos BC. I was runner No. 10 out of 206 for that day.

WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW WOW

http://vimeo.com/9012504
The video says more than I can possibly write. A few things of note.

YES I was nervous - I only told our daughter - what 4 times ? - to pick me up at the Cultural Centre.

Pierre-Luc our handler reminded us that we were SELECTED by the merits of our application. It was not a random draw. He challenged us to do something with this. I am.

Since that day - I have been to two ( 2 ) Elementary School assemblies - with two more planned. At least 800 people have grabbed hold of our Torch. The more - the better.

What this life-changing experience has done is shown me that each and every one of us can make a difference in other people's lives. To see the school kids go crazy is priceless.

ENJOY - I DID

Cheers,

Brent