Author:  Garth Turtle, high school phys ed teacher & coach of Heather Moyse
 
I left PEI Monday morning and after a long but uneventful journey across the country landed in Vancouver at 4pm.
 
My daughter Kristen and I took no time at all to get our baggage and head into Vancouver on the new Skytrain. A very efficient and quick journey to downtown Vancouver to pick up our tickets and then we were off to my niece's apartment.  She has kindly offered us a place to stay, certainly appreciated as Vancouver is very expensive right now.

I must comment on the many blue jacketed volunteers stationed all over the city who are everywhere and are certainly a great help. Combined with the very good signage that leads you to all important venues and attractions, it has been a pleasure travelling.

Our highlight for the first evening in Vancouver was a walk through Robson Square and down to the Olympic Cauldron that Wayne Gretzky lit so many days ago. There are huge crowds everywhere and the mood is so upbeat and enthusiastic that you can't help but get excited about being here. Just as we were getting ready to leave,  a huge roar went up throughout the downtown. Canada had just won the gold medal in ice dance. Bands started playing and the streets filled with peopled overjoyed and in the mood to celebrate. What a great start to our week.

We were up yesterday and headed straight to the curling venue, arriving to see a long line winding its way toward a series of white tents. This is the security screening area that you meet before you can enter any of the venues. The volunteers are, again, very friendly and efficient. The system is the same as the airport system:  after a little pat down, I am through to the rink.
 
The facility is a big square barn with temporary seating for about 6000. The seats placed on aluminum structures with moulded plastic seats that are much too close together. Our seats were not great, high up in on corner but the site lines are fine and we could see all 4 ice surfaces and the players on them. There are large TV screens in each corner so we were able to watch any missed highlight shots. The stadium was full capacity. As play began and Team Canada took charge from the beginning, the atmosphere was electric throughout the match with the noise volume increasing tremendously when good shots were made. The aluminum bleachers are a great source of noise when people start stomping their feet. Skipped by Cheryl Bernard, the Canadians defeated the Brits in an exciting extra end when Cheryl made a routine takeout to score 1. The game should not have gone to an extra end but it did and Team Canada responded well.

Kristen and I leave the stadium and head out to the Skytrain for our trip to Whistler and, again, the trip is so smooth. Vancouver has done a remarkable job of providing efficient transportation for the games. We arrive in Whistler and head straight for the bobsleigh venue, through the security area and on to the track. We are meeting the Moyse group at the start area, so up the hill we go. It is a good 30 minute climb, very interesting as we pass each of the corners and see how the track is shaped.

This is a huge facility, tremendously steep with sharp curves and long straightaways. The climb is very strenuous and by the time we arrive we are soaking wet from the perspiration and the falling snow. We have to call Heidi Moyse, Heather's sister, to find the group and then we head into the stands and receive our special team hats: red and white stripped top hats - very distinctive, to say the least!
 
The races start about fifteen minutes after we arrive. Heather and Kaillie are racing 2nd and when they arrive at the start hut, we and the rest of the Canadians cheer wildly. Within 10 seconds the sled is gone and we are watching the rest of the race on a large screen TV.  Heather and Kaillie set a start record and, with a new track record, are in 1st place with 3 runs to go. The group is relieved but very nervous.  This track is scary fast and one slight mistake will mean disaster.

We all decide to move to the finish line for the second race and get great seats at the front of the grand stand. TV time! Heather and Kaillie will go last this time so there is a lot of time to enjoy the atmosphere. It is like a fairy tail , Whistler is beautiful, the snow is falling and I am at the Olympics.

The USA1 sled has just set a new track record and it's Heather's turn to go. They set another start record; the crowd is going nuts! At each interval they increase their lead and as they cross the finish line they have set another track record and are leading after 2 runs.  This is unbelievable.

Heather came down to see us all after her interviews.  I cannot imagine how she can be so calm. I feel Gold in this girl!!