On the 16th of February, our coach informed us that the ammonia pump that refrigerates the track from the 'start' down to curve 1, had broken. Normally, in the dead of a cold winter, this would not be a huge problem. However, on the 17th, we were faced with upper 40-degree temperatures, and the ice at the top of the track began to melt. The 'Lake Placid Series' races that were to be held on Friday, the 18th, were not conducted from the top of the track, but rather, from only 3/4 of the way up.
What did this result in? A bunch of shenanigans and a really fun day that was non-competitive, and non-productive. Our speeds on the track were probably less than 60 mph, and so working on driving the fast lines of the sled could not be accomplished. But, dang it, we deserved a truly 'FUN' day!
Tom began the sliding session by 'slingshotting' us down the track
We all had our own ways of 'intimidating' our competition, but I think Mike takes the cake:
Over the weekend of Feb 19th-20th, the temperatures dropped, and so the track workers were able to build up a beautiful ramp of natural ice where the pump was broken. Due to President's Day, Lake Placid has a huge influx of tourists, resulting in their busiest week of the year. Not only does that mean that I worked at the tubing chute 2-8pm nearly every day this past week, but it also meant no sliding for us until Thursday the 24th.
Not a big deal, when you figure it costs somewhere around $10,000 to keep a mile-long chute of ice frozen...
The bobsled track provides public bobsled rides, and during the busy season, with nearly 300+ riders/day, and at $80 a pop, it was more monetarily beneficial for the ice to be available to the public, rather than to the athletes. It was fine with me though, as I made some extra cash at the tubing slopes, and was able to take a nice mental break from sliding.
Friday the 25th were the Empire State Games, which is New York's attempt at reenacting the Olympic Games for the state. They do a great job, especially since the Games were funded entirely by the city of Lake Placid this year. It includes an 'Opening Ceremonies' with approximately 300 athletes walking into the 1980 Olympic arena, a torch, and about 10 different events ranging from skeleton to hockey to biathlon and snowshoeing.
My college friend, Josh Meyer, came to visit from Thursday through Sunday, and so we 'forced' him into disguising himself and walking through the ceremony with us. Ha! It was awesome!
Josh & I getting ready to walk in for Opening Ceremonies
It was nice having a visitor up here to break up the normal schedule, and we were able to fit in a good bit of activities while he was here. He got to watch our Empire State Games competition on Friday morning (where I received 5th place of 12 competitors), followed by lunch with my teammates at a pizza place, then a BOBSLED ride (public style), and then a night on the town (where we were beer pong champions...), breakfast at the local creperie where my friends Lauri & Jaz work, and a day of skiing for him & working for me on Saturday. Definitely a nice change of pace!
Our 8-day stretch of working at the tubing chute came to a close today. The grand finale of such a long week, included snowtubing down the 120m ski-jumping hill... stay tuned for that story... as soon as I get the video, I'll provide a little more on that epic moment...
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