Still Doomed...Again

These Olympics are killin' me! Tonight it's the women keeping me from my Beauty Sleep. Women's Alpine Combined and Women's Half Pipe. Great stuff.

It's hard to believe that it was 50 years ago that Squaw Valley hosted the Winter Games! I missed all the celebrations they've been throwing this month. But don't think this Golden Anniversary isn't important in my life.

I'm writing tonight, and I live in Truckee, and I work in the Ski Industry because those 1960 Winter Olympics happened at Squaw. It's funny how life works out.

My father's firm designed all the utilities for the Olympic Village built for the Games at Squaw. A couple years later, they designed the Sewage Treatment Plant for Salt Lake City, and my father was tasked to be the Supervising Engineer for it's construction. While in Salt lake for two years, us kids went to private school, so we wouldn't fall behind when we got back to the Berkeley, CA schools upon our return. At that time, Berkeley's schools were top notch, some of the best in the country.

While attending the private school, we learned to ski. Skiing was one of the physical education options during winter semester. When we returned to California, we kept skiing. Dad didn't ski, but he wanted us to be happy, so when he took us skiing, we went to Squaw so Dad could chew the fat with some friends he'd made up there while the Olympic Village Project moved along.

Back in 1960, Squaw had similar snow troubles to Vancouver's. Squaw didn't have any snow seven weeks before the start of the games! Luckily, on February 11th, a storm blew in and dumped 65 inches at the base in two days! The Games were saved, and Squaw became known worldwide.

I'd like to see a two day/five foot storm next week, but I don't think it's in the cards.