A glimpse of the chaos that will be the Vanlympics…
As an out of work, injured snowboard instructor in Whistler in September , theres really not alot to do. My activities of late have included sitting at the beach, burning a bunch, playing Tiger Woods 2010 like its a drug (it is… seriously) and biking around. My skate lays int he corner of the room, dejected, and my boards sit without bindings.
So as I’m biking down to the outskirts of Whistler (Function Junction) from Creekside, to acquire a job (melding of the two activities aforementioned… shit i must be bored, im getting creative).... I notice the incredable logistical problems that will emerge from the Olympic check points mainly being located between the two destinations (func and creek).
As you exit Creekside, you’ll notice youre still on the same road as your were going through Whistler. And through Pemberton, Birkin and so on… The same 2 lane (4 in some places w/ new construction) , slow, windy, snow swept road… The backlog thats going to incur from the locations of these security checks was demonstrated today
Upon arriving to function junction, i noticed theres really only one way in and out. Due to a road project (resembling the same size/time constraint) a security checkpoint would have, the traffic was backed up literally the entire way through function (~3-4km). Anyone trying to access any of these businesses, any worker of the businesses located there looking to leave, patrons etc were all virtually walled in for what seemed like 2 hours. I applied for jobs in the area, and passed the same car in the same place probably… 5 times in 1.5 hours?
Coming back into Creekside, I noticed the traffic was backed up behind my house, through the Nordic Hill and down to BlueBerry (3-4km). Looking at those cars at a standstill, I tried to source out the problem.. 2 traffic jams in 1 day? what? Again, a small construction project positioned exactly where the Creekside checkpoint will be was the source…
Although I know checkpoints will be a bit more speedy than construction sites etc, The traffic jam thats going on right now pales in compairison to whats goign to happen with security checkpoints augmented by regular snowfall, inexperienced international drivers and general olympic craziness…
I’m working for VANOC during hte Olympics, I’m kinda stoked but like.. this is scary
If youre planning on living in Whistler during this season, A house in Bayshores or Tamarisk (Westside Staff Housing) etc would be season suicide as far as I’m concerned. Unless you want to leave the house at 5am to be in whistler for 8am… 10km taking 3 hours… hahaha.
Yeah, I’ve heard it’ll be pretty nuts. As always the guys and girls running the show will suffer the most. I’ve heard about a big lack of worker accommodation, and even of landlords offering some tenants free rent for the whole season as long as they’ll get out for a certain time around the olympics.
I would love for it to come to a head with things just breaking down completely because they can’t get workers to live there. I know they’ll find a dirty workaround somehow, but it would great to put it on the world stage and show the plight of season workers worldwide. Queenstown has the same problem. One of the local supermarkets actually bought a house for his employees to rent rooms in, it was the only way he could get workers.
Looking forward to hearing the real story behind the media shitshow, keep us posted!
Yeah Ian, sounds like it’s going to be chaos. That’s crazy… I would go insane waiting that long to get to work/ride etc… For sure, please keep us posted with what’s happening in Whistler during the lead up to the Olympics.
So does anyone else think Shaun is going to kill everyone in the pipe?
Yeah Ian, sounds like it’s going to be chaos. That’s crazy… I would go insane waiting that long to get to work/ride etc… For sure, please keep us posted with what’s happening in Whistler during the lead up to the Olympics.
So does anyone else think Shaun is going to kill everyone in the pipe?
no only cus theres a couple of euro youngsters with dub corks in the pipe too
Even though Shaun runs away with every contest he enters… I think the pressure is on.
He can always fall and there is often someone who comes very close to a run as good as his. I think he feels the pressure and doesnt just walk away with his wins… like it seems.
He seems to know exactly what the judges want (in the combination of tricks he does - which ones he does back to back etc), but this isnt always the same with what the snowboard population wants. there was a contest I think in the Xgames maybe that - I believe Kevin Peirce probably should have won… but Shaun did… so things like that really put the pressure on him to clearly win, not just barely win.
Has Danny Kass fallen off the radar with his contest wins?
He has made silver, right behind Shaun in the last 2 Olympics, right? I am curious if he can still hang with all that has changed in the last 4 seasons.
Things changed greatly from the first to the second Olympics. Danny sure isnt my favorite rider, but he has done very well for himself and has proven himself to be undeniably an excellent rider.
Shaun thrives on pressure, somehow he always manages to perform at his best. Regardless, the competition will be very tough and it’s going to be great to watch.
Even though Shaun runs away with every contest he enters… I think the pressure is on.
He can always fall and there is often someone who comes very close to a run as good as his. I think he feels the pressure and doesnt just walk away with his wins… like it seems.
He seems to know exactly what the judges want (in the combination of tricks he does - which ones he does back to back etc), but this isnt always the same with what the snowboard population wants. there was a contest I think in the Xgames maybe that - I believe Kevin Peirce probably should have won… but Shaun did… so things like that really put the pressure on him to clearly win, not just barely win.Has Danny Kass fallen off the radar with his contest wins?
He has made silver, right behind Shaun in the last 2 Olympics, right? I am curious if he can still hang with all that has changed in the last 4 seasons.
Things changed greatly from the first to the second Olympics. Danny sure isnt my favorite rider, but he has done very well for himself and has proven himself to be undeniably an excellent rider.
naw he hasnt fallen off.. pulled off one of the best tricks off the pole tap @ grenade games this year.. front shifty back 3 out off a massive log tap…
anyway ,, id say danny is fairly over olympic / ttr level riding, good, shit sucks anyway