Perhaps the one event that Canadians will treasure more than any other was won on the final day of sports. Of course, I’m talking about ice hockey. The Canadian mens hockey team pulled off a thrilling win against the US, who managed to tie the game with just 30 seconds left, putting it into sudden death overtime. When Canada managed to score 10 minutes into the period, the stadium erupted! That kind of Olympic drama is what the games really are all about.

Perhaps the most impressive country wasn’t the powerhouse US, German or Canadian teams, but the team from Norway, who managed to win 23 medals, nine of which were gold. What really is miraculous about this accomplishment is that Norway has a population of just under 5 million. Not impressed? Take into consideration that the US, with a population of over 300 million also won nine gold medals while sending 216 athletes. Norway only sent just 99 athletes. Not that I would want to take anything away from the US team, they did fantastic, winning more overall medals (37) than any other country in Winter Olympic history. Congratulations to all the athletes! We are looking forward to the London 2012 games!

If you watched any Olympic coverage, you probably are familiar with some of the sponsors of the games. One commercial that stood out to me was for an electric car from Nissan called the Leaf. The Leaf uses a lithium-ion battery and is said to have a range of 100 miles on a single charge. The car is also said to have a top speed of nearly 90 miles per hour. Nissan claims that at a charging station with a 440 volt output, the Leaf can get almost a full charge in around 30 minutes. Another interesting feature of the Leaf is the ability for owners to control some of the cars features with a smartphone.

With solar, wind, and tidal generators basically able to provide unlimited energy once implemented, it’s hard to imagine this kind of technology not sticking around. What do you think? Is this a passing fad, or something that has the potential to catch on? Would you consider driving one of these cars, or renting one on your next vacation? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.

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Barcelona, Spain- Summer 1992
After hosting the Summer Games in 1992, Barcelona showed the world why it’s been considered one of the top travel destinations for Europeans for years. Viewers were impressed by the beauty of Spain’s Mediterranean coastline, and have been flocking to beach side cities like Valencia and Tarragona ever since. Spanish tourism was the big winner, as more and more people travel to Spain each year.

Albertville, France- Winter 1992
The story of Albertvile is interesting. After winning the Olympic bid against Sofia, Bulgaria, Albertville met the challenge of hosting the Games. It was the last Olympic Games where speed skating events were held outdoors. While many of the areas that were dedicated to sports remain active, several locations have transformed back into more industrial zones. Would you like to travel to France, do you think this would be on your list of places to visit?

Lillehammer, Norway- Winter 1994
With skis being practically issued to each citizen at birth, Norway embraced the Olympic spirit like no other had done before, prompting the current IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch to say that he felt that it had been the best winter games ever. The host nation won more medals than any other country that year. Nowadays, the areas where these events took place are major attractions, like the ski jump at Lysgårdsbakkene.

Of all the cities that have hosted the games, where would you want to travel to? Athens? Sydney? Los Angeles? Let us know what you think in the comment section below.

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It’s been exciting to say the least. The medal count is still very close, but our athletes are making us proud! Bode Miller finally secured his Olympic legacy as he won the gold in the men’s super combined. So far in Vancouver, he has won a bronze, silver, and gold. With two more events for him there’s a chance for more. Lindsey Vonn has delivered gold and bronze medals, while the unstoppable Shaun White proved he was the best. Not only did Shaun secure gold with his first run in the half pipe, he then beat his own score by delivering one of the most spectacular performances of these Olympic Games. The drama on the ice continued as Evan Lysacek won gold in the free skating event. Also on the ice, Shani Davis took home a gold in the 1000 meter and silver in the 1500 meter, while Apolo Ohno inched closer to becoming the most decorated Olympian in history, by winning silver and bronze medals. For more coverage, check out the official Olympic website.

With major events still left to come, what are your predictions? Which hockey teams do you see rising to the top this year?

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As of this morning, Germany has won the most medals with three gold, four silver, and two bronze for a total of nine. The United States has eight and France has seven, while host nation Canada is in 4th with five. It’s not surprising Germany always does well in the Olympic Games. They have some of the finest training facilities available at some of the most beautiful locations.

The mountains at Garmisch-Partenkirchen are legendary. They hosted the Olympics in 1936, and have been used as a training grounds for German athletes ever since. Just a few kilometers from the Austrian border, the Bavarian village is stunning to the senses, and can only be described as “postcard-esque.” It’s definitely worth a visit if you want to experience the true Bavarian landscape and culture the next time you travel to Germany.

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The most pronounced x-factor in this year’s Olympic Games has been the weather. Vancouver is known for having excellent conditions, but this year has been marked by uncanny warm temperatures. Snow has been shipped in from other resorts, and even with snow guns cranking, many of the ski and snowboard events have had to be moved to later in the week. While there has been some natural snowfall, most are hoping for temperatures to drop just a bit so more snow can be made.

Last Wednesday, I mentioned that Canada had not won any Gold medals the two previous times they had hosted the games. It didn’t take long to end that jinx! Canada’s Alexandre Bilodeau won the men’s moguls freestyle skiing event on Sunday. Oddly enough the silver medal went to Dale Begg-Smith, who was born in Canada, but is racing for Australia. The US got its first taste of gold in the women’s moguls freestyle event thanks to Hannah Kearney, who won the event.

With many events still to come, what are you most looking forward to watching?

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5. Snowshoeing – While we won’t have several feet of snow on the ground for a while, snowshoeing is a fun way to hike in the woods during the winter. If you’ve never been you should give it a try. Most cross country ski areas have snowshoe trails as well. If you have ever tried to walk on snow without them, you know just how handy they can be to have.

4. Skiing – To me, I don’t care if it’s downhill or cross country. It’s not the cheapest hobby in the world, but getting on the slopes in the winter really helps you appreciate nature in a way you don’t get when say, shoveling your driveway or cleaning off the car.

3. Hot Drinks – Be it cider or hot coco, who doesn’t love a nice hot beverage after freezing all day! I like to enjoy a hot toddy by the fireplace after a long day of skiing.

2. Visit Family – Even if you don’t like the commercialism fest that is Christmas, hanging up holiday decorations is a great way to bond with the family, and make some real holiday memories. Combine with #3 and watch “A Christmas Story” for full effect.

1. Take a Vacation – No matter how positive you are, there’s no better way to break up a long, cold winter than taking a vacation to some place warm. The south of Spain comes to mind as one of my warm destinations I would like to get to this winter. Where do you want to travel to stay warm?

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Bobsled
Thanks to the movie Cool Runnings, there will always be a special place in my heart reserved for the bobsled races. Seriously though, the world record for fastest bobsled is 201 kilometers per hour. I don’t feel comfortable driving that fast, let alone flying down an ice covered concrete track on a 400 pound metal sled with 4 other guys.

Luge/Skeleton
For the athletes who feel that bobsleds offer just too much protection, there’s the luge. This sport would be really easy, except for the fact that it’s insanely difficult to control. These athletes fly on their backs while laying on sleds reaching speeds of over 80 miles per hour. If that isn’t scary enough, there’s the skeleton, which is just like the regular luge, except you lay on your stomach and go down head first. The first person to do this was either the world’s greatest thrill seeker, or had recently escaped from an insane asylum. Now that I think about it, probably both.

Biathlon
You have to respect any sport that has origins in military exercises. Norwegians love cross country skiing, so it was only a matter of time before this training exercise evolved into a sport. In 1861, governing officials saw it as a great way to practice national defense at a local level. Most people think of cross-country skiing as being relaxed and tranquil, but this sport is far from that. Imagine pushing yourself as hard as you physically can. Your heart rate is up, the air is filling your lungs, and your legs are burning. Now imagine, all of a sudden you have to stop, lay down on the snow and shoot a target that is 150 meters away with a .22 caliber rifle. If that doesn’t sound almost impossible to you, you’re either in incredible shape, or not imagining correctly.

What’s your favorite non mainstream or canceled Olympic Sport?

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Kevin Alderton is one of the world’s fastest men on skis. In 2006 he set a record of over 100 miles per hour on a downhill course in France. He’s also blind. An Ex-Soldier, Kevin was blinded in a violent street attack in 1998, trying to come to the aid of a woman who was getting beaten.

He was inspired to achieve this goal by someone he met after his accident, a blind ex-soldier named Billy Baxter. Baxter holds the world record for fastest blind motorcyclist (a whopping 165 mph!), and could directly relate to what Alderton was going through. One year later, Kevin was on one of the world’s best speed skiing courses, the Flying Kilometer, in Les Arcs, France. He fell before he reached the timing zone, and even on his back was clocked at 100.54 mph. He estimates he was doing 120mph before the fall, and is trying to get another chance to break his own record.

He occasionally trains at an indoor facility near Milton Keynes and is currently hoping to help make London’s trains more accessible to blind people by painting lines on the ground in the train stations, known as the Rainbow Route. For more on Kevin and his inspiring story, check out this more in depth article.

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