CAMP DROP-OFF DAY- SOCHI

IT FEELS LIKE the first day of summer camp... people all ages, sizes, from all over- not yet a team or many even having met before- trying to find that middle ground between not looking too desperate yet not too aloof, either.  A narrow landing strip to hit at Newark Gate C102 as United boards  the NBC charter for Sochi.  But pretty quickly the champagne is flowing 'cause if a black widow is going to drop flt 1804 in the Black Sea you might as well  drink until then and the growing din suggests the bubbly is working.  And that people are excited to come together and start sharing the stories.  Smooth flight, friendly, smiling, welcoming people on the other side and you wonder is this the same place you're hearing about on NPR? 

Ready by Saturday?

The mountains around Kasnaya Polyana (the mountain cluster that will host snow events 40+ mi from Sochi) sharp, soaring, and spectacular... snow covered, but anything man-made looks brand new, half finished and mostly empty.  My room was still under construction when I got to it- sawdust, cigarette butts, furniture strewn like a dog's breakfast.  Profuse apologies, an invitation to lunch, and cleaned and put together in that 2 hours (no light bulbs, tv remote, or coat hangers but hot water and clean sheets!).  Amazing.  The grocery store in the brand new mall is open and well stocked (4 oz caviar $1) but storefronts in the rest of the 4 stories are still dark.  Scrambling here and there with signs that at least some will be open in the next week.  It has the feel of an all-night cram session that is not going to end well, though I'm not sure anyone will care.  We can eat Subway when we get home.

Do not lean against sign poles

And the locals so excited to be a part of the festivities.  All smiles, and more English that I would have guessed (more than Torino for sure!).  It gives me faith not that things will be ready to go by the weekend, but that it won't matter if they're not.  Everything critical is already in place and ready to go.

SIDE NOTES-  The women are jumping for the first time in the Olympics and the USA has a great team in Lindsey Van, Jessica Jerome, and Sarah Hendrickson.  Their success has attracted a great deal of attention and helped everyone in the sport regardless of gender.  It was fun to see Sarah Hendrickson's likeness flying through Newark Liberty Airport.  

Sarah Hendrickson in United ad in Newark.