BOBSLEDDING!

(Photo: Associated Press)

Team USA 1 with pilot Todd Hays, J.T. Burns, Alex Sprague and brakeman Bill Schuffenhauser start during the four-men's Bob World Cup and European Championship competition in St. Moritz, Switzerland, Sunday, Jan 18, 2009.

-

Ah, yes! The mineral town of St. Moritz, Switzerland comes to mind. Why? Because I have been a huge fan of Bobsledding since I was a tot when the late ABC Sportscaster Jim McKay covered it. Naturally, I always pictured my role as a driver. This probably has some historical roots in the fact that I was the "Evel Knievel" of the street I grew up on in Ohio. Residents on that street no doubt have fond recollections of Sunday mornings at 7 A.M. when I would carefully arrange a metal garbage can lid on the center of the asphalt street, then lock up the rear wheel of my bicycle at 40 miles per hour and drag it at least the length of seven houses. Who needed an alarm clock when it sounded as if "Apocalypse Now" was being filmed in the middle of the street? Soccer Moms would appear in the driveway wearing housecoats and those Pink muffy slippers with their hair in curlers shaking their heads at me. One threatened to call The Police, (and I was certain she didn't mean Stewart Copeland). So, I conveniently left the area for my Elementary School. But I digress...

-

The world's first natural ice tube track originated in 1870. By 1924, the four-man bobsled appeared in The Olympics, with the two-man version in 1932. Today's tracks are built with concrete and (of course) artificial ice. They are required to have at least one straight and one labyrinth with 15 curves. G-forces can reach 5, but somehow I feel up for it. Having flown an airplane and a LearJet 36 simulator I can vouch for this fact: You either have a feel for those machines or you don't--a bit of a "Zen" experience, I suppose. I surprised myself in the LearJet simulator (Right Seat). But as a kid I can recall shouting at the television set, "You're banking too high!", "Stay center!", or "Lean!" (such an expert!). The closest track to my area of the country is Salt Lake City, Utah. I hear that there are paid services for tourist rides. Perhaps "financial incentives" could be arranged with just myself and a few trusting friends on board to minimize risk? Just a thought!

-

HAVE A GOOD WEEK!

(By the Way: We finished work on the Home Page!)