I still remember the chills that raced up and down my spine during the 1980 Olympics. The chant "USA USA USA" was deafening in the final moments as a team of college kids defeated the Russian hockey machine.
That memorable game... the "Miracle on Ice" took place in a little mountain village called Lake Placid. As a kid, I had no idea where Lake Placid was and certainly no idea that I would one day live a mere 20 miles from the scene of so much Olympic glory!
The Winter Olympics are here again and as we gather around our TV sets to cheer for our favorite athletes, Lake Placid feels a burst of pride. Thirty years have passed since our area hosted the 1980 Olympic games, but all of our venues are still fully operational and host world-class events throughout the year.
This past Saturday, Lake Placid relit the Olympic torch in a show of solidarity with Vancouver and to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Lake Placid games. Our family drove up for the event and FROZE along with a few hundred others who came to witness the pageantry and pride. Here are a few of my favorite shots of the event.
Before long, we saw the torch approaching. Four of the original 1980 torch bearers took turns running the torch from the Olympic speed skating oval to the torch site.
And this was the moment where they almost torched the Olympic flag!
The flag bearer stood right beside me during the ceremony
And this was the moment where they almost torched the Olympic flag!
The flag bearer stood right beside me during the ceremony