Admit it. You’ve watched the Olympics and thought ‘I could do that.’ Well, guess what? You can!
The Utah Olympic Park, located a few minutes from downtown Park City, lets couch potatoes experience their favorite cold sports firsthand.
You may remember watching the park on NBC during the 2002 Winter Olympics. (Has it really nearly been a decade?) Today, it still offers serious training to dream-achieving athletes.
First off, let me recommend taking the shuttle to the top of the mountain. The walk up took me about three hours. Not bad, but you also have to get back down. And then there’s also ice patches along the way making your tiring trek even more fun.
You can even watch little kids practice ski jumping down the hill! Cute, yet a definite make-you-feel-old moment too.
For adult thrill seekers, the park offers public bobsledding, skeleton and luge rides on certain days (so call ahead for a schedule and prices.) Just think you can one-up your drinking buddies by exaggerating how close you came to death that day! Who doesn’t love a good bobsledding accident story?
The free park is open daily (except on Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Day and Easter.) Just go to olyparks.com/uop/index/asp for more information.
For a different sport history experience, head about 800 miles west to Squaw Valley, California, site of the 1960 Winter Olympics.
It may seem like eons ago, but Squaw remains important in terms of Olympic development. For starters, it was the first Winter Games to be televised. Thirty-four nations competed in alpine and ski jumping, speed and figure skating and hockey. No bobsledding here!
Other highlights included a $7.50 all day pass and opening and closing ceremony music by Walt Disney.
And it’s not as famous, but the ‘first miracle on ice’ took place at Squaw’s Blyth Arena. The United States beat Czechoslovakia in the gold medal round 9-4.
I went there about 20 years ago. The arena was caved in and falling apart. Only the ski jump remained recognizable and that was butted up against the main parking lot.
Since then, developers have built up the surrounding area into a world class ski resort. Just as it should be remembered.
Commemorative events are being held all season along. Check out squawvalley1960celebration.com for more information.
The 2010 Winter Olympics start February 12th in Vancouver, Canada. For the latest information including athlete bios and medal counts go to nbcolympics.com
Go Team USA!