Photo credit: Adammart

I just wanted to pop in for a quick update. I’ve been running around like crazy on the Torch Relay – lots to do as we pass through Central Canada!

We just left Lloydminster this morning. “Which province is Lloydminster in?” you ask? Well, believe it or not, the city is in both Saskatchewan AND Alberta!

Did you know that Lloydminster has the unique distinction of being Canada’s only town divided between two provinces? Thanks to Wikipedia, here are some fun facts about this interesting little town:

photo credit: Adammart

it has a population of 24,028
it was founded as a “British Utopian” settlement in 1903
the colonists assumed that one province would be created around it, little did they know, the federal government had planned two
unlike Texarkana which is actually two twin cities that border Texas and Arkansas in the U.S., Lloydminster has a single municipal government
shops on the Saskatchewan side of the city are exempt from charging provincial sales tax in order to stay competitive with the Alberta side, which doesn’t have a provincial sales tax

The people of Lloydminster were as enthusiastic as everyone who has come out to cheer on the Flame. The evening celebration was picturesque as Olympic fans gathered near Lloydminster’s outdoor ice rink.

We’re in Alberta, on our way to Edmonton, one more province closer to British Columbia and Vancouver!

Art

I landed in St. John’s, NL on Tuesday and the first thing I noticed was how chilly it was at the airport. I asked my cab driver what the temperature was outside. He rolled down the window, licked his finger, held it in the air while we drove for a quarter mile, then turned to me and said: “It’s minus one.”

Sounded about right to me!

I expected the cold, but what I didn’t expect was to experience snow, hail AND rain all in one day. Welcome to The Rock!

Cape Spear – near St. John’s – is the eastern-most point of North America and where I start the first vehicle-supported leg of the 2010 Torch Relay. I’ll be heading up the fleet for the next two weeks before I take a break and turn the reins over to my buddy Serge in Fredericton.

Cape Spear is a pretty interesting town. It not only has the oldest surviving lighthouse in Newfoundland and Labrador, but during the Second World War, due to the proximity to convoy routes, a gun battery along with underground passages and bunkers was built for the troops stationed there and still exists today as part of the National Park.

While I was settling in and getting a taste of the local culture, 30 of the GM support vehicles were en route from Montreal in five carrier trucks. The guys transporting the vehicles were incredible! They made the trip in two days – including the eight-hour ferry ride from the mainland out to the island. All the cars were on the ground twelve hours ahead of schedule, which gave us lots of time to wash, service and prep every one of the support vehicles for tomorrow morning.

I’m off to meet with the planners, sponsors and the RCMP to go over the logistics. After that I’ll call my wife and hit the sack. Tomorrow’s going to be an early day!