Speed Skate World- By Peter Doucet- Online Since 1999

From Cali- Entry #6: Good day to you wherever on earth you are. I notice that for some reason that I can't quite figure out, recent Speed Skate World visitors are coming from more countries than usual.

I'll keep the writing short and the photos plentiful. I've got another 5 hours to kill until I go to sleep, but I don’t want to take up all this time writing.

The track is buzzing with action; skaters coming, practicing, and leaving. Construction workers hammering away at nails, twisting screws, and putting the final touches on the facility. Media people setting up cameras and cranes. Flags being hoisted, posters being posted. Vendors setting up shop. The stands are finished, the press room is being set up, coaches and sponsors and mingling. Buses and taxis are full and ice cream vendors are hanging around the track like hawks. I think some of us will buy some ice cream. Security is being beefed up. We now have officers at our hotel and 3 motorbikes escorted us back from the track to the hotel.

Today between the road and the track practices, some members of the team went to the Luz Mary Tristan's Sportiva Club- a skating and multi-sport complex with a 200-meter track, a few covered indoor facilities, weights, a pool, a skate & sport shop, and a bunch of other goodies.

Before the racing begins, we have one more practice on the track tomorrow morning followed by the openning ceremony. And then, racing begins on Saturday. What everyone has worked so hard for and has travelled across the world for will be under way. But the reality is that the wheels for the world championships were been in motion a long time ago. This is where it will finally happen.

I hope you are here in Cali. If you are not, I hope my website makes you feel like you are here. After all, many of you donated money to help me get here, and I haven’t forgotten that. Thank you.

Before we get on with the pictures, I need to tell you that I am not sure when I will post my next entry. I don't know what the racing schedule will be like and how much down-time and relaxation time I will have. I will try my best to post something (short write up with a few photos) nightly..

You see while I am at worlds, surfing the net and working on SSW is a good way for me to relax, but so is reading books- I just finished reading 'On The Road to Kandahar' and I am currently reading on 'State Of Denial'. The next book waiting for me at home is 'The God Delusion'. I also enjoy spending time with the team, playing my Game Boy Advance, listening to music, and goofing around a little bit (but not as much as Jesse). Plus at this year's world championships, we have to shop for and cook our own food. Mmmmm.

Dark Cali skies...

...make wet Cali roads...

...but when the rain dries...

...the skater's push explodes...

...so easily they glide

...skaters all in rows...

...standing side by side...

...while Luis Ramirez takes great photos... (ok, enough with this poem)

The Colombia & Netherlands pace line during Wednesday evening's practice

Spain during last night (Aug. 15th's track session)

USA's Joey Mantia and Michael Cheeks

Iran

USA

Iran

Morgane Echardour and Mister Taylor

Italy

Luca Presti getting ready

Germany durig the Wednesday evening track practice

Argentina warming up for today's morning track practice

Colombia on the road this morning- cooling down

Canadian team warming up this morning before the road workout

Team Canada

Team Korea

I think this was India's first trip to the track (today)

France warming up during this morning's track session

Jesse Pauley and an ice cream vendor man

A horse pulling a buggy with a man on it

Luz Mary Tristan's Sportival Club- the outdoor skating track

Luz Mary Tristan's Sportival Club- indoor

Luz Mary Tristan's Sportival Club- mini track (10-meters or so)

Skates (this picture and the future pictures of skaters are for Eric 'Hip Hop'Gee- he woke up at 3am to drive Morgane Echardour and I to the airport for 4:30am