A High Flying Torch

   One of the torches being used in the relay for the upcoming 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia is out of this world. Literally. One of the torches blasted off on a Soyuz spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan for a visit to the International Space station.
   Needless to say, the torch will not be lit to avoid problems in the ISS, but it will also be taken on a spacewalk. It's all part of the 65 thousand kilometre trek for the Olympic Flame ahead of the February games.
   When the torch does return to Earth, it will be lit either by another torch, or a flame kept in a special receptacle after it was lit by the rays of the sun on Mount Olympus, Greece.
   I've had the opportunity to see the torch pass through on the way to Winter Games in Calgary in 1988, and Vancouver, 4 years ago.
   For the Calgary Games, I was working in Prince Albert, and saw it pass through. For Vancouver, I not only saw the torch:

   But I actually got to hoist one of them, after the flame had been passed on. I was working in Regina then, and one of the sponsors happened to stop by the radio station I was at just before 6:00 p.m. It's lucky we were in our showcase, glass walled studio (we called it "The Birdcage"), because there came a knock on the window from a nice lady who brought it in for us.
   Unfortunately, no one had a camera, so I don't have an image to share. But I must say it was a thrill, and likely the closest I will ever get to the Olympics.

TTFN