Canada 2010: Torch Relay

Music blares and drums can be heard as the procession slowly makes its way down Guildford. With a police escort, the Coca-Cola, RBC, and Official Vehicle make up the convoy.

Cars stream by, some with streamers or Canadian flags flowing past them.

Squamish, it seems, is on lock down. Cars line Guildford from the stop sign all the way to Highway 99. It reminds me of the Fourth of July – a flash of traffic and then it all moves forward; some anxiety among the drivers who are forced to wait for five minutes in their cars as the procession does the loop around my new neighborhood.

Jason Mraz, "I'm Your's," perhaps ironically, plays out of the vehicles; I keep walking down to the bridge. A brief conversation with Windels back in Minnesota, informing someone of this madness sweeping northbound on Highway 99.

Mark is torch bearer 129, Laura; 130. Mark is from Victoria and has done multiple legs of this journey – Laura thanks Panasonic profusely, telling me she entered a contest by writing an essay on the Environment/Culture and Sport of the Games.

“I cried when I heard,” she says, claiming that she will likely cry again as she passes off the torch to its final bearer for the night, Squamish local Kristen McBride. She passes the torch off to a few of us behind the barricade on the streets – it felt like about five pounds in my hand.

“Oh my God!” she exclaims; she’s very excited for this moment. We can see the procession getting closer now – Mark is preceeded by a man on a bike, telling Laura the final instructions.

“Turn this way and hold it high!” he says.

Mark follows shortly with the burning flame – cars are lined up behind him all the way from Cleveland Avenue to Valleycliffe. Laura takes off.

Security is crazy – but I’m thrown a bottle of Coke Zero, given one that is glows, and I’m quite pleased at my position for capturing all of this. Mark (129) takes a quick break -- he's breathing hard, so he waits a bit and hops on the bus of Torch Bearers (the white bus behind him, where Laura hopped off of).

More on the Canadian National Anthem and “pep fest” held at the Brennan Park area later – where an estimated eight to ten thousand Squamish residents make an appearance.