It has been a while - since the last post

It has been pretty quiet for the past month.  Other than getting some skiing in out west, I have been focusing on getting my resume up to date.

However, last week, the timing bug raised its head and I jumped on the train to head over to Montreal to work with my friend Ted on some timing equipment.  We wanted to do some testing on a newer technology from our friends across the pond.  (Note to all:  Via rail from Toronto to Montreal all is great.  Although they do provide Internet, there is only 1 thing worse that no internet, and that is some internet.  I used my Telus Air Card which was really good.  No less then 10 people walked by me to ask how come my internet was actually working).

So, in front of his his house, we set up a few computers and the Line Scan camera.  The line scan camera is the one we use at World Cup ski races both in Lake Louise and Austria.  The beauty of this is it allows us to make some tests with equipment we trust to the newer technologies.  

This was a 'chip' or wireless product.  So, that means we need to lay down or tape some wires down on the road (a big antenna actually).  In the middle, we put down some pink tape that would allow us to determine exactly were the middle of the line is (or the start/finish line).  

After about 3 hours of setting up the finish line, it looked great, until....   I could hear this rather large truck climbing up the hill.  Wait, I know that sound.  Oh no... it couldn't be.  Yep, this is spring in Montreal and the street cleaner was headed our way.  With Ted no where to be found I knew we were in trouble as there was about an 80% chance this guy only spoke french.  Well, we got lucky and he made the turn to the left just below us.  We could hear him rumbling around the streets, but never headed our way.  Lucky us.

I would then ride be the finish while Ted and Andy captured the results on a laptop.  Now, Ted's house is above Montreal and so the slope goes from left to right in the picture.  This means I had to blow down the road, hammer on the breaks, then turn around and climb back up the hill.  

A few dozen of those will get your heart rate going.  In the picture above, it is key to note that the background is NOT moving while I am.  Some of you might have to think about that for awhile.