Check out this photo of the racecourse at Shunyi from my fb-friend Michele Zerial, taken by his girlfriend. Adam is on the extreme right, Michele (Italy) is second from the left. The pollution is unbelievable. I was there in 2004 during sandstorm season so it was pretty bad but I don't remember it being this bad. The Gobi desert is not that far from Beijing (and getting closer every year). It was interesting to see the "squeegee" kids there - they had mops instead of squeegees because the sand would pile up on the windshields (and in your eyes...and nose).

I just got home from the canoe club. I completely forgot it was the pep rally tonight. I was having a good time, learning about Amanda's new american boyfriend and the latest advances in beauty (false eyelashes that stay on for 9 months!!) when there was a kind of disturbance by the rail that we sit on overlooking the river. Wow, Nina's mom had stepped down from the wall or something and had broken her ankle. She was basically in an upright fetal position jammed between the Jim McGowan war canoe and the rock wall so at first I thought maybe she'd hit her head. Dean moved the war canoe to give her some room, Tommy called 911 and Dray sent the kids to gather weight room mats and a blanket. I didn't want to see how bad it was but when someone went and got her husband he walked up, looked at her ankle, turned white, covered his face and had to walk away for a minute. A few people told me that her foot was basically backwards to where it should have been. Ouch. She was wearing kitten heels which don't do well on flat surfaces let alone the uneven pavement and dirt at the club. It seemed like a good time to leave. I'll have to wait to find out about eye and lip-liner tattooing.

Aw crap, I have to change my blog clock because the Beijing countdown clock has been removed.

Oh, I almost forgot...Larry’s latest blog is up (warning; if you're a paddler it'll bring a tear of pride or nostalgia to your eye.)