No, I have not seen an unpredicted total solar eclipse in the ephemeris, but the sensation was quite similar. Your humble person who undertaked a 63rd circuit around Sun, along with 6 billion homo sapiens, lived an extraordinary experience. We are few mortals who had the great honor carrying the Olympic flame, symbol of universal peace. With me the flame got closer 300 meters (1000 ') of its ultimate goal, Vancouver BC, and this at dawn, in the Greenfield Park district of Longueuil, my hometown. I consider myself quite fortunate to have been selected in early August 2009, having completed only one entry on Royal Bank website. I didn't succeded in 1988 at the Calgary Olympics, filling 1500 registration forms at Petro Canada, main sponsor at that time. . It is curious to see how the laws of statistics and probailités can work. The the gathering point for our group of 19 bearers was the St-Lambert city hall council room at 5:15 am, where I met other bearers, which at that very early hour were very quiet. I must say that in my case the nervousness began to 'infiltrate insidiously into my body. I felt a strong surge of adrenaline when I took possession of my torch, and I realized that my hands were shaking while holding it. I wondered in my mind that it would be better to hold it with both hands and walking the distance by precaution. Getting off the shuttle I met as planned my former beloved boss, his wife and a bunch of anglophone citizens living in the neighborhood who took pictures. This had a calming effect before starting my race. I've made an arrangement with Catherine Charron-Delage, bearer No. 017, that I will put one knee on the ground when she will transfer me the flame, to make the gesture more ceremonial. I wanted to do exactly ilike the ceremony performed in Athens during the lighting of the flame or new colors ceremony in military parades. Once my torch lit I said: "I count to 46, but I start at 3" (Dixit Capt. Bonhomme). I started jogging and I fell as if I was in a second state of mind. I did not feel the weight of the torch, and I made sure to go where the pavement was not damaged. I heard absolutely nothing around me, and I was very surprised that my 300 meters had taken place so quickly. Once back home I cried like a calf so much the emotion was too intense, It is not rare that my eyes are full of water when I look at bearer's videos before or after their run with the flame. Monday night on dec. 14th I brought my torch at our local astronomy club Hollidays supper, as promised to my gang the preceding week. All members had the chance to take the torch in their hands and get photographied with it. I wanted to give the chance to a maximum of people to see and touch it. As a first night of love (successful or not), I will always remember that December 8th. 2009 early morning run. I have been completely knocked down by an emotional tsunami. I wish everybody to live such a moment once in their life. Click images to enlarge.. Other images are available at Webshots website.

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