Catching up
Entry posted by Ryan Johnson
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<img src="http://cdn.nhl.com/canucks/images/upload/2010/03/mar1210_rj_lg.jpg" border="0" class="imageFloatLeftFramed">It's been just over a month since we practiced at GM Place and it's really nice to get back home - not to mention to sleep in our own beds again. And it's been even longer since my last blog but I'll try to get better with updates now that we're home more.
We're excited to be home and hope that the fans remember who we are and they don't think the season is over. It's a fun time of year with the playoffs just around the corner and we're all excited for a big run and I'm sure all the fans are as well.
As far as the road trip goes, we're happy with the way the road trip went and we'll definitely take the 8-5-1 record from the games.
The best part of the trip was definitely the start of it with us visiting all of the Canadian cities. Everyone's got a lot of family and friends around so that's always great. But anytime we play a Canadian city is always exciting and you notice that everyone is more enthusiastic and those games are always more special.
<a class="zoomImage" href="http://cdn.nhl.com/canucks/images/upload/2010/02/Canucks_Boston_10_b.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://cdn.nhl.com/canucks/images/upload/2010/02/Canucks_Boston_10_t.jpg" class="imageFloatRightFramed" border=0 /></a>And the worst? Well I wouldn't say "worst" but the last six games were tough because there were a few back-to-back games so it was a lot of travel and that takes a lot out of you. The guys responded really well and we could've used that as an excuse but we didn't. We played six great games, despite all the travel and time zones and the hotels. The hotels - there were moments when you get in the elevator and you have no idea what floor you're going to or what room and you have to go to the front desk and ask and they look at you funny - that's when you know you've been on the road too long. But it was overall a good trip.
We only had about a week for the Olympic break before we came back to Vancouver for practices so I went down to Fort Lauderdale, where I have a home and enjoyed some sun in Florida. It was very low-key and I just took care of my foot - well my feet - laid on the beach, did a lot of relaxing, and a bit of working out.
<a class="zoomImage" href="http://cdn.nhl.com/canucks/images/upload/2010/03/mar1210_beach_b.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://cdn.nhl.com/canucks/images/upload/2010/03/mar1210_beach_t.jpg" class="imageFloatRightFramed" border=0 /></a>If you've never been to Fort Lauderdale before, you must go visit. It's a great city right by the Atlantic Ocean along the beachfront coast between Miami and West Palm Beach. Fort Lauderdale beach is the place to go with a lot of restaurants, beautiful hotels, and pools right down by the water. Right now, the water is really nice and refreshing but when you get into spring, it gets almost like soup so I'll leave it up to you when you decide to visit.
I was lucky enough to catch some men's curling during the Olympics with Mason and that was a blast. Usually when you think of curling, people are quiet and very respectful but there were a lot of people around us drinking, chanting and screaming, which I didn't really expect.
<a class="zoomImage" href="http://cdn.nhl.com/canucks/images/upload/2010/03/mar1210_curling_b.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://cdn.nhl.com/canucks/images/upload/2010/03/mar1210_curling_t.jpg" class="imageFloatRightFramed" border=0 /></a>Norway had their funny looking pants on so every two minutes there were chants of "Norway's pants". They were just chanting that over and over and the guys would lift their brooms up and do the polite "Thank you." But really thinking, "We've got a game to play here." We didn't participate in the chant but we mostly just took it all in.
Thunder Bay is actually a big curling town so I have tried it but not very often but the times that I've tried it, it's pretty tough. I remember the first time I did it, I was falling all over the place like most people are their first time. There was a lot of balance involved but it was fun. It's definitely an odd feeling being on the ice without skates and I think being on ice at anytime without skates is weird like even when I just walk on the ice here. I just feel like it's an accident waiting to happen so I avoid it as much as possible.
Now it's time to focus and bring our game back home as we get down the stretch here.
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