Olympic Torch in St Andrews

Another early morning - nothing new really since the sun is coming up around 4:15am theses days.  Today, however, there was hoopla!  Hoopla in the form of the Olympic torch relay.

6:30am - Lighting of the torch in St Salvator's Quad.  7am - Relay begins by turning left out of the quad and heading down North Street toward the Cathedral.

I chose to join a few friends on the turret roof of the Roundel (my office building).  We are at the head of South Street over looking the Cathedral.  It was a perfect vantage point.

 Even the gulls joined in, nesting on top of The Priory Gate.

 Down below us was Kristine & David de Troyer (red jacket and red baseball cap).  They were hanging out with David's school classmates.

 We couldn't have had a better morning - our view from the roof over the Cathedral grounds.  Remember - it's 6:30am!

 And then the procession began...  Cop car, followed by an official Olympic Torch car and bus.  I could see extra torches and future runners on the bus. 

 Then there were these two buses - the blue one had some people waving streamers but I couldn't figure out why they were there other than to say 'Welcome to the Olympic Torch Relay!'  Then there had to be the obligatory Coke promotional vehicle!

 Another bus with blue clad waving people and another official Olympic Torch bus...

 And still we waited...

 On the roof we decided to take pictures - not as evidence of our illegal activity (technically not allowed on the roof) but to commemorate the day. 
l to right: Micah Snell and daughter, Haley, Rachel (our amazing cleaning lady), Caroline, Jennifer (cleaning ladies from nearby buildings), Cole.

I had Cole take a picture of me to prove I was, in fact, there!

 Then someone raised their camera and we knew it was coming!

 Well, behind yet another official Olympic Torch Relay bus - there he was!  According to news reports the runner is:

Joseph Forrester, 13, will carry the Flame along the beach made famous by the film Chariots of Fire. Joseph is a member of Fife Athletics Club. He has run competitively for a few years now and was running 10km races in under an hour when he was 9 and 10 years old in Albuquerque, New Mexico (USA) where his family were stationed with the RAF. He loves running and his dream is to one day run for Team GB in a long distance events. He recently had great fun running in the Chariots of Fire race along West Sands Beach.

 Runner with torch surrounded by three other 'officials' and multiple official vehicles.

 Does it get any cooler than this???  I think not!

 Real fire - not tissue paper.

 And there he goes, rounded the corner from the Cathedral onto South Street.

And everyone ran after him...

As the entourage disappeared down South Street to more crowds Micah mused, "Wonder what the Olympic carbon footprint is for this event?"  too funny!

I was at my desk again by about 7:10am.  Now it's only 9:20 and I feel like I've been here for hours.  Guess I actually have.  But Hey!  I'll take an Olympic moment morning as a good reason to be in at the crack of almost dawn.