Sochi Goes for the Cold
From The Verge: Freezing Sochi: how Russia turned a subtropical beach into a Winter Olympics wonderland
Sochi is not the most obvious place to host the Winter Olympics.
The Russian resort, on the eastern shore of the Black Sea, is humid and subtropical. Temperatures average out at about 52 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter, and 75 degrees in the summer. Palm trees line the streets, and it’s the only part of Russia warm enough to grow tea leaves. In other words, it’s a lovely spot if you’re planning a beach holiday — Stalin had his favorite summer house there — but it wouldn’t be most people’s first choice for a ski trip.
Gold Prices
From Sport Techie: The Price of Gold: Dreamfuel Helps Olympic Athletes Afford to Compete
The experience of being an Olympic athlete is undoubtedly priceless. The price, however, of becoming an Olympian doesn’t come cheap. When the 2014 Winter Olympic Games kick off this week, the best athletes in the world will compete for gold medals. When the Games are done, however, many athletes will fade back into obscurity.
While some athletes in the more prominent sports may gain corporate sponsorship, the sad reality is that 85% of Olympic hopefuls make less than $15,000 per year.
Bike Crowded Miami
From Bicycle Retailer: For bike retailers, Miami’s not just humid. It’s saturated
From the sunny parking lot of Mack Cycle & Fitness, Mary Jane Mark points across Sunset Drive, the street where more than a half century ago her father built a store that is now a local landmark.