Photo courtesy of Shannon Bahrke

I’m sitting here on my little twin bed in the athlete village and I can’t even fathom how awesome these last two-and-a-half weeks have been. Opening Ceremonies feels like a lifetime ago and now tomorrow is the last day. Gold medal men’s hockey game, then Closing Ceremonies, and then the torch flames extinguished. It almost makes me cry just thinking about it.

It has honestly been the best two-and-a-half weeks of my life. I came to Vancouver to experience these Olympic Games and I can confidently say I did it all. Skiing one of the best runs of my life and taking home a bronze medal is amazing, and that was just the beginning. Having about 40 family members and friends here with me to experience it and cheer me on.

I got to go on the Today Show countless times and now they feel like family to me. Having my little brother Scotty snag a last-minute spot and compete in his first Olympic games. Being noticed all over the city with my pink hair and taking pics with all kinds of people. Staying up until 4 in the morning at one party or another dancing the night away. Attending as many events as I could get tickets to and watching USA kick some ass!!! Screaming at the TV for our USA hockey team to beat Canada.Walking countless hours around the city in the rain without an umbrella. Lying in bed completely exhausted but way too excited to sleep.

Taking pictures with my Olympic heroes Kristi Yamaguchi, Bonnie Blair, Derek Parra, and countless others. Sharing my Olympic medal with little kids and seeing their face light up and most of the time saying, “I can’t believe how heavy that is!!!” Eating at the village dining hall and chatting it up with athletes from all over the world. Wearing as many red, white, and blue articles of clothing as I could fit on my body (including my finger nail polish). Feeling pride at how amazing our entire team has performed, not just the medalists, but everyone, Team USA is truly inspiring. Receiving so much swag that I don’t know how to get it all home, I came with two bags and am now leaving with five.

There are so many other memories that I will take with me when I go home but I think the one I will cherish the most is still to come. It will be tomorrow when I get to walk into Closing Ceremonies with my little brother, Scotty. It has always been a dream of mine that we would one day be on the same Olympic team and now here in Vancouver, it finally came true. For me it is like a passing of the torch. As my Olympic skiing career is ending I feel his is just beginning. So from one Bahrke to another, he must now carry that Olympic torch alone.

This has been such a fantasy world I have been living in for the past few weeks and I am already feeling sad about it ending. What to do now? Where to go? How can life possibly go on without the Olympics? But now it is back to the real world, and let me tell you, the real world is going to have to drag me back kicking and screaming.

So I say to all of you Olympic fans out there, thank you for cheering us all on and making us so proud to represent the best country in the world. I have enjoyed every minute of it and am literally bursting with Olympic spirit. Since this will be my last Olympics as a competitor I will have to bring the Olympic motto with me into the next phase of my life… Swifter, Higher, Stronger! Thanks so much for taking this journey with me. I know I will never forget it!!

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