There, isn't that a good way to begin your day?

Anna Goodale of Camden and Elle Logan of Boothbay Harbor became Maine's latest Olympic gold medal winners Sunday evening when they were part of the U.S. women's eight crew team that blew away the competition.

Their story, however, was just part of a long, long day that I thought I would share with you, starting with:

8 a.m.: Alarm goes off, out of bed.

8:40 a.m.: Catch the shuttle bus to Main Press Center. Sit with Wolfgang, my German journalist buddy who tells me there is still an East and West Germany when it comes to sports. I like him. His big story of the first week was finding out that two divers, one male and one female, from different countries were secretly in love. Tabloid stuff. Why can't I get stories like that?

9 a.m.: Breakfast with Wolfgang, who insists his English is poor, but it's better than my German! Eat waffles, bacon and hash browns. First big breakfast in a week. Got a long day, need the energy.

9:45 a.m.: Arrive at the National Aquatics Center, hopefully to meet with Ian Crocker and discuss his future, while also watching the Michael Phelps show. U.S. officials say they don't have time to get Crocker, so I simply watch Phelps when his race begins around 11.

Noon: Michael Phelps press conference. The guy is superhuman and humble. Hard combination to beat. Great moment when an older Finnish writer says to him, "You know, my country has never won a gold medal in swimming since 1896.''
Not sure what the question was, but it broke everyone up.

1:30 p.m.: Lunch at the MPC. Ribs, mashed potatoes and peas w/mushrooms. (Everyone knows I won't eat mushrooms, so I pick them out. I love peas. And yes, George, the ribs were spectacular!)

2:30 p.m.: Hop shuttle bus to Shunyi Rowing-Canoeing Park where the U.S., and three Mainers, will go for gold in the women's and men's eight. Drive is about an hour through some beautiful areas. I read my several chapters in my latest Dean Koontz book, "Velocity'' on the ride.

5:10 p.m.: Women's race starts. U.S. takes lead in first few strokes, blows everyone away, including three-time defending Olympic champ Romania. How great is the win? Take a look at the lead as the women enter the final strokes:

5:40 p.m.: The men's race starts. U.S. gets the bronze, with Portland's Wyatt Allen getting his second Olympic medal to go with 2004 gold.

5:55 p.m.: Write news update on the rowing championships.

6:05 p.m. Enter press conference room to wait for U.S. women, which is supposed to begin immediately. The men's fours are still inside. Once press conference ends, the the Italian team and media take over the room. They refuse to leave. Talk, talk, talk. Finally, at 6:30 p.m., they are escorted into the courtyard, where the interviews continue. How much can you write?

6:35 p.m.: U.S. women's eight gold medal team enters room for press conference. Actually the silver-medal winning Netherlands team enters first and is announced as the U.S. Oops.

6:45 p.m.: Press conference ends. No one asks a question of the Netherlands. Get phone numbers from Goodale and Logan so I can catch up with them later in the week as they start to really begin their Olympic experience.

7 p.m.: Catch shuttle bus back to MPC. Totally packed, sitting with backpack, which weighs about a zillion pounds, on lap. Can't move.

7:58 p.m.: Arrive at MPC. Have to be at National Stadium for 9:30 p.m. women's steeplechase finals, which includes Greenwood's Anna Willard. Time to eat? Heck yeah. Menu hasn't changed since lunch. Could eat out of comfort zone and try some Asian dish that looks like it could be good … or it could hurt me. I stick to more ribs. This time with white rice and summer squash. (Yes, George, still yummy). Eat with Bob Ryan of the Boston Globe and a couple of U.S. AP writers. Finally, dinner conversation. We talk about the Globe stealing Tony Massorotti from the Herald for its web site and hiring Adam Kilgore -- a former Press Herald stringer -- as a writer.

8:30 p.m.: Start 15-minute walk to the National Stadium.

8:45 p.m.: Arrive, start transcribing my digital recording of all the rowing interviews.

9:15 p.m.: Go into stands to watch the steeplechase.

9:30 p.m.: Race starts like clockwork. Willard finishes 10th.

9:45 p.m.: In the mixed zone, where reporters interview athletes as they walk off field. They really don't want to talk, but most stop because, well, they have to. Willard is good, says she's already hungry for next year. For some reason, she keeps saying she finished 11th.

10 p.m.: Write news update on Willard. Finish transcribing tapes, write two stories. Very loud in the workroom. Share the pretzels I brought from home with writers around me. They are a welcome snack. There's nothing here but bottled water.

Midnight: Finish up. Backpack feels even heavier. Start walk back to MPC. As I'm leaving, the scene is like it would be at Disney at closing time. People leaving the stadium, stopping to pose for photos, music playing, lights flashing. Very peaceful. I see one family in particular, the wife is taking a shot of the husband. I motion to him that I will take a photo of the two of them if he would like. He is delighted. Suddenly, their teen-age son comes running into the scene.

I take two photos and as I go to leave, the son says, "Please, take one with me.''

OK, so I do. Then the father wants his picture taken with me. We both flash the peace sign.

He says "Thank you,'' in English; I say Xiexie (Shay-shay, which is Chinese for thank you). We shake hands.

My spirits are lifted. That might be the best moment that happened to me in a couple of days.

12:20 a.m.: Catch shuttle bus to hotel.

12:30 a.m.: Sit down to write blog.

1:20 a.m.: Now it's time to sleep.

Tomorrow, I am taking a day off from Olympic coverage. It's off to see the Great Wall at Badaling.

Before I go, I wanted to leave you with this scene. A full moon rose over the National Stadium tonight. I don't know if the photo does it justice but it was a beautiful sight. That's the Olympic flame on the upper left of the stadium.

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