The helicopter rotors hurl wind at us.
We sprint forward, hunched
against the blast, fling ourselves
into the seats; and, breathless, we whoop
at the instant surge upward
into the belly of the sky and the domain
of the Alps:
jutting towers of rock,
snow-draped peaks,
chandeliers of mist,
dazzling blue backdrop.
We are a curious speck
blowing through the land of giants.  We
point    exclaim    laugh    snap
dozens of photos.
360 degrees of window, of beauty
glimpsed
in what feels like slow motion.

Dots on a peak soon sharpen
into shapes:
team buses, mobile TV units, vendor tents,
thousands of fans, helicopters parked
on a grassy field.

Our transport drops down, lands
We spill out and dash
to the edge of the field, shouting
like kids just off a roller coaster,
having the time of our lives.