Olympic Torch Relay heads to Vancouver

After departing Athens, Greece on October 30th, the Olympic Flame has been traveling across Canada, now about 1/3 of the way into its 106-day, 26,000 km overland relay (another 18,000 km by air). Over 12,000 torch-bearers will carry the flame along a winding path covering all of Canada, passing through over 1,000 communities total - from Toronto, Winnipeg and Calgary to smaller communities such as Gwa'Sala-Nakwaxda'xw, Notre-Dame-du-Lac, Moose Jaw and Sheshatshiu. The final destination: Vancouver's BC Place on February 12, 2010, where it will light the Olympic Cauldron and signal the start of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games. To view part two of the relay, click here. (33 photos total) [Editor's note, Big Picture will be on break until 12/14/09]

Torchbearer Ruth Sadler carries the Olympic Torch into the Pacific Ocean to meet a surfer along the shores of Pacific Rim National Park just outside Tofino, British Columbia November 1, 2009. The torch was carried out to far west coast of Canada on the third day of its 106-day journey leading to the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver. (REUTERS/Andy Clark)

Actress Maria Nafpliotou in the role of ancient Greek high priestess lights the Olympic Flame with a solar reflector for the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics in ancient Olympia in Greece on October 21, 2009. (ARIS MESSINIS/AFP/Getty Images) #

A Greek actress, who plays the role of priestess, holds the flame during a rehearsal for Thursday's ceremony in the temple of Hera for the Vancouver 2010 Winter Games in Ancient Olympia, western Greece, Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2009. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis) #

Maria Nafpliotou, in the role of an ancient Greek high priestess, lights a torch from the Olympic Flame during the handing over ceremony for the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics at the Panathenian marble stadium in Athens on October 29, 2009. (ARIS MESSINIS/AFP/Getty Images) #

Vancouver Organizing Committee CEO John Furlong leaves the Panathenian Stadium in Athens, Greece, Thursday, Oct. 29, 2009, with the Olympic flame in a miner's lantern following the Olympic Flame handover ceremony. After an eight-day trip through Greece, the flame will be flown to Canada for a 28,000-mile journey which organizers say will be the largest national relay. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Jonathan Hayward) #

The Olympic flame sits across six seats on a plane as it is separated into six different miners' lanterns before leaving Athens, Greece, bound for Canada, on Friday, Oct. 30, 2009. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Jonathan Hayward) #

Young performers dress in costumes as they perform in a torch relay celebration during the torch lighting ceremonies on October 30, 2009 in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. (Jeff Vinnick/Getty Images) #

Canadian First Nation Chiefs transport the Olympic Flame in a miners lantern across the harbor during the torch lighting ceremonies in Victoria, British Columbia October 30, 2009. (REUTERS/Andy Clark) #

The first torchbearers, former Canadian speed skater Catriona Le May Doan (R) and her compatriot tri-athlete Simon Whitfield, light the Olympic Torch following its arrival in Victoria, British Columbia, October 30, 2009. (REUTERS/Andy Clark) #

Members of the Canadian men's eights rowing team carry the Olympic Torch in Saanich, British Columbia, October 30, 2009. (REUTERS/Andy Clark) #

Dan Scott carries the Olympic torch on his mountain bike as he leaves Fort Rodd Hill National Historic Site during the Olympic Torch relay on October 31, 2009 in Colwood, British Columbia, Canada. (Jeff Vinnick/Getty Images) #

Torchbearer Laura Mongeau holds the Olympic torch atop a lighthouse at Fort Rodd Hill National Park in Colwood, British Columbia October 31, 2009. (REUTERS/Andy Clark) #

The Olympic torch is seen during the Olympic Torch Relay in Qualicum Beach, B.C., on Monday, Nov. 2, 2009. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press,Jonathan Hayward) #

Surfer Raph Bruhwiler carries the Olympic Torch while coming ashore along Pacific Rim National Park just outside Tofino, British Columbia November 1, 2009. (REUTERS/Andy Clark) #

Cowichan Band elder Albie Charlie blesses the Olympic Torch held by fellow band member Amber Tommy during a stop in Duncan, British Columbia October 31, 2009. (REUTERS/Andy Clark) #

Torchbearer Richard Hardy holds the Olympic flame in K'omoks, B.C. on Monday, Nov. 2, 2009. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press,Jonathan Hayward) #

Olympic Torch Relay flame attendant Dina Ouellette, prepares to put the flame back into the miner's lantern after the final runner in Qualicum Beach, B.C., on Monday, Nov. 2, 2009. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press,Jonathan Hayward) #

Torchbearer Allan Benjamin carries the Olympic Flame while running in snowshoes in Old Crow, Yukon, on Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2009, during the 2010 Vancouver Olympics torch relay. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press,Jonathan Hayward) #

Torchbearer Abel Tingmiak is seen wearing his traditional clothing as carries the Olympic Flame past the igloo church in Inuvik, NWT, on Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2009, during the 2010 Vancouver Olympics torch relay. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Jonathan Hayward) #

Torchbearer Annika Trimble, left, passes the Olympic Flame off to Mark Lee Orbell who is traveling in a snow grooming machine in Inuvik, NWT,on Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2009, during the 2010 Vancouver Olympics torch relay. The 106-day relay will visit more than a thousand communities in its trip across Canada's provinces and territories by the time it reaches the opening ceremony for the Vancouver Games on Feb. 12, 2010. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Jonathan Hayward) #

Torchbearer Terry Kuliktana carries the Olympic flame in Kugluktuk, Nunavut, on Thursday, Nov. 5, 2009, during the 2010 Vancouver Olympics torch relay. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press,Jonathan Hayward) #

A polar bear is seen walking along the road as the Olympic flame arrives in Churchill, Manitoba, Canada, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2009. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Jonathan Hayward) #

The Olympic Flame is lit inside a bus due to high winds and freezing temperatures in Resolute Bay, Nunavut, Canada, on Monday, Nov. 9, 2009. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Jonathan Hayward) #

Torchbearer Brenda Eckalook carries the Olympic Flame across the frozen bay in Resolute Bay, Nunavut Canada, Monday, Nov. 9, 2009. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Jonathan Hayward) #

A sled dog howls as torchbearer Lukasi Tukkiapik prepares to carry the Olympic Flame on a dogsled in Kuujjauq, Canada, Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2009. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Jonathan Hayward) #

Torchbearer Brenda Eckalook is seen carrying the Olympic flame across the frozen bay by dogsled in Resolute Bay, Nunavut, Canada, on Monday, Nov. 9, 2009. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Jonathan Hayward) #

Viking impersonators give a speech as torchbearer Frank Humber holds the Olympic flame in a Viking hut in L'Anse aux Meadows, Newfoundland, on Thursday, Nov. 12. 2009, during the 2010 Vancouver Olympics torch relay. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Jonathan Hayward) #

The Olympic flame burns in the community cauldron in St. Anthony, Newfoundland, on Thursday, Nov. 12, 2009, during the 2010 Vancouver Olympics torch relay. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Jonathan Hayward) #

Torchbearer Donna O'Grady holds up the Olympic flame as the sun rises over the ocean in Cape Spear, Canada, Friday, Nov. 13, 2009. Cape Spear is the most easternly point in Canada and North America. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Jonathan Hayward) #

Torchbearer Mike Adam, an Olympic gold medalist in curling, slides on a curling rink with the Olympic flame in St. John's,, Newfoundland, on Friday, Nov. 13, 2009, during the 2010 Vancouver Olympics torch relay. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Jonathan Hayward) #

Torchbearer and Canadian Paralympic athlete Dean Bergeron carries the Olympic Torch in front of the National Assembly in Quebec City December 2, 2009. (REUTERS/Mathieu Belanger) #

The Olympic flame is held up high into the night sky by George Stewart in CFS Alert, Nunavut, Canada, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2009. Alert is the most northerly populated community in the world. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Jonathan Hayward) #

A tall set of Olympic rings were illuminated in the harbor outside the Vancouver Convention Centre, left, in Vancouver, B.C., on Wednesday Nov. 4, 2009. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press,Darryl Dyck) #

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