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From: [e-mail] (Tony Chen)
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Subject: Rec.skate FAQ: Where to Skate (Outdoors) Sec. 1 (7/10)
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Archive-name: rec-skate-faq/part7


REC.SKATE FAQ - PART 7:  WHERE TO SKATE (Outdoors) Section 1


              Compilation of Outdoor Skating Locations Section 1
              --------------------------------------------------
                          (last changed Jan 7, 1994)

Table of Contents
-----------------
  West Coast
    - Colorado
    - California
    - Idaho
    - Phoenix
    - Hawaii
  Midwest
    - Chicago
    - Minneapolis
    - Ohio
  South
    - Houston

                                    WEST COAST

Colorado
--------

From: [e-mail] (Phil Earnhardt)
Subject: Two primo skating trails in the Colorado Mountains

There are two primo trails in the Colorado mountains that I highly recommend:
the Breckenridge-Vail bike path and the Glenwood Canyon path.

Breck-Vail

This is a fairly old trail; it was even re-surfaced a year or two ago. It's an
asphalt trail that runs from Breckenridge, CO to Vail, CO -- somewhere around
25 miles in each direction.

The section from Breckenridge to Frisco is fairly mundane. The section from
Frisco to Copper Mountain climbs about 600 feet in 6 miles -- a fairly steep
grade. If you are experienced in braking, the descent on this trail is
absolutely fabulous. If you're an efficient climber, the climb is pretty fun,
too -- you'll be passing a lot of tourists using their Mountain Bikes in a
fairly inefficient manor.

The section from Frisco to the top of Vail Pass climbs about 1000 feet in 5
miles. Pretty steep stuff. It's a neat path -- winding switch-backs in a
"wilderness" area between the split-apart sections of I-70. There's a rest
stop at the top, so you don't have to lug lots of water with you.

The section from the top of Vail Pass to Vail drops about 2000 feet in 7
miles. This is pretty mondo steep. Some sections of the trail are just off the
EB side of I-70 and the air is filled with the smell of almost-melting truck
brakes. Not fun. Also, you *must* be a skilled braker to navigate this steep,
narrow trail. Dual brakes may be a necessity -- *I* wouldn't try it with just
one.  Also, I wore out 6 brakes the last time I did this, and *still* wasn't
in town.

If you're unclear if you qualify as a skilled braker, here's my test: how many
brakes have you worn out and replaced? If it's over a dozen, you'll probably
be OK on this trail. Less than 3 is a No Pass (literally!).

Glenwood Canyon

I haven't been on this trail, but it looked absolutely marvelous. This is a
10-mile or so stretch of canyon in the far upper Colorado River.

For the past n years (5?), this section of I-70 has been upgraded from a
2-lane to a 4-lane highway. It is an absolutely breathtaking feat of
engineering!  The WB lanes of I-70 are suspended up on the canyon; the Hanging
Gardens tunnels are really neat. I drove through here last weekend; I had
quite a difficult time concentrating on my driving....

The path is between the EB lanes and the Colorado River. It sometimes winds in
and around the highway and appears to shoot over to the Lakes at the tunnels.
I don't have a good judgment of the grade; I'd guess it's 3-4% from Glenwood
Springs to the Lakes. Clearly, the trick would be to get a room at the Hot
Springs hotel in Glenwood Springs, skate upstream to the lakes, cruise back,
and soak in the Hot Springs pool the rest of the night.


Why am I telling you this? Especially since both of these trails are now
impassible? No good answer. Except, if you're planning a spring/summer
vacation now, you might want to put one or both of these gems on your travel
plans. If we want *more* trails like this, it would be incredibly valuable for
the local/state governments to get the idea that tourists are going out of
their way to visit these trails.

--phil


From: [e-mail] (Jim Aites)
Subject: Nomination for 'blade-capital'

I would like to take this time to submit my nomiation for "blade-capital"
of the the world.  (what do ya' mean you didn't know we were voting?)

The city is Boulder, Colorado.

Last week-end I drove 50 miles (each way) to visit this famed area.  It is
as good as the rumors have indicated.  Every major road around town has a
'greenway' containing a 6 foot wide contrete bikepath on BOTH sides of the
road, and even the roads without 'greenways' still have the wide walkways.

The prettiest/best run in town is the Boulder Creek Bikepath.  This path
starts (at the top) about 2 hundred yards up the mouth of the Boulder Creek
Canyon, and windes for about 7 miles along the creek to the far east side of
town.  It's all contrete, mostly shaded by trees, about 5 bridges over the
creek allowing travel on both sides of the creek, and has at least 4 parks
along the way.

I didn't take the time to check out all the intersecting paths which lead
off to other parts of town. (next time!) I saw a blades hockey game in
progress, about 5 beginers (practicing in near by parking lots), almost as
many Bladers as bicyclists on the path itself, and even found some other
folks who had commuted (from Denver) to check out the turf as I was doing.

If any of you are ever in this part of the country, be SURE to bring your
blades!

From: [e-mail] (Phil Earnhardt)
Subject: Re: where to rollerblade in denver, south denver

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail]
(George Robbins) writes:
>Hmmm.  I was in Denver a year or so ago and was suprised by the lack of
>visible skating action.  The place is made for it - too big to walk, but
>flat enough for effortless skating or cycling.

True.

Cherry Creek -- from the dam to the South Platte River -- is a pretty neat
playground. The trail along the South Platte goes for many miles. Remember
the magic rule: go upstream first, so you won't run out of gas on
the return trip.

C-470 -- the 1/4 beltway -- has a bike path along about 80% of its distance.
Here, substitute "wind" for "stream" in the magic rule.

Check with Grand West Outfitters for info on hockey and more structured
activities. They're at Broadway and 6th -- right off of the Cherry Creek
Trail.

>My recollection is that there are several shops listed under skating
>equipment listed in the phone book.  One of them was adjacent to a park,
>(the one with the Zoo or Washington park, not sure), which might be the
>place for public skating.  Calling or visiting these shops would be a
>good source of info.

Wash Park is pretty busy and the trails are not the best.

>Apparently there's more action in Boulder, but Phil could tell you
>about that...

Yeah. Boulder Creek trail is swell. Between 1st and 30th street is
really intermediate terrain, but there are a lot of beginners there.
Between 1st and fourmile canyon turnoff is an expert trail: quite
steep with no turnouts. From 30th to 60th (or so) is a very mellow,
very pretty trail. When you come back to the west, you can see the
entire Continental Divide.

There are a lot of other good trails in town.

Both Boulder and Denver have bike maps. The Boulder one shows road/path
grades (and direction). The Denver one doesn't, but there are a lot more
trails down there. REI sells the Denver map.

I'm going to try the moby long Denver viaduct sometime this summer....

--phil


California
----------

From: [e-mail] (Ron Drake)
Re: Where to blade in South Bay Area?

The trail goes under the San Mateo Bridge all the way to the end of
Edgewater Boulevard in Foster City. As a matter of fact, the best part of the
trail is after the bridge. Makes eight miles, total. Traffic's not too bad
except for the occasional knot of cud-chewers and those kids who bike out ahead
of their parents and think nothing about turning right in front of you to see if
mom and dad are still visible. If you start and finish at Edgewater, you
can replenish your precious bodily fluids at Chevy's with a couple of cold
margaritas. From 101, take Hillsdale Blvd. or H'way 92 to Edgewater. Turn
right and follow Edgewater to its end. Park. The trail begins at the end
of the street to the right.

The best street skating I've found so far is through western Menlo Park
near the Stanford campus to downtown. There are a number of streets there
that have bike lanes and not much vehicular traffic. The streets are well-
kept so that debris and surprise bumps are at a minimum. The pavement
varies in quality from excellent to garbage. The area is bounded by
Sand Hill Road, Valparaiso Road, El Camino and Alameda de las Pulgas.

Those who go to Shoreline should be aware of the concert schedule. It's
always better to go when it's quiet. For those who want to get a real
workout, here's the prescription for doing 'laps' at Shoreline. At the
end of the stretch that parallels Moffett Field, there's that series of
double gates. Skate down the incline (WHOA!), out through the cul-de-sac
and make a right on Shoreline Boulevard.


From: [e-mail] (bRYgUY K. Carter)
Subject: Re: Skating locations in the SF Bay Area?

Try the Los Gatos Creek Trail from Vassona Park all the way into
San Jose.


From: [e-mail] (Diana Hirsch)
Subject: Bay Area Trails

I have two suggestions for skating trails in the Bay Area:

1. Sawyer Camp Trail - off 280 in San Mateo near 92.  Blader heaven on Sunday's,
lessons every other Sunday. The trail is about 6 miles one-way. The last mile is
very steep but fun coming down. However, they have radar out there and they will
give you a ticket for speeding, especially in the posted 5mph zones.

2. Campbell Par Course Trail - off Campbell Ave. near 17 and the Pruneyard. The
trail can be accessed in several places between Hamilton and Campbell Aves. This
trail is fun because it goes all the way through Vasona Park into Los Gatos. The
only caution is that there are several wood bridges to cross. (Stay on your back
wheels and use short horizontal strokes, it's good for the adrenalin.)

Have fun exploring and happy skating.


From: [e-mail] (Betsy Burton)
Subject: Re: Where's A Good Place to skate in the East Bay???

The park is a great social scene. It's a good place to meet up with other
skaters and play. However, there are some great places in the east bay for a
real work out. In addition to the places I can tell you about, there is a book
out from Karim Cycley that talks about some other places.

1) My personal favorite for a nice long run, is the back streets to Richmond.
There are a number of streets starting near Gilman and Albany. These streets go
through Albany and El Cerrito. In addition, Richmond Street goes out past the El
Norte Bart Station. This route has good small hills and allows for a good
workout.

2) The Nimitz trail takes off at the top of inspiration point and goes out about
4 miles. At the end of this path is a rather large hill, which after struggling
to the top, is great to fly down.

3) Tunnel road takes a bit of experience and some good breaking skills. I just
heard that someone biked up tunnel road the other day..so it  may be open after
the fire.

4) Berkeley Marina is good for a quickie. A full lap is 2.5 miles. The only
draw-back is that the view gets a little boring after a few laps.  My last and
most favorite is Bancroft Hill, next to the University. Late at night it is a
nice fast down hill.

---

From: [e-mail] (Eugene Walden)
Subject: Re: Long blading adventures in the S.F. Bay Area...

Another good place to go is Sawyer Camp Trail. It's only 6 miles long, so I
guess it doesn't qualify as really long, but there and back, you get a good
quiet 12 miles.

Take I-280 to Black Mtn Rd (just north of 92) and head west. Turn left at the
intersection and go another mile or so. It's on the right.

Follow the posted speed limits-- park rangers have radar and will give
citations for violators.

---

From: [e-mail] (Jim Young)
Subject: Re: Long blading adventures in the S.F. Bay Area...

You might want to try skating around the Berkeley hills.  I usually go
up Euclid or Spruce, skate across Grizzly Peak, and then down Tunnel road.
If you go early in the morning, you might see Eddy Matzger and Sandy
Snakenberg there.

Also, I know many people from SF who skate across the Golden Gate into
Marin County.  They skate something called the "Paradise Loop."

On the peninsula, there are some nice, smooth trails at Crystal
Springs.  I know some guys who skate from Mountain View to SF, so I think
some of the roads that parallel 280 are fairly nice.

Finally, in the south bay, I have a friend who skates on the Los Gatos
bike trail (it runs parallel to highway 17).  It's sort of crowded with
joggers and runners, but it's better than skating in south bay traffic.

---

From: HQPYR1:[e-mail] (Kimon Papahadjopoulos)
Subject: Re: Bay area inline skating areas and paths?
Reply-To: HQPYR1:[e-mail]

EXPERTS ONLY!  NASTY HILL CLIMB, NASTY DESCENT.

Path or area location:  TUNNEL ROAD on the Berkeley/Oakland Border
Directions:

From Berkeley:  Take Ashby out of Berkeley, past the Clairmont Hotel and
towards highway 13 and 24.  Turn left at the stoplight (As if going towards
highway 24, not 13).  When you get to the top of the hill, make a left
and Park.

Orida side of 24:
I believe you take the Tunnel Road Exit.

                 ^
                 |
TheRoute...__  To 24
             \   |
Tunnel Rd --> |  |
              |__|
              |  |
              |  |
   Hiller --> |  |
             /   |
            /    |
                 |
                 |
                 |
                 |
>From Berkeley ---S---- To 13 ->

>Parking information: On the the start of Tunnel itself
>Path length: ~6mi (I don't really know- cound be 7-8)
>Loop or non-loop: Loop: Up and Down.
>Average path width: Two lane street
>Minimum path width: Two lane street
>Average surface: Pretty good asphalt, some rough spots
>Worst surface: One very pitted rough spot for about 10 feet.
>Number of hills:  Up hill all the way
>Severity of steepest hill:  8 on a scale of 1-10
>Average steepness: 7 on a scale of 1-10
>Obstacles: One very pitted spot near the bottom, cars, occasional trucks
>Weekend pedestrian and bicycle traffic: Yes
>Weekday pedestrian and bicycle traffic: Yes
>Number of roads which cross the path: It is a road. It crosses several roads,
    but no stop signs or lights.
>Number of stairways on the path: None
>Distance markings: No
>Any other pertinent information:

FOR EXPERTS ONLY!  IF YOU CANNOT BRAKE WELL AT HIGH SPEEDS, DON'T TRY THIS
COURSE.  IF YOU ARE UNSURE, DRIVE IT FIRST .

The climb up is a great workout, and not too severe.  There are also great
views of San Francisco and Oakland.  Tunnel Road turns into Skyline about
half way up.

Watch for problems in the road going up so that you will be aware of them
when you come down.  Take it easy coming down the first time.  There are
several areas that require care!

There is a water fountain a little past the top (if you continue along
Skyline Blvd about 200 meters) at a ranger station.

This is in the burned area of Oakland, so there is construction going on
in places, some trucks coming up.

It takes between 15-30 min to get to the top, depending on ability.

There are other places you can explore when you get to the top, but Tunnel
is generally the most tame, and the safest bet to go back down.  Be careful
and have fun!

---

From [e-mail] (Tony Purmal)
Subject: Foster City Biking/Jogging/Skating path

* Path or area location

  Foster City, CA

* Directions

  Get to Foster City by crossing 101 on Hillsdale Blvd or Highway 92.
  The path circles the city next to the following streets: Beach Park
  Blvd between Compass and the San Mateo Bridge, East Third and J. Hart
  Clinton Drive from the bridge to and beyond Mariner's Island Blvd.
  It follows Belmont Slough and Marina Lagoon between Compass and
  Fashion Island Drive passing Townhouse, Condo and Apartment complexes
  bordering those waterways.

* Parking information

  Park along the streets mentioned above, or park at a park along the path.

* Path length

  About 10 miles

* Loop or non-loop

  Can be done as a loop if you go between the path endpoints.  This can
  be done by taking Mariner's Island Blvd and Fashion Island Blvd between
  East Third Ave and Marina slough.  One can also go along the wooden
  walkway (past Fashion Island Blvd) to Shoal Drive and through Mariner's
  Island Park to get to Mariner's Island Blvd to complete the loop.

* Average path width

  8 feet

* Minimum path width

  4 feet

* Average surface

  semi-smooth asphalt

* Worst surfaces

  Lots of raised cracks (linear and horizontal) along bay on south side
  of bridge.
  Pitted rough surface on north side of bridge where the path is close
  to the bay.
  Uneven pavement in places along Belmont Slough.
  Wooden walkway between Fashion Island and Shoal Drive (optional).

* Number of hills

  Five or so very small hills.

* Severity of steepest hill

  Very slight.

* Average steepness

  Very slight.

* Obstacles

  A wooden bridge along Marina Slough (very easy to handle)

* Weekend pedestrian and bicycle traffic

  Unknown

* Weekday pedestrian and bicycle traffic

  Light and well behaved.

* Number of roads which cross the path

  Between Fashion Island Blvd and Mariner's Island Blvd, none.  To
  complete the loop along Mariner's Island Blvd and Fashion Island
  Blvd there are four intersections and up to five side streets
  depending on which side of the street you're on.

* Number of stairways on the path

  None along the path, two if you take the optional connection along
  the wooden walkway and other roads to get to Mariner's Island Blvd
  to complete the loop.

* Distance markings

  Beginning 1/4 mile south of the San Mateo Bridge on the inside of the
  path there are markings every 1/4 mile in faded yellow/orange paint
  through until Highway 92.

* Any other pertinent information

  The path borders Belmont Slough where one can see various wetland
  wildlife.  There are also good views of the east bay along Beach
  Park Blvd, and of San Francisco north of the bridge.

  The wind gets pretty strong at times, especially in the afternoons,
  so be prepared.  I prefer to skate into the wind on the way out and
  with the wind on the way back.

---

From [e-mail]

* Path or area location

  Redwood Shores, CA (across 101 from Belmont, CA)

* Directions

  Take Ralston Ave. east across 101, turns into Marine World Parkway.
  Turn left onto Oracle Parkway at first light after 101 overpass.

* Parking information

  Park at the parking lot at the first left after getting onto Oracle
  Parkway, or continue around and park in the area across from the
  Oracle Fitness Center.

* Path length

  1 mile

* Loop or non-loop

  Loop

* Average path width

  7 feet

* Minimum path width

  4 feet

* Average surface

  Smooth asphalt and sidewalk

* Worst surface


* Number of hills

  Three short inclines.

* Severity of steepest hill

  Small angle

* Average steepness

  Slight

* Obstacles

  Occasional hoses when the maintanence people are working.

* Weekend pedestrian and bicycle traffic

  Light

* Weekday pedestrian and bicycle traffic

  Light

* Number of roads which cross the path

  The path crosses Oracle Parkway twice where it meets Marine World
  Parkway.  Cross from the path on Oracle Parkway to the sidewalk on
  Marine World Parkway.

* Number of stairways on the path

  None

* Distance markings

  None

* Any other pertinent information

  It gets very windy in Redwood Shores, especially in the afternoons.

  You can go from this path to the Foster City Bike and Walkway by taking
  a right onto Island Parkway at the end of the path closest to 101.
  Then follow the road over the bridge until it dead ends at Concourse
  Drive and take a right.  At the end of Concourse there is a path
  leading to the Foster City path.

  From the Oracle Fitness Center to the San Mateo Bridge on the Foster
  City Path is five miles.  (Take a right when you get to the Foster City
  path)

  From the Oracle Fitness Center to Hillsdale Blvd on the Foster City
  Path is three miles.  (Take a left when you get to the Foster City
  path)

---

From: [e-mail] (Michael Peters)

An earlier post was asking for places to skate in the San Diego area.
Last November I enjoyed skating at Mission Bay on the walk along the beach
and at Lake Mirimar (sp?).  The lake has a loop going around the lake with
lots of turns (nice for crossovers) and its about 5mi. around.  Lots of
bikes and skaters.  Not many cars drive on this road because automobile
traffic is not allowed to travel the entire loop.  I believe there are signs
on I-15 just north og San Diego.  It is located right next to the city
of Scripps Ranch.  The lake is a good place for a workout, but Mission Bay
is nice for a leisurely skate.

From: [e-mail] (Tal Dayan)
Subject: Souh Bay Area, a skating place which I like.

I would like to share with you, south bay area skaters, a skating site
which i enjoy.

This is Cunnigham park in San Jose.  The park has a lake, and a trail
around it.  The Perimeter trail (a loop) is 1.9 mile long but if you use
the trail just neat the water, it a little bit shorter.  The park has
several parking lots which are virtually empty in this time of the year
(including weekends) which are good for figure skating.  The one I like
the  most is near the Marina (just below the Raging Water entrance)
which has new pavement and it slope make it ideal for slalom (you might
find the chalk marks I made this morning ;-> ).  You can feed the ducks
(millions of them), fish (or at least try to), or have Cock from the
vending machine near the entrance to Raging Water.  The parking costs
one $ but there is no body to pay for or a box to leave the money so I
consider it free (probably it is different at summer).

To get there, take 101 Tully exit east (one exit south to the point were
101 and 280 met) and go on Tully all the way until you will see the
entrance on the left side (just after the airport).

BTW, I am compiling a list of skating sits in the south bay area, if you
know of an interesting place, please let me know. I will post a follow
up.

Tal Dayan


From: [e-mail] (David Volansky)
Subject: Re: Where to blade in South Bay Area?

> at Stanford.  Anybody have any details on this (when, where, etc...).  I
> believe this is put on by the skate shop Nuevo Colors...

The group meets at the Main Quad at about 7:15pm.  The best place to locate
them is in the parking lot at the end of Palm/University Ave or on the stairs
near the lot - you can't miss them - the group usually numbers in the 30s to 40s
this time of year (more in summer, less in the rain - yes, they go in the rain).

The group is very informal and doesn't really have a starting time or leader.
As it's getting darker, they're leaving earlier and earlier.

The ride usually goes until about 9 or 9:30 and includes some favorite jumping
spots on campus and a ride in the close-by neighborhood.  Be prepared for some
hills - the smell of heal brake is really something at the end of some of these
runs.  The route is the same each week, so the darkness isn't too bad after a
few weeks.  In the beginning, just stay behind someone who seems to know the
route and be sure to listen for the "stay to the right", "stay to the left",
"watch out for the big ditch" messages.

Let me know if you show up.  Since the group is fairly young (high school and
college age) I don't think I especially fit in, but you can single me out by
my dark hair and a red beard.


From: [e-mail] (Kinsley Wong)

Where to Skate in San Luis Obispo (Central Coast California)
-Outdoor:  Santa Rosa Parks, Perfumo Canyon Road, Palm Street Parking Structure
-Indoor:  Flippo Harbor Skating Rink.
Local Club:  BladeRunners.
Contact Kinsley Wong : [e-mail] for more information.

-----

From: [e-mail] (Doug Elias)
Subject: Long Beach Trip Report


i just got back last night from a business trip to Long Beach Ca.,
during which i was able to escape my captors a few times in order to
sample some of the beach-skating along the Strand.  My Macro-EQ's
having so far been fed exclusively on a diet of Ithaca pothole-and-
gravel, this was a golden opportunity to find out how they'd perform
under something better than, shall we say "marginal", conditions.
Suffice it to say that i'll be reliving that experience in my dreams
for quite some time to come, thanks in large measure to a guy i met in
one of the beach shops dotted along the Strand.

i was stroking past this little shack with the sign "Alfredo's"
painted on it when i saw a rack of 'blading accessories, so i pulled
in to look them over (cagey folks, that's exactly why they have them
out there in plain view).  While i was looking over the wheels and
pads, out rolls Dana Bergman, Alfredo's resident inline-expert and a
member of their skating team.  He's wearing a pair of Reidell's
(sorry, never got the model, but it's got 3 buckles and 4 wheels, if
that's any help), and we get to talking about Macro's (he had a pair
when they first came out) and bearings (did you know that Macro's used
to come stock with German bearings, and only recently switched to
Singapore NMB's?  Dana was shocked and saddened) and proper
care-and-feeding-of-same.  i got a first-hand lesson in popping dust
covers off of "sealed bearings" -- i use that phrase advisedly,
because that's how Rollerblade describes them in their technical
material.  i told Dana that and he just laughed: "Yeah, all they want
to do is sell you a new set when they get gritty, instead of telling
you how to clean them and loosing the sale."  So he pulls out a
brand-new set of German ABEC-3's still in the wrapper, digs a little
optical screwdriver (the kind you use to tighten your temples, for all
you four-eyes like me) out of his kitbag, and twists off one of the
covers.  "Ya gotta be careful with those Singapore bearings, though",
he cautioned, "the covers are on a lot tighter and you might jab the
blade through your hand, but they still pick up dirt and grit."  He
put a little dab of a light grease (i didn't catch the name, but it
comes in this 6" long black cardboard cylinder) inside the bearing,
rubs it around, then adds a drop or two of this fairly high-priced oil
that comes in a nifty little pocket-clip applicator with a long
needle-tip, "Mogema In-Line Racing Oil"; when the original supply of
oil is used up, he re-fills it with Marvel Mystery Oil, which he
claims is just as good, if a little thinner, and much cheaper.  If he
had had to clean them first, he would have used a tuna can full of
acetone to loosen up the junk and dissolve any grease/oil that
remained, pounded them a few times on a hard surface to knock the
loosened stuff out, then set them out for a minute or two to let the
acetone evaporate, followed by the re-greasing procedure i just
described.

My bearing are still doing fine, so i didn't buy any of his, but he
had a supply of aluminum spacers in stock, and i snapped up a full
set, and bought one of his pocket-oilers off him -- damn, you might say
i was impressed with how much better i rolled with the new spacers and
a couple of drops of oil per bearing.

Since the day was kinda cloudy and business was slack they closed
up and Dana took me back up the Strand to the Long Beach Natatorium
(where they held the swimming events in the '88 Olympics), and gave me
an introduction to stair-riding -- if only it were as simple as he
made it look.  He said that there were four main points, whether
you're riding them frontwards or backwards:
1) have one foot "in front" (relative to the stairs),
2) put most of your weight on the back foot (the one coming down
   last), and use the front one for balance and control,
3) have your weight forward (relative to yourself, i.e, bend over at
   the waist and shift your weight to follow your upper body), and
4) keep the wheels that are going down first on both skates UP, don't
   let them go DOWN, or you'll follow them.

Dana claims that backwards stair-riding is much more natural an
activity than going down frontwards, given the way our knees bend, and
that it's basically just our inbred fear of moving in a direction
opposite to the way we're facing that makes it seem otherwise.  And,
as we all learned on our bikes when our training wheels came off,
you're more stable at-speed than you are going slowly.  i believe him,
but i haven't worked my way up to practicing it quite yet -- now that
i have a good example of what to shoot for, it's only a matter of time
(and the obligatory case-or-two of stair-rash -- for damn-sure i'm
going to be wearing a helmet when i start practicing these moves; so
far i've gotten away with wrist-, elbow- and knee-protectors, but then
i've made it a serious point to keep my skates on the ground, and the
ground continuous rather than step-function-like).

That much would have been a nice addition to my stay in southern
California, but the next afternoon Dana took me for a guided tour of
downtown Long Beach that was little short of fantastic.  Parking
ramps, waist-high walls around parking lots, 50-yard long drops down a
40% grade followed by a hairpin over a swatch of dirt and into a
parking lot...but the absolute best had to be the Long Beach Veterans
Building, with three sets of 3-4 stairs separated by about 20-30 feet
each going down, and then a set of S-curves following the handicap
ramp going back up, all this fitting inside a 30 x 80 foot rectangle:
Dana likened it to the Long Beach Gran Pri for formula-1, and gave me
a demo, taking the stairs in nonchalant jumps that looked like an
alpine downhiller catching air over a mogul, and then powering up the
ramp with fast, powerful crossovers while leaning far out over ("But
don't touch!")  the hand-rails.  He and his friends race this course
frequently, but i couldn't figure out where they had room to pass,
certainly not on the ramp: "Oh, I always pass on the stairs, they all
yell: 'Look out!  Here comes Dana!', and I just come blasting down".

He had lots of little tips picked up over the years, stuff like:
* wear a Walkman so you can skate to music -- it helps take your mind
  off your skates and lets your body start learning how to use them
  without your head getting in the way;
* play little games with inanimate objects, like seeing how close you
  can come to light-posts, or spinning around fire-plugs, or stoking
  full-speed at a garbage-can and doing a jump-turn-around at the last
  second,
* play tag and follow-the-leader with your friends,
* kick around a tennis-ball (the way he described it, it almost
  sounded like one-man miniature-soccer), and, most important,
* NEVER SIT DOWN OR STOP MOVING, you get locked up and stiff -- to
  rest, stay on your skates and do little things like practice
  turn-arounds, or zig-zags, or crossovers, or skating inside as small
  an area (a concrete rectangle on the sidewalk) as you can stay
  within.

In case anyone in the LA area is interested, the Alfredo's folks are
giving serious thought to the construction of an inline park somewhere
in Long Beach, with a speed-oval surrounding an inner playground with
ramps, stairs, tubes, and a re-creation of the the Veterans Building
Formula-1 course.  They're already solidly behind city efforts to
convert an unused volleyball court just across the street from the
beach into a fully-functional roller-hockey facility; this should be
done well before summer officially starts.

One last tip for the beer-loving 'blader who visits the Long Beach
Strand: be sure to stop into the Belmont Brewery, just an in-field fly
away from the Natatorium: really great service which, frankly,
wouldn't be worth mentioning if it weren't for the truly fantastic
brewed-on-premise beers (okay, okay -- the food is excellent, too,
but the beers are really exceptional).

Bottom-line:
if you have an opportunity to take your skates to Long Beach, look up
Dana and coerce him to give you a Downtown Long Beach Tour -- he's
really good company, a damn-fine skater, and an all-'round nice guy.
And don't forget the Belmont Brewery!
--


Idaho
-----
From: [e-mail] (Andy Hill)
Sender: [e-mail] (News Server Project)

Just got back from a work/play boondoggle in Sun Valley, Idaho.  If
you ever have a chance to come through this area in the spring/summer/fall,
check out the Wood River & Sun Valley trails.

The Wood River trail is a very recent rails-to-trails conversion.  It's
21 miles long (42 round trip), extremely smooth, and not much climb.
It's a cross-country ski trail in the winter (there was still quite a bit
of snow on either side of the trail this week).

The Sun Valley trail is about a 20 mile loop around Dollar mountain.  Not
quite as smooth, and has some road intersections that are a bit gravelly.
Quite a bit more climb than the Wood River trail (with some screaming
downhill sections). Bring a spare brake!


Phoenix, AZ
-----------

From: [e-mail] (Kenneth Creta)
Subject: Re: trail guides and the IISA clinic
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>

Here in the Phoenix area, my favorite is Indian Bend Park in Scottsdale.  This
area is VERY popular with all levels of expertise around.  I hear that the
paths around the Phoenix zoo is also good (I'll see this weekend).


Hawaii
-------

From: [e-mail] (George Robbins)
Subject: Re: skating in Hawaii?

In the Honolulu area, the terrain in town is pretty flat, but you can get into
some serious hill-climbing instantly if you want to head inland.  Great view
though, if you work your way up the hill right behind Honolulu.

The roads in town are good, but it is a pretty dense urban area, more like
western business districts than NYC though.  Expect to deal with traffic and try
to avoid getting stuck playing tag with the frequent city buses - it's hard work
to get past and stay ahead, miserable to stay behind or play leapfrog.

In the outlying areas, you have a bit of a problem.  The roads are generally
good, but there is usually only one road between any two points, so traffic can
get heavy.

Also, since the general geography is a volcanic mountain, with kind of flat
shoreline skirt, you will find that everytime you circumferentially cross one of
the many radial river/streambed valleys, you go down a steep slope, over a
bridge and back up. This is especially true on the smaller roads, major ones may
have a bit more invested in grading and bridges.

Also, be prepared for hot and sunny weather.  When skating you may spend more
time in the sun than the usually carefully rationed time on the beach vs. indoor
shopping and clubs.  It is very easy to get dehydrated or severly sunburned.
Make sure you have light clothing that gives full body, arm and leg coverage and
a wind-proof hat/sunshade of some sort.

On a more serious note, a parter isn't a bad idea, especially if you intend to
travel independently outside the major tourist traps. Hawaii isn't exactly
paradise when it comes to crime and delinquency. This has come up a number of
times on rec.bicycling with respect to bicycle touring, and it's not clear if
there is a real problem or just a few overworked tales.

--

From: [e-mail] (Rabbett)
Subject: halloo from Hawaii Nei!


 11/13/93 Greetings from Hawaii...add year round In-line skating as another reas
on to come visit us....lots of places to blade and lots of scenery and warm tem
peratures...Should you come to Oahu, do yourself a favor and skate Kailua town
on the windward side...miles and miles of flat and low rise asphalt...most of i
t in primo condition. Trade winds, blue skies, quiet neighborhoods and a mere c
ouple blocks from the beach. Also, further into Kailua..is Lanikai...about 3.7
miles around, it is an oceanside residential loop with staggering beauty and co
lorful homes and people. Should you ever need more info on blading Hawaii, Ocea
n kayaking , or just where do we go for the best food and such...drop me a note
 back on the 'Net...Your bladin, bicyclin, kayaking, body surfin' pal Rabbett@c
ris.com....nice to finally find this forum!


From [e-mail] Tue Nov 30 04:05:22 1993

I don't know if your Hawaii contributor actually lives here,
but he didn't mention any specific places to rollerblade. While I
actually don't rollerblade myself, I do jog long distances so I
encounter skaters frequently.

Couple of important things, your contributor hit on already.
Residential areas on Oahu mostly radiate out from the mountain ranges.
You've got hills and valleys--means lots of steepness all around, and
not too much flat land for longer distances.

Second--Oahu is *not* conducive to non-auto traffic. While you see a
fair amount of bicycles and mopeds, you are at the mercy of the cars
when you're out on the road. Worse, there are painfully few bicycle
trails on the island--a lack of land and planning both. Worse, drivers
are not friendly toward cyclists and skaters. They will turn right
without blinking OR looking, assuming that there's no traffic to their
right because they're in the right lane--or they will parallel park on
the road and the drivers will open their doors right onto the middle
lane. I have had some friends of mine French kiss some car door
interiors this way--ouch!

The safest and most popular spot to rollerblade on the entire island
is Ala Moana Beach Park and Magic Island. Magic Island is a little
area at one end of Ala Moana Beach Park that was filled in many years
ago by the Ilikai Hotel when they realized that their customers
couldn't see Diamond Head anymore because of all the development. Ala
Moana Beach Park itself is outside of Waikiki, across the street from
the large Ala Moana Shopping Center. You'll encounter all kinds--kids
learning, adults learning, kids whirling around adults learning,
adults doing laps around a loop, etc. Basically, these "loops" around
Magic Island are wide enough to accommodate joggers and skaters both.
Nice view of Diamond Head, too.

The other (and more closer site to Waikiki) would be Kapiolani Park,
at the Diamond Head of Waikiki by the Honolulu Zoo. They have a 2.5
mile jogging loop around it that you can use--except at parts it's
cracked and not too wide--so that's a caveat.


MIDWEST

Chicago
-------

From: [e-mail] (Joe Kaplenk)

>2)  I go to Northwestern in Evanston, and they must have passed that
>right-of-way ordinance after I left.  A friend of mine and I went to a
>meeting of the Evanston Human Services Committee and was told that there
>have been no police accident reports involving in-line skaters and there
>was probably no cause for alarm or restrictive legislation.  One alderman
>was bound and determined to get something, though, and I guess he did after
>all.  The ordinance applies specifically to the downtown business area
>where there is a lot of traffic, pedestrian, bicycle and in-line in nature.

Glad to hear that it wasn't worse. Some people get upset just by seeing
something that the think might cause a problem, even if no problem exists. Glad
to hear also that there have been no incidents. A little more fuel to add
to our arguments against restrictions.

>3)  Are there any groups/individuals in the Chicago area who are looking to
>congregate to skate?  I'm a middle-skilled skater (i.e. can stop well, do
>some backwards skating and am proficient in a forwards direction) and would
>like to progress to that next level.  Joe posted something about the Odeum
>offering lessons, but I'm wondering if there's any kind of team action or
>group that gets together.

There is a club that has been listed in the Windy City Sports magazine. (I'm not
sure of the name). Rainbo carries it, it's free. It would be neat to form an
inline competition club in Chicago. USAC is getting more and more open to
inlines, inlines are fully accepted there for speed(in separate events) and
roller  hockey  though not yet in the artistic area because of some technical
issues on inline design.  I'm not sure what IISA is doing about clubs.

I'm especially interested in artistic inlines. Rainbo rink doesn't have a USAC
club yet, so maybe they could be approached. I don't have time to help form one
because  of my committments to adult ice skating currently, but I would
certainly join and support an inline club of this nature.   Rainbo rink is
small, and the floor  is a little warped in spots, but it is very convenient and
has the best seating of any roller rink in the Chicago area.

The director at the Odeum is going to give me a call soon when he has his class
schedule figured out, so I can have more information shortly. They might also be
approached about a club. Though he was not very interested in anything involved
in USAC. I guess because he has so much else going on in getting started and
with the WHA tryouts coming up.

There is also just outdoors  skating, but I think it would be really good to
have a year round club and to have  a rink to back a club up in terms of getting
members.


Minneapolis
-----------
If you want a REALLY great place to rollerblade, Minneapolis opens up the
Metrodome to rollerbladers ONLY (I'm not sure about during the summer, but they
do this all winter).  It's about a half-mile (I think) circle of the smoothest
concrete you've ever been on. There are two separate levels, one for serious
rollerbladers and one for "the family."  A "must-blade" if you're ever in the
area.


Ohio
----
From [e-mail] (Brett Kottmann)

- Dayton (OH)

    The best places to skate in the Dayton area are on the bike paths.
Bike, joggers, and skaters (bladers? :) coexist as long as the cardinal rule is
followed: bike right: skate/run/walk left.

    The River Corridor is approximately 13 miles long, including street
connectors (not many).  Parts are in dire need of paving, but the run from W.
Carrollton to the Carillon Tower is fairly decent, and free of pedestrians for
the most part.  There is a steel bridge that is best walked across near W.
Carrollton.  Whitman's Bike Shop (in W. Carrollton) is a good place to meet,
get repairs, etc.

    The Xenia-Yellow Springs bike path is 6 miles long, gently sloping up
to the north.  It's an excellent way to build up your endurance by skating hard
north, then working on turns, spins, etc. back south.  Fairly straight.  Note:
there have been problems with exhabitionists on this path.  Do not skate alone.
    Young's Dairy is near the Yellow Springs terminus, and is a great way
to put on the pounds you just worked off :).

    Planned additions to these routes include the Beavercreek connector
(connecting the River Corridor and Xenia-Yellow Springs) and the completion of
the Xenia-Yellow Springs path south to Morrow, Ohio.  The N-S path would then
run from Cincinnati to Xenia.  The River Corridor will eventually be extended
south to Hamilton, near Cincinnati.  The bike/skate/run paths would then form a
giant H across south-west Ohio, encompassing more than a hundred miles of paved
paths!  You can help speed up the process by contributing to your local/state
"Rails to Trails" organizations.


From: [e-mail] (Stewart Rowe)

OHIO (Cincinnati)

Two bike/hike trails near Cincinnati are also used by rollerbladers.

The Little Miami trail follows an old railroad bed for 22 miles, from
Milford, OH to Morrow OH, largely following the Little Miami
National Scenic River. Grades are very mild. There is a 6-8 ft.
paved trail and a parallel grass trail for horses. The best access,
with parking, plumbing, and skate rental in season, is at Loveland,
mile 9. There are similar facilities at Morrow (no rentals). Access
at Milford is difficult; one must cross a major US highway at a nasty
intersection.  The Little Miami Trail is to be extended another 9 miles
north to Fort Ancient during the 1994-5 fiscal years, if the budget holds.
  Weekend use is very heavy, with walkers, runners, bikers, baby carriages,
dogs etc., especially near Loveland. One would be wise to start at Morrow
during summer weekend afternoons. Better, pick a cold December morning!

On the west side of the city, the county park district has recently
opened an 8-mile paved loop, at Miami Whitewater Park (we have _two_
Miami Rivers, Great and Little). This trail is used by walkers, bicycles
and skaters. Though mostly level, it has some grades requiring reasonable
skill. The parking area has toilets, food and skate-rental concessions
in season. An overlapping inner trail loop is heavily used, but most of the
larger loop sees little foot or bike traffic. Some lightly-traveled nearby
roads are used by cyclists, but I've never seen skaters on roads in
southwest Ohio -- I expect any law officer would find some reason to tell
them to get off.


SOUTH
-----

Houston

The flattest city on earth.  If you want hills, youre only choice is
to sneak into the parking decks downtown at night,  This is rather
common - just skate upward until the dweeb (they all are) security
cop asks you to leave.  Skate out.

Street skating is allowed in Houston.  Be reasonable.  I've heard from
reliable sources that street skating is now officially legal, but
can't be positive.

Downtown.  VERY popular with skaters.  In the spring through november,
Thursday nights are "the" skating nights downtown after the "Party on
the Plaza" (weekely free outdoor concerts downtown).  There's also
a few skaters on weekend afternoons.  Some of the big oil and bank
building security types don't like skaters on their marble, even if it
is a public sidewalk on a city easement.

The "skater-bar" in Houston is the Brewery Tap, on Franklin (one of
the northernmost eastwest streets downtown).  Its also the major
hangout for the Urban Animals, Houston's famous "skater-gang".
The Animals organize skates on a semiregular basis - just join them on
a Thursday night at the Tap - they're a friendly bunch.  In the
past, they also met at the old concention center (across from Jones
Plaza) on Wednesdays and Sundays for hockey.

Stop by the Montrose Skate Shop (on Stanford between W. Gray and
Clay).  The owner is a longtime experienced skater who knows a lot
about Houston and the national skate scene.  Don't let the appearance
of the house/shop scare you :)  If there's any official skating event
or something sponsored by the Animals going on (like the Labor Day
pub crawl) he'll adverstise it in his shop.

Memorial park is VERY popular on weekends.  Its got a smooth 1+ mile
loop.  On a given weekend day, there will be 50+ skaters, maybe more.
Racers and beginners alike skate there.  Lots of bike racers too, so
give them room.  On weekdays the "picnic loop" (where the
skater/bikers go) is closed to automobiles, making it even better.

Rice University has a smooth loop (~1 mile) around the campus.
Several shops use Rice for lessons, and the loop is popular with
beginners.  Experienced skaters often stop by for a few laps, and
grab a beer at Valhalla (grad student pub, open every day but
Saturday 5pm-2am with 50 cent draught beers and 2.50 pitchers).

Houston has LOTS of bike trails.  Some are in terrible shape, others
are pretty good.  I reccomend the Braeswood Bayou trail ONLY WEST
OF Buffalo Speedway.  East of there it really start falling into
severe disrepair.  Its not obvious where you can park to get access
to the trail, which is over 10 miles long.  Some of the neighborhoods
along South Brasewood have roads along the Bayou, park at one.
The trail along Buffalo Bayou is OK, but during rainy season (late
fall and winter) the off-road portions through the park get washed
over with sand.  Not fun.

On some weekend afternoons, the city of Houston closes Allen Parkway
for about a one mile stretch along the park along Buffalo Bayou.
Nice stretch of pavement just for bikers, skaters, baby carriages,
etc.


From: [e-mail] (Dwayne Jacques Fontenot)
Subject: places to inline skate in houston

These are the standard answers and my thoughts on them:

Rice University
---------------

To hear people talk and to read articles in the local newspapers one would
think that Rice University is some great place to skate. Well, I know a thing
or two about the Rice campus, and I simply do not understand this.
Rice possible places to skate:

The "inner loop": Sure, this is a smooth asphalt loop, but it is a *road*.
It is for *cars*. The speed limit is 15mph, but some drivers regularly
travel at up to 60mph. Traffic is not as heavy as say, main street, but
it is heavy enough. I guess if you don't mind the cars, and don't get
easily bored with the loop, and like to skate into Valhalla for a beer,
then this is for you, but it's not for me.

The sidewalks: No way. Rice sidewalks are "pebbled paths". That is,
really smooth, bumpy pebbles held in place by concrete. This stuff is
so slippery, that it is difficult to ride a bike on it (though technically
one is not allowed to bike on it, so one probably cannot skate on it
either).

The Rice Stadium lot: Please wait while I stop laughing. This lot is like
an exploded mine field. One must be very careful when driving a *car*
over this surface. There are gigantic holes everywhere, and the surface is
not smooth at all.

The Rice Bike Track: Not an option. This is a bike track. It is for
*bicycles*. It is *not* for *skaters*. *skaters* should not skate on it.
Bikers use the bike track to train on. It is extremely difficult to
ride around the track at training speeds while there are skaters on it.
Experts will tell you the worst accidents happen when there is the greatest
disparity in speed of the vehicles. That is the case with bikes and skates.
Imagine what a biker thinks when he comes up behind a skater who is
stroking his legs out to the left and right. It is only a matter of time
(IMHO) before skating becomes illegal on the bike track, if it is not
already.

The Rice stadium: This is a slight possibility. There are several concrete
ramps which could be fun, but they are quite steep. If one could get in,
it might be a fun place to skate, but once again, it is probably not
allowed.

Downtown
--------

hmmmmm. We asked one person where to skate downtown, and they said,
"anywhere is fine". Yeah, rite. Anywhere is fine as long as it is on
the sidewalks. And the sidewalks don't excite me. There are several
*cool* plazas which are the property of large corporations.
However, the security guards will not let you skate there. I guess they
don't want to be sued, and I don't blame them.

So, where do people skate downtown which is not on the streets (lots of
cars)?

Memorial Park
-------------

I have no information. Anyone out there know good places to skate in
Memorial Park?

Hermann Park
------------

This is the best place I have found so far, but that is only relatively.
There are *lots* of people with baby carriages. Most of the time people
on the sidewalks will hear you coming and move aside, but usually the
sidewalks are filled with clumps of people every 20 feet. At least there
are no cars. My current fun thing to do is to skate around the manmade
lake, including over the wooden humpback bridge  :-) but, inlines are
so "new" there that everybody stares. Admittedly, things are better on
weekdays, but most people work on weekdays :-(

So, where do people skate in Houston? Specifically.

thank you for your time,

Dwayne Fontenot


rec.skate Houston skating FAQ (by Rob Butera, [e-mail]).

Last updated: 09/27/1993 (some big changes from last version)

Table of Contents

1.    skating laws, safety
2.    where to skate
3.    skater friendly establishments
4.    skate shops


1.    SKATING LAWS, SAFETY


    Skating is "street-legal" within the Houston city limits, barring
roads that are banned to bicycles (the only example I can think of is a
short stretch of Memorial Drive).  However, don't be an idiot.  Just because
you're ALLOWED to skate on a road does not mean its a good idea.  A few
rules of thumb:
        a.    Yield to cars.  It keeps street skating legal by
            not pissing off motorists, and they weigh a lot
            more anyway.

        b.    Stay off the busy roads in the daytime.  Be well
            lit at night (buy a Vista Lite or two at a bike
            or skate shop).

        c.    Houston's lack of zoning is convenient for skaters.
            It means that many well traveled roads have other
            less traveled roads running parallel to them through
            neighborhoods.  Some of the "well-paved" roads used
            a lot by skaters include Dunlavy (good North-South
            route), Hawthorne (good connection between Montrose
            and downtown), and the middle "skater lane" (i.e.
            car turning lane) on W. Alabama - but only use this
            after daily business hours.

        d.    OBEY THE SPEED LIMIT.  This may sound funny, but
            cops in West University have nothing better to do,
            and I know bikers and skaters who have been warned.

        e.    The Texas Medical Center is private property and
            skating is not allowed on its "interior" roads. This
            has been verified with UT and TMC police. I know
            of a skater who has been pulled over, by a TMC cop,
            flashing lights and siren :) :) :)

        f.    DO NOT street-skate until you are competent in
            your turning, stopping, and emergency falling
            abilities.


2.    WHERE TO SKATE

Technically, anywhere.  However, a few favorites, but on and off-road:


Rice University

Good for beginners.  The inner loop around campus is about a mile, and
a lot of newbies from West U. flock there on Saturday mornings in the Spring
and Summer.  You can also skate the stadium when it is open for football
practice.


West University

A nice quiet community near Rice - most of the east-west roads were paved
in the past year.  Don't speed - they'll get you.  Its easy to get above
15 MPH on their smooth pavement.


Downtown and Vincinity

Downtown is fun.  A lot.  You can find skaters downtown almost any night
of the week, although Thursday and Saturday seem to be the most popular.
There are numerous downtown bars that skaters often meet up at (See below).
Things to do/see include:

Jones Plaza    Party-on-the-Plaza (a city sponsored band party) is on
        Thursday night.  However, after 11 PM or so, this public
        plaza and some nearby buildings is a playground for free
        styling skaters and skateboarders.  Watch/learn how to
        skate down ramps or large flights of stairs :)

Milam/Lousiana    Theses are the two most popular roads to cruise up and
        down downtown.  Lots of buildings to skate around.  Lots
        of obstacles, sculptures to skate around or play tag,
        stairs/walls to jump, etc.  Beginners and experienced
        skaters both love the buildings with marble sidewalks.
        Behave yourself, and most security guards won't mind you
        being there (though there are some exceptions).

George R. Brown
Convention Center

        There are hockey games here every Wednesday night, starting
        at 9-9:30 until 11:00 PM or so.  Beginners are welcome,
        though most players are experienced and play in leagues
        around the city.  Skate the big ramp (parallel to I-45)
        if the gate is left open.

Parking Garages

        This is trespassing, and I plead the fifth :)  Ask any
        skater for details.  The owner of a local skate shop
        describes parking garages as like "fishing holes" - you
        don't tell too many people, or its no good anymore (i.e.
        some step up their security if they notice repeated skater
        usage).  HOWEVER, there are a few regular garages that are
        not guarded, or the guards just don't care.  BE COMPETENT
        AND KNOW HOW TO BRAKE before attempting even an easy
        garage, and avoid those that are still open for business
        (i.e. only go late at night).


Memorial Park

The "picnic loop" is another popular spot.  On weekdays, it is closed off
to car traffic.  This loop is popular to bikers and skaters alike.  When
skating on weekdays, stay out of the way of the bikers and skaters
"in training" - a lot of racers work out here.


Velodrome

Serious skaters skate the Velodrome out around I-10 and Highway 6.  It
is open to skaters 10-2 on Saturdays, and full gear is required.  I don't
have the phone # or address, but it is advertised in those free Houston
Health/Fitness magazines at sporting goods stores.


Other Neighborhoods / Hills?

Montrose has some good roads, and some terrible ones.  The closest thing
to hills that you'll find is around the Heights - i.e. roads like
White Oak, Studemont, etc. all near Buffalo Bayou.  The biggest "hill"
in Houston (to my knowledge) is the the Houston Ave. overpass over I-10.


Hermann Park

I used to tell people it stinks and not to waste your time.  However,
there are now (relatively) new 6 foot wide cement paths throughout the
park that are great for skating, especially beginners.  Still not as long
or scenic as Memorial, but good for beginners or a lazy skate on a sunny
afternoon.  Watch out for pedestrians and mothers with baby carriages ...
The Miller Amphitheatre offers a sad excuse for a hill ...

Braeswood Bayou Bike Trail

Park on Lookout Court, which is off of S. Braeswood just west of
Buffalo Speedway.  You can take the bike trail from Buffalo Speedway west
to Chimney Rock (about 3.5 miles).  The trail actually goes west as far as
Fondren and east as far as U of H, but the pavement quality is much worse
west of Chimney Rock or east of Buffalo Speedway.  Take note: if you want
to head west past Chimney Rock, the trail looks like it ends.  It doesn't -
you have to cross the bridge (i.e. skate on Chimney Rock Rd.) over the
Bayou, where the trail continues on the other side of the bayou.  I find
this to be a nice "6 PM workout" before heading home, and you can skate into
the sunset :)

Buffalo Bayou Trail

Good for mountain bikes.  Bad for skaters.  It COULD be the best outdoor
skating trail in Houston (lots of slight hills and curves), but whenever
it rains significant portions of the trail get washed over with sand.
The bike path between the parking lots along Allen Parkway and downtown
(via Tranquility Park) are in great shape, however.

Woodlands

If you actually have a reason to go way out there, the trails are pretty
fun, and there are lots of them.  Beware of sharp curves with bikers coming
around them from the other direction ...


3.    SKATER FRIENDLY ESTABLISHMENTS

Surprisingly, MOST restaurants and bars are skater-friendly, especially
in the downtown and Montrose areas.  One big demand is for late night
food downtown.  Two options are Pat's & Pete's Blues Burgers (on Market
Square) and Mai's (Vietnamese, on Milam).  Both are skater-friendly
and open till 4 AM on Fri. and Sat. nights.  Other known skater-friendly
bars/restaurants/clubs/coffee-houses in Houston include: Warren's,
Birraporetti's, Toads, Power Tools, Brewery Tap, Fuzzy's, Cecil's, Emo's,
Bitterman's, W. Alabama Ice House, 321 Alabama, Blue Iguana, Brazil,
Cafe Artiste, Grif's, Catal Huyuk, House of Pies, McDonald's, Gingerman,
Volcano (though I think the crowd was annoyed by our presence), Valhalla,
..... I'm sure there's MANY I'm forgetting ...


4.    SKATE SHOPS


Montrose Skate Shop
1406 Stanford (b.w. Gray and Clay, 3-4 blocks east of Montrose)
528-6102
10am-8pm, everyday except Thursday

Probably the oldest operating skate shop in Houston (1986 or so), and
the ONLY place to go if you skate on quads (at least anywhere near inside
the loop).  John McKay, the owner, and his staff, are great.  Good service,
friendly staff.  Run out of a house.  Not necessarily as cheap as
some of the other places, but usually close, and I personally thing that
their service makes the little extra worth it.  They also sell inlines
and will put together racing packages.


Armadillo Sports
Dream Merchant shopping center, Westheimer

This relatively new store is, IMHO, THE inline store in Houston.  The
prices are competitive, but what makes the store desirable is that the
owner/manager really knows his stuff (though some of the sales staff know
next to nothing about skates, so it depends on when you go!).  He can
also put together racing packages.


Sun and Ski
Westheimer, other locations

Although a chain store, the skate staff is knowledgeable, and prices
are great for retail.  Highly reccomended.  They sell Rollerblade,
Bauer, and Roces.


Windsurf and Gale
Rice Village

Everyone I know says the same thing - these guys are assholes.  Unless you
look like you have $$$ to burn, you may wait 20 minutes before someone
even talks to you.  Their prices aren't that great either.  My biking and
skating friends mostly agree that they make all their money selling $1000
bikes and $300 skates to clueless yuppies in West U.


Oshmans
many locations

Prices NOT as good as Sun and Ski, and they only sell Rollerblade.  Their
once/year tent sale (usually in October) has GREAT prices. Beware of the
sub-$150 Rollerblade models - bad news.  As a rule of thumb, avoid any
model of Rollerblade with a number in its name :)



=END OF PART 7=================================================================