Ice Skating, Inline Skating, Roller Skating

Why would you want to go out to a quiet, candle-lit romantic dinner when you can strap on a pair of skates and spend an entire evening picking each other up off the ground?

In case you were thinking of a skating date as an invigorating prelude to romance, try again. When we think of skating, we think of Roller Derby, or what about the Winter Olympic tryouts when the blond from the trailer park hired a thug to knee-cap the brunette from the good part of town? We also think about the first time we ever put on inline skates and said, "Now, where are the brakes on these bleeping things?" (Answers to this question can be found at websites such as www.getrolling.com/orbit/heelbrak.html and http://inlineskating.about.com/cs/howtostoponinl/.)

For most of us, this date isn't about being good on skates and it's not about rolling off into the sunset holding hands. This date is about pressure and how you handle it when you are flat on your back with your feet in the air and not because you're trying out the latest intercourse position from Cosmo or Playboy. This date is about stamina, endurance and balance, and that can be a good thing if you don't take yourself too seriously. Of course, if you already skate well, forget everything we've just said and go out and have a fine skate date.

TYPES OF SKATING—ROLLER, INLINE AND ICE

Just so you'll know, since the invention of inline skating, roller skating is often called "quad skating." Ice skating and roller skating are fairly safe and are almost always done in a rink or arena. Your pride is the biggest thing you will likely hurt—that and your rear end. Inline skating is different. Most people inline skate outside on the street where the likelihood of injury is greater. It's dumb to inline skate without the proper safety equipment, given how the biggest challenge to inline skating is finding a way to stop. We list some excellent resources for inline skating, and hopefully you'll check them out before giving it a try.

COST

If you have the skates and you are skating outdoors it's usually free. If you need to rent equipment, plan on spending $10 per person and up.

LENGTH OF TIME

Allow a couple of hours. If you are at a rink you will probably skate for awhile, stop and have a snack and then skate some more. If you are skating outdoors, make sure you know where to skate and where to rent equipment.

SKATING AT A RINK

Call ahead for the hours. If it's just the two of you ask if they have adult skate times. If this is a family date, ask about open skate times. Every rink rents skates. Granted 2,000 people may have worn the skates before you, but don't let that stop you. You probably don't think twice about sleeping in a hotel bed, and you won't believe the stuff that doesn't come off sheets in the washing machine. Bring a couple of pairs of thick socks with you just in case the skates are too big. Wear comfortable clothes.

SKATING OUTDOORS

The proper equipment for skating out of doors includes a helmet, knee pads, elbow pads and wrist protectors. The "pads" should have a hard plastic shell and should slide freely on asphalt when you fall. Brands with a good reputation include the Rollerblade TRS and the Dr. Bone Savers (DBS). For helmets, any well-fitting ANSI/Snell approved bicycle helmet should work well.

ICE SKATING OUTDOORS

Ice skating on a lake or pond can be a great winter date. But make sure the ice has been checked and there are other people around. Ice is prone to break and if you happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, you may find yourself taking an extremely cold bath with no way to get out. Bring a pair of heavy socks and if your hands get cold easily, bring gloves. Don't show up in an ice skating tutu, particularly if you are a guy. It's a fine idea to bring tissue for your nose and any other body parts that might start dripping. Don't forget to wear protective gear.

PRACTICE BEFOREHAND

If you are going to skate outdoors, we can't recommend strongly enough that you practice ahead of time. Screaming and covering your eyes and yelling "I'm going to die" is not an approved method of stopping when you are on skates. Also keep in mind that if you skate in the street, you are considered a moving vehicle. Avoid hills when you are starting out.

WHERE TO FIND ARENAS AND OTHER RESOURCES

ROLLER SKATING:
Try the yellow pages under "skating rinks." You can also call your local chamber of commerce. Some roller rinks don't allow inline skates. Call ahead of time.

For a state-by-state list of rinks and parks, try www.goskate.com.

To find a list of Roller-Skating-Association-affiliated rinks in each state, roll over to www.rollerskating.org/index.cfm or phone them at (317)347-2626.

ICE SKATING:
An excellent resource is the Figure Skater's site at www.sk8stuff.com. Go to "Clubs & Assoc." and you'll find a big list of clubs and rinks. This is Don Korte's site.

For lots of arenas, try www.iceskate.com/arenas/arenas.html.

A helpful site for coaches and skaters is www.iceskatingworld.com.

Considered by many to be the mother of all skating sites, try Sandra Loosemore's www.frogsonice.com/skateweb.

Want a lot of links, info and tons of ice-skating clip art? The place to try is www.icesk8.com.

INLINE SKATING:

Be sure to try www.getrolling.com, an extremely helpful collection of articles, safety tips inline industry gossip and an incredibly complete set of links and resources.

Bob Schmunk's Skating The Infobahn website at www.skatecity.com/ index/ has the most thorough selection of inline links in the entire universe, including a worldwide listing of skateparks and rinks. The various sites on about.com don't have a lot of soul to them— maybe it's the corporate, orderly, format—but that doesn't stop them from being VERY thorough and full of solid helpful information on everything from how to fall to how to deal with foot blisters. So don't hesitate to give http://inlineskating.about.com/ a try.

An excellent book to get BEFORE getting on inline skates is the second edition of Get Rolling, the Beginner's Guide to In-Line Skating by Liz Miller; $13.95.

NAKED SKATING? RINKS WITHOUT A DRESS CODE

To find rinks where you can dangle and roll, get naked and click on http://inlineskating.about.com and "Naked Skating." It's fine to skate with your fun parts bare, but don't forget your safety gear.

ICE SKATING EVENTS

If you don't want to skate but like to watch ice skating events, try www.iceskatingaddict.com.