Crazy Legs

(Left to right) PortlandSkaters, Shawn, Nancy, Jessica and Maria waving for Kathie Fry, Thanks for the photo!

A whirlwind trip on skates, took us to Venice Beach early Friday morning where we took the taxi to our hotel arriving well before check in.  Not wanting to miss a moment, we took turns changing in the lobby bathroom and sorting through our luggage in the hotel lobby to the stares of the other curious guests.

Maria, Jessica and I, stuffed our luggage in a bag check room and rolled out of Marina Del Ray around 10:00am for our skate down to Venice Beach.   The weather was terrific, the ocean was beautiful, you couldn't ask for a better place to skate.

We did an overall rolling scan of where things were, and headed back with bags full of fresh fruit and breads from the farmers market.  Fortunately by 12:30pm they had a room for us.  I don't think they wanted us changing in their lobby again.

We rested from our early flight and then headed down to the pool.  Our plan was to head out around 4pm and skate slowly up to Santa Monica and enjoy a dinner before joining in the Santa Monica Friday night skate.                        

We skated to and from our hotel twice then up to Santa Monica for the night skate and figured we probably put in about 20 miles on the first day.  Fortunately we met up with Shawn for the night skate and he gave us a ride back to our hotel.

Reading the map, deciding which way

Warm sun and gently breezes every day. People on skates every where you look, even outnumbering bikes in the bike lane at times. What amazed me the most during my first trip to Venice Beach was the relaxed attitude toward skaters. No more trying to blend in or hide the fact that I m on skates, or worried about being perceived as a troublemaker simply because of my mode of transportation. No place was off-limits to skates, as far I could tell. Shop owners were surprised that I would ask if it was o.k. to come in on skates. No one seemed worried that I would stumble around and break things. Restaurants welcomed our business without giving us dirty looks.

Venice Beach is a skaters dream with mostly smooth pavement and plenty of wide sidewalks. And did I mention the acceptance and approval of skating? Plenty of talented skaters give me something to aspire to. Skating activities to join seemed to be plentiful, from the Friday night Santa Monica street skate to Saturday and Sunday afternoon skate dancing on the smooth rink-like area.

Sunday afternoon I was surprised to see hula hoopers practicing right next to the skating area. What a dilemma! What should I choose first? Well, I was able to get in a little bit of both. The hoopers seemed to be enjoying the amplified music from the skate dance circle. I was surprised to not see some mixing of the two activities, but someone later told me that there s a guy who usually comes a little later. He hoops and juggles while skating. If anyone has pictures, please send them to me. This gives me ideas!

Overheard at the skate dance circle: Weren t you at the nude skate? - a San Francisco skater, of course

Seen on an arm: a tattoo of a roller skate with a rainbow behind it (see picture) on Lisa from London, a really amazing skater with a unique twisting style.

Maria Sworske
 

Santa Monica Friday Night Skate

A thrilling roll through the streets of Santa Monica at a fast and steady pace.  Skate leaders packed the outboard music system on their back leading the pack of skaters through the maze for 2 hours before the final dash down the hill back toward the beach.

Jessica talking with another skater before the skate

Skating at the park during a break

Outboard sound system strapped to Dan's back/Maria glowing just before the skate

 
Jessica and Maria chatting it up during the halfway break

Zoooooomin' down the parking garage

Meeting Up - Old Friends and New

 
Lisa from London

Geoffrey

MC Jimmy and awesome skater, he taught us a new dance step, which we call  the "JimmyRich"

Claudia

(Left to right) June, Zac, Roller Divas and Swiss Chris

Finally met the ever sweet Kathie Fry, taking photos of the skaters and benching it with Jimmy.

Competition Photos

Skate Dancing Photos

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