Posted-By: auto-faq 3.1.1.2
Archive-name: rec-skate-faq/part7


   Rec.skate Frequently Asked Questions Part 7
     _________________________________________________________________
   
                                 REC.SKATE FAQ
                                       
Part 7: Where to Skate (Outdoors)

  SECTION 1: WESTERN NORTH AMERICA
  
   
   
  COMPILATION OF OUTDOOR SKATING LOCATIONS: SECTION 1
  
   (Last changed June 1, 1994)
   
  TABLE OF CONTENTS
     * West Coast and Hawaii
          + California
          + Hawaii
     * Rocky Mountains
          + Arizona
          + Nevada
          + Utah
          + Idaho
          + Colorado
     * Plains
          + Texas
          + Minnesota
            
   
     _________________________________________________________________
   
   
   
West Coast and Hawaii

   
   
  CALIFORNIA
  
   
     * San Francisco
     * East Bay
     * South Bay and Peninsula
     * San Luis Obispo
     * Los Angeles
     * Long Beach: A saga
     * San Diego
       
   
   
   
    San Francisco
    
   From: garvin888@aol.com (Garvin 888)
   
   When in San Francisco check out Golden Gate park and on Sundays the
   park's closed off to cars. Also there's the embarcadero area
   (fisherman's wharf, pier 39, etc.) and the Marina district. If you're
   a fairly skilled skater, you can try and tackle other areas in SF, but
   there are plenty of hills. There's also a Friday night fun skate, held
   every friday at 8pm down by the Ferry building that's along the
   embarcadero. Open to all ages and abilities, although knowing how to
   stop is a must! It's a 15 mile tour of the city.
   
   From: jimy@hkn.Berkeley.EDU (Jim Young)
   
   I know many people from SF who skate across the Golden Gate into Marin
   County. They skate something called the "Paradise Loop."
   
   
   
    East Bay
    
   From: betsy@alf.sybase.com (Betsy Burton)
   
   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: jimy@hkn.Berkeley.EDU (Jim Young)
   
   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.
   
   From: HQPYR1:kimon@orac.holonet.net (Kimon Papahadjopoulos)
   
   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!
   
   
   
    South Bay and Peninsula
    
   From: hirsch@northstar.asd.sgi.com (Diana Hirsch)
   
   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.)
   
   From: walden@ready.eng.ready.com (Eugene Walden)
   
   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.
   
     * Path or area location: Sawyer Camp Trail
     * Directions: Take I-280 to the Black Mtn / Hayne Rd exit-- near
       Half Moon Bay. Head west after you exit, until you reach the first
       stop sign. There is a sign that points left to Sawyer Camp Trail.
       Turn left. It is about 1-2 miles down after you turn.
     * Parking information: Park on the side of the road about 1-2 miles
       down. You'll see the entrance.
     * Path length: 6 miles in one direction.
     * Loop or non-loop: Non-loop.
     * Average path width: Two lanes; each about sidewalk width.
     * Minimum path width: Same throughout course.
     * Average surface: Fairly smooth; no potholes; some cracks filled
       with black goop.
     * Worst surface: Some areas are cracked with the goop filling. The
       goop can be kind of slippery, even when dry, so skate very
       gingerly on this stuff.
       
       When there has been rain, only attempt the first half of the
       trail; the second half is shady, so it dries slower. The pavement
       is very hard to skate on when wet.
     * Number of hills: Several small hills, one huge hill on the last
       mile of the course.
     * Severity of steepest hill: If you are not very good at speed
       control, do not skate the last mile. If you are good at speed
       control, make sure to keep your speed down. The hill is windy, so
       you risk running into peds and/or bikes if you fly too fast.
     * Average steepness: Don't know what the grade is, but the big hill
       is pretty darn steep.
     * Obstacles: Pedestrians, bikes, skaters.
     * Weekend pedestrian and bicycle traffic: Saturday and Sunday
       afternoons see pretty heavy traffic. Most of the traffic, though,
       keeps to the first mile or two of the trail. So, after you get
       past that, the number of other path users drops significantly.
     * Weekday pedestrian and bicycle traffic: Never gone during the
       week-- don't know.
     * Number of roads which cross the path: None.
     * Number of stairways on the path: None.
     * Distance markings: Every half mile.
     * Any other pertinent information: There are usually two park
       rangers who patrol the path. Thus, it is fairly safe. They also
       have radar. The first and last half mile half posted speed limits
       of 5 MPH. The rest has a speed limit of 15 MPH. They do ticket
       violators, so you're wise to obey the speed limit.
       
       Park is open dawn to dusk.
       
   From: Jawara@AppleLink.Apple.COM (Ron Drake)
   
   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: dvolansk@hpcc01.corp.hp.com (David Volansky)
   
     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.
   
   From apurmal@us.oracle.com (Tony Purmal)
   
     * 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: apurmal@us.oracle.com
   
   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: jimy@hkn.Berkeley.EDU (Jim Young)
   
   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: bryguy@apple.com (bRYgUY K. Carter)
   
   Try the Los Gatos Creek Trail from Vassona Park all the way into San
   Jose.
   
   From: tal@netcom.com (Tal Dayan)
   
   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).
   
   From: syen@synoptics.com (Shyh-Pei Yen)
   
   Place: Shoreline Park in Mountain View
   Direction: 101 exit Shoreline Blvd North. At the end of Shoreline Blvd
   is the park entrance. Keep going until you get to the Boat House, you
   can park there.
   Fee: None.
   Level: beginner and intermediate.
   Description: There are plenty trials available in Shoreline Park where
   you can skate. And there's one trail is super smooth which is really a
   pleasure to skate on it. The parking lot is also very smooth. Best of
   all, when you are tired, you can sit by the lake and watch people
   windsurfing.
   Drawback: The Park is getting crowded in the afternoon. Sometime, it's
   hard to find a parking space by the lake.
   
   
   
    San Luis Obispo
    
   From: kiwong@zeus.calpoly.edu (Kinsley Wong)
   
   [Try] Santa Rosa Parks, Perfumo Canyon Road, Palm Street Parking
   Structure
   
   
   
    Los Angeles
    
   From: adlib@netcom.com (Edith Weil) The Rose Bowl--terrific for its
   large and varied terrain, as well as sparce population most of the
   time.
   
   Griffith Park--the back end. It can have a lot of traffic going
   through--especially on the weekends. If you start at the Crystal
   Springs picnic area and work towards Burbank, the workout is well
   paced, having inclines, straightaways, a few hills, and various
   parking lots to stop and noodle around in. Also, rolling along under
   the Eucalyptus trees is about as pleasant as anything--if you watch
   out for the twigs and tree junk on the ground.
   
   The Beach--an obvious choice, but about the nicest place to cruise
   I've ever skated--with the exception of crowds. Now that summer's
   here, the crowd situation will be problematic. I've gone from
   Manhatten to Hermosa and back a couple-a-few times, as well as
   starting in Santa Monica and working up towards Malibu. Both trips are
   delightful.
   
   A few weekends ago we went down to a park near the LA county
   fairgrounds (I forget the name, but you can't miss it.) The lake is
   circled by a concrete path going through the lawns and picnic areas
   that lead down to the shore. We took a divurgent path and ended up
   going through a hilly area that wound up in a trailer park. Sort of
   interesting day, not the best skating, but there's a hot-tub rental
   place just outside the park if you want to relax afterwards. I'd go
   there again just to do something different.
   
   From: david@htu.tu-graz.ac.at (David Skreiner)
   
   RRATEICK@vma.cc.nd.edu writes:
   
     I Have skated along the strand, which is a 20+ mile long path along
     the ocean. The run from Hermosa Beach past LAX (the airport) is real
     nice.
     
   I skated there on my very first pair of Zetras, must've been 1991.
   It's damn good, the beach is totally deserted where the planes to LAX
   pass overhead, there's a bicycle path that runs in curves over about
   40 miles if I recall correctly (it may have become shorter in an
   earthquake or something... :-)
   
   
   
    Long Beach
    
   A saga From: elias@fitz.TC.Cornell.EDU (Doug Elias)
   
   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!
   
   
   
    San Diego
    
   From: mpeters@wtcp.DaytonOH.NCR.COM (Michael Peters)
   
   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.
   
   
     _________________________________________________________________
   
   
   
  HAWAII
  
   From:grr@cbmvax.commodore.com (George Robbins)
   
   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: teshima@uhunix.uhcc.Hawaii.Edu 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.
   
   From: rabbett@cris.com (Rabbett)
   
   add year round In-line skating as another reason to come visit us....
   lots of places to blade and lots of scenery and warm temperatures...
   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 it in primo condition. Trade winds, blue skies, quiet
   neighborhoods and a mere couple 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 colorful homes and people.
   
   
     _________________________________________________________________
   
   
   
Rocky Mountains

   
   
  ARIZONA
  
   
   
    Phoenix
    
   From: kcreta@sedona.intel.com (Kenneth Creta)
   
   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).
   
   
     _________________________________________________________________
   
   
   
  NEVADA
  
   
   
    Las Vegas
    
   See InLine June/July 1994 (vol 3, no 6), p. 14, for info about skating
   The Strip, the UNLV campus, Red Rock Canyon and Route 159.
   
   
     _________________________________________________________________
   
   
   
  UTAH
  
   
   
    Park City
    
   From: klaus@captain-crunch.ai.mit.edu (Klaus B. Biggers)
   
   My favorite skate is Royal Street in Park City, UT. It's a road that
   goes about half to two-thirds of the way up Deer Valley Ski Resort.
   Lots of turns and lots of new pavement. Its probably about 500 meters
   (~1600 ft.) verticaland an absolute blast. There is little traffic and
   the police are very mellow about the whole thing (the town does depend
   on tourism you know). You can either bomb down it risking the
   tarmac(sp?) tickle or get thousands of turns (literally). Its really
   great in the summer since the temperature is rarely over 78 degrees F
   or so. Also, in the winter, a bus runs up to the top on a regular
   schedule and doesn't cost a dime. I kind of like the grunt up. It is
   kind of strange though watching a blader skate by a "Watch for Ice"
   hazard sign..
   
   
     _________________________________________________________________
   
   
   
  IDAHO
  
   
   
    Sun Valley
    
   From: ahill@boi.hp.com (Andy Hill)
   
   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!
   
   
     _________________________________________________________________
   
   
   
  COLORADO
  
   
   
    Breckenridge-Vail
    
   From: pae@blackcat.stortek.com (Phil Earnhardt)
   
   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
    
   From: pae@blackcat.stortek.com (Phil Earnhardt)
   
   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.
   
    Boulder
    
   From: aites@hplvec.LVLD.HP.COM (Jim Aites)
   
   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.
   
   From: pae@teal.csn.org (Phil Earnhardt)
   
   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.
   
    Denver
    
   From: pae@teal.csn.org (Phil Earnhardt)
   
   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.
   
   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....
   
    Fort Collins
    
   From: mckinney@me.umn.edu (Peter J. McKinney)
   
   IMHO, The best in-line skating in Ft. Fun is along the Poudre River
   and Spring Creek trails. They're paved nicely and are shared by
   bicyclists, inline skaters, and pedestians. There's at least 10 or 12
   miles of trail and you should be able to pick up a map at any Ft.
   Collins bike store. Have fun - I miss Ft. Collins and hope to get back
   there soon!
   
   
     _________________________________________________________________
   
   
   
Plains

   
   
  TEXAS
  
   
   
    Houston
    
   The flattest city on earth. If you want hills, your 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: Rob Butera (rbutera@rice.edu)
   
   Excerpts from the Houston skating FAQ (Last updated 09/27/1993):
   
   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:
   
    1. Yield to cars. It keeps street skating legal by not pissing off
       motorists, and they weigh a lot more anyway.
    2. 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).
    3. 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.
    4. 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.
    5. 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 :) :) :)
       
   
   
   Where to Skate
   
   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.
       
       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 ...
       
   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 ...
   
   From: fontenot@ravl.rice.edu (Dwayne Jacques Fontenot)
   
   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 :-(
       
   From: Robert Schmunk (pcrxs@nasagiss.giss.nasa.gov)
   
   The Rice stadium lot has been referred to as a minefield, but this is
   no longer entirely true. Part of it was repaved in late 1993, but
   unfortunately it is also the part that is closest to the music
   building. Consequently, any skater who ventures into this temptingly
   smooth area is going to have to learn how to play dodge with cars
   pulling into or out of parking spaces. The drivers of these cars only
   check to see if there are large vehicles which crash into them, not
   150-pd skaters. This area might be more skateable on weekends, but
   then you'll have to put with teen-agers getting driving lessons from
   mom and dad.
   
   From: jag@telescan.com (John Guynn)
   
   One of my favorite places to skate is Cullen Park. It's down I-10
   toward San Antonio. If you can get directions to the Velodrome (sp?)
   it's close to there. There's a 5km bike trail that makes for a great
   skate. If you're closer to the Pasadena area go by Strawberry park.
   There's a 1 mile path around the park. You're not supposed to skate on
   it but the park "closes" at 10pm and the park officials have told me
   they don't care if you skate on it after then.
   
    Dallas/Fort Worth/Arlington
    
   From: exukenc@exu.ericsson.com (Ken Corey)
   
   There's a place I've heard about up in Plano, but my vote goes for the
   Whiterock Trail. We have a group of people that skate there. It goes
   from Hillcrest and LBJ down to Whiterock Lake.
   
   The trail is about 7 miles long, and has water fountains every so
   often. It's a nice trail. Royal and Greenville down to the lake is the
   easy end of the trail. Royal and Greenville up to Hillcrest and LBJ is
   the hard end of the trail.
   
   From: Joseph M. Izen (joe@utdallas.edu)
   
   I skate in Plano on the Chisholm Trail, sometimes on the Bluebonnet
   trail. You can pick up both near their intersection just south of Jack
   Carter Park by the soccer fields. The Chisholm Trail also passes by
   the Plano Public Library on Parker.
   
   From: grammer@lobby.ti.com (Shawn Grammer)
   
   [...] there are lots of places to skate in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.
   The Whiterock, Chisolm, and Legacy Park trails have all been
   mentioned. They are the longest smooth concrete trails, and therefore
   the best for distance type recreational skating (of the 30 or so
   trails mapped in the DFW area). If you like street and ramp skating,
   those opportunities are available here too.
   
   From: mfoster@alliant.backbone.uoknor.edu (Marc Foster)
   
   I also suggest a good place in Arlington - River Legacy Park. Take
   Airport Freeway west towards Fort Worth, get off in Euless on FM 157,
   head south through the Trinity Valley, and turn right at the first
   light after crossing the river (Green Oaks Blvd). It about a mile dow29Path: planet!isdnlin.mtsu.edu!darwin.sura.net!convex!cs.utexas.edu!howland.reston.ans.net!gatech!mailer.acns.fsu.edu!ioctl!adchen
From: adchen@ioctl.cs.fsu.edu (Tony Chen)
Newsgroups: rec.skate,news.answers,rec.answers
Subject: Rec.skate FAQ: Where to Skate (Outdoors) Sec. 1 (7/11)
Message-ID: <rec-skate-faq-7-773448538@ioctl.cs.fsu.edu>
Date: 5 Jul 1994 22:49:09 GMT
Expires: Thu, 04 Aug 1994 22:48:58 -0100
References: <rec-skate-faq-1-773448538@ioctl.cs.fsu.edu>
Reply-To: adchen@ioctl.cs.fsu.edu (Tony Chen)
Followup-To: rec.skate
Distribution: world
Organization: Florida State University Computer Science Department
Lines: 1405
Approved: news-answers-request@MIT.Edu
Supersedes: <rec-skate-faq-7-771611198@ioctl.cs.fsu.edu>
NNTP-Posting-Host: ioctl.cs.fsu.edu
Originator_________   