The Kids from Cleve & A loves gliding

Wednesday night I went with Craig to the Ice Arena for usual Wednesday night public skate.  Less people than previous weeks, although the kids from Cleve Area School were there for their annual school camp for much of the time to make up for the fact.

I'd dropped off my new Bauers and my inline vapors earlier in the evening for a sharpening and some maintenance respectively.  Therefore I got to come out on my old skates.  Last time I did this I had felt like they were old friends.  This time, although still comfortable in them I was also certainly aware of the lack of stability offered by the 160's.  And the degree of foot pain afterwards was comparable to after my last game, so I guess that not only are the new boots adapting to my feet, but my feet are adapting to them.  Scary.

Spent most of my time on transitions and backwards take offs, each way.  Also worked on the edges consistently through the evening.  We'll see what difference it has made when I don my sharp skates on Sunday.

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I'd been to the ice earlier in the evening to catch the end of A's second 'Learn to Skate' class.  Actually, I got there for the free skate they have afterwards.  A is now five, has red hair, and once wanted to be a goalie.  Needless to say, I'm a great fan.

I was very pleasantly surprised to see him using skate strokes to get around the ice.  I noticed this aftr only watching several strides.  This in contrast to the Sunday afternoon a few months ago when he'd first been able to skate unassisted in the stumbling run that so many kids manage for their first victorious lap.  According to A, 'gliding' is his favourite thing on the ice.

How cool.

Ice 14