Inline Skating 
I got my first inline skates, Rollerblade Lightnings, in the summer of
'93. Ten days later, the skates, idiotic recklessness, and a steep hill
combined to give me a broken wrist. Since then, I've skated quite a bit
more responsibly, and always wear wrist guards. They work, and I strongly
recommend wristguards for anybody who skates.
A year later, in 1994, I got a second pair,
5-wheel recreational/racing skates .
These have bigger wheels (so they roll easier), allow a more efficient
stroke, and are more stable at high speeds. They are not nearly as
maneuverable as 4-wheel skates, but they sure cover ground a lot easier.
If you're new to inline skating (or interested in finding out more),
here's a few other web pages:
Skating Around Town
One of my favorite things about skates is going fast. I try to skate
responsibly, but I still manage to have quite a bit of fun getting
around town. Stoplights give me lots of practice with
sprinting and stopping. I used my skates quite a bit in Berkeley
for commuting. I could pack my skates in a backpack and bring them
with me into the building, which was better than leaving a bike locked
outside to get stolen or mutilated. I don't skate much anymore now
that I'm at Stanford, because the greater distances and lower
theft/vandalism rate make bikes a more efficient choice.
The
California Vehicle Code doesn't say much about skating on streets.
Skaters are officially classified as pedestrians, and section 21969
states:
21969. A local authority may adopt rules and regulations by
ordinance regulating persons engaged in roller skating on a highway,
sidewalk, or roadway.
Artistic Skating
"Artistic skating" is similar to ice figure skating. I enjoy it because
it helps improve my balance (something I need desperately!). Some stuff
I used to be able to do include: spins, backwards crossovers, single
toe loops, and 3-turns. However, I haven't skated much lately, so my
skills are getting rusty... For desciptions of all this stuff,
you can see the
figure skating home page.
Street Hockey
Street hockey is a lot of fun. It's also probably the best way to become
a good skater in the shortest amount of time. You have a lot of fun, and
it gives you motivation to try moves on skates that you wouldn't normally
attempt.
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