LONDON FRIDAY NIGHT SKATE TM
& SUNDAY STROLL TM

From: Week on Wheels <wow /at/ lfns.co.uk>
Subject: [wow] Wet on Wheels : Battersea, Lambeth, Maida Vale, Berlin
Date: Wed, 16 Aug 2006 15:52:45 +0100

This Week, On Wheels

* This week: LFNS to Battersea and Lambeth, Stroll to Maida Vale
* Last week: not a lot
* Profile View: British Marathon Champion Hans
* Conedodgers Support Group: the LSFC
* British Track Championship: Saturady & Sunday
* Boardfree across Australia
* Berlin: best marathon ever
* "Big loud red thing with four wheels"

== THIS WEEK ==



This week the LFNS takes a loopy route - one loop around Battersea
Park, a few twists and turns down sidestreets, a quick look at the
magnificent view across Waterloo Bridge and the Aldwych loop followed
by the downhill onto Embankment - a firm favourite with LFNS fans. No
cobbles, stairs or potholes this week, just miles of smooth sections
and and a couple of nice long runs along the Thames for him to stretch
his legs. We'll have you back home by 10pm in time for a pint or two.
Half time is at Vauxhall (the ramp is admirable - but even Markus says
it's not skateable). Please stay off the pavement during the skate,
and off the road at the pub.
                              http://www.lfns.co.uk/route.php/20060818


The SUNDAY STROLL heads northwards to Maida Vale, in the interests of
being nowhere near Chelsea. LM Brendan says he expects to be hungover
for this one, so please change out those crunchy bearings for nice
smooth ones and skate quietly.
                              http://www.lfns.co.uk/route.php/20060820


== LAST WEEK ==

"Get your University Degree Today. decrement.

If you have the knowledge and experience in your field but you are
lacking the
Degree, we can help. paulsen."
                                    - feedback sent via our web site

Well, wasn't that a great skate? On Friday we revisited a favourite
Sunday haunt, Parson's Green. This took us out west via Fulham and
Chel... OK, who are we trying to fool? Yes, sorry, inclement weather
forced us to cancel both of the skates this weekend, leaving skaters
all over London frantically making alternative plans and a couple of
pub landlords probably quite pleased with the increase in
takings. Better luck next time, then.

== PROFILE VIEW : HANS ==

This week we made the mistake of asking a girl to profile Hans, the
only LFNS marshal with a theme tune[*]. You could be forgiven for
asking who on earth he is, if the most you've seen of him is a cloud
of dust on the horizon or a blur of blue lycra gliding past. In fact
you can tell it's him, because you'll hear him telling the newer
marshals to bend their knees more. And instead of the usual abusive
response, most of them respectfully do.

For those not quick enough to catch him, Hans has lovely squishy
spongy hair which he only lets out in its natural state every now and
again, and a worrying obsession with lycra. Now as we all know, lycra
only looks good if you're built to wear it. So no worries there then!
If you should meet him in the pub after a skate, he can be recognised
by the mischievous sparkle in his eyes, and the way he freely shares
his experience (and experiences) with anybody who asks.

After his performance at Le Mans Hans was officially dubbed "Skate
Legend": he skated the entire race solo, managing 118 laps of the 2.65
mile circuit, creating a giant hole in his foot (battle scars, girls,
battle scars!!), and raising two grand for Breakthrough Breast Cancer.
The appeal is still open if you haven't coughed up already.

                            https://www.bmycharity.com/V2/lemans24solo

When not skating Hans likes to travel, but usually only if there's a
race at the other end. And he's embarrassingly good at them: having
recovered from Le Mans impressively quickly, he won the British
Marathon Championship (and the race) at the London Inline Marathon
last week. Look out for more of his trademark U-turns on the LFNS as
soon as the racing season's over and he can devote a bit more time to
street skating again.

[*] All together now: "Hans, shoulders knees and toes, knees and toes"


== HOW TO DODGE CONES : LONDON SKATERS FREESTYLE CLUB ==

Your editor has always found that it's best to avoid them completely -
allow plenty of space when overtaking, using the other side of the
road as necessary. But there are those who want to get closer. Simon
went to play

   Looking good on skates at my age might be a bit too much to ask but
   I still want to give it a go. Sitting in Hyde Park watching the
   slalom feet fly in and out of cones like some kind of sleight of
   hand magic trick, I could see that this was the way forward. The
   only question was how?

   Thanks to Naomi Grigg, Quentin Silvand and Phil Downer, my question
   had an answer: the LSFC. The club meets at the beach end of
   Serpentine Road every (dry) Saturday at 2pm. Every other Saturday
   there is a 1-hour lesson from 1pm.

   So I turn up for the first day of the club, not knowing my left
   skate from my right. The first few minutes I am just looking in awe
   at the skills of the people when I hear my name. "Why are you
   not having a go?" calls Naomi.

   So, with a few pointers I gave it a try. At first, I was just
   trying to make it past more than two cones without running one over
   but soon I was attempting moves I had only seen on the
   Matrix. Every few minutes one of the skate gods would come over and
   help me work out where I was going wrong. (I was hoping for a red
   pill.)

   By the end of the session I was joined by quite a few other skaters
   of all different levels and more importantly I had done one full
   length of cones without hitting one or ending up on my ass.

   Overall it's just a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon. You
   meet lots of great people, learn a few more skating skills and
   enjoy being taught by some of the best in the UK/Europe.

   Thanks again to Naomi, Quentin and Phil for all their ongoing help.

    Slalom, Jumping and slides
    Every Saturday 2pm (when dry)
    Lessons every other Saturday 1pm (when dry, free for members)

                                       http://www.londonfreestyle.org/

    PS: If you ask nicely, Quentin will show you how to walk on water!


== BRITISH OUTDOOR TRACK CHAMPIONSHIPS ==

Or if cones and slides don't appeal, why not head up to Tatem Park to
watch the British Outdoor Track Championships? Lycra not required
unless you're registered for the races, but there will probably be
lots of it on view as skaters of all ages belt round the track.

This is half of a split event, with the second part on Sunday at
Birmingham Wheels (but obviously, you'd be missing the Stroll
then). If you are planning to travel by Tube to Tatem, watch out for
engineering works - the track from Arnos Grove to Cockfosters is
closed, as is Bounds Green station.
                                              http://tinyurl.com/ecpd3

(Have to be honest, though: the slalom sounds more fun to us.)

== BOARDFREE ==

We featured Dave Cornthwaite's longboard trip the length of the
country a few months ago. That was his warmup. This Sunday, the event
proper starts: 6000km from Perth to Brisbane.

We wish Dave every success, and would remind him that while the
Coriolis force may have some effect on the way the water goes down the
plughole Down Under, it emphatically has nothing to do with the
direction of traffic on roundabouts.
                                              http://www.boardfree.com


== BERLIN INLINE MARATHON ==

Great sightseeing, smooth surfaces and the company of 8,000 other
skaters. No, this is not (yet) a description of the LFNS: we're
talking about the Berlin Inline Skating Marathon on 22nd September,
which for many London skaters is a must-attend event of the Summer.

The skating marathon kicks off at 16:30 on Saturday, preceded by a 12
km inline fitness skate. The course passes most of the major tourist
attractions in both former East and West Berlin and finishes by
passing under the Brandenburg Gate on Unter den Linden.

Depending on how seriously you take it, the atmosphere resembles an
LFNS, albeit with rather more people. Spectators cheer you on and the
streets are wide and very good quality (far better than the streets of
London). You'll be joined by a huge range of skaters of all ages and
abilities, from professional lycra wearers to grandmothers skating
with their daughters and someone with a backpack portable music
system.

There's a 2:30 time limit - this doesn't sound like long, but with no
hills, traffic lights or bad surfaces you'll find it's easily doable if
you can finish a LondonSkate or LFNS comfortably. After the marathon,
there's a huge party which continues well on into the night.

Registration also gets you free entry to the trade fair, with a huge
range of running and skating equipment that you don't see in the
UK. You get a goody bag of varied and interesting foodstuffs, a water
bottle and, bizarrely, a sponge (we couldn't work out what to do with
it last year apart from wipe down our skates at the
airport). Finishers also get a tasteful medal, which can be engraved
with your finish time.

You have till midnight 25th August to sign up - and don't even have to
speak German.

http://www.scc-events.com/events/berlin_skatemarathon/2006/anmeldung.en.php

Flights and accommodation are booking up fast - over 30,000 runners
take to the streets on the next day. To discuss the marathon with
other London skaters and to find out about travel options, visit the
LSST site:

http://www.londonspeedskaters.com/forums/berlin-marathon-23-9-06--t1282.php


== "BIG LOUD RED THING WITH FOUR WHEELS" ==

That's pretty much everything for this week. Please, please, come up
with a good name for the new bike, and save us from having to give
a perfectly good bottle of champagne to whoever put that suggestion
forwards.
                                           http://www.lfns.co.uk/bike

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