RoadSkater.Net - Comments for "RSN1"

Tour de Lions Photos feedback

In reply to Tour de Lions 2007 Photos:

Teletubbies ---> this way...

http://www.roadskater.net/tour-de-lions-2007/070519101124.htm

Funny!

I liked the 'do and the 'tude in this one:

http://www.roadskater.net/tour-de-lions-2007/070519082840.htm

And I like this one of post-event cheerfulness:

http://www.roadskater.net/tour-de-lions-2007/070519120358.htm

Thanks for the photos. I enjoyed them!

An easy bronze for showing up

In reply to State Games of North Carolina (NC) 2007 Cycling Criterium Photos:

Great recap of Sunday's races Blake. Just a note to add. Some of the women's races had so few participants that showing up would have earned a female cyclist a bronze medal.

Greensboro NC Marcia Woodfield Inline Skating Workshop Postponed

In reply to Roadskater.net Marcia Woodfield Inline Skating Workshop for Multiple Sclerosis June 2 2007:

Hi y'all. Unfortunately the only date we had didn't work well for some of our most likely to join skaters. Thanks to our newest skate friend, Andrew, for signing up, and for the rest who signed up or showed interest.

I hope we can try this again. I think we could learn a lot from Marcia and the best way to stay on topic when around friends who skate is to make a skate workshop and use the lunches and dinners for the rest of the world's topics.

I'm sad because I hoped to raise some money for Multiple Sclerosis, but I'll try again and will do other things to raise money as well. I got a nice donation from a regular contributor who has a matching gift employer as well, so that was a nice lift in the context our workshop not working out.

It won't be long until the T2T training rides begin, and I'm looking forward to those, especially the one in Clemmons. Between that and the Tour de Lions course, those are a couple of favorites. And I look forward to seeing the rest stop staff, who I don't see when I go into the MS office (the NMSS office I should say, to distinguish from the software).

In any case, thanks to Marcia for trying. We'll look forward to seeing you in person and in the race results.

Scheduling a Workshop is Always Tough

In reply to Roadskater.net Marcia Woodfield Inline Skating Workshop for Multiple Sclerosis June 2 2007:

Oh that's too bad! Some other folk have schedule conflicts too. Hopefully we can get our minimum and do another one later! Marcia was only available on this particular weekend this time of year for scheduling reasons.

I hope we can get ten to join us for our multiple sclerosis fundraiser, as it's a great opportunity for us to have her here for private, focused skating and learning time. Even those around Marcia lots up in New York City know that a full day of skating and skate talk with her is hard to come by with our busy lives going on in the background (or foreground).

And of course, there's no other way to get in eight hours of skating in one day...other than Athens to Atlanta for some of us! Thanks for the good wishes, skatey-mark, and we'll surely miss you.

Sounds fun

In reply to Roadskater.net Marcia Woodfield Inline Skating Workshop for Multiple Sclerosis June 2 2007:

I unfortunately won't be able to attend -- I'll be up in Michigan visiting family that weekend. Hopefully you get enough people to sign up for this to happen. Marcia's great and very fun, so I'm sure it will be a great weekend...

- SM -

Glad for the opportunity of the Up2speed rides!

In reply to Don't Fear the Sweeper: The Fine Art of No-Drop Rides and Skates:

What a great way to get in some intermediate roadskate training in the Spring, sandwiched between cyclists. It's hard to find such long uphills in a park or other closed course, or trail. I am very thankful to the cyclists for letting us join in.

It's tricky and I agree wholeheartedly with Blake's comment about motorists being less tolerant of skaters on the road in front of them than cyclists, but I wish we had become the sweeps on Saturday also. And for the first time in several decades I found myself wishing I had a bike to ride so I could have kept those four or five company who abandoned the ride when the sweep got about half a mile ahead of them.

In this country people are so darned sedentary, or sit-entary, since we have to sit wherever we go. Exercise is mostly socially approved if it takes place on a machine that doesn't go anywhere inside a gym, and we journey to these gyms by sitting in our vehicles. So whenever anybody wants to go outside to get in shape, it makes me want to shout from the rooftops, or help them by accompanying them so they don't give up. Sweeping kindness was extended to me when I was a beginner skater, by various members of either the Atlanta Peachtree Roadrollers, or the Atlanta Chapter of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Team in Training skaters. These speed-skate veterans donned their old rec skates for the occasion (newbie 'group training session', or 'Monday night beginner skate', as I had seen advertized on their website). On their rec skates were the most ratty, worn-out and miniscule wheels ever. This made it much harder for them to be 'fast': i.e. the newbies didn't lose heart and nobody ever, to my knowledge, was abandoned. They switched back to their speedskates of course for their own intense and vigorous training sessions.

When I first started taking part in downtown group roadskates, I yearned to be as fit and fast as the others, and even to look half as competent and stable as they did. Knowing that at that point I was far from it, led me to feelings of inadequacy and fear of not fitting in. Without the sweeps and patient souls encouraging me for many months, I may very well have given up, deciding 'well this isn't for me...who did I think I was, coming out here all flabby...and look at them, all fit...' :-)

Just gave myself an early Christmas present!

In reply to Greensboro NC Eddy Matzger Roadshow Registration Open:

I'm signed up! Just put my deposit down... Do we really have to wait until April?!? ;)

- SM -

weather looks PERFECT for saturday and sunday!

In reply to Get Your Roadskater.net 2006 Jersey:

High of 82, low of 64/65, 20% chance of rain... You can't ask for anything better than that, and it'll be perfect for camping too!

Slightly higher chance of rain for Friday (30%), but hopefully it'll be dry for the social skate.

- SM -

Wishing for the weather to go with the jerseys!

In reply to Get Your Roadskater.net 2006 Jersey:

I am wishing for the weather to go with these two colors since all we have has in MI this week is rain, rain, rain!

Sunlight on Leaves to Go with Late Day Sky Through Thin Cloud

In reply to Get Your Roadskater.net 2006 Jersey:

OK. No photos of the jersey yet until I get time to look at what I have and see if it accurately reflects reality. More on this subject in a blog post soon. But the title tells one guiding thought when standing out by the road in the sunshine with a Pantone color swatch book.

the new jerseys are awesome

In reply to Get Your Roadskater.net 2006 Jersey:

Blake made a great choice on the color for this year's jersey. The design is 99.9% identical to last year, but poor "Tobe" doesn't get mentioned anymore... lol...

I was shocked Blake handed out jerseys early -- I figured he'd keep everyone in suspense until Friday night. He took some pictures at the skate on Saturday, and those are the only pictures at this point. I'm of course too lazy to get my camera out and snap some, plus I think the 'surprise factor' is kinda fun. (Easy for me to say now that I have one!)

Fortunately I got both short-sleeved and sleeveless versions, since I ripped my 2005 jersey in my crash on Saturday... So I'll be still be able to wear an RSN jersey each day...

- SM -

Is this a media blakout?!

In reply to Get Your Roadskater.net 2006 Jersey:

Tantalisingly teasing posts but still no pictures - can't you tell I'm desperate to see the color! Did Blake give you all your jerseys but ban you all from publishing pictures! LOL!

I got my jersey!

In reply to Get Your Roadskater.net 2006 Jersey:

Got mine from Blake last evening and tried it on as soon as I got home. Everything on it looks great!

I wasn't quite sure which size to go for, whether L or XL. I picked XL and it turned out to be the right size. The fit of the body could be described as "relaxed" but it's very comfortable, and I don't think it would be so if it were a full size smaller. And the length of the sleeves and width of the shoulders are perfect on me.

Terrific job on the jerseys, Blake. I know you sweated a whole lot over getting them made and we appreciate it. I'll definitely enjoy wearing it.

Can we get a sneak peek?

In reply to Get Your Roadskater.net 2006 Jersey:

Can we get a sneak peek of the new jerseys on this site??????

Can't wait to see them!

Cutoff Times with Required Speed T2T 2006

In reply to T2T 2006 Route Ratings for Skaters and Cyclists:

Thanks. Check out the new article...

http://roadskater.net/index.php?q=t2t-2006-distances-and-mph-to-cutoff-times

Cut off times for loops

In reply to T2T 2006 Route Ratings for Skaters and Cyclists:

Thanks Blake this is a great description of the loops.

Do you know what the cutoff times are going to be for the various loops?

News Duplicates After Update

In reply to A New Roadskater.net:

The news section will have duplicates until I hack the code again after an upgrade to the section that handles all of that. I still don't like some of how it worked even after my hack, but it was a bit better. I may see if I can find some sources that offer the same news in a more compatible format, generating less duplicates as well. Dupes are because the same feed item often has a different URL because of how the provider tracks their traffic. I'll keep working on it. Blake

Roadskater.net URGENT: Sleeveless NO Sleeve Sizing Review

In reply to Get Your Roadskater.net 2006 Jersey:

If you ordered NO SLEEVE (SLEEVELESS) I need you to act as fast as possible. otherwise, CANADIANS may decide your fate! :o)

If you ordered SHORT SLEEVED you may read this for enjoyment.

It should be simple, right? "same as last year." In fact, I was told we could not do anything different than last year.

TODAY I got a call from the manuf'er and here's news. They cut raglan in spite of saying everything like last year. They'll be cutting set-in next because if we have a raglan jersey it'll be a raglan design, not a set in design cut as raglan. Arrgh. The whole point of a raglan is to print the shoulders. We went with set-in mostly because of the possibility of carefully cutting out the sleeves (in case we didn't have the min to get short and no sleeve designs, and because they're cool!). Anyway...

Second arrgh: They tossed the sleeveless pattern (not the layout of our design, the actual cutting pattern) from last year. Oh yeah the sizes are "better."

Here is LAST YEAR'S SIZE CHART FOR NO SLEEVES and the ONE YOU USED because it was the SAME AS LAST YEAR for this year...

Unisex Size	2XS	XS	S	M	L	XL	2XL	3XL	4XL
Weight	90-110	100-120	120-145	135-160	160-190	190-220	210-240	230-250	250+
Chest	30"-33"	33"-35"	35"-37"	36"-39"	40"42"	42"-44"	44"-46"	46"-49"	49"+
Height	4'6-5'0	5'-5'4"	5'4"-5'8"	5'7"-6'	5'10'-6'2"	5'10'-6'6"	5'10'-6'6"	5'10'-6'6"	5'10'-6'6"

Here is the NEW CHART TO USE IF YOU ORDERED NO SLEEVES. For most, you will go down a size. For me, I'm afraid and don't know what to do! I'm sorry! This was supposed to be SO EASY! i can tell you 't'asn't been...

SIZE	XXS	XS	S	M	L	XL	XXL	XXXL
CHEST	31"-33"	34"-36"	37"-39"	40"-42"	43"-45"	46"-48"	49"-51"	52"-54"
WAIST	28"	29"	32"-34"	34"-36"	36"-38"	38"-40"	40"-42"	42"-44"

There is no way for me to translate. So if you ordered a NO SLEEVE (SLEEVELESS), I need for you to reply ASAP with your new size pick, even if it is the same size you had before.

Thanks and skateylove,

Blake

Kudos to Blake..

In reply to A New Roadskater.net:

Blake,

Just wanted to compliment and thank-you for taking the time and effort to put together this great site. It's flexiblity and openness make it a pleasure to use, while serving as a wonderful venue to express ourselves in regards to the sport we all love. And love it we must, who else would wear these painful, smelly boots, for pete's sake . But, oh the joy, these same boots can bring to the psyche's and body's of those who choose to indulge!

Looking back, it always amazes me to think about being able to barely stand in my Rollerblade Lightnings, and now, being able to barely stand in my Miller's.., but it's been a fun skglide the whole way.

Let's keep sharing the news,

Jack