Liz’s Journal « the Get Rolling Orbit

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Our Excellent Active New Zealand Adventure

Sunday, September 29th, 2013

To celebrate our 30th anniversary, Dan and I decided it would be cool to take a summer ski vacation, so we scheduled a visit to New Zealand from August 13 through September 5, 2013. Per Dan’s well-planned but flexible itinerary, we followed the ski trip with sight seeing, hiking and wine tasting on the South Island, and a brief stay in Auckland.

As you’ll see from the albums (a combination of our best photos), New Zealand is a gorgeous country, especially for outdoorsy, adventurous types. Read more... (492 words, 8 images, estimated 1:58 mins reading time)

The montage link shows the whole album on a scrollable page in Google+.

Posted in Adventures, Liz's Journal | Comments Closed

Switching to Two Wheels

Sunday, May 19th, 2013

After 20 years as a formal publication and the voice of Get Rolling, the quarterly Get Rolling Orbit Inline Skating Newsletter is going into quiet retirement. Read more... (334 words, 4 images, estimated 1:20 mins reading time)

What does this mean?

There will be no more mailing list and no more email announcements.
People who follow Get Rolling with Liz Miller on Facebook or Sk8teacher on Twitter will continue to have access to my posts there.
Orbit archives prior to May 2010 (when I started using WordPress) will still be available on GetRolling.com.

Posted in Liz's Journal, Skating | Comments Closed

Project Status (new road bike)

Thursday, January 31st, 2013

As long as I’m not riding in the real world, I feel pretty comfortable on my road bike! I don’t even think about wearing elbow pads.

A week ago I borrowed a trainer on which I can mount the rear wheel of my bicycle to get a workout in my garage. I don’t need the exercise so much as I need the muscle memory of bicycling basics. The way I see it, I am getting my body used to the bike fit and posture and I can practice moving my hands without fear of losing control of the steering. Some day I’ll have to pull out my water bottle for a drink or signal a turn. I also get to practice looking over my shoulder in preparation for turning when I’m near traffic. Read more... (426 words, 2 images, estimated 1:42 mins reading time)

Posted in Biking, Liz's Journal | 1 Comment »

Biker with Inline Skating Beginner Empathy

Wednesday, January 16th, 2013

There are slopes I’d feel safer descending on my inline skates than on my fancy new road bike. My fears of falling are greater when biking than skating!

That’s why, every week I am devising new ways to live up to my expectations to become competent enough to get over my beginner fears and enjoy myself. The learning process is constantly reminding me of my own advice to beginning inline skaters: in the past 20 years we identified and drilled away dozens of issues related to posture and fear. Read more... (427 words, estimated 1:42 mins reading time)

Posted in Biking, Liz's Journal, Skating | Comments Closed

Why Thai Chi

Sunday, October 21st, 2012

The martial art of Tai Chi offers many well-documented benefits. Now that I’ve been practicing the Guang P’ing form for a year, I can point out those I find specific to inline skaters:

Balance – slow and constant motion, many one-foot stances
Coordination – complex transitions involving every body part
Strength – the knees are always bent, loading leg muscles
Flexibility – everything from wide lunges to high kicks
Mind-body – moving meditation, mindful breathing

Master David Bernhardt is at far right Read more... (457 words, 1 image, estimated 1:50 mins reading time)

Posted in Biking, Fitness, Liz's Journal, Skating | Comments Closed

The Endorphins, Yes

Thursday, October 4th, 2012

I am so intensely affected by the exercise high that I have to avoid talking to people afterwards until my unleashed animal side returns to napping in its cage–usually about an hour. What happens to you? I’d love to see your comments below.

Energy. (Life) “Ok, it’s time to take off my sweatshirt.”

Endurance. (Action) “Focus! If I can make it up Kilimanjaro, I can get through this 4-minute spin class hill.”

Escape. (Distraction) “The Zanzibar beach hotel, now that was a romantic spot!”

Existence. (Survival) “All I have to do is get through the next 20 minutes and I’m home free!” (pant, pant)

Emergence. (Solutions) “Wow! I have the answer! I am dying to tackle this right now!”

Excitement. (Plans) “I must order a Carl Sandburg book the moment I get out of this spin class!!

Enthusiasm. (I love everybody! I can’t wait to get to work today!)

Read more... (160 words, estimated 38 secs reading time)

Tags:cognitive, fitness, Poetry
Posted in Fitness, Liz's Journal | Comments Closed

Story of a Self-Published Author

Sunday, September 23rd, 2012

It’s been awhile since I produced the third edition of Get Rolling, the Beginner’s Guide to Inline Skating, but I have checked the links below and they are still good guides for anybody who is interested in writing and publishing their own book.

I am not the best person to ask about finding a publisher because, except for one case, my publishers found me or I self-published. The one time I got a publisher to take over my book was when I approached a travel company with my first edition of Get Rolling, and they signed me up to put together a skate trails tour book and I inserted my how-to section into the front pages. Out of print now, my work has since been transformed to an online database of skate tours, www.CASkating.com. Read more... (764 words, 1 image, estimated 3:03 mins reading time)

Posted in Liz's Journal, Skating | Comments Closed

Paying attention to trail hazards

Sunday, June 10th, 2012

It was a beautiful spring day for a roll on the trail.

My ski season doesn’t end until after Memorial Day, but with the arrival of spring, the early Daylight Saving time and our first hot spell, I chose a day in late April for my first skating workout of the year. I literally dusted off my skates (we’ve just survived a complete kitchen remodel), and hit the streets, relishing the faint vibrations of urethane on smooth pavement. Read more... (529 words, 2 images, estimated 2:07 mins reading time)

Tags:Trail skating safety hazards
Posted in Liz's Journal, Skating | Comments Closed

Off-Skates Fitness

Sunday, July 10th, 2011

I love taking great care of my body, I love playing and exercising outdoors, and I love exploring the places I visit away from home in a human-powered way. The past six weeks have been busy in exactly this way for me and Dan. To summarize, we: Read more... (319 words, 1 image, estimated 1:17 mins reading time)

Skied three full days (in winter conditions!) at Mammoth Mountain over the Memorial Day holiday
Biked 40 miles and walked a few more during a 4-day visit to lovely Victoria BC, Canada
Hiked up and down steep Las Trampas Ridge in our back yard, and skated (me) and biked (Dan) the Iron Horse Trail during the work weeks

Posted in Fitness, Liz's Journal, Skating | 1 Comment »

Teacher, Mind Your Attitude!

Friday, May 6th, 2011

Heads up fellow inline skating instructors. Whether intended or subconscious, the attitude you display toward your students has a big impact on how much they learn and how much fun the activity is—for you and them. Here’s a personal experience from the receiving end that drove this home for me.

By the time our one-hour Thursday Spin class had ended, I’d decided there was no need to follow the substitute teacher’s directives because, really, that class was all about her, not us. Within half an hour, I felt disengaged from her and the group experience, and decided I’d have to get the best workout I could on my own. Read more... (579 words, estimated 2:19 mins reading time)