My Great EsSkate to Miami Beach

	The Riande Hotel was headquarters for the Great EsSkate held March 10- 12. This annual event is produced by South Beach National Skate patrol. All proceeds go to the Families of Spinal Muscular Atrophy before each outing.
	It was thrilling to roll in perfect weather with 350-plus avid skaters from all over the states! All-volunteer police escorts in front and in back halted traffic to keep us rolling safely, even through red lights! We stopped periodically to regroup and make their job easier.
	On Friday night we met new and old friends as we rolled through Miami, blinky lights flashing. Saturday's skate took nearly 3 hours to reach our reward: a delicious picnic on the beach, complete with raffle prizes and a DJ playing Disco.
	I attended two inline industry meetings and relished a packed 3-day schedule of great skating and vibrant entertainment. Amazingly, I still found time to relax on the beach with my book, enjoying the sun and wildlife. See my little gull friend?
	Here are just a few members of our Miami Police escort crew taking a well-deserved break after keeping us safe all day.
	Say hi to perennially young Mike Merriman, a pal of mine and fellow certified skating instructor. Mike took this shot of me to share with you!

Other March 2006 Stories

How Many Lessons? - Most beginners are eager to know. The answer depends on whether you have lived an active or non-active lifestyle. Find your answer in my new chart.

13 Camp Rollerblade Weekends Our successful 2005 trial gave birth to over a dozen new Camps spanning the US. Campers agree that skate camp is the absolute best way to get rolling!

Technique: When the Going Gets Rough Lean forward, wide stance, get loose, stiffen up? How to handle dicey surfaces with aplomb.

Adapting to Wheel Life When I bought my first pair of skates, I had no idea how much they would change my life as well as my lifestyle.

Palm Springs - Golf Course Bikeway Skate alongside the greens and admire the fountains, ponds and views across the Coachella Valley.

Get Rolling Skate School '06 Reserve your spot now for one of my Danville, Alameda, Richmond or Fremont lessons scheduled for April through October.

Helping Me, Helping Others It's time I thanked those who make it possible for me to deliver great service to my students and Web site visitors.