Though I saw this section in 2008, hiking the first leg of the Classic Inca trail was even more impressive with sunshine to highlight the views of the ruins, the Urubamba River valley, the mountains, and up close, the blossoms of a Peruvian highland springtime.
I am currently hiking several miles of hillside trails every week to prepare for my role as guide for Zephyr Adventures’ Royal Inca Trail trek to Machu Picchu, starting on October 17. The dust dims the sheen of my new backpacking boots, my packing list gets longer, and I read (tragic) stories from the 1500s about the conquest of Peru. I go to the gym, I dive into my full-time day job and I give the occasional skate lesson, but really, my heart and head are in Peru for a good portion of every day.
Typical braking issues
Best starting stance
When trying to brake, if you look anything like the photo on the left, then it’s time you learned the proper posture for making your brake do what it was designed to do. Once you nail the right stance, you’ll be rewarded with better braking effectiveness and confidence. And that means a whole new world of skating destinations will open up for you!
On the left, my trusty model Staci Stance would roll right into traffic because she is:
After over 15 years of teaching inline skaters, I have honed the instructions in my lessons to a toolkit of the most effective words and demonstrations. But once the lesson is over and my students have gone home, I can’t give feedback and tips about how to get the most from their skate practice sessions. On the trails, I see skaters who have no idea that they could be going a lot faster or farther with just a couple of minor adjustments to their skating posture.
Imagine five days of great people, great scenery, and the best inline skating trails you could possibly imagine! I was fortunate to be one of three guides for the August 2010 Zephyr Adventures Idaho Skate Tour in northern Idaho’s Silver Country.
On Idaho's beautiful Trail of the Couer d'Alenes
Bridges span rivers and lakes on this converted rail trail
Last Sunday, twenty eight active folks from across the country and beyond — ranging in age from their 30s to 70s — jumped into two large passenger vans with skate gear in hand. Those who had just flown in found themselves rolling on the tree-lined Fish Lake Trail in eastern Washington state within a few hours of landing. This short 7-mile route with a swimming lake nearby made a perfect first-day trail.
Today we skated the Iron Horse Trail section that extends from Rudgear road to Monument Boulevard and back. (See a complete write up of Iron Horse Regional Trail North on CASkating.com.) We started near the upgraded staging area at Rudgear, with its benches and a water fountain, completed in late 2009. Lots of happy trail users were out enjoying the beautiful morning in Walnut Creek.
On this northern portion of the Iron Horse, the surface is generally in good condition except for one section alongside Walnut Creek which continues to degrade. The wash-boarding is bad enough to knock a skater down or to throw a bicyclist off her bike. It’s about time the city or the park district did something about this growing hazard.
Brake lock-up
Ever get a rock stuck between your rear wheel and the brake pad? Ooo, I hate when that happens! And it’s usually when I’m braking on a steep downhill or speedily approaching a traffic-filled intersection. If you have ever been there, you know how desperate this situation can feel. Here are some techniques that may save your skin.
A product called the Skaters Coach (TM) is available to make inline skating accessible to aging skaters who are still competent with the basic stride and able to effectively use the heel brake but can no longer afford to fall down. Curious? Watch a (helmetless) skater using the Skaters Coach in this video.
Inventor Tom Demme is in the over-60s age group. As he explains it, “I had a need for fitness after my total knee replacements. Now I still use my Skaters Coach when skating every week, simply because I cannot afford to be injured and miss work. It makes me feel safe and secure from falling. I use it down by the lakefront in Chicago and it’s fun.” He says that most of his buyers are skaters over the age of 60 who want to continue the sport.