Monday, March 3, 2014

Arctic skating party


We had 70s style roller disco party this weekend. I had my outfit all ready.



Except it was being held in an unheated hockey rink in the Arctic, using ice skates rather than roller skates, so my whole outfit was going to be covered by a snowsuit.  It was a shame.


But I still decided not to wear pants. Because I'm hardcore like that. It was a little cold, but sometimes you have to suffer for art. Besides, once you start moving around on the ice for a few hours, you stop noticing the cold.


A lot of people showed up to the party, which was really great.  I'd spent the weekend putting together a solid 70s disco playlist that was now being broadcast over the arena loudspeakers, so it gave the whole place a good roller disco vibe.  All that was missing was a disco ball. And maybe dimmer mood lights.


It's been a long time since I last went skating. As an Ottawa resident, I'm used to skating on the Rideau Canal, which means I'm very good at skating straight for a long time...and not much else. I can't really turn, and I can't really stop. However, I'm also used to skating on treacherously rough ice while dodging small children.  So the clean smooth mostly child-free rink was an improvement.

For those of us who grew up in tropical countries and are only now learning to skate, there were these awesome "training rails" that you could push along while skating to help you with your balance. I think they were for children, but they were great.




It was a lovely evening, and a great chance to hang out with friends while getting some exercise.  It was also good to have a chance to go skating. I thought I'd have more opportunities to go skating once I moved to the Arctic, and I really wanted to go skating out on the frozen ocean.  But it's just too cold right now, at -60.  Renting out the rink for a private event was a good way to have some good old fashion skating fun, while pretending to be skating circles at a roller disco during the 1970s.

Tired feet

Tired feet, so tired a little help is needed to pull the skates off