Wednesday, February 21, 2007

A big sheet of ice 'neath my feet

Every Canadian, or at the very least every Ottawan, should skate the Rideau Canal. There is nothing like it.

I laced up my skates last night for the first time this year. It was a beautiful evening – not too cold, no wind, and not too many people on the ice. The first skate of the year is always a little shaky, a little uncoordinated as I try to find my balance.

I love gliding along, listening to a multitude of skate blades slice crisply through the ice, seeing people huddled around picnic tables eating their beavertails with numbed hands and unsteady feet, and enjoying the skate for the unique cultural experience that it is.

I also get a kick when I see people around the city carrying skates because you know exactly where they are going or where they are coming from; in what other city do you see so many people carrying around skates?

Today was an absolutely gorgeous sunny, mild day and I laced up again during my lunch hour. I didn’t skate the length of the canal like last night due to time constraints, but still had an invigorating skate. People of all skills and abilities skating around….sun reflecting off the ice, blinding me….the wind on my cheeks….ahh, such freedom!

1 comment:

Bex said...

Hey robin- we should totally meet up for a lunch-skate!