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TR- New York City park skating



 
 
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  #1  
Old January 23rd 04, 02:08 AM
Ken Roberts
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Default TR- New York City park skating

My first time snow skiing in New York City today. The snow in Central Park
was decent, but I didn't like the trail layout or the grooming, on my
attempted skating tour from south to north. Prospect Park in Brooklyn had
thin cover, but I found much better skiing terrain.

Any other New York City parks I should try next time?

my Trip Report: After a fun time skating all over a local county park in
New Jersey, I thought I was ready to try the "big city" parks. So I took my
skate skis in on the train to Manhattan, then on the subway to Columbus
Circle / 59th St. No one commented on my skis in the subway, but then a
couple of New York sidewalkers volunteered their doubts that I'd find any
use for them.

As I entered the southwest corner of Central Park, I found adequate snow
cover which allowed me nice skating. But too many fences to prevent me from
getting off the designated paths -- seemed like half the open ground in the
southern half of the Park was dedicated to the protection of elm trees. The
"grooming" strategy for most of the paths themselves was either to plow them
or sand them. So I was taking my skis on and off every minute or two.

Finally I got to the Great Lawn -- and that too was surrounded by a fence
and marked Closed. There some fine print about Open for XC skiing if six
inches of snow, and I saw some ski tracks inside, so I tried some skating --
and found that the "Great" lawn isn't very big from a skiing perspective.

Then I discovered another set of skate tracks and followed them north to the
Reservoir. Skied 3/4 around it on alongside a road (not the runners
trail) -- but couldn't make it a full loop due to parked trucks. Trying to
link together patches of skiing seemed like some sort of urban orienteering.
Finally I made to the north end at 110th St, and left this disappointing
Park and got on a "B" subway south, then changed at 34th for the "Q" train
to Brooklyn.

The terrain around the Prospect Park subway station wasn't very inviting for
skiing, but the many of the paths inside the Park were barely skatable, and
I made my way to the big northern meadow. Snow cover was thin, and
completely covered with human footprints -- but somehow most of it was very
skatable. (though I suspect this weekend will be too late). Then I tried
skiing alongside the Park road around the southern half and the lake -- the
terrain was possible, but the snow cover insufficient. (Next time I think
I'd use the "Grand Army Plaza" subway station and focus on the northern
fields.) I finished by walking to the subway and riding on the "Q" wearing
my Pilot skate boots. (nobody noticed)

This ungroomed park + golf course skating is a whole new dimension of my
skiing exploration that I've gotten into only in this last year. I'm
surprised by how often we get the snow conditions for it here in the metro
NYC area. I'm hoping I can try find some more upstate this weekend.

Ken


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  #2  
Old January 23rd 04, 01:28 PM
Mark Frost
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Default TR- New York City park skating

Ken,
GREAT report, you explorer, you! Shame the snow wasn't better. These
are my old haunts from living in NYC for 4 years and in-line skating
all over Manhatten, and to / from Central Park, Prospect Park etc...

Other parks? Riverside Park on the Upper West? Long and narrow.
North of Battery Park / World financial center? (or did they fill that
in with condo's?) Bronx Zoo?

Mark Frost,
Bedford, NH, USA

"Ken Roberts" wrote in message ...
My first time snow skiing in New York City today. The snow in Central Park
was decent, but I didn't like the trail layout or the grooming, on my
attempted skating tour from south to north. Prospect Park in Brooklyn had
thin cover, but I found much better skiing terrain.

Any other New York City parks I should try next time?...

  #3  
Old January 24th 04, 02:19 AM
Ken Roberts
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Default TR- New York City park skating

Riverside Park sounds like a great idea -- Thanks, Mark.

In Central Park, Bryan suggested trying the bridal path around the Reservoir
and the bridal loop just north of the Reservoir.

Mark Frost wrote
. . . in-line skating all over Manhatten, and
to / from Central Park, Prospect Park etc...


Yes, the inline skating on smooth pavement is so fun around the metro NYC
area that my first couple of days on snow felt disheartening. But once my
legs learned again to make all those instant unconscious adjustments to snow
variations, and I tuned my speed expectations down -- snow skating seems
like plenty of fun now.

Ken
Road Skate Hudson Valley -- http://roberts-1.com/sk8hv


 




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