Sunday, December 17, 2006

Bex on Skates ...














Is scary.

I love speed: Here I am, hell-bent for leather at the outdoor ice-skating rink at the National Gallery of Art, in downtown D.C., on Friday night.
It's in the museum's sculpture garden, where one can see modernist works such as this and this.

I was with E., and T., his 14-year-old nephew, visiting from England for the holidays. Wanted to show T. around the town and do typical American activities. Like channeling Apolo Anton Ohno even though one has set foot on ice only twice before. The second shot is blurry because E. was laughing and cheering me on.

Going fast is the easy part. Stopping? Not so much.

So I just kept zooming around in circles, once yelling, "Coming through!" when I encountered a clump of slow-moving skaters weaving every which way.

I fell down only once. Right on my knees. Big bruises have bloomed on my kneecaps, which bore the brunt (say that three times fast) of my 108 pounds.

But I can still run, damn it.

And that's all that matters.

9 comments:

  1. Too funny! When my other daughter gets home we will go ice skating at our local outdoor rink which is built on top of some tennis courts next to the library. It is surrounded by unartistic chain link fencing. I think you got the better deal. I hope bruises on my knees are the worst of the wear I will suffer. We'll see!

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  2. That looks like FUN! We're going to have to try it!! (And your need for speed does NOT surprise me!!)

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  3. 108 pounds!? No wonder I can't run faster than you. Girl, put on a 50 lb pack and now we're talkin' ;)

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  4. Get off the ice for the moment ... TAG, you're up, and I'll have none of that "crock of ****" young lady!

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  5. You like to live dangerously :)

    Looks like fun. It's been years since I tried to ice skate (we don't get much ice in central Arizona).

    Have a great week.

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  6. nice photos! i can't stop OR start on skates. i have enough problem starting and stopping with running shoes.

    can't wait for those christmas party pix to get posted!

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  7. the "coming through" scenerio is cracking me up! :)

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  8. I am sure you'd be a better skater than me...I can't even remember the last time I went...Kudos to you for giving it a try

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  9. Love ice skating. Were your legs hurting the next day? It uses muscles that my body has never used.

    I don't think I've been 108lbs since 5th grade.

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