Scout Skating '04

On a brisk winter afternoon in January, we headed to the Ice Castle Training Center for some ice time.  Many of us weren't aware that the world-renown Olympic training center here in our own back yard offered regular public hours for skating.  What a pleasant surprise!  So, amid the occasional snow flurry that heralded the upcoming season, we gathered outside, made sure we had plenty of snacks and hot cocoa, and made our way inside.

As is always the case with skating, one of the greatest challenges was getting the skates on well.  Everyone lent a helping hand to others though, and before long, all the brave souls were on the ice.  Some of the group chose to enjoy the day from the safety of the side-lines, but they were close at hand to give encouragement and take pictures.

Skating was great!!!  For some of us, this was our first time on the ice since the collapse of the public ice rink in Blue Jay.  Personally, it never occurred to me that a training rink might be different from a public one, so the lack of walls around the ice caught me very much by surprise.  I know it was much more of a challenge for the kids that could have used something to hang on to as well.  We did just fine though, with parents giving a hand to those Scouts and siblings that needed help getting around the ice.

A few minor injuries, sore muscles, and lots of big smiles later, we returned to the comfort of our tennis shoes.  This was a GREAT outing.  Our thanks go out to the Training Center and the staff for providing such a wonderful time.