Sunday, February 23, 2014

These Boots are Made for Walkin....

My winter boots finally died. Mr. Nitro said it was because I was just bragging about what a great buy they were 18 years ago. Seriously, 18 YEARS. I bought them in Austria for about $60 Euro. I looked down at them fondly yesterday, and saw the huge crack in the bottom. Wah!

I guess that got me feeling nostalgic about the skates I have owned. I started skating (after a 25 year hiatus) about 4 years ago. We took the kids skating and my daughter couldn't get enough of it. So I started taking her to the rink. You know all about rental skates... well, it felt like I was starting over every time.  Eventually, I found a pair at Salvation Army and dolled them up with Sharpies.






Seriously, what was I thinking? These things eventually damaged the top of my feet so that they were numb all the time.

My first "real" pair of skates were sportier for sure. Really low end speed skates that chewed up the skin on the inside of my right ankle... but I soldiered on until the callous got strong enough and I didn't blister EVERY time. These skates got stolen out of my car in my garage, causing me to file my first ever police report. I think the main reason they were stolen is because of the outdoor wheels and decent bearings. Lots of skateboarders around here... I kept looking, but I never saw my wheels on some punk's skateboard. Lucky for them.

My next pair were too big. I'd prefer not to talk about how that happened. Suffice it to say, it was my own dang fault. That pair has been gifted to someone who actually has feet that size, so that story ends happily ever after.

When I started Derby-ing I got my current pair. They are these here. A bunch of us have them, and they fit my feet perfectly. (See? I can be taught! Eventually.) They were not so expensive that I couldn't replace them every couple of years, and it's looking like that's gonna have to happen.  BUT, I skate every chance I get, up to 7 days a week for hours at a time, so they've been good ones for me. I have, of course, changed the wheels and bearings... uh, several times.

What has been your favorite pair of skates?

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