Too cold to ride so I went ice skating

[Unseen]

For the first time in about ten years we have some decent ice coverage on the lakes overhere in Holland. So since it's too slippery and cold too ride we went ice skating today. Almost as good as riding my bike :spank:

Shot small video:
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FkJQzUNmDUQ"]YouTube - Schaatsen Loosdrechtse plassen 7-1-2009[/ame]

Put some pictures overhere.

 

[MarinaFazer]

cool, i like everyone skating in line formation

 

[Cloggy]

Nice film Andre :thumbup:

I went skating on Sunday well the kids only managed an hour or so before going back for steaming hot chocolate :thumbup:
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Here in North Holland it is pretty warm at the moment 2 degrees during the day but it freezes at night, unfortunately this means we have probably the worst ice in Holland at the moment, I might go to my parents in law at the weekend (in Alphen aan den Rijn) or go to the skating center here in Alkmaar, there is a 400 meter track and an indoor skating ring, but it's not as good as the real thing.

 

[shaggystyle]

I love ice skating! I totally would have played hockey in high school if it were actually popular enough around here to warrant a team. As it is I just settle for pick up games a couple times a month with a bunch of middle aged guys.

It never gets cold enough here for us to skate outside on ponds, but it's something I've always wanted to do. That lake you are on is huge, how thick is the ice? Do you just stick to the edges or can you skate out into the middle too? Sometimes I wish I lived further north, but it would shorten the riding season too much (I might actually have to winterize the bike ).

Thanks for the vid man, that was just super cool to see.

 

[Unseen]

Most people are riding on speed skates as they're better suited for the long distances. It's very popular to do trekkings on the lakes where many people skate in groups and packs and do up up to 50km.

The ice is about 6 inches, you can also skate in the middle, tried it :thumbup: What's also very cool is ice sailing, those guys reach amazing speeds :rockon:

this is the location of the lake in google maps

@martin: nice pic. yeah hot chocolate is always good after skating, as is Gluehwein.

 

[Steph]

We went too, got one of my favorite pictures of all time. My sister got down on the ice and had my daughter "snow" her.

 

[Cloggy]

I love ice skating! ...... Sometimes I wish I lived further north, but it would shorten the riding season too much (I might actually have to winterize the bike ).
Thanks for the vid man, that was just super cool to see.

Shaggy, I think I would prefer the longer riding season but it's nice when it does freeze here as you can get everywhere via the lakes and canals (there's lots of water in Holland).

Most people are riding on speed skates as they're better suited for the long distances. It's very popular to do trekkings on the lakes where many people skate in groups and packs and do up up to 50km.

When I moved to Holland I tried skating with friends on my hockey skates, well they all had speed skates and I kept getting left behind, so I had to buy my own speed skates to keep up.

The ice is about 6 inches, you can also skate in the middle, tried it :thumbup: What's also very cool is ice sailing, those guys reach amazing speeds :rockon:

That is really amazing, one of my collegues does it but it is not a very long season, the rest of the time he has wheels on it and "sails" around the beach :thumbup:.

..............@martin: nice pic. yeah hot chocolate is always good after skating, as is Gluehwein.

+1 on the mulled wine, "Erwten" (pea) soup is also good for warming you up again :thumbup:
Unfortunately it was just under freezing last night and it's going to be warming up again today, so the places to (safely) skate around here are getting less and less

We went too, got one of my favorite pictures of all time. My sister got down on the ice and had my daughter \"snow\" her.

Great pic Steph, perfect timing :thumbup:

 

[thulst]

Man ice skating.... That's dangerous isn't it. It is only between - 5 and - 17°c. So I keep riding my bike to work. It is so nice out on the roads. Driving past ponds looking at those crazy people on there skates. No I keep it save:thumbup: I keep driving my bike..........

 

[Unseen]

Hello Thulst.

It's not dangerous if you know what you're doing

You can now ride on the ice with your bike, I saw small cars on the ice today.. Just a bit harder to keep the clean side up...

Another shaky skating video, this time on the Nieuwkoopse plassen
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5b6p4vHpRXo"]YouTube - Schaatsen op de Nieuwkoopse plassen 10-1-2009[/ame]

 

[thulst]

Hey Andre,

Nice video. Shame that the period of realy cold weather seems to be almost over. Well still some time for iceskating though in the next couple of days
I must say it was very nice out there today.

For me, I don't see many motorbike colleagues on the road lately. Are they all on the ice skating now? Or do they stay at home and sit in front of the fireplace?

Ton

 

[Cloggy]

Man ice skating.... That's dangerous isn't it.

:rof:

It is only between - 5 and - 17°c. So I keep riding my bike to work. It is so nice out on the roads. Driving past ponds looking at those crazy people on their skates. No I keep it safe:thumbup: I keep riding my bike..........

I ride every now and there if there is no ice, but it has been much milder in North Holland, my hat off to you for riding in -17 degrees

Hello Thulst.

It's not dangerous if you know what you're doing

You can now ride on the ice with your bike, I saw small cars on the ice today.. Just a bit harder to keep the clean side up...

Another shaky skating video, this time on the Nieuwkoopse plassen
YouTube - Schaatsen op de Nieuwkoopse plassen 10-1-2009

Nice vid, I went for a short trip today, but there was plenty of bits of open water (wakken), well it is much warmer up here.
Took my kids out skating on wednesday and yesterday afternoon.

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View attachment 11834

And what about Sven Kramer, european champion speed skater 2009:thumbup:

 

[Unseen]

Martin, looks like you had fun too!!

This morning I went for presumably the last time on the ice. It already got water on it and it was windy as hell out there.

On the bright side, looks like I'm going to ride the old FJ to work again tomorrow

 

[Cloggy]

Martin, looks like you had fun too!!

This morning I went for presumably the last time on the ice. It already got water on it and it was windy as hell out there.

the wind can be a pain, luckily my route on Sunday was mainly against the wind for the first part, and the way back went really quick (with the wind on my back), but today it was really gusty

On the bright side, looks like I'm going to ride the old FJ to work again tomorrow

Yeah I'll be riding the bike tomorrow as well :thumbup:

BTW I have inserted a social group avatar (thanks to Dennis's update :thumbup, if you can come up with anything more imaginative throw it in the group :thumbup:

 

[Unseen]

And again it's a cold winter with lots of snow and ice

So we go out on the ice:

 

[Jez]

It's funny - recently I've found myself watching quite a lot of skating from the Winter Olympics. It always seems to come on at the end of a movie at the moment. So I've been watching gigantic Dutchmen with thighs like tree trunks skate in slow-mo round and round a track while dressed as fluorescent condoms. It's quite entertaining really.

 

[Cloggy]

Nice pics Andre, and not far from here either. love those "ice" boats :thumbup: I must admit it surprises me the Ice looks pretty good, most places around here has frozen snow on it.

Jez one of those Dutchmen "in condoms" won the 5000m long track :thumbup:. BBC Sport - Vancouver 2010 - Sven Kramer takes speed skating gold and Olympic record

 

[Unseen]

@jez: maybe you should also watch the women's speed skating

@Cloggy: yeah those boats reach awesome speeds, amazing!

 

[Jez]

@jez: maybe you should also watch the women's speed skating

That would be more my thing, admittedly, but I haven't found any on yet.

And if I may be permitted a small humorous aside at my closest European neighbours, there is a certain levity to be had following athletes called things like Jelp van der Hooijdonk or Hans Neesandboompsadaisy. (I suppose you have to be both very juvenile and British to think this funny).

 

[steveindenmark]

We still have lots and lots of snow in Denmark and we even had sun yesterday so it was nice for a walk out.

Jannies dad gave us two pairs of cross country skiis that need the bindings refurbishing. As if I have not got enough to do with my little Moto guzzi.

By the time I get the skiis sorted all the snow will have gone and we won`t get this much snow again for years.

Steve

 

[Unseen]

That would be more my thing, admittedly, but I haven't found any on yet.

And if I may be permitted a small humorous aside at my closest European neighbours, there is a certain levity to be had following athletes called things like Jelp van der Hooijdonk or Hans Neesandboompsadaisy. (I suppose you have to be both very juvenile and British to think this funny).

I like British humour but this is not up to par

When the girls are skating, you can watch it live here:
NOS Olympische Spelen 2010 - Kanaal - ned-1
(If they didn't block it for foreign viewers)
And you might pick up some more funny sounding Dutch words