Althouse: There's still not enough snow for skiing, and we do have those ice skates we bought 4 years ago...

January 15, 2015

There's still not enough snow for skiing, and we do have those ice skates we bought 4 years ago...

... that year when Lake Mendota froze into black ice.

But now I'm a little afraid to go out on the ice. And yet, if we don't skate today — it's finally sunny and it's a warm 32° — I'm never going to skate again. Completely insecure, I accomplished my goal: some forward motion and no falling.

21 comments:

traditionalguy said...: Looks as cute as like Sonja Henie did as a beginner.; 1/15/15, 4:02 PM
Quaestor said...: And yet, if we don't skate today — it's finally sunny and it's a warm 32° — I'm never going to skate again.

Never again? It's only January. Plenty of good ice will come in February. Just put on a nice sweater, ok?; 1/15/15, 4:06 PM
garage mahal said...: There was over 8 inches on Mendota down by campus last Sunday. They are perch fishing off Governor's, so you should be golden to skate anywhere on the lake.; 1/15/15, 4:24 PM
Ann Althouse said...: "Never again? It's only January. Plenty of good ice will come in February."

The point is that I'd been talking about skating, but not doing it. I was avoiding it. Afraid. Today was the day to go for it, and if I didn't, I had good reason to think I never would.; 1/15/15, 4:31 PM
Just asking questions (Jaq) said...: They are perch fishing off Governor's, so you should be golden to skate anywhere on the lake.

Because perch fisherman never go through.

I am a chicken, I wait for the pickup trucks out there. Yes, I know I miss the hot fishing under the fresh ice.; 1/15/15, 4:45 PM
dbp said...: I see that Althouse is using the toe picks to propel herself forward--pretty gracefully.

I like to put beginners onto hockey skates, then they are forced to push-off with the edge of the blade. You get better at the technique sooner and avoid the nasty falls that come from catching a toe.; 1/15/15, 4:49 PM
garage mahal said...: Because perch fisherman never go through.

I'm sure they do, but that spot is over 60 feet of water, one of the last parts of the lake to freeze.; 1/15/15, 4:57 PM
Michael said...: Very nice work!!
Whatever you do, no matter what, if you are going to fall, fall forward.
I was giving this advice to my wife on some fresh indoor ice when the next thing I saw was her feet. Her head hitting the ice was as gruesome a sound, a sound like a watermelon splattering, I have ever heard. Much blood. Ambulance. Tests. Closed head injury. She was fine, but she watches us skate now.; 1/15/15, 5:14 PM
Anonymous said...: if I didn't, I had good reason to think I never would.

The GOP's plan to eliminate tenure for the UW system have you thinking about teaching at a different place? Perhaps someplace warmer?; 1/15/15, 5:16 PM
Quaestor said...: The point is that I'd been talking about skating, but not doing it. I was avoiding it. Afraid. Today was the day to go for it, and if I didn't, I had good reason to think I never would.

I get it. My point is you're trying to plan your life too much. Leave more room for spontaneity. Skating is one of those joyfully pointless things things need spontaneity. Look for a cold sunny day in February at the tail end of several cold sunny days. Thrown your appoint book out the window, then grab the skates and go.; 1/15/15, 5:31 PM
garage mahal said...: Michael
a guy that frequents the local watering died from slipping and falling on ice, hitting his head. I think I know that sound you described, I've heard it in fistfights. It's quite gruesome.; 1/15/15, 5:33 PM
garage mahal said...: And glad your wife is okay. Scary.; 1/15/15, 5:49 PM
Ann Althouse said...: I know you're not supposed to use the toe picks. Thanks for pointing that out. I don't know why I have figure skates when I'm not going to use the toe picks properly for anything. They're just a hazard.

I did learn figure skating as a child. Had a Girl Scout badge.; 1/15/15, 6:10 PM
Curious George said...: "tim in vermont said...

Because perch fisherman never go through.

I am a chicken, I wait for the pickup trucks out there."

I'm pretty sure that you cannot bring vehicles on Madison lakes. I think even snowmobiles and ATV's require flotation to be added to insure they don't go to the bottom.; 1/15/15, 6:33 PM
Curious George said...: No triple toe loop? Not even a double salchow?; 1/15/15, 6:34 PM
garage mahal said...: Madison chain:

Vehicles weighing over 850 lbs. require special use permit. (meaning no cars or trucks) Vehicles weighing between 750 – 850 lbs. require flotation and a permit. Vehicles weighing under 750 lbs. have no restrictions.; 1/15/15, 6:44 PM
chickelit said...: Did Meade shoot that while skating? That's impressive. I need my hands for balance when I skate.; 1/15/15, 8:03 PM
Michael K said...: What we do here instead of ice skating.

Fortunately, just about everyone who did go looking for whales had cameras, because without photographs, people might not believe the wildlife show that took place over the Redondo Canyon, just one and a half miles off Redondo Beach.
A lone adult humpback whale, and a mother swimming with her calf breached over half a dozen times between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m., sometimes in tandem, coming almost completely out of the water and landing with a belly flop that sent walls of water cascading over the paddlers.; 1/15/15, 10:17 PM
Smilin' Jack said...: The point is that I'd been talking about skating, but not doing it. I was avoiding it. Afraid. Today was the day to go for it, and if I didn't, I had good reason to think I never would.

As one ages, it's important to learn how to fall safely. Then you don't have to be afraid of skating. (But you still have to be afraid of aging.); 1/15/15, 11:14 PM
Ann Althouse said...: "As one ages, it's important to learn how to fall safely. Then you don't have to be afraid of skating. (But you still have to be afraid of aging.)"

I'm actually good at falling. I've fallen off the bike twice and fallen skiing many times. I actually do it quite well. But I don't think you can rely on that idea I'm good at falling. You can fall wrong one time and it makes a big difference. Last winter, there was one skiing fall that left a weird feeling in my upper leg that did not go away (and I had to go to a physical therapist to get exercises to get over it).

Also: ice is a hard surface to fall on. It's not like snow. But I actually am afraid of many of the hills in cross-country skiing and often take of my skis and walk down the hill instead of risking it.; 1/16/15, 7:03 AM
Rusty said...: "Althouse On Ice"
Coming to a pond or lake near you.
Bring the kids!
Enjoy the Show.; 1/16/15, 7:36 AM