Sun	Mon	Tues	Wed	Thur	Fri	Sat
Intermediate Skate Advanced Skate			Wed Night Skate		Beginner Skate*	Saturday Skate Clinic*

Note: Because of Washington D.C.'s moderately hilly terrain, one should have mastered at least two kinds of braking (e.g., heel braking, T-stopping, power slides, snowplowing, etc.) and be able to brake on steep hills.
Maneuverability and control at all times is very important as the skate travels on roadways which contain hazards, such as cars, bad pavement, pedestrians and other skaters. The ability to stop or avoid obstacles is critical to the ability to skate on public streets.
 

Friday Night Beginner Skate

When: * during Daylight Savings Time (basically April through October) on Friday nights.
The skate leaves at 7:15pm. Arrive at 7pm to socialize and hear pre-skate announcements.
Weather permitting. 
Where: White House 

What skill level is this skate?
It's a beginner level street skate of 9-12 miles, which finishes around 9 p.m. This skate keeps a leisurely pace on moderate hills and generally flat terrain through light traffic, but also includes a downhill from the Washington Monument down 15th St. Often skaters have food or drinks afterwards.
Not all beginners will be ready for this skate! If you have never skated, you will not be able to participate in this skate. You must be comfortable with the motion and balance of skating as well as stopping on a hill.

Street Skating requires more skill than trail or parking lot skating. While balance and steering techniques are essentially the same, skating in city streets and in potentially dangerous environments requires a higher competency. Like driving, you must be constantly searching for hazards and obstacles and be prepared to react by turning, stopping and avoiding. We encourage skaters who would like to work on these skills to attend our free lessons in Rock Creek Park.
The pace is social and leisurely. It varies depending on a variety of factors, but frequent regrouping and stops keep the group together and can accommodate most beginner skaters. If you have extra time, meet and make friends with the other skaters as they wait at the stops.

You should have mastered at least two kinds of braking (e.g., heel braking, T-stopping, power slides, snowplowing, etc.) and be able to brake on an incline of at least 5-degrees before participating.

Fun is what you can expect from the Friday Night Skate. If you are a beginning street skater you can make friends and enjoy a supportive environment as you start to get comfortable with this enjoyable activity. To accommodate as many levels as possible, there are many regroup points so that slower skaters can keep up, and faster skaters have a long time to take breaks and talk.

 

 

 

Sunday Intermediate Skate
 

When: Sunday Morning at 11am, year round. Get there earlier to make sure you have enough time. Leaves the White House at 11:15am.
Weather permitting. 

Where: White House

What skill level is this skate?
It is an intermediate level street skate of about 10-12 miles which finishes around 1pm. This skate maintains pace designed to be a workout for an average street skater. The terrain includes some moderate hills such as Capitol Hill and may include high-traffic areas such as Georgetown. There are several stops to regroup and before tricky turns. If you can keep up with our Friday Night Skate, and get to the end without feeling tired or exhausted, you can probably keep up with this skate. Difficulty can vary widely depending on the route chosen by the leader.

 

When: Sunday Morning at 11:00am, year-round. Leaves the White House at 11:15am. Arrive early to socialize and hear pre-skate announcements.
Weather permitting.
Where: White House

What skill level is this skate?
This is an advanced, fast, long-distance, skate of 15-20+ miles, which usually takes 3 hours. It is for skaters who enjoy a fast pace, big hills, and can navigate on hills and in traffic. You know who you are.
This skate is a workout! If you are not in shape, you will quickly get in shape going up and down long hills. This skate is typically small, with less organization and few rest stops. If after a Wednesday Night Skate you still have energy, this skate is for you.
The pace is brisk, stops are made for regrouping, with little time for chit-chat. Turns and routes will not generally be marked, so either stay close to the skate leader or pay attention to the route. Skaters should be comfortable striding, maneuvering, and stopping at high speeds on city streets.
If you are not sure of your ability to do this skate bring money and footwear for the Metro. If you can't keep up with the skate, or want to stop skating before the end of the route, please do not feel shy about telling the skate leader.
Hard work is what you can expect from the Sunday Advanced skate. If you are an advanced skater and want to stay in shape with friends, this one is for you. Bring water (especially on hot days) and snacks depending on you and the weather.

 

 

Where: White House

What is a Wed night advanced skate?
10-15 miles, around 2 hours, fast pace, big hills, heavy traffic and periodic rest stops.This is the most popular advanced skate. A skater should be able to maintain a moderately fast pace of 10-15 miles per hour and be able to brake on a hill of at least 30-degrees before participating. Some skates will go down very long, windy hills with lead skaters reaching speeds of 30 mph or more.