Zen and the Art of Designing a Skate Route

ZEN and the ART of Designing a Skate Route
WAR Homepage > Skates > Routes > Skate Route Design

Picture yourself in the following scenario: Ed Irmler has just led one of his intricate, thoroughly planned hinterland hops that took you to places in the Washington area that you'd never seen previously and didn't know existed. The next scheduled skate is your first lead. What do you do, run to the drug store for Depends?

RELAX! Conceiving a skate route isn't all that difficult, but you are limited by the confines of the DC area streets and must be creative within them. As a former teenage heavy metal singer and long-time rock 'n' roll collector, I find constructing a route to be much like assembling a musical set list: Just as one must balance a variety of moods and tempos in assembling a musical set, a good skate route involves balancing several elements -- scenery, hills, traffic conditions, etc. -- in a manner that challenges skaters, but leaves them drained and rewarded at its conclusion. Few clothed experiences rival an exhilating skate. On the flip side, I hate to leave a skate thinking that the leader didn't prepare well. Here are a few tips for designing a worthy skate route:

KNOW THE TURF: This doesn't just mean knowing how to get from Point A to Point B. Any yo-yo can know how to get around town. Planning a successful route also involves understanding the terrain, i.e., being aware of where the hills are, where roads are heavily traveled at particular times (especially on Wednesday nights), where roads are closed due to construction, where unfriendly natives might make taking a skate undesirable, where pavement is smooth and rutty, etc. Think in terms of visual stimulation as well. This is a beautiful area. Take advantage of that.

BALANCE YOUR INCLINES: A skate lead is not a torture session, nor is it a way of exacting misplaced revenge on co-workers who have wronged you during your working week. For every major uphill, there should be a reward in the form of a corresponding downhill.

PLAN AHEAD: With more leaders leading fewer skates each, there is no excuse for haphazard planning. We're trying to save the make-it-up-on-the-fly routes for Pot Luck Skates. Think of your lead as your chance to strut. Leaders should prepare written directions for each route and distribute copies of a cue sheet to six to ten people who will sweep, lead the pack, mark turns and perform other functions throughout the skate. The easiest way to avoid being caught off guard is to drive or bicycle through your planned route beforehand. Doing so prevents mid-skate improvisations that could have been avoided with better planning.

DO NOT REPEAT YOURSELF: The Grateful Dead never played the same set twice in more than 2,000 shows. Thus, you have no excuse for a repeat route.

ADAPT AS THE SKATE REQUIRES: Don't be rigid. If it becomes apparent that the skate you had planned needs adjustments, make those adjustments and communicate them to those who are assisting you.

GET HELP: When you show up to lead, find someone to act as your sweeper. Also, find people who will assist you in marking turns.