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The New York City Inline Skating Guide
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![[photo]](/nyc/pix/tnsbridgea.jpg) |
| Tuesday Night Skaters take a break on the Brooklyn Bridge. |
The number of people who join the TNS varies depending on the weather, with a dozen hardcore regulars skating during even the coldest depths of February and 50 or so appearing for summer skates. The route skated changes every week, but the most frequent (especially during fall and winter) destination is the South Street Seaport, then back (approx. 10-12 miles round-trip). During warm weather, longer jaunts to places like Prospect Park in Brooklyn and maybe the Dairy Queen in Fort Lee, NJ, will occur at least once a month (15-20 miles). A skate to Hoboken via the GW Bridge (with return by PATH train) might occur once a year (25 miles).
In early 1999, the TNS became an official Empire Skate Club event. (It was originally organized in connection with what became the New York Road Skaters Association but had been independent from late 1994 to the end of 1998.) As with any Empire event, helmets are either required or at least extremely strongly encouraged. Blinky lights and/or reflective clothing are also very highly recommended, not only for safety's sake but to make you street-legal.
Good street skating skills are also a must, as the the ability of most regular participants is intermediate or better; it is not uncommon for several of the skaters to show up in five-wheeled racing skates. In other words, most TNS tours are fast-paced and would not be enjoyable for new skaters. One city magazine commented about the TNS in the late 1990s that "they care more about skating than they do about you". The Tuesday Night crew took this as a compliment.
Wednesday Night Skate:
In May 1996, a Wednesday night skate called Blade Night Manhattan hit the streets during the months of the "skating season". Although it originally followed a set route around Midtown, it switched in 1997 to varied routes. In 2001 it became the Wednesday Night Skate.
The Wednesday Night Skate currently meets along the steps on the south end of Union Square (14th St. at Broadway) at 7:30 p.m. and starts skating at 8:00. The event runs from April 1 to Halloween, but might also meet outside that period if the weather is good. The pace is moderate but you do need to be comfortable skating on open streets and in a large group of people. See the Wednesday Night Skate website for more info.
The Wednesday Night Skate tends to draw many more participants than does the Empire Tuesday Night Skate, probably because of its slower pace, shorter routes, and more centrally located starting point. Thus, it often has more than 100 participants and has been known to exceed 200 (e.g., see page B1 of the Aug. 1, 1997, New York Times). The group can at times be extremely noisy, with lots of whooping and cheering (sometimes encouraged by the leaders) and barking.
The Wednesday Night Skate are also more organized than the TNS, with a number of guides/marshalls monitoring intersections and trying to minimize conflict with cars that want to pass. However, there's only so much they can do, and as seems to happen to with any group skate, most people don't seem to listen when someone calls out that there's traffic coming up from behind. The skill level of the skaters is also quite mixed, though it generally seems about average.
(Historical note: In early 2001, there was a tussle between competing groups as to who would lead the Wednesday night group skate. One group incorporated under the Blade Night name, but their actions apparently ticked off most of the other participants, who instead formed the Wednesday Night Skate. The "old" Blade Night group subsequently seems to have faded away.)
Thursday Evening Roll:
Members of the Empire Skate Club of New York meet at the Merchants Gate to Central Park, on Columbus Circle on Eighth Ave. at 60th St., at 6:45 p.m. on Thursdays from late April through October for a leisurely, social skate on the Central Park Loop. Around 8:00 or a little after, some will head off for further socializing at a nearby pub or restaurant.
The Thursday Evening Roll is intended for skaters who are looking for a group skate but who don't feel the need to be out on the streets or to be zipping around at high speeds. Any skater who's progressed beyond basic braking lessions and who is comfortable navigating the hills of Central Park should be able to handle this tour. See the Empire website for more info.
Sunday Morning Skate:
The Empire Skate Club has generally had a weekend morning skate ever since the club first formed. For several years it was a regular Sunday morning event, usually meeting at the Merchants Gate/Columbus Circle entrance to Central Park at 10 or 11 a.m., but in 2005 it became less predictable.
Currently, there's no guarantee that it is meeting on any given Sunday. Check Empire website calendar to see what they're doing on any given weekend and whether it's on Saturday or Sunday morning.
A moderate Sunday Morning Skate might be a tour that attempts to travel to all the islands touching and in the East River, i.e., a 10- or 15-mile circuit that visits Manhattan, Roosevelt Island, Randalls/Wards Island, and Long Island (Queens and/or Brooklyn). On the more strenuous side might be a skate out to Little Neck Bay in northeastern Queens and then back, a 40-mile tour if one does the entire distance (there's always an option to join/leave this particular event at the Shea Stadium subway station). And once or twice a summer, the group will catch a train up to Connecticut and do a relaxing 10-mile skate along the beach, and a little swimming, too.
Time's Up! Group Bike/Skates:
There are several opportunities each month -- especially during the summer -- for joint group cycle/skate activities. All seem to be sponsored or co-sponsored by Time's Up! (212-802-8222). Among these events are:
On the first Friday of the month and on special occasions, the Central Park Moonlight Ride takes place, with cyclists and skaters meeting at 10:00 p.m. at the Columbus Circle entrance to the park. This is a low-key, relaxed event. However, they do occasionally venture "off-trail", so skaters will certainly want to carry some sort of illumination in order to avoid cracks and tree crud.
On the final Friday of the month, an "organized coincidence" of cyclists and skaters meets at 7:00 p.m. on the south side of Union Square (14th St. at Broadway). One of many Critical Mass events around the world on that day of the month, it is for historical reasons sometimes called "The Wedge" in New York. Please note that since late 2004, there have been regular conflicts between Critical Mass and the police about "blocking intersections", etc., so be warned this event may not be anywhere near as pleasant or sociable as it once was.
On the final Saturday of the month year-round, but beginning at 10:00 p.m., Time's Up! offers the Riverside Ride. Starting from Columbus Circle, this event travels through Central Park and then over to the lower promenade in Riverside Park.
During the spring and summer months, Time's Up! also organizes events such as the Earth Day Ride, Cyclone Ride (City Hall to Coney Island), the Historic Ride, and many others. Check their website to find out what's scheduled and when.
Saturday GroupSkate and FamilySkate:
The NY Skateout instructional program organizes social skates which rove around the Central Park loop at various times of the week, including weekday lunchtime. See their website for details.