A White Christmas on the horizon?

[RobertArthur]

Teaching children io ice-skate, memories of yesterday.

[Blaze]

They usually set up a rink in Saint Malo - it's very popular.

[RobertArthur]

A long time ago Mother Nature used to set up many rinks.

[Blaze]

Ah I remember that when I lived in Hamburg - fortunately I had my own skates ! Winters were very cold there ...

[exile]

@RobertArthur
Do you remember the last time the famous long distance skating race was held? (So famous I have forgotten the name ).

I remember a work colleague taking part - more as an endurance experience than any chance of winning.

[curtis]

I am driving through the night to Dieppe for the 06.30 boat. Hopefully not any blocages and there has already been hail and snow up there and more forecast. And windy.
The Christmas snow is coming early.

[RobertArthur]

@ Exile, yes, I do remember. May be the last time, I don't know, was in 1997. The one before in 1985 and the most notorious one in 1963. And the name is: Elfstedentocht. Start and finish in Leeuwarden, the capital of the province Friesland. Since 1997 only bicycle touring.

On January 18, 1963, the temperature in the village 'Joure' dropped to minus 21 degrees and the Elfstedentocht was ridden that very day. In the afternoon it was less cold but because of the at times stormy wind it made little difference to the skaters. Endurance: indeed, in the early morning hours it was almost Siberia. All in all, very tough conditions for the Elfsteden riders. The number of dropouts on this tour became legendarily high. Of the 568 racers, 57 crossed the finish line within the required two hours of winner Reinier Paping. Of the 9,294 tour riders, only 69 managed a cross.

My father almost made it on these skates, type 'Juliana'. In the late dark afternoon hours those who had manged it to make it to 'Dokkum', not very far from the finish, and other strong men were kindly requested not to continue to the finish, very dangerous ice and weather conditions, already far to many accidents. Returning home the next day he was disappointed. His comment was: I could have easily made it, I know these last 25 km by heart. It was not his first 'Elfstedentocht'.

I liked skating, the rinks, bright lights, big city, where the girls seem to find out early. After 20, 30 minutes of the teenage (?) game: I was looking back to see if she was looking back to see if I was looking back at her, it was time for a chat with friends. My father continued for hours and hours, round after round, never seemed to get tired.

[Blaze]

A long time ago I worked in Plymouth and there was an artificial rink near the office. A few of us used to skate a couple of times a week in our lunch hour. Not the same as ice, much harder work, but fun all the same.

[RobertArthur]

Also impressive: Arrival order of the 69 tour riders in 1963. They must have had tremendous fitness and stamina. The fastest guy in these North Pole like conditions: it took him 13 hours and there was also someone with a record time of struggling with the weather conditions for more than 18 hours. In today's newspeak: he was Reconnecting with Mother Nature....

[MAD87]

I don't like snow (or winter). The sooner it's done and dusted, the better. Bah humbug!