All Skate!
Time has passed since I wrote a new blog. It is time. Enjoy a trip back in time to the amazing sixties.
When I take a trip to the past in my head, there are many things that I think about. Some were great and others not so great. We just keep reminding ourselves to think of the positive. Don’t let the negatives and fear take over your life.
One of the activities I enjoyed the most growing up was going roller skating. There were many of us from the baby boomer generation that enjoyed doing something fun. The fun was roller skating inside and outside.
My first experience with skating involved the sidewalks of South Jones Street and McGhee Elementary School. I cannot remember when I got my first set of sidewalk skates. They were quite different than indoor skates. The skate itself was all metal or maybe steel. The bottom of the skate had a screw you would loosen, then slide to adjust to fit your foot. There were two clamps on the toe of the skate that could be adjusted to fit your foot (which will talk about in a bit). The leather strap with a buckle (not plastic) fit around your ankle. Sidewalk skates had metal/steel wheels.
The two clamps on the skate came around the toe of your shoe and could be adjusted by the famous skate key. The adjustment could be made below the clamps on the bottom of the skate. (Of course, you wore the key around your neck on a string!) This is the one item that you did not want to lose; otherwise, it was impossible to keep your skates on your feet. Wearing tennis shoes did not work, as they were too soft for the clamps to adhere to. I believe in the baby boomer’s early years; we wore more leather shoes than tennis shoes. (Remember saddle shoes and penny loafers?)
The skate key could be compared to a small wrench. The one place in our town that a new skate key could be purchased for twenty five cents was Walker’s Hardware. It was located by the railroad tracks on one of the main streets. I would bet that store sold many skate keys. I vaguely remember the clerk going to a box full of keys and pulling one. Good memories.
We would skate on the sidewalk on South Jones Street with our friends. Just go back and forth, occasionally stopping to tighten the skates with the key. The big adventure was when we went to McGhee Elementary School. This was a very new building that had a very smooth sidewalk and an asphalt playground. No one bothered us, as all we did was skate and not cause problems around the school. The big NO NO was not wear them in the house. Mom would always tell you take them outside.
The school sat on a hill. The brand new, smooth sidewalk went down the hill. This was the perfect place to get a real thrill on the skates. Starting at the top of the hill, you would put your skates close together and take off. It was an invigorating feeling, and so much fun! The other place that had a thrill hill was behind the school. It was an asphalt drain, very narrow but doable. Yes, even tried that on occasion, even though I didn’t think it was not as much fun as the sidewalk in the front of the school.
The term “All Skate” was used by the announcer at the roller skating rink. The Starlight Skating Rink was located about twenty minutes, up a hill, on foot from our house. Yes, we would walk to and from the rink. There was one car for our household, so most of the time, dad had it. We walked where we need to go in our small town.
Saturday afternoons were our time to skate indoors. The rink even rented skates if you didn’t have your own. The cost was no more than fifty cents to rent skates and skate for the afternoon. Somehow mom had the money for us to go have fun. There was never extra to buy a Coke or snacks, but that was okay.
The rink had benches, behind a railing, around its perimeter. You could there to put on your skates. Shoes were left under the bench, and no one bothered them. The skating rink floor was very shiny and wooden. It was fun to skate round and round for the afternoon to all the current tunes of the day.
The white skates we used indoors were like a tall boot. You put them on and laced them up. For Christmas one year I got my first set of indoor skates. We made pom poms to put on the toe of the skate. You had to be stylish!!! Socks were important to wear, so you would not get blisters on your heels.
The one accessory I really wanted was a skate case. They were shiny colors designed to fit your skates. Today, I still look for one when I am out and about at the antique shops. Just an item from the past that would be fun to have.
The conga line was a favorite of the day. Everyone would get in a line and skate around, holding onto the person in front of you. The problem was if they went to fast and wiped everyone out. There were people that were good and would dance with a partner to the music.
How can I forget about the big disco ball in the middle of the ceiling. It would light up and go around, and the music played on! What fun.
Today’s rollerblades just aren’t our four wheel skates. I am sure they are fun, and one must have good balance. Knee, elbow pads and helmets are used for safety. Way back when we skated, no one thought about any special equipment. How times have changed.
Now I know what my mom meant when she said, “Back when I was a kid…..”. I find myself saying that a lot these days. My son and granddaughter call them “Grandmaisms”. Yes, they are, and this grandma has good skating memories, and would like to do it all over again.
Blessings!
The Blogging Grandma