Philly Freedom Skate 2005 June 24, 2005

At my first Philly Freedom Skate i noticed, the good skaters from the front of the pack to the middle seldom shout out obstacles. We all just part around them like a school of fish, flowing around potholes, sewer grates, nearly anything. As the peloton moves faster than the bucket brigade warning relay, to holler "hole" simply takes too long.

Words cannot describe how it feels to skate with over 350 others through downtown streets with police escort, on smooth big-city asphalt, inside pedestrian subway tunnels, into scenic suburban neighborhoods, nor how it feels to roll by the many symbolic and historic sights in Philadelphia. They cannot tell how it feels to bomb down the hills, nor to cool in the pool, high on endorphins earned from miles and miles of skating. From Friday evening to Sunday afternoon, we venture onto four skates, from easy to vigorous, from roughly 6 miles to 18. Freedom Skate is the largest skate on the East coast and a perennial favorite.

At the Sheraton University City near U/Penn, accommodations come and go as parties reserve rooms or cancel spares. Believe me, to avoid driving to and from events, you want to stay with all of us at the Sheraton, hub of all activity.

Register online through noon Eastern, Friday, June 24th, for $65. Onsite registration accepts no credit cards.

If you plan to go and would like to let others know, please reply here or at Tribe.

Philadelphia Freedom Skate