Tricktionary

Ashley, Rachel, Jess and I went to Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens today. It was a really nice day and a good chance to trade the hustle and bustle of the city for a nice park setting. We saw the Princess Di Memorial and the Peter Pan statue, but what I thought was coolest were the skaters. 

There were a group of people with really long two-wheeled skates and poles. It was like cross country skiing but on pavement and with wheels. I'll have to do some more research into what this sport is actually called ... no luck as of yet. Check out one of Ashley's photos above. 

Even better than these guys were the skaters. There were a bunch of them who brought these tiny cones, placing them in a line on the side of the walkway. They would proceed to weave in and out of the cones. It was really awesome! Here is another of Ashley's photos below.

The skaters made me think of how much I love watching the X Games and the Dew Tour back home. I can't wait for them to come on TV later this summer: X Games 15 takes place from July 30 through Aug. 2 in Los Angeles. The tricks are just so cool (or sick ... ). 

What was different today was the precision: The guys today were turning on a dime. I'm sure the professionals can do the same, but it was awesome to get the chance to see such an emphasis on technical work right in front of my eyes! It also makes me wonder why there's not more inline skating in these extreme sports competitions. They've got skateboarding, BMX (bicycle motocross), FMX (freestyle motocross) and others, but you don't see much inline skating.