Who needs winter temperatures anyway?

In the past few months it is as if nature decided not to have winter in the NYC area. I’m sure this is the paradise before hell. Maybe in summer it will be over 100 degrees from May to September.  I don’t think anyone can question climate change, either man made or the end of an ice age. Whatever happened to the weather, something has gone quirky.  It would take a more scientific mind than I have to explain climate change, and I’m sure there are a ton of negative consequences from the temperature rising in this part of the world. However, for this blog entry I’m going to talk about the positives of this warm winter, it’s been great.

First and foremost I’ve been able to skate most weekends this winter. The skaters at NYC parks are really friendly and welcoming. They tolerate older and mediocre skaters like myself. The only thing I don’t like about NYC skating is the mentality that NYC is the best, and all the comparisons to California. California most likely will always be the epicenter of the skate industry because it’s more part of the culture there, and they do not have winters or the brutal humidity in the summer. I don’t think NYC needs to compare itself to other locations, but this lack of winter this year is definitely helping the skate scene here.  The parks are packed when I go there, and I notice a lot of people are progressing. On facebook one of my friends said that people are getting better when usually for winter people have to slow down and take a break from skating. I’m sure this year is a fluke, but if for some reason it’s not, and there are 5 or so warm winters like this in a row, I’m sure more skaters from NYC will go pro. The energy and progression at the parks will produce good skaters.

As far as my own skating, I think I’m staying at the same level. That is better than getting worse, which I would get if I took a month or more off because of cold weather. This 3-day weekend, I skated Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. My first day was a flushing meadows and I skated the unisphere with my friend.  I didn’t skate for almost two weeks prior, and it was a rough session. I kept missing kickflips. My friend and I had a few games of s.k.a.t.e. that took way too long because neither of us were skating that well, and couldn’t land much. I think I skated less than a few hours. On Sunday after a night out, I went to the Astoria skate park by myself. It took me awhile to warm up, but I had a good session. I’m glad I could ollie down the 3 stairs without too much bailing. It’s such a small drop and not far so my trouble with it is a mental block.  I’ll never throw myself down large drops, but I need to not be afraid of things I’m capable off. I also spent some time doing railslides on a low curb. I got a few, and I think I am in more control of that trick.  Then on Monday, I simply went to my local park, Forest Park. I saw some good skating, and stayed there about 3 hours. I worked on some things, and it was not too crowded. So I figured out a few lines. By far, the third day in a row of skating I skated my best, and I think the sport is something that the more regularly done, the better people get. If I could skate a few hours every day, I’m sure I could progress even though I’m older. And skating once a week or so during the whole winter is a lot better than skating nothing for the season.

My second point and I guess my last point in why the warm weather has been good is the economy. People here are acting like they all have spring fever. I went out a couple of times this weekend in the middle of queens, and the bars have been packed, and people are walking in the streets in sweatshirts, dresses, and not too worried about wearing coats. I live near a bunch of malls, and people are out shopping. Maybe this winter will end the recession because normally people take it easy during the winter. Now people are out and about.

February is over in 9 days, and usually in March the temperature starts to warm. I’m willing to bet we will not even have a cold dip in the temperature at all. It’ll go down as the year that we skipped winter.