No trip to New Jersey planned so I might settle for Whole Foods

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I grew up in suburban New Jersey where winter means cold. And cold means ice skating. Vanderpool Pond was about a block from my house. Below on the map is an "A" that's my house. Alas it was not any grade I ever received in school.

The odd dark colored oblong dotted with trees is Vanderpool pond. You can see, it wasn't very far away. Up the street about 6 houses, across on Rose Lane and then under the fence.

The park was maintained by the city. When it had been sub-sub freezing for about a week or so all the kids would start to get antsy. Skates would be taken out of the back closet and taken downtown for their annual sharpening.

For those who've never owned skates a sharp skate is a must. I once skated at a rink with rented skates. What a disappointment! The skates were dull and impossible.

Here's a diagram of a sharpened skate. Basically you have two edges, right and left. That means that regardless of which way you turn you have a sharp edge with digs into the ice. If you picture skating you'll see that to motortate you push off against the ice. The sharp edges give you "grip" and make it easy to get going. Picture an ice cube. It you put a knife at a 60° angle to the face and push you'll get a bit of resistance. Now try it with the flat side of a ruler that's been sanded a bit to take off the sharp edge. No purchase. It just slides. That's the difference between sharpened skates and dull rentals.

Back to Vanderpool's. So, after interminable waiting the great day comes when, walking home from school, we'd see a tendril of smoke coming from the "warming area" at the pond. HURRAH!!!. We'd run - as best we could in a giant coat, boots, mittens, scarves etc - and grab our skates. That fire meant that the ice on the pond had finally reached the magic 13" depth.

After squidging under the fence (it was shorter than going around to the gate) I'd deposit a potato wrapped in aluminum foil—to be used as a handwarmer later,  in the fire and put on my nicely sharpened skates and embark on hours of unruly fun.

No skating in sedate circles on a pond. No need, there's lots of room for antics. Red Rover was a favorite game. And trains. These require a bit of organization. Basically you form a line with everyone facing the person in front. The first person in the line squats down and put their hands on the skates of the person behind them. About 3 inches from those incredibly sharp blades. I shiver to think of it now.

Then the second person bends at the waist and puts their hands on the front person's shoulders. Eveyone behind puts their hands on the waist of the person in front of them and PUSHES. HARD. When you're in the front with your butt almost on the ice and your head not far off IT IS FAST! Phew what a rush.

Whips were another common diversion. Everyone forms a line. The first person starts off with everyone else trailing behind. Once you have a head of steam up the first person stops abruptly and swings the second out to the side. This effect cascades through the line till the person on the end is catapulted across the ice as if shot out of a cannon. Phew what a rush.

Needless to say none of these activities would be doable at an indoor rink. But maybe just for the nostalgia value I'll go down to Whole Foods sometime before the 16th of January. They flood some area outside the store and have some way of turning the water to ice. And they rent skates. Skates with dull blades but what the heck. I won't be going to Vanderpool Pond any time soon so this might be the next best thing.
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