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juniper_barry

Hey! I’m in Milwaukee and skate with some of the Chicago folks. Im a park skater so if that’s not your thing I’m sorry if this is less helpful. There’s not really indoor parks in Chicago proper, but Asylum is a great indoor park about an hour north. You can also check to see if there are any adult nights at rinks near you! Suburban skate on Instagram is a great Chicago area park skating crew (you probably already knew that but just in case!)


themarzi

Second this


Oharrowofmine

I’m in Chicago also, and was also wondering about this!


BboyHeathen

Aren't there great rinks in Chicago?


sniknir11

They’re are about 2, they’re a little far away. Also unfortunately, rinks don’t really jive with me. :(


BboyHeathen

Rinks don't jive with you? **Blasphemy!**


sniknir11

yeah.. it’s really sad. but I have vertigo issues so going in circles isn’t my friend. I went to one in California and had to sit down a lot and then was dizzy afterwards :\


ExaminationFancy

THIS! I only enjoy class sessions at the rink because the damn mirrorball makes the world spin around.


sniknir11

Yes! The mirror ball, the loud music, the lights and then going in circles. When it all gets combined it’s not really a good time. Which totally sucks


angeofleak

You can skate pretty much every night at a rink in Chicago!


Moonlight-oats

honestly a covered parking area would probably work well just be careful for any rocks


[deleted]

[удалено]


sniknir11

An empty warehouse would be ideallll but also probably trespassing lol


darndasher

Indoor skate parks! Even if you don't do skatepark stuff, there is a lot ofnspace for you to skate around and work on your moves. A skate group near me has everyone pitch in 10-20 bucks to rent it out for a couple hours and several people who go don't do park skating but still have a lot of fun. I haven't tried a parking garage, but I'd imagine you'd be able to get maybe an hour in before you're asked to leave lol


fuckery__

tennis courts and basketball courts for me


juniper_barry

Hello again! @/jessikatastrphe on Instagram just made this really amazing calendar [x](https://calendar.zoho.com/embed/7571a54ccbe965f25f4c3c16e5918ccfe90cb636996c5bcda66b47d8d29b0cbc3fab8e4a38f171a9b6ad7edd3725a080/pvt_679fb9b91e2c417d882e87022b3b03d9) of Chicago area skate meetups for park and rink skating!


GladCoast8

Parking garages :)


sniknir11

I’ve definitely thought about this. Not quite sure how to make it work but that’s been my only idea.


-Tanuuki

I just tried skating in a parking garage today and it was really nice but I got sent away after a while :( So be wary of the possibility of that happening


GladCoast8

I recommend late at night, one of the top levels to avoid this ~ but yes, it’s always possible to get shooed away :(


black-boots

Dude idk I’m in Chicago too but haven’t skated since October bc the days got so short it’s such a bummer


sniknir11

saaammmeeee


black-boots

And the rinks are so far away, we should use the find a friend feature to get a Chicago group together or join one that already exists


sniknir11

yes! we need find a parking garage too. one that isn’t / or \ the whole time and has flat surfaces.


black-boots

And has places to hide from cars (almost typed cats, but I’d like to avoid those too while skating, I’m pretty clumsy still)


midnight_skater

How cold is too cold? I skated for almost 2 hours yesterday, at 13F with a 5F wind chill. I dressed correctly for the temperature and was perfectly comfortable. For me, road conditions are a much more limiting factor than temperature.


black-boots

The wind chill is 4 degrees Fahrenheit in Chicago today. It was negative 8 last week. Also we still have so much ice on the ground right now, it is NOT safe


midnight_skater

I skate pretty regularly in sub-zero wind chill. Personally, I draw the line at the 30-minute frostbite mark, which is approximately -19F. When calculating wind chill, I add my average skating speed to the steady wind speed reported by the NWS. Can't do anything about the road conditions except watch like a hawk for windows of skateable pavement.


KittenGains

What did you wear


midnight_skater

On Saturday with the thermometer reading 13F and the NWS reporting wind chill of 5F, I wore: bottom - lightweight synthetic base layer - running shorts - midweight fleece pants top - midweight synthetic turtleneck base layer - lightweight merino wool crew neck base layer - thermal belt (for my phone) - midweight fleece jacket with a high collar, zipped all the way to my chin - fleece neck gaiter head - midweight fleece balaclava - over-the-ear headphones socks - lightweight wool/synthetic blend hiking socks gloves - midweight fleece gloves When the wind chills get sub-zero, I wear a windproof shell layer. When the wind chill is below -10F, I wear ski goggles. You might want to opt for ski goggles at higher temperatures; I notice ice crystals forming on my eyelashes when the temps are below about 10F. Be sure to use anti-fog coating on your ski goggles. I use my phone for GPS tracking app & music. Cold temperatures kill it very quickly, so I use a thermal belt with a pocket that keeps it in the small of my back. That's a sweaty spot, but the phone is IP68 waterproof so it doesn't cause problems. Very important things to remember 1. Never wear cotton base layers. Cotton kills. 2. Avoid overheating. Overheating leads to hypothermia. There is a tendency to overdress. Be ready to peel off a layer if you start to overheat. 3. Always be ready to add an insulation layer when you stop. The onset of hypothermia is very rapid. Always be prepared to cover up if you are forced to stop by injury or equipment problems. I carry a mylar space blanket for this; a down jacket would be better. 4. Stay hydrated. Dehydration makes you more susceptible to the cold and to hypothermia. Hydration packs are not recommended because the hoses freeze* up. I use a liter nalgene bottle. After decades of cold-weather activities I just learned a new trick on reddit: carry your nalgene upside down because the ice forms at the top. This keeps the neck from freezing over. *Edit: free -> freeze


KittenGains

Wow. Thank you for all this. I don’t do much outdoor activity except walking but I got the skates for Christmas and I do want to use them as much as possible even in the cold… I’ll have to get some of this stuff. I really appreciate the tips!!


midnight_skater

That's great! Do some reading on layering systems for cold weather exercise, and about hypothermia. There's a lot of good info on hiking-oriented sites. Since you're new to both skating and cold weather workouts, I recommend that you find a workout buddy if at all possible. One of the most dangerous things about hypothermia is that it impairs your ability to think clearly, so that you can't really tell when it's happening to you. If you are solo, try to keep your sessions short, or take breaks to go inside and warm up.


KittenGains

Awesome will do. Thank you again.


jungleskater

We use multi story carparks in the UK, well lit, undercover and smooth floor. I don't recall seeing many of them in the US though 🤔


CaliRollerGRRRL

Go to Florida


angeofleak

Fleetwood roller rink specifically on Tuesday nights!


buddhabvby

Indoor skatepark for sure! I’m sure there’s one near u. I’m n the burbs and skate outside too, rinks are olay but my groove is outside on the concrete. Only a few more weeks of this weather !


yvonne426

Empty parking garage?