You never forget how to skate, your brain doesn't and your body doesn't. But as you grow older you become more afraid of falling and that fear makes you insecure, so you'll fall.....

All you need is some courage to break this vicious circle.

Nope you need a helmet .... it stops the recurring visions of your grey matter splattering across the ice.

Courage doesn't stop you fracturing your skull or getting concussion, it promotes them - a helmet reduces the chance of both

Did anyone out there try the adult skating lessons (obviously only attended by immigrants (and my canadian wife)) Our Local Parks and Rec department runs them, the only downside is the ungodly ice time they are scheduled for, early saturday morning. I got as far as learning cross cuts and then gave it up in favour of a lie in. Still cant do backwards crosscuts, but thats pretty advanced for a Brit I think. Backyard rink is the next step

I thought about it - unfortunately my kids play hockey at those ungodly hours - I have to be at 6am hockey games in places like High River and Indus.

Going again this weekend!! If I keep this up will be next Torvill and Dean not!!!

I tried while one of my boys was at his early morning hockey practice. 6.00am - freezing bloody cold, stiff as a board and on my rear end more times than I can count. So sad...my son asked me no to tell anyone that we were related.

Was it more embarassig for you or for your son?

I know the feeling - the worse bit is when you get ten year olds stopping to tell you "you're doing really well", while your own kids go zipping round the ice.

A backyard rink is easy to do. The first year we got one of the giant plastic bag ones - fill it with water, allow ENOUGH time for it to freeze and then pull the top bit of the bag off. The ice wasn't perfect, but it was fine for my kids to learn to skate on. The second year I got some lumber, made a frame and used a plastic sheet for the bottom - I seem to remember the only problem was mild weather.

You can get the plastic bag instant rinks from Walmart, Canadian Tire, etc.

If you want to get the lumber and build a frame, go ask at the Home Depot.

My problem is I worked out how much water it would take for a 20 x 40 rink, and it would take my weedy well about a week flat out to fill it I guess if Im going to do it I wold need to get the water in by tanker. Oh well, the joys of rural living. Might just have to skate on the canal, but Ive not been here long enough to know where the springs / thin spots are.

I've got the urban advantage there - no shortage of water! There's also a free to use outdoor rink across the park from the house, as well as the three double arenas within a ten minute drive. Now I remember why I came to Calgary ....

If some of you need a guide for backyard rink building here is a good article about it
Hockey really is fun, don't understand why it is so unpopular back in Europe.
It has been six months since I am in Montreal and all I can say is Go Habs Go!

One thing that doesnt say is ...and I cant stress this enough...DONT LET ANY LEAVES GET IN THE WATER BEFORE OR AFTER IT FREEZES.

Leaves heat up in the sun, resulting in nice pits in the ice that are a pain to fix.

Did eventually make my back yard rink without resorting to the water truck. All you really need is patience and a big tarp, plus some wood to support the tarp (we used logs). Well worth the effort, but this year its going the other side of the yard, further from the trees!

That is absolutely fab, I envy that backyard.

Aye, snow's great...dont have to cut it That's the great thing about this area...lots of land for not much $. One of the few things my OH and I agree on is that we love our yard.

What....you disagree on every other stuff?