This primitive method of skating did not last forever, of course. Skaters complained that they could not move quickly enough. So, in the late 1500s, the Scots invented the prototype to the steel-bladed skates we use today. (On a related note, they invented the game of curling around the same time.)
If Scandinavians and Scots can skate, so can Virginians. Our climate might be mild and our blood a little thin, but we’re Southerners (dammit!). We’ve got grit, and we recognize the primal appeal of skating outdoors—with chill air in our faces. It’s elemental, like eating turkey off the bone, which is something we still do share with early man!
Several cities, including Reston (the Town Center), Manassas (Harris Pavilion), Arlington (Pentagon Row), Norfolk (MacArthur Ice) and Hampton (Va. Air and Space Center) have outdoor skating rinks, and Richmond has just built a new one downtown. Now, go out and glide!
For a full list of outdoor skating venues, go to VirginiaLiving.com/IceSkating
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