Sunday, February 29, 2004
Our Roller-Soccer
On Monday Night � February 23, 2004
I�m not wanting to write much about APRR�s Roller-Soccer in this entry. (I�d rather someone else write about it. � Carl, is this you?) But for you, and for this entry, I�ll let the action-packed photos shown below tell the awesome Roller-Soccer story of unlimited exhilaration, back-to-back extreme excitement, and lots of smiles and pain combined. Sure, a number of APRR skate their way over to the Georgia Tech campus to observe the continuous movements of others in an almost dance like fashion. But to actually get out on the concrete Roller-Soccer court and participate in this uncoordinated waltz or perhaps coordinated free-for-all� that�s a totally different story.
You see, in Roller-Soccer, you basically have two sides. One side generally wears white or some other light colored shirt or sweatshirt; and the other side wears an upper garment that�s dark. There are perhaps many different ways of playing Roller-Soccer, one way being just like that of traditional soccer. However, APRR has been enjoying a different version. Through its version, for one of the teams to score a point, each player of that team must touch (or contact) the soccer ball prior to the other team gaining control of it. (No use of hands though!)
Strategically, you�ll want your team to be in close proximity of the ball when on offence. This permits the entirety of your team to conveniently and quickly touch the ball (and score a point). And when on defense, it�s also a good idea to be close to the constantly moving ball. This allows any given member of your team to more easily interfere with the accumulation of your opponent�s touches (and prevents them from scoring a point). Better yet, when on defense and in the same situation, you�ll get a gold star if you intercept the ball for your team.. However, you�ll also want your team to fill the playing court�s open spaces. This may help your team to better regain control of a �loose ball,� if not to move the ball further away from your opponents.
The game usually winds down and wraps-up after an all-out couple hours of hard, but fun-loving play; and, upon the time when multiple players end up falling to the concrete floor, mulling around on it, and exclaiming that they can no longer get up. �I think that just about does it for me,� Mims R exclaimed after a super long moment of silence and after Carl had head-butted into the side of his rib cage. �I�ll be feeling this for quite some time.�
It was an even longer moment of silence before Carl said anything. He too was sprawled out on the cold floor. �I didn�t realize your ribs were so hard.�
Cindy, Paul, Greg, Carl, and the offensive & defensive light pole.
-
Roller Soccer spectators Lisa, Tom, Rickson, and Ben
.
Carl, Greg, Cindy, and Beth
.
Spectator Ben and his overly social friends.
(Mark, Nancy, Mims, and Thomas)
.
An APRR gathering for an impromptu group photo.
(left to right)
(first row) ???(I�m thinking his name is Doug), Donald,
Amber, Paul, Cindy, Carl, and Mims
(next row) Chuck, Stephanie, Lisa, Nancy, and Ben
(top row) Greg, Rickson, Mark, Beth, Tom, and Thomas
.
Same as above, except I�m now somewhere in there too.
.
Mims
.
Greg and Mims
.
Paul
.
Cindy, Mims, and Greg
.
Carl, Paul, and Greg
Mims in background.
.
Carl and Mims
.
Cindy and Mims
With Greg charging in.
.
Cindy and Mims
With Greg falling down.
.
Paul, Mims, and Cindy
.
Paul and Carl � Cindy and Mims
.
Carl, Paul, Mims, and Cindy
.
Mims perfecting a backward moving hockey stop.
.
Mims and Carl
.
Mims, Cindy, Greg, and Carl
.
Carl, Cindy, Mims, and the runaway ball.
.
Greg had just fallen down and cried, �Help, I can�t get up!�
I then encouraged him to get up so he could see this picture
on the camera�s large LCD screen. �With my hair, it almost
looks like blood�s coming out of my helmet,� he observed.
�Yea, you should make it look red,� quipped Mims.
�And what if I make it look green?,� I responded.
�You�re right. We always thought there was something
strange about Greg,� settled Mims.
.
Mims
.
Cindy and her husband, Paul
.
�Did YOU SEE THAT !!!,� was exactly what Mims said as I snapped this
photo of him and Carl.
�Ha, Ha, Ha, Ha ...THAT !!! was my FIRST EVER sliding tackle!�
.
Greg and Paul
.
There�s absolutely NOTHING staged about this photo�
It�s pretty typical.
(Greg and Cindy, and what�s left of Carl)
Posted by marcstpierre @ 11:34 PM EDT [Link]
Monday, February 23, 2004
Our Park to Park (P2P) Skate
On Saturday Morning � February 21, 2004
Caroline B held to her word. Nine o�clock came around, and she was ready to go. Perhaps she over emphasized this to me, knowing that I�m practically always late. �I�m cold,� she said as I pulled my skates out of my car. Bingo! This was either a subtle hint, or an opportunity to warm her up and smooth her over with my warm, inner-lined denim-jeans jacket that laid on top of and was hiding my second skate from me.
�I�m going as fast as I can,� I said. �Let me just find my other skate.� Although the rear extended cab of my pick-up truck is fairly small, I sometimes have lots of crap in it. After digging through everything, usually something weird happens, like realizing something is amiss. Like my other skate being left at home for example.
�Oh, there it is,� I said after finding it under the coat and jammed halfway up under the passenger seat. (It was actually hard to overlook the bright orange, heavy as hell 100mm scooter wheels that I�ve now got on the things.) After putting on my jeans jacket to get warm, Caroline was satisfied for no more than three minutes. �Ok, ok, ok, I�m almost ready to go,� I said to her after having taken half the wheels off my frames to be what I thought was a quickie rotation job.
(I never was good at quickies as they always ended up taking hours.)
�You know Marc,� she responded half disgruntled, �we need to tell you that we�re leaving at 8:30, so that you�re ready to leave when we�re ready to leave 9:00!
This week�s P2P skaters on Sinclair Ave., near Little
Five Points. (Ben H, Caroline B, and David K in back)
-
The constant up hills & down hills of Dekalb Ave.
(Caroline and Ben)
-
Dakalb Avenue
-
Ben with Caroline in tow.
-
Caroline and Ben making their way to Stone Mountain via Church Street.
(I was praying that we�d make it on time.)
-
Once at Stone Mountain, I had a sudden & strong urge
to climb to its top. The day was simply too nice. The sun
was wonderfully bright, the temperature pleasantly nice,
and my mind was now stating to me: Just do it � Cause
it�s there! So I said my good byes to Caroline and Ben.
(David was a bit slower, so we dropped him a little ways
back.)
I then took off my skates & socks and proceeded to the
beginning of the mountain's granite trail. Then Mamie,
her friend Jonathan K, and Puck Kerr (the Wonder Dog)
discovered me. (Actually, most everyone at Stone Mountain
Park seemed to discover me as I was the only idiot around
who was barefoot, wearing spandex shorts, and looking
like a kid with roller skates slung over his shoulder.
Inwardly, I pretended that I was a most attractive young
man, since everyone was turning their heads to stare in
my direction. But I also came to realize that that was
somewhat short of what they were really thinking.)
I tried hard to convince Mamie & John to race up the
850' tall mountain with me. But they merely smiled and
continued to stare at me.
I then ran up the mountain. The skate that had been slung
over my backside repetitively smashed into my right arm�s
funny bone, near my elbow. And somewhere along the way,
I stubbed one of my toes. But all along the way, people
stared. Some simply shouted out, �Hey� You� you ought-a�
just put on your skates!�
-
Beautiful Stone Mountain and a section of its foot trail up to the top.
-
A sign discovered along the way.
-
About the Sweet Gum Tree:
1) The Sweetgum tree, Liquidambar styraciflua,
is a rapid growing shade tree usually grown for
its excellent fall color. It has an upright pyramidal
growth habit in its youth and then becomes
spreading, irregular, and open as it ages. The
star shaped lustrous dark green foliage turns a
spectacular fall color, often a combination of
green, yellow, orange, red and purple foliage,
but sometimes solid crimson, burgundy or scarlet.
2) It tastes good if you lick it.
-
More of the uphill trail.
-
Toward the top, there are fewer trees, and more people,
like me, huffing & puffing.
-
And like virtually any high-altitude mountain, the last 100 feet or so
is usually the most difficult to run up barefooted.
-
The pretty view looking toward Atlanta from my perch near the top of
Stone Mountain. With a steady, chilled wind, lying in the warm sun was
most delicious.
-
I suddenly decided that Life is GREAT !!!
So in turn, I took a picture of myself.
-
So here I am, at the top of a mountain, with no shoes on,
thinking Life is GREAT, and taking pictures of myself when
I hear my name being called out in the steady, chilled wind.
I at first thought it was God calling to me in praise.
But then I discovered it was David.
??? David ???
Oh my gosh, David�s up here too!
We had ditched him way back in Decatur or someplace.
Now he�s up here at the top of the mountain with me.
And he�s got no shoes on!!!
I couldn�t help but to stare at the crazy fool.
�David, what�s you doin� up here?,� I asked into the steady,
chilled wind.
�The day�s too perfect, and the top of the mountain was too
close. Besides, I�m hiking up Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa later
this year, and I wanted some practice,� he said with a smile.
(I started to think of how Atlanta�s Stone Mountain compares
to Africa�s Kilimanjaro� but like a computer in an endless loop�
I was stumped.)
-
Marc and David at the top of Stone Mountain.
-
David standing at the point that I considered to be the very
top of Stone Mountain. (I should�ve given him an American or
Union flag to hold. Or better yet - - a Confederate flag!)
-
Heading down the mountain.
�Hey� You� ya� otta just put your skates on,� I again heard someone
else quip.
-
An upper portion of Stone Mountain.
The other three sides of the mountain have slopes that are
at or near a vertical. On the vertical frontside of the mountain
is a massive carving of three Civil War era Confederate heroes.
These are President Jefferson Davis, General Robert E. Lee,
and Lt. General Thomas �Stonewall� Jackson. During the evening
in the Summer, a spectacular lazer light show is presented on
the vertical face of this frontside of the mountain.
-
David on �The Path,� heading toward downtown Decatur and
then on toward Atlanta�s Piedmont Park.
-
Somewhere around Church Street, David and I picked-up
Ulysses L. �I�m improving,� he said to us. �I�m goin� faster
all the time.�
�Lots of practice makes the difference,� I responded.
�Practice makes PERFECT !� was his reply.
Later, David said to me that he feels so small when next to
someone who�s been through so much hardship, and yet turns
around and accomplishes so much later in life. Yep. Someone
like Ulysses rightfully earns all the respect in the World !
-
David and Ulysses on Church Street.
-
Ulysses L.
-
The route back to Piedmont Park can be divided:
1) The traditional A2A route along Dekalb Ave.
2) Along McLendon Ave.
McLendon Ave is far, far more arduous with its series of
extreme up-hills. So, that�s the route that I chose. And
upon reaching these stairs at the top of the final extreme
hill� Congrats!!! You�re almost home! And it's basically all
down hill from here!
Posted by marcstpierre @ 12:28 AM EDT [Link]
Saturday, February 21, 2004
Our Skate, Skate, Skate
On Wednesday Night - February 18, 2004
“It’s such a beautiful night, how can anyone NOT come out tonight?,” Chuck O asked out loud.
He didn’t have to say much: cars continued to stream into the Carter Center parking lot. Throughout the day at my work, I’d been looking out a window in the architecture company’s colonial looking building. With no clouds in the sky for a change, the sun bleached through the barren trees, finding its way in between the blinds of our colonial looking double hung windows. I felt as if in a bird cage while at work today, listening to Navy F-18’s scream immediately overhead on final approach to the long runway at Naval Air Station-Atlanta & Dobbins Air Force Base. Then, moments later, the building would rumble from huge C-5 B’s, brand new C-130 J’s and the Air Force’s yet to be released F-22 Rapture fighter aircraft. They brushed against the colonial type shingles on our rooftop during their continuous chase of each other in relentless touch-and-go loops - - all day long.
If they could have fun in the sun - - why couldn’t I?
My layout and design of a new Gold’s Gym flickered on my computer screen. My arms throbbed from working-out at one of the LA Fitness gyms the night before. Crying were my legs - - to be back in my skates. Like a cowboy on a saddle, or cold coffee in my dirty, sticky mug. So where was my mind? It was racing forward in time, faster than the F-15 E’s and F/A-18 E’s cracking through the sound barrier somewhere above my throbbing head. My mind was racing toward the anticipated beautiful evening. It was racing toward an expected skating bliss.
--
I was found sitting on the warmer than normal Carter Center parking lot asphalt, rotating wheels and such, when a soft kiss came to the top of my head from behind me. It was Elizabeth D secretly introducing herself to me. It was obvious that she was in a good mood too. And so was Caroline B, who offered that I’d be welcome to skate with her from Piedmont Park to Stone Mountain this coming Saturday morning at 9:00 AM, provided I’m on time (which only rarely happens... if ever at all). Ann S gave me one of the best bear hugs I’ve had in a long time. So, apparently, she was in a good mood. And then there was APRR’s newest skater, Kei le M (pronounced as ‘Kaylee’). Kei le was excited because her newly made friend from church, Angela H, was also joining us tonight.
If the women were happy, then so were the guys. Tom S was happy that Lisa M was able to make use of her badly injured knee, and tag along with him on her mountain bike. His roommate, John, was happy that Kei le was close by and laughing with him and smiling. I was happy that Angela had come up from Peachtree City to meet me. Yong HT was happy because, well, that’s just the way he is. David K was happier than normal (similar to Yong, being happy is simply David's nature). And we were all happy to see Paul M back with us tonight.
After taking a hiking backpack off her shoulders (Elizabeth D thinks that she’s going to survive a three-week APRR European Skating Trip "Euro-Roll" with a simple backpack), she called us to attention. However, without Mark D's stern voice, it took a while for the chatter to subside. (It never really did.) And speaking of Mark D, we now have an explicit plan to hunt him down, kidnap him, and bring him back within the APRR family circle - - where he justly belongs.
--
With Kei le around, it was obvious to Elizabeth that Chuck O would be leading a slower skate. “Who’s going on a slower skate with Chuck?,” she asked all of us.
“Nope. This will be a beginner skate,” was his reply.
It was during the previous Monday that I was so looking forward to continuing a beginner skate on behalf of Kei le. One week before, Kei le showed up at the Carter Center for the first time. (Chuck, Ann S, and I first saw her in her car during our Zunday zleeper zkate (Zzz). We had been sleeping while skating, but quickly woke up upon discovering her.) “You’ve got to come out and skate with us,” Ann said to her.
“Where can I go to rent skates? I’ve only skated once before and it was a complete disaster! How many are in your group? I’m new here and I want to meet people!”
“We’ll take care of you,” I said.
She showed up to the Monday Night Skate that next evening. I showed up with a brand new pair of K2 skates, wrist guards, kneepads, elbow pads, helmet, etc. For an hour and a half, I taught her everything I knew about skating safely (which based upon my history of high-speed crashes and idiotic maneuvers into crowds of people - - the soundness of my advise was very limited). It rained on Wednesday. But by the following Monday, she was back. And so was my thumping heart. I was dearly looking forward to another session of one-on-one tutorial of holding her hand and helping her to feel secure.
“Oh Kei le, it’s so nice to see you here. Welcome!,” exclaimed Chuck when his eyes initially fell upon her this past Monday night. “Who wants to go with us on a Beginner Skate???,” he asked moments later during the group announcements to the somewhat large group. Chuck’s offer was torture to my ears. All my expectations for the evening went into disarray. My thumping heart instantly went kaput.
All of the guys in the group eagerly raised their hand.
John gives us a thumbs-up that he doesn’t
need to fly a jet tonight. Having wheels on
your feet is so much more exhilarating.
-
Jennifer H thinks it’s a hoot that I actually
got under her skate to make this image.
She was in the process of tying her boot,
but I must have disturbed her concentration.
-
Robert B puts the final touches on what he
considers to be a perfect bow in the lace
of his right skate boot.
-
George W and Anne S adjust their wrist
sliders. You’d think it was cold, but the
temperature was actually very pleasant.
-
Kei le gets some tender loving assistance
from John. (She’s still learning how to skate,
and how the Velcro attaches to itself.)
-
And a warm and reverend welcome to Angela H,
from Peachtree City. After she had put all my
stuff on, I discovered she looked just like me.
-
Mark R can borrow Brenda; but I’ll always claim her as my own.
-
The image of Lisa crashing in the middle of a street near
Emory University has been burned into my mind. There was
no moon light that night and the street was very dark.
Unknown to us, there were a series of confined bumps in
the middle of the particular street that we were on. We
had just come off a long hill, so we were traveling relatively
fast. Lisa may have been in the middle of our group, but she
was a few yards in front of me. I watched her darkened
silhouette twist sideways and go down. I watched her slide
uncontrollably along the street. I clearly heard her fall.
Had I been immediately beside her or even behind her, I
now know in clarity that I would have instinctively grabbed
onto her jacket collar. I would’ve tried to prevent her from
reaching the ground. I was simply too far away. The thought
still goes through my mind.
Lisa is seen here adjusting her knee brace. She’s unsure if
she wants to undergo optional knee surgery. But she knows
that those bumps have caused her lots of discomfort and
pain. She’s been riding her mountain bike as part of much
needed physical therapy.
-
Nancy G getting ready.
I’m not going to go as far as calling her a “bag
lady.” But come on Nancy, what woman needs
to be inside a shopping bag to get ready?
-
Stephanie R getting ready for any cold weather
that may come her way.
-
Okay, I mentioned above that David was in
a good mood. This photo, as being typical of
him, proves my point.
-
Yong HT arrived LATE !!!
So late that he had to succumb to joining the Beginner Skate
with Chuck and I. Yong spent the vast majority of his time
with the hottie – Angela.
-
Getting ready for the Big Night on town.
(please email his name to me that I may
change this text.)
-
Bill drinking-up the last of the ‘spirits’ before hitting
the road on his spirited skates.
-
Jennifer making final preparations.
-
Our beginner skate group.
Something tells me that Chuck’s grown rabbit ears !
(Angela and Yong –Chuck and Kei le)
-
Angela & Kei le
-
Our assistant teacher, Yong, also takes a
needed break.
-
The students of APRR’s Skate School.
(Myself, Angela, Kei le)
-
Yong HT
Posted by marcstpierre @ 01:15 AM EDT [Link]
Sunday, February 8, 2004
Our Skate in the Peach Bowl Parade
On Friday – January 2, 2004
(Part 2 of, well, actually 3)
Getting started & heading toward the long awaited National cameras.
.
LIVE on National Television !!!
Yep!
I was the one!
I was interviewed on National Television!
And was asked a whole slew of questions!
And what I said…
And the string of responses I gave…
Well…
The moment after I said whatever I said…
And after stringing the responses that I gave…
I then suddenly had no recollection or clue!
(I was somewhere on Cloud-9)
But Laurie K’s mother, up in Vermont…
Called Laurie on her cell phone soon after…
And reported to us that the young man in the yellow (jersey)…
The one in Laurie’s skating group…
That talked on the camera and was seen in Vermont…
Was Awfully Cute!
(That must have been me.)
.
Paul & Cindy & the Death Star
.
The vast majority of the parade’s spectators (perhaps all of them),
were either wearing University of Tennessee attire, or that from
Clemson. There was no peach color on the sides of Peachtree Street,
only orange and white.
.
Some Clemson fans.
(One of my favorite images.)
.
Laurie K
.
APRR on Peachtree Street
.
Paul K
.
Laurie K
.
Skate Aerobics
(Chuck, Donald, and Cindy)
.
Cindy S
.
.
Russell B
.
Chuck O
.
A Tennessee fan, her relatives,
and her adversaries.
.
Paul & Cindy & the Death Star again.
And again and again - all the way up
the street.
.
Stephanie R
.
Carol, Paula, and Donald
.
The Party on Peachtree
.
Mark D
.
Paul K
.
Cindy S
Posted by marcstpierre @ 10:19 PM EDT [Link]
Saturday, February 7, 2004
Our Skate, Skate, Skate
On Wednesday Night – February 4, 2004
Don R & his Quacker
(His car warning system that sounds like a duck –
as if we’re a line of ducks crossing each street.)
.
Thomas P & his damn ringing phone.
“Damn thing’s always ringing,” he almost
always exclaims.
.
Yong HT & his knee warmers.
Yong’s a doctor.
He knows about tendons & ligaments.
He thinks they should be warm.
.
George W & one of his cooking ovens.
.
Stephanie R, her red scarf, and her
water bottle.
(The skate tool – she gave to me.)
.
Mark R
.
Ben H has gone BIG !
.
Chuck O
.
Tom S and Yong HT appear from behind forbidden lines.
.
Sam F catches “Big Air” in the back of his coat.
(But presumably not his own.)
.
Tom S & his sheik outerwear.
.
Tom S
.
Doctor Yong HT and the traumatized
skate. “One-mor-momunt and we’ll get
you all fixed up.”
.
Doctor Yong during prolonged surgery.
His assistant, Don R, continues to patiently
provide needed light.
.
Doctor Yong is both quick on the operating
table and quick on his toes...
“Where are our heads?,” he exclaimed in
lightning speed during the same moment
that the camera’s LCD turned on.
(Mark R, Tom S, Yong HT)
.
Bill B and the Olympic Tower.
“My arm’s getting tired of doing this.”
.
APRR’s Quince T & Caroline B.
After not seeing him & skating with him for so long,
we were surprised to have run into Quince while on
the road. “Were are your skates?,” just about all of
us asked him. (He then gave us some lame excuse.)
.
Chuck's been like an angel to us.
.
Tom S, Don R, and the man in the mirror.
.
Yong HT winding down a cold, but most pleasant night.
Posted by marcstpierre @ 01:34 PM EDT [Link]
