Another Raleigh-area skater checking in. I usually skate in Garner and Cary, and usually in the afternoons, after work. I'd like to try the Factory, but it's a haul from Clayton (and I work in Smithfield) I'm the still-overweight red head if you ever make it to the south side of town.

Hi Jeanette,

Yep, skaternum and I were on the first freestyle session this morning. I'm sorry we didn't get to meet you, but I'm sure we will soon enough. If you are close to Factory, IcePlex should be closeby for you too, which is where I usually skate.

Incidentally, are you the same person who was asking a while back about Raleigh skating? I recall someone who posted but couldn't remember if it was you.

Good luck!

Kelton

Yep, that was me a few months ago asking about skating in Raleigh. I was at the session on Monday, but I was at the 10 a.m. public session, not the freestyle. I saw two adults - a woman and a man who were sitting and talking and they had just come off a freestyle session I believe. It must have been "you guys!" Do any adults skate on public sessions? I just like them a little better because they are usually empty in the morning. I'm not too fond of skating with the whiz kids. I liked the ice at The Factory. I did skate at Iceplex on our last visit here to check on the house we were having built. The Factory is closer but I'm quite interested in the classes mentioned at Iceplex. I'll have to check this out. I am so happy to hear there are adults in the area. (Skaters that is!) The public sessions in NY in the morning were usually all adults - and only between 5 and 10. Is it the same here? Also, let me pick your brains a little more, please. I'm looking for adult dance classes, esp ballet and tap. I've called a few places but either the adults are in with the 13 yr olds or there are no adult classes.

Thanks all of you for the welcoming replies and your help. Looking forward to meeting you all.

Jeanette

Yes, that was us! I think I remember seeing you get on the public session in the other rink. Darn, I wish I'd read this forum before I went -- I'd have introduced myself.

Most of the adult skaters in the area skate on fs sessions, rather than public. There are a few who do public, but it's mostly skate school students. Most of the adult skaters here work normal day jobs, so we can't do the less populated morning public sessions. It's just not practical or safe for us to skate on crowded sessions (Kelton does doubles and is this close to some triples, and I skate pairs, for example.) The morning public session, AFAIK, seem to be a mix of a few adults and some home-schooled kids.

As for skating with the whiz kids, I haven't had any issues doing so. There isn't any hostility here toward adults, like I've heard about in other places, and everyone is supoprtive of adults.

Hooray for you for taking dance classes! I used to be a ballet dancer (seems like another life ago!), and I continued to take class when I moved to Raleigh. I'd suggest either the Cary School of Ballet or the Raleigh School of Ballet. Both have adult classes and are well-run with excellent faculty.

A few of us are going to the Ashburn, VA competiton in a couple of weeks. Come along for the ride if you'd like to meet some of the adult skaters!

Hi Jeannette and welcome to NC!! I like The Factory but it is far from where I live and work. I usually skate on public sessions at the Iceplex Friday afternoon and Sunday afternoon, the Reczone on Sat. afternoon, and possibly the Triangle Sportsplex or Iceplex in the morning before work-- though that is rare since I am not a morning person. Well, now that it snowed today I won't be able to practice tomorrow morning. I hope to see you at the rink sometime! I am a short Asian woman. I'm 31 but recently a friend of my coach thought I was 14 (he was far away and didn't see the crow's feet, haha).

The trip to Virginia sounds like a good possibility. We just moved in a week ago and I'm in the throes of unpacking and trying to get our house set up. I hear what you are saying about fs ice, I might have to force myself to get used to it, but I want to get my feet under me a little over here and possibly find a coach. I will make it a point to say hello the next time I see any of you. I experienced the renowned southern hospitality first hand last night. I was stuck on Capitol for 7 and a half hours. I made it from the Triangle Mall to the Fabric Mill Warehouse before Perry Creek Road in all of that time. I was so "done" that I pulled into the parking lot of the fabric place and saw some women in there. I knocked on the door and asked to spend the night. I couldn't get to Perry Creek Rd. where I had to turn to go home! Since they were spending the night too, they let me stay, gave me some foam to lay on, sheets and a pillow and blanket. I slept there til 6 this morning and then went home. I was so grateful. I am done in today and just laid low - no skating, no working out - I just don't have enough oomph in me! I'll bounce back tomorrow, let's hope the weather cooperates. Hope to see you soon! Jeanette

Whoa! Poor Jeanette! Sadly, this is what happens in the South when you get snow or ice. People just freak out! Hope to meet you in person soon.

Sorry to hear about your terrible traffic/weather incident. That's so nice of them to let you sleep in the store! And to think my boss got on my case for not driving to work when it started snowing. Hope you get to skate soon!

I have recovered from my trauma of the ice storm and feel so relieved that I am not in the midst of the blizzard and subsequent mountains of snow in NY! I'm enjoying the clear weather in NC. I met Heather at the factory. She knows some of "you guys." She is so nice and we've been enjoying being the only two on the ice at The Factory. So far so good. I'm going to try to get to the Iceplex soon. Hope to meet more of you! Jeanette

Hi Jeanette! I'm also from the Raleigh area and have skated at the Factory a few times but mostly practice at the Ice or Sportsplex. Glad your able to take advantage of the empty publics:]

Could you do me a favor? The next time you see Heather tell her that I still have her CD...

Nice to 'meet' you!

-Chad

Hey guys,
Can you play your own music on the freestyle sessions at The Factory? I didn't notice any tape/CD players at the side of the rink. Thanks.

Hi skatingatty:] I was there about a week ago and they didn't yet have a system which allowed you to play your own music. Did see some portable radios out on the boards though?

They're on the long side opposite the rink lobby/snack bar.

Chad! - long time no see! Just getting back into skating mode after baby #2. I will get that cd back sometime - no worries

Jeanette - I am so happy to have a skating buddy out on those empty sessions

Heather

Oh my gosh, Heather--long time, no see!

Oh, it's Stephen by the way, your favorite (ex)Duke student.

__________________
Doubt whom you will, but never yourself.
"Do what you love, and you'll never have to work a day in your life."
-Haha, I've *arrived*! I am listed as a reference on Wikipedia.

BIGFOOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh how I miss thee!!! I do hope to get back into competition/testing mode soon! Woohoo!!

Ah, yes, I've finally jumped on the testing/competing bandwagon and as of last August, I am now competinng in pairs. Imagine that.

__________________
Doubt whom you will, but never yourself.
"Do what you love, and you'll never have to work a day in your life."
-Haha, I've *arrived*! I am listed as a reference on Wikipedia.

Welcome back:] I'm sure we'll bump into each other before long now that you're back on the ice. And that damn CD, how long has it been now?

Hey Buddy!

Imagine my shock that "uncfigsk8er" is on this board....she who surfs and lurks but never posts! Welcome to the dark side.

And Jeannette, I'm really glad that you got to meet Heather (one of my best buddies!) but I'm really jealous that you get to skate with her now and I don't.

Oh well. Maybe I just need to start hauling it all the way to Raleigh again.

Oh, and NoVaSk8er ... duke sucks.

Love y'all!

__________________
"Gravity is a harsh mistress." -- The Tick

Boo! Hiss! I guess if being ranked #2 sucks ... And Duke is ranked higher than UNC, so the Tar Heels must *REALLY* suck then, eh?

(I'm actually more of a Syracuse fan--my undergrad alma mater. They're not doing so badly this year, either, at #4!)

__________________
Doubt whom you will, but never yourself.
"Do what you love, and you'll never have to work a day in your life."
-Haha, I've *arrived*! I am listed as a reference on Wikipedia.

Yes, Heather, I'm happy you are there too. Having the ice all to oneself is a dream come true, for about 20 minutes, and then it gets too darned lonely! So, I'm always glad when I see you there. And, thanks for the help Friday! See you Monday! J

Hubby and I are taking an impromptu trip to North Carolina this weekend. We're thinking of relocating there. We really like large older homes with a bit of land, but not a plantation. School system has to be great. And, of course, there must be ICE!

Any neighborhood suggestions in or around the Triangle? We'd like to take a drive through and check out the places.

__________________

Quick suggestions/comments:

Note -- all these are generalizations. You'll probably find examples that make me look like a liar.

Don't know what your definitions of "large" and "older" are, but Chapel Hill might be a good place to look. Quite frankly, you're not going to find TOO much in the way of "a bit of land" in the cities of Raleigh, Durham, or Cary. Because of the growth boom in the 90s, you have to go out in the 'burbs (Holly Springs, Apex, Garner, Wake Forest) to get a decent-sized lot. But there you're not going to find much in the way of "older" homes -- lots of new development out there. Older homes will generally be "inside the beltline" in Raleigh or in Chapel Hill. You might also want to look in Hillsborough.

There's ice everywhere...
Raleigh: Iceplex and Reczone.
Cary: Icehouse
Garner: Icehouse
Hillsborough: Triangle Sportsplex
Wake Forest: The Factory

"Great" school system? One word for you: overcrowding. Be sure to check and see what % the schools you're looking at exceed capacity.

Other helpful hints:
* In real estate ads, ITB means Inside The Beltline.
* The Beltline is I-440. It has an inner and outer beltline (indicates direction of travel; clockwise/counterclockwise).
* I-540 is the Outer Loop to most people. It's not finished yet.
* The Durham Freeway is actually Highway 147. Nobody calls it 147.

You can get more land/house for your money in Johnston County. It's immediately southeast of Raleigh on I-40 or US 70. Lots of new growth, several towns with that small-town feeling. Smithfield and Benson have some of those large older houses you're looking for. Clayton (on the west side of the county) is the fastest growing area.

School system is also crowded, and is one of the fastest-growing in the state. (my daughter's high school is starting it's 4th year, has over 1800 enrolled and already has mobile classrooms)

No real shopping or big activities, but it's quieter, with fairly easy access to Raleigh/Wake County. Rinks range from 15 minutes (Garner) to 45 minutes (Wake Forest)

Avoid Fayetteville/Cumberland County like the plague--they tax you to death on property, as well as your cars each year.

What about Pittsboro? For those of you that live closer to there, is it near ice? My Uncle lived up there, and it seemed like a nice area.