Tourism, adult skating: Colorado, Chicago

Dear readers,

I hope this is the right forum for this discussion.

Put basically, I usually don't have access to skating, but I am in the States through mid-September and I want to take advantage of my time to do a bit of skating "tourism" and some skating myself.

1 I am in Chicagoland, where Tomoki Hiwatashi and others train. I don't necessarily want to take pictures or videos of skaters (though I might be inspired to if it's permitted), and I don't want to take time out of their days to ask for autographs or anything; I just think it might be interesting to watch a bit of their training, especially since there are probably skaters in the area (including Tomoki) I have never seen live before. What do you suggest for finding out when/where skaters are in this area, and what (if any) experience/advice do you have with showing up to watch?

2 I should be on a road trip from mid-June to mid-July, and I will likely pass through Denver the first or second week of July. Though I did it in 1995, I am thinking of getting to Colorado Springs to go to the World Figure Skating Museum. What are your tips for a visit, and could it be combined with watching Mirai/others train? I saw on TripAdvisor that it's recommended to go to the Broadmoor first (I was there in '95 as well) to get a flyer with a discount for entry to the World Figure Skating Museum.

3 Last thing: though I had something like two years of lessons as a kid, I never did "serious" skating. I know lessons are costly, and I don't want to invest loads of money, but I would like to get on the ice at least a few times this summer. My most frequent access is in Chicagoland: any tips on trying for a group vs. private lesson, going to a particular site over another, asking for particular elements to be focused on, etc.? Are there ever any cheaper entry points, such as free or reduced/"special offers" or days? Finally, since I will almost definitely be passing through Colorado, I have started thinking of trying for a lesson with a famous/really good coach there, not to be starstruck but to try to get some good instruction. Experiences/knowledge/tips?

Thanks in advance for any advice :thumbsup:. Maybe this thread will serve others well, too .

The Museum is quite tucked away and hidden. I missed it the first time even when my GPS said "arriving". It's also nowhere near the rinks there.

I don't know what the World Arena's rules are for watching training sessions. I felt very uncomfortable when I was watching Max (which I only did for about ten minutes) because apart from me, the only other people watching were parents of some of the other skaters on the session. I certainly did not feel comfortable walking in when there wasn't a session for me to skate on to watch Max.

I can't answer as to watching skaters but I might be able to suggest something regarding Chicago-area classes or lessons. There are a lot of rinks around here, and several offer adult classes. It would help to know where you will be in the Chicago area and whether you have a car. If you don't want to pay for lessons or classes, you can also go to public skates, which tend to be more frequent and less crowded in summer.

ETA regarding taking a private lesson with a famous coach, I guess there are more of those in Colorado than here - Karne was there recently and may have suggestions re Broadmoor and 7K. I don't recall your saying whether you currently skate and what level you reached as a kid, and that might play into whether a famous coach has time or interest in teaching you.

You're totally right about more known coaches possibly not wanting to even spend one lesson with someone like me. Somehow, I think that someone coaching high-level skaters might appreciate an adult who is all ears, eager to learn, and not going to regularly take up their weekly time... it could be a nice change of pace... but maybe not. I may start to contact some coaches to see if I can fit in a lesson while on the road.

Sent you a PM, LeReveur!

LeReveur said:

You're totally right about more known coaches possibly not wanting to even spend one lesson with someone like me. Somehow, I think that someone coaching high-level skaters might appreciate an adult who is all ears, eager to learn, and not going to regularly take up their weekly time... it could be a nice change of pace... but maybe not. I may start to contact some coaches to see if I can fit in a lesson while on the road.

Click to expand...

I think it just depends. I heard somewhere that Frank Carroll likes teaching adults. Unfortunately he's not in Colorado.