Boarding in the Snow!

Today, I had a new experience: snow boarding--but not on a snowboard.
After class, in the December twilight, I skated down to the local coffee shop to grade papers because well...it's that time of year.
I am happy to report that my skateboarding angst was solved last Saturday when I visited the skate shop in Burlington, determined to Get to the Bottom of my Skateboard's Speed--or lack thereof.
I immediately connected with the guys at the skateshop, and they related to my frustration.
"I hate that feeling," one of them said. "Like you are being held back."
I asked him to test my board, and he said that it definitely WAS slow, which was affirming because I thought maybe it was my technique.
The other skater at the shop immediately understood me in a way that my closest friends do. It was amazing--as if he just peeked into my soul--and he completely heard me.
What an affirming thing: to have a complete stranger just understand how you work.
That happens so rarely, I realized, that it was startling and Very Beautiful.
After completely listening to my experience on the board--and why I love boarding (good for the earth, good for the body, good for society), he diagnosed the problem.
Apparently, one can't take new bearings out in the rain. And these bearings are not rain friendly.
And what was the first thing I did with my new bearings? Rain trip.
He patiently undid each bearing and put oil in each one because the rain had displaced the lubrication, which was causing me to go slowly.
He also recommended an ABEC gumball 11 wheel, so I had those changed up while I was at it.
The result is pure beauty.
Today, riding in the snow, I felt as if I were back in the game...back to where I was before the Awful Truck ran over my last board. I felt free again--completely one with wind and earth and sky and snow.
It was a beautiful ride.