Rolling Down the Road

October 23, 2007 - 1:43 PM by Liza

On Wednesday mornings, my officemate shuffles into the office looking far more exhausted than she does on other days, due to her regular late-night activity on Tuesday evenings. Now usually, I’d be reprimanding you all to get your minds out of the gutter, but in this case, you’d be spot on. Every Tuesday night at 10:30, Rita joins the Tel Aviv Rollers (TAR), a group of approximately 150 skaters rollerblading through the streets of Tel Aviv. Starting off from Ben-Zion Street (near the Habima Theater) and averaging more than 25 kilometers per outing, the course is different each week, taking them through various parts of the city. Participants come in all shapes and sizes, from young kids to pensioners, and the event is as much of a social activity as it is a strenuous workout.

TAR According to the Israel Rollers website, the Tel Aviv Rollers have been around since 1997, and started as something of a pub crawl on wheels. Today, the group takes breaks along the designated route, stopping at various pubs and other locales for refreshments and a bit of chat before hitting the roads again. Given the potential danger that arises from such a large group of skaters moving through the streets, the Tel Aviv Rollers have instituted a set of rules that all skaters must follow, rules which include the use of safety gear and paying attention to the leaders, and the use of headphones while skating is not allowed.

I admit that I’m not an inline skater, but if I was, I’d definitely join this group. My colleague is always raving about it, and she’s even managed to suck in another of our coworkers, who happily joins us for lunch just to discuss the intricacies of rollerblading and to dissect the previous Rollers route. According to Rita, tonight’s trek is dedicated to Israel’s missing soldiers and the group will be setting off earlier than usual at 10:15pm, so grab your skates and safety gear, and head on over to Ben-Zion Street. And if you do go, I hope you don’t have to get up early tomorrow, as this night-owl crowd will keep you on the streets until sometime after 1:00am. Oh, and say “hi” to Rita for me…

Share with others