When I moved to Minneapolis, I started working downtown and realized that many people opted to take public transportation rather than driving. A few years later, I also moved not far from the light rail train, so for a solid decade, I took the morning train, worked from 9-5 and then I took the train back home again. As job possibilities presented themselves, one of my ongoing requirements was being able to continue my easy train commute. 

After my position was eliminated at the end of last year,  I started a new job, and for the first time in 12 years, I am driving daily to and from work. I was reticent to make this change, but I also received an offer for a job that was a perfect fit for me, so driving to and from work seemed a small price to pay for a great career opportunity. The other day, I took the train downtown to meet a friend for coffee. It reminded me of the good, the bad, and the ugly about commuting to work my train.

​For me, taking the train was quicker, safer, cheaper, easier and enabled me to have a smaller carbon footprint. What’s not to love? 

• Frequency. There is a train ever 10 minutes in the morning. On most days, this meant show up at the train station when I got there and I’d be at work 20-30 minutes later.
• Commute length. My actual commute took about the same amount of time regardless of rain or snow.
• Free time. Each day, I had 40 minutes of time where my only responsibility was to be transported to where I needed to go. I used the time to read, listen to music, check social media or just sit quietly.
• No car payment. Not driving to work = having to buy a car less often. When I left my last job, I had a 10-year-old car with less than 90,000 miles on it—and most of those were fun road trip miles.
• Cheaper than parking. Instead of paying $150 per month for parking (on the low end), an unlimited monthly train pass was $76 per month (not to mention less cost for gas, maintenance, etc).
• Less stress. Since I have no discernible sense of direction, and don’t particularly like traffic, driving downtown is a stressful experience. Getting to skip that part was better for my mental health.
• Happy hour. If I had a drink after work with colleagues, there was no “when can I drive home” planning involved.
• Exercise. Walking was built into my day. Sometimes I’d get off the train a stop or two early to walk more. Without much planning, I could easily get an extra 5,000 steps.
• Train theater. Being enmeshed with a broader cross-section of society is a good experience to consistently have. It's a good reminder that not everyone is like you--and can also be entertaining. "Train theater" included the guy challenging his buddy to a train pull-up contest, the guy who asks for request so he can pray for people on the train, the guy with all his possessions in a garbage bag who let me know which stores would give me ANYTHING for my food stamps, the teenager traveling with a lawnmower, the congressional candidate shaking hands on election day, a woman attempting (and failing repeatedly) to give her lost son directions on the phone, or the troubled man yelling racial epitaphs and mixing up common stereotypes for each ethnic group and, of course, the occasional mariachi band.

Lower cost? Easier? What's not to like? Well, there are a few things...

• So very cold. When you use public transportation, you have a whole new relationship with outside. I upgraded my coat, hat and boots so waiting outside was more pleasant. (Other commuters are not as opening to snuggling up on the platform as one might think.)
• Big, giant backpack. Need something during the day? You better have it on your person in your bag and configure it in a way that it’s not a total pain to drag with you wherever you go.
• More planning. While the actual on-train time might be less than it would take to drive, there is always a little walking on both sides of a train trip and a little waiting in the middle. If you have to be somewhere at a certain time, it takes a little more planning to hit your target time.
• Other people. On the train, you sit wherever there is a seat. Sometimes you’re not so crazy about your neighbor whether it’s their loud, terrible music or their attempts at conversation. (Headphones are the best thing ever.)
• Special events. On game days, baseball fans overwhelm the trains. It ups the noise levels and sometimes how full the trains are making the commute less pleasant or significantly longer. Drunk, lost, loud commuters make for a more “eventful” commute.
• Train unavailability. The train is pretty consistently available. When it’s not, though, it’s a mess. Sometimes there are car/train or person/train accidents that mess things up completely. Then there are bus replacements (which take longer) or it’s time to figure out another option (Uber, having a friend pick you up, or an unanticipated walk) to try to get to or from work.
• Panhandlers. The train platform and the train itself are places where panhandlers work. Usually, a simple “no” works well, but occasionally there is an aggressive panhandler who needs more firm language to know to leave you alone.
• Personal safety. On the train, you are often hip deep in people. I am sure to scan my surroundings to be mindful of my personal safety. 
• Sudden changes of plans. If I did have to pick up a sick child from school or deal with a similar personal emergency, it feels like more of an order since I’d have to wait for a train, take the train home, then get my car and pick her up. It could be a 45-minute process.  

What are the good and bad parts of commuting to and from work using public transportation? Include your thoughts in the comments.

Support your local roller derby!

In the Minneapolis/St Paul, Minnesota area, there are multiple opportunities for adults, teens and children to watch, and even learn to play, roller derby. Here's the lowdown on each organization.

North Star Roller Derby (formerly known as the North Star Roller Girls) is a skater-owned and operated flat track roller derby league in Minneapolis that is affiliated with the WFTDA (Women's Flat Track Derby Association). Bouts are held approximately 6 times per season at the Lee & Rose Warner Coliseum at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds in St Paul. The four home teams are the Banger Sisters, Delta Delta Di, the Kilmore Girls, and the Violent Femmes. Northstar Roller Derby also has two travel teams: the Supernovas and the Northern Lights. 

The Minnesota Rollergirls  is a skater-owned, flat-track roller derby league in St Paul that is also affiliated with the WFTDA. Bouts are held approximately ​6 times per season at the Roy Wilkins Auditorium in downtown Saint Paul. The four home teams are the Atomic Bombshells, the Dagger Dolls, the Garda Belts, and the Rockits.  In addition, The Minnesota RollerGirls have two traveling teams: the Minnesota Rollergirls All-Stars (A Team) and The Minnesota Nice (B Team).

Minnesota Men's Roller Derby  is a member of the MRDA (Men's Roller Derby Association). Teams are comprised of inline skaters, former hockey players and more.  Bouts are held approximately 6 times per season at Champion's Hall in Eden Prairie. There are two home teams for regularly scheduled bouts: Destruction Workers and Thunderjacks. There are also two traveling teams: TC Terrors (A Team) and The Terrordactyls (B Team). 

Satelites is the North Star Roller Derby's recreational roller derby league. Skaters of all skill levels from those with no skating experience to those retired from competitive roller derby and everyone in between are welcome. In order to participate, you need to be at least 18 years old, have safety gear and have primary health insurance. Purchasing WFTDA insurance is also required.

There are three levels: Space Cadets (beginners), Space Rangers (intermediate) and Astronaughties (advanced). This is a great place to learn roller derby whether your goal is to be more active or if you aspire to compete. Typically there are fall and winter sessions with the option to practice once or twice a week. 

(As a point of  reference, I've been part of the Satellites program since early 2017, and I love it.)

Debu-Taunts is the training program affiliated with the Minnesota Rollergirls. The Debu-Taunts give skaters a positive and challenging environment to learn roller derby skills whether they aspire to try out for the competitive teams or to play recreationally. In order to participate, you need to be at least 18 years old, have safety gear and have health insurance. ​Purchasing WFTDA insurance is also required.

​Debu-Taunts practice twice per week and hold 12 week training sessions in the fall and in the spring. There is currently a waiting list to participate.

Some people, who are doubly dedicated to learning and practicing roller derby as much as possible, enroll in both the Debu-Taunts AND the Satellites programs.

The Fresh Meat Locker (or FML) is the training program for the Minnesota Men's Roller Derby. The program is open to people over age 18 of all gender identities. This training program is intended to help teach new skaters roller derby skills to help them become "battle-ready derby superstars." Contact Minnesota Men's Roller Derby for details.

Twin Cities Junior Roller Derby helps "Derby Dudes and Derby Dames" from ages 3-17 learn roller derby skills. Skaters can come in with no skating experience at all or feeling very comfortable on skates. They typically have a fall session and a winter session where skill groups, (beginning, intermediate and advanced) each have dedicated training times. Many trainers have competed in roller derby, and enjoy helping children learn basic skills. Skaters get to pick their roller derby names, can purchase TCJRD scrimmage jerseys and can participate in scrimmages with other area teams on occasion, too. 

(As a point of  reference, my daughter has been involved with TCJRD since early 2017 and  has enjoyed it so far.)

NERDY Junior Roller Derby (North East Roller Derby Youth) helps children from ages 7-17 learn roller derby skills regardless of their skill level coming. They organize skaters by size (rather than skating levels) into "Bigs" and "Littles" and into "contact" and "non-contact" for scrimmaging purposes. Many trainers have competed in roller derby, and enjoy helping children learn basic skills. Skaters have the change to sign up to practice twice per week, and skaters can drop in for practices and pay a per-class rate. Skaters get to pick their roller derby names, can purchase NERDY scrimmage jerseys and can participate in scrimmages with other area teams on occasion, too. 

Additions? Corrections? Thoughts? Share your input in the comments.

Previously I posted about indoor roller skating rinks that are open year-round in the Twin Cities area. Now, let’s talk about other skating options:

• Skating outside
• Special skating events

​For these roller skating options, there’s no equipment rental. Instead, you need to have your own skates, and your own safety gear (knee pads, elbow pads, wrist guards, helmet, mouth guard) as well. In some cases, safety gear is required, but in all cases safety gear is just plain a good idea. 

Personally, I fall down a fair amount because I’m trying a new skill, doing something involving contact or dodging small children—and that’s inside on a floor designed for roller skating. Outside, it’s a whole different experience. Now you have things like heat, cold, rain, wind, puddles, uneven terrain, rocks and potentially traffic.

​When skating indoors, even just at a roller rink, I always wear some kind of knee pads. Always. Outside, I recommend wearing closer to full gear. You may feel like a dork for a bit, but injuries suck, and sitting on the side of a trail bleeding is not cool at all. Regardless of heat, I also suggest wearing leggings of some sort. Falling on even a thin layer of material is much more pleasant than having your bare skin scrape across pavement (as my daughter learned the hard way).

That’s right. Indoor skating and outdoor skating require different wheels. Who knew? Well, now you do. In short, roller skating wheels vary in how hard they are and for outdoor skating, you need softer wheels to absorb the shock of uneven terrain. Wheels are labeled with a durometer (or hardness) number. The higher the number, the harder the wheels. Wheels considered outside wheels typically have a durometer of 78a. Hybrid wheels (appropriate for both inside and outside) are typically 84a. 88a and above (the scale goes to 101a) are for skating indoors.

Given that super quick description, get thee some outdoor wheels. As a frame of reference, I picked up wheels that are a 78a, for myself. I also have dedicated outdoor skates, which were my starter roller derby skates. I I know myself well enough to know that I was not going to take the time to change my wheels each time I wanted to switch from skating outside to inside.

For my daughter, who currently has 1 pair of roller skates until I figure out if her feet are done growing, I got a set of hybrid, or indoor/outdoor, wheels with a durometer of 84a. Again, I’m not changing her wheels every time we skate, and the extra grippiness of having softer wheels indoors for her is not the worst thing as she learns new skills.

Now that we’ve had the safety gear and outdoor wheels talks, here are ideas on where to actually get to the outdoor skating:

• Multi-Use Trails: Here in the land of 10,000 lakes, and I swear as many parks, there is no shortage of trails that can be used for walking, biking and skating. A few fellow skaters have mentioned skating around Lake Nokomis, the Dam (Near Coon Rapids, MN) and Lake Calhoun. In general, looks for trails that have fewer hills, more even terrain, and in a distance that works for you.
• Skate Parks: Granted, these are tailored for skateboarders, but they work for roller skating, too. Some would argue that to increase your skills as a skater, trying out skateboard ramps is a way to up your game. Under "Learn More," Check out Chicks in Bowls for fabulous, badass women who do amazing feats on ramps. 
• Dedicated Skating Areas: The Oval in Roseville, MN is a great example of a dedicated skating area. It is open from late spring through fall. They have it all. A skateboard park with ramps, a track where you can do laps and a rink area (which is used for hockey in the winter) where you can skate smaller, more roller derby friendly size laps. 
• Places with Skating Friendly Surfaces: Some places have surfaces that are skate appropriate. For example, Wolfe Park Pavilion in Saint Louis Park, MN has a large area that is great for skating. Granted, there isn't a posted schedule and it is used for multiple events, but it's also a great skating location when it is available. 

Here are a couple more options for skating. These are inside events where you need to bring your own skates and safety equipment. They only open at special, scheduled times:

• Schwan Super Rink at the National Sports Center in Blaine, MN: In June and July of 2017, they had several scheduled dates where you could roller skate at their facility. The events required full pads and a waiver, was for adults only and had identified schedules for what would happen when (warm ups, open skate, etc).
• US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, MN: The old Metrodome stadium was known as a popular inline skating location. In late 2016 and early 2017, US Bank Stadium had several dates for roller skating, or inline skating, inside their facility. The events required full pads and a waiver, had restrictions on phone/camera use, and was open a few hours at a time when people could skate. 

If you're in the Twin Cities area, and looking for a buddy for skating related fun, check out the Skate Dates group on Facebook. 

My daughter and I started roller derby earlier this year. Suddenly, roller skating on a regular basis became a priority. I asked around with the Twin Cities Junior Roller Derby Parents, and got a few ideas on places to roller skate in the area.

In short, there are 5 roller skating rinks open year-round in the Greater Twin Cities area. Click here for general tips on roller skating rinks, and a few notes on each.

For me, when figuring out where to go, it comes down to a few key factors:

• When is it open?
  Most rinks are open Friday and Saturday. Beyond then, it really depends on the rink.
• What type of session? .
  Session types could be for small children, families or adults only. Personally, I’m usually looking for a family session or an adults only skating time if it’s just me.
• How easy is it to get to?
  Most of the roller skating rinks are in the suburbs, so getting there is a big factor. Where you live or work, traffic, road construction and overall travel time are all factors.
• What is the cost?
  ​Skating can cost anywhere from free to $8 per person.

Roller Garden, Saint Louis Park, MN
Pros:

• Open almost most days with multiple sessions with different themes.
• Practice area.
• Several adults only skating sessions.
• Roller derby-ish squared oval in the middle of the floor.
• More centrally located within the Twin Cities.

Cons:

• Closed around most holidays—including Mother’s Day and Father’s Day.
• Practice area is a different surface than the main floor.
• No air conditioning.
• Parking is a challenge.
• The bathroom is tile with deep grooves and floor drains. It is a skating nightmare.

Skateville, Burnsville, MN
Pros:

• Easily accessible from South Minneapolis.
• $4 Sunday night skate in the winter.
• Additional mid-day skate times available in the summer.

Cons:

• Open limited hours in the summer, and many hours are designated as older adult skating.
• The mid-day skate times in the summer vary a lot depending on the day. This makes remembering when they are open challenging.

Wooddale Fun Zone, Woodbury, MN
​​Pros:

• Open from 6-8 on Monday nights for only $2.
• Practice area that’s great for stops, transitions and backward skating.
• Roller derby-ish oval in the middle of the floor.
• Easiest rink for me to get to from South Minneapolis.
• Several people are there wearing at least partial roller derby gear.

Cons:

• Closed around most holidays—including Mother’s Day and Father’s Day.
• Their website isn't always up to date so finding current information on open hours can be challenging.

If you're looking for a buddy or group for skating related fun, check out the Skate Dates group on Facebook.