Baby Inliner

That's the name of what I'd like to invent. Joggers have baby joggers and bikers have baby bike trailers. It would be like a jogging stroller, but would attach to your hips allowing your arms to be free for counter-movement and balance.

Why do I care about inline skating all of a sudden? I signed up for some torture ... the Athens to Atlanta Roadskate Event ... except this time I'm doing the shortest 38-mile version ... unless I'm feeling gutsy the day before, then I may switch to the 52.4-miles. (In 2004, I had a funeral for my ankles after skating 87 miles in 11 hrs and 45 minutes ... never again.)

Anyway, I dusted off my old inline skates (which still have mucky and now rusted wheels - oops! - from all the rain that made that day in 2004 extra fun ... of course I didn't clean them when I got home ... I wasn't ever touching them again!). I took them for a spin today at the State Park and was a little nervous, especially since I'd be pushing the jogging stroller at the same time. Overall, that part worked fine, especially if I pushed one handed to do the "skater arm swing". It wasn't very fun when it was slightly uphill with a headwind though ... on top of pushing the stroller, which isn't that light cause we got a cheaper one ... oh, and on top of the rusty, sticky wheel - that worked itself out by the time I was heading back with tailwind and slight downhill - ya know, when I didn't need it. My feet were hurting almost immediately, mostly because I wasn't relaxed enough and was clenching them the whole time. I skated for about 25 minutes and that felt like enough right now ... hopefully, skating has a quick feet/knee/hip adaptation period just like biking does with the butt bones ... because I only have a month until the event! My one hip that's really tight is especially feeling it. After today, 38 oughtta do me in just fine. I'm optimistic that it was just rustyness all around though and that I'll feel better next time I go out.

Oh, and Reagan was mesmerized by these crazy wheels attached to my feet. In the middle of my skate today, I parked her and did some circles in front of her on the skates and all I kept getting from her was the sign for "more" while she stared with wide eyes and open jaw.