MUSKEGON, Mich. — Michiganders are putting their best skate forward on a man-made ice skating trail at the Muskegon Luge Adventure Sports Park (MLASP).
According to Gabrielle Jones, crew member at the MLASP, the ice skating trail isn't just your average skate in the park.
“Depending on how much snow is on the ground, we'll start by taking truckloads of snow and shoveling that into the track and packing it down with all sorts of brooms and tools,” Jones said.
Then, they use 40 foot fire hoses to ice it all down. “That process keeps going on, and then we'll have that icy layer over top,” Jones said.
The MLASP is a non-profit that operates inside the Muskegon State Park in partnership with the Michigan DNR. “Every time someone comes out here to enjoy a fun activity, that is supporting our non-profit," Jones said.
Jones says hundreds of people visit the MLASP every day.
“We thought it'd be a good time to come down here and try ice skating and slipping and falling, because I don't know how to ice skate,” Isaiah Oppenheimer said.
Don't worry, Isaiah... you're not alone. Lots of people on the ice aren't exactly pro skaters. “I’m not a very good ice skater, so I've been slipping a lot, and I ran this girl over, but I felt really bad about it," Gracie Ritchard said.
Gracie isn't the only one that's taken a tumble. Isaiah says he's fallen over a dozen times. “Mostly on my butt area," Isaiah said.
But at least he tells the truth. “He told me he was a pretty bad ice skater, and he kind of is,” Isaiah's date, Rylynn Berghorst said.
Saturday night at MLASP was Isaiah and Rylynn's fourth date, and I'd say it went pretty well. “I’ve been holding onto her hand for dear life for the past 45 minutes, and I'm scared for my life,” Isaiah said.
One skate at a time, Isaiah.
The good news: as long as these frigid temps continue, so will the ice skating.
And maybe, with more practice, everyone can get on nine-year-old Grayson Parham's level. “When I first started skating, I was not really good at it, but now I'm really good at ice skating,” Grayson said.
For more information on the MLASP, click here.
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