Left foot… right foot… left foot… right foot. I push off the ice with each step, increasingly confident in my stride as I get a feel for my skates. My little buddy, Tatum, beams up at me beneath her white knitted headband, thrilled that she can now go short stints without having to hold onto the wall. We’re serenaded by Israel Kamakawiwo’ole’s whimsical version of “Somewhere over the Rainbow,” while passing beneath a ceiling of crisscrossing strings of colored lights. The colors glow dimly in the late afternoon light, but I imagine how they must burn like a hundred stars above the ice when night falls.
This is Spokane’s Riverfront Park Skate Ribbon, complete with concessions, equipment rentals and the thriving hum of downtown Spokane life. Officially known as the Numerica Skate Ribbon, the ribbon has become a seasonal staple of the Spokane-Coeur d’Alene area since its overwhelmingly successful debut in 2017. It has also been able to stay busy in the warmer months as a roller skating venue. Guests can order food and drinks in the Sky Café and have the option of sitting inside and watching their family through the windows or crowding around the heaters and tables on the patio alongside the ribbon.
The 645-foot course features dips and climbs as it snakes through the park, adding an extra touch of adrenaline not found in traditional ice rinks.
It was the first of its kind on the West Coast when it first opened. And it has delighted those who had frequented Spokane’s previous ice skating venue, the Ice Palace, with its versatility, increased challenge level, and prime location within walking distance of downtown Spokane’s countless amenities.
We arrive at the ribbon that afternoon bundled up with gloves, jackets and cozy hats. The sun is shining but the February air is biting. Before hitting the ice, we head into the Sky Café to rent skates. We have to try on a few pairs to find the right size, which is an important first step if one wants to avoid rolling an ankle. I explain this to Tatum and Finley, both enthusiastic first-timers. Her laces tied, Tatum rises to her full 7-year-old height, wavering like a carnival person on stilts. We all laugh when Finley declares with her 5-year-old enthusiasm that she could live in her skates.
Once properly equipped, we prepare to take our first steps onto the ribbon. We watch the passing traffic for an opening, see our chance and step into the stream of skaters. Tatum and Finley hug the walls as they come out, a bit nervous but with smiles plastered on their faces. Despite still trying to find my own balance, I take one of Tatum’s hands to help her along and Drew and Kelly, my brother and sister-in-law, each take one of Finley’s.
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Tatum and I are doing pretty well until the first decline sneaks up on us at the far end of the course. I suddenly realize I’m gaining momentum, and looking ahead, I see that I’m likely to crash into someone or something around the curve if I don’t do something. With an uh-oh and a laugh, I tell Tatum to grab the wall with both hands and to watch herself because I have to save myself here. Praying no one is charging along behind me, I bend my knees slightly and cut down the middle to take the curve in a wide arc and avoid clipping those skaters along the outside wall. I complete my objective with relative success and then foresee no other way to stop myself aside from unceremoniously slamming into the wall.
I feel a stupid grin spread across my face, imagining how elementary my methods must look to passersby. As a child, I’d taken myself seriously with ice skating, attempting to emulate some vestige of what makes professional skaters great. I remember how I’d watch Olympic ice skating with my parents, fascinated by their strength, control and beauty. Today, however, I have no such aspirations for graceful aesthetics. I’ve chosen to forgo all self-consciousness and just have some innocent fun with those who do know how to do it best.
Looking back, I see Tatum making her way through the curve still on her feet. She catches up to me, all smiles and giggles, and immediately tells me about how she fell almost as soon as I took off but it didn’t hurt nearly as much as she’d feared. I’m impressed by her good-naturedness at such a young age and feel any remnant of my own rigid sensibilities melting away.
The subtle incline proves less intimidating than the previous obstacle, and we start feeling confident enough to goof off. I tell Tatum how when I’d taken ice skating lessons, probably when I was about her age, I’d always try to see how far I could go balanced on one leg with the other stretched out behind me. Our attempts to do so elicit mixed results, both of us hitting the ice or nearly doing so. We have somewhat better luck with trying to skate backwards by moving our feet in and out, carving little figure eights in the ice.
We hear our names being called and spot Drew, Kelly and Finley passing us on the opposite side of the ribbon. We call back something along the lines of “slow pokes,” to which Finley scrunches up her face and comically attempts to drag Drew and Kelly along with her to catch up. Her feisty competitiveness obviously outranks her skating skill, and it’s only due to Drew and Kelly’s support that her
white-dusted knees aren’t constantly sliding along the ice.
We mix up our skating partners and skate together for a bit, then make a game of trying to lap each other. The soundtrack to our afternoon is classic sing-alongs like “Cha Cha Slide,” “Dance to the Music,” and “Sweet Child of Mine.” We can’t help but attempt to dance along even in our ice skates.
I love the throbbing pulse of life on and off the ribbon. Kids race each other or simply try to stay vertical; parents hold their little ones’ hands while skating, or wave from the patio; older couples take their time or show up everyone with their skills. Regardless of age or experience level, people come to the ribbon to laugh, enjoy friends and family and savor a beautiful winter day.
When the skaters are asked to leave the ice for a scheduled Zamboni cleaning, it’s perfect timing for us to wrap up. We walk out to “Sweet Caroline” playing over the speakers, leaving me with a final smile. Tatum and Finley head home with their mom, tired but their faces still lit from the laughter and exercise in the cool air.
Since we still have some time before needing to return to Coeur d’Alene, Drew, Kelly and I take an hour to wander downtown Spokane in search of a snack and hot beverage. The ribbon’s proximity to food, drink, shopping and other entertainment lends to its accessibility and charm. We drive home warmed by the experience, and a desire to return soon for more nostalgic fun. The ribbon helped me reconnect with a whimsical childlikeness I’d almost forgotten amidst the craziness of daily life and responsibility. Sometimes the most fulfilling and memorable experiences are had when we let go, laugh at ourselves a bit and just skate. N
Coeur d’Alene’s McEuen Park – CdA On Ice
Looking to skate closer to home? Inland Northwest locals Jerome and Andrea Murray, along with their three daughters, have brought the community CDA On Ice: a professional-grade, pop-up ice rink complete with concessions and reservable igloos. The rink is open through New Year’s in McEuen Park.
The rink has been greeted with enthusiasm by skaters taking to the ice in droves. Andrea says their Numerica-sponsored ice rink complements Coeur d’Alene’s downtown well with its urban, rustic vibe and prime location within walking distance of restaurants and shopping.
Whether it’s spectating under a pavilion heater with a cup of loaded hot cocoa or hitting the ice for a 90-minute session, CDA On Ice has become a rich event for visitors of all ages. For hours, prices, reservations and more, visit www.cdaonice.com. N
By Abby Owens
Photography By Joel Riner
As Featured In: Winter/Spring 2022