Skate Travel and Tours ...
News and information about skate travel and tours world wide:

Skating in Paradise
Planet correspondent Ilene Kummer flew half way around the world—and then back again—to get us this report on the Tahiti Aito Inline Challenge. ... Yep, she did it just for us. Well, maybe she also liked the idea of spending another week in paradise. (Go to Ilene's report.) (March 6, 2006) (March 6, 2006)

SkateFresh to Offer Budget Holland Tour Again Next Spring - The nonprofit SkateFresh Foundation is once again organizing its bargain tour of Holland. The five-day guided trek (May 10-14) rolls past dikes and windmills, through tulip fields and forests, and even stops in Amsterdam for the Friday Night Skate. The price is a mere 130 Euros ($155 U.S.). But be advised: The tour is strictly no frills. SkateFresh will provide Dutch breakfasts, transportation for gear and campsites. Skaters provide the rest. (Go to the SkateFresh announcement. ... Read more Planet news about skate tours.) (Oct. 14, 2005)

Zephyr Adds Idaho Skate Adventure, More Matzger for 2006 - Zephyr Adventures has created a new skate tour for 2006: the Idaho Silver Country Adventure ($1550). For three of its five days (Sept. 5-9), the tour will follow the 73-mile Coeur d'Alenes trail, which Zephyr says "is probably the single best inline skating trail we have found in the world." ... The skate-centric tour company has also re-enlisted the services of Eddy Matzger for next year. The skate legend will serve as guest guide for two Zephyr trips: the Netherlands Skating Adventure (July 15-21, $1950) and the Florida Skating Adventure (April 3-7, $1450). (Go to the Zephyr Adventure web site.) (Oct. 12, 2005)

Petting Manatees, Hunting for the Tackiest Souvenirs ... And, Oh Yeah, Skating - If you ever wondered what it would be like to take a Zephyr Adventure skate tour, here's an article for you. Written by Zephyr guide Deborah Doyle and posted on About.com, it tells the story of the company's December 2004 Florida Skate Adventure. The 5-day tour followed the Withlacoochee, Suncoast and Pinellas trails. It made stops along the way at Crystal Springs, where skaters swam with the manatees (which Doyle says looked and felt like "giant baked potatoes"); Tarpon Springs, where they visited the sponge docks; and assorted tourist shops, where skaters hunted for tacky treasures to enter in the Silly Souvenir Contest. ... Oh yeah, and they skated, too! (Here's the story on About.com) (March 25, 2005)

Tahiti Marathon Organizer Offers $300 Discount for Early Registration - Way Beyond is offering a $300 discount on travel packages purchased by March 30th for the 2006 Tahiti Aito Inline Skate Challenge. With the discount, 3-day packages from Los Angeles are $899; 6-day packages, $1299; and 9-day packages, $1416. Add about $200 to start from New York. (Way Beyond site) (Inline Planet Event News) (February 16, 2005)

Tahiti Marathon Morphs Into a Four Race, Three Island Extravaganza! - Wow! The Tahiti Marathon has gotten a makeover and does it look hot! ... Organizer Christopher Pierre has renamed the event the Tahiti Aito Inline Skate Challenge and has turned it into an island-hopping string of events spread over four days. ... The action starts with a half-marathon on the island of Moorea. Then there's a 20 K on Tahaa; a criterium in downtown Uturoa; and finally, the Temehani Marathon on Raiatea. ... Pierre says the series of races is designed to lead participants on a journey of discovery of the beauty of the Tahitian islands, their people and traditions. ... You can sign up here, but don't pack your bags yet. Pierre pushed back the date of the event a few months. So it won't happen until February 19-22, 2006. (February 13, 2005)

Skate With King Tut - No, he didn't move to Babylonia! He went to Egypt ... and if you don't believe me, you can skate by his tomb (and the Temple of Ramses III, the Colossus of Memnon and the Valley of the Queen) ... as you're competing in the Egyptian Marathon on Feb. 18 in Luxor. It's a running marathon through the land of the pharaohs that attracts a handful of skaters each year. Last year, there were 11; the years before 30. This year, a large group of skaters from Frankfurt is expected. So it's bound to be a party! (January 19, 2005)

Five Fabulous Days of Skating in Holland! - SkateFresh has put together what sounds like a great skate adventure: the 5-day Holland Highlights Springtime Tour (May 11-15). Participants will skate along scenic canals and through picture postcard landscapes, including the tulip fields in full bloom. They will also roll over the dikes of IJsselmeer (I have no idea what that is ... just liked the way it sounded!) There will also be stops in Haarlem, Alkmaar, Volendam and Amsterdam. And the whole thing will be incredibly inexpensive: 130 Euros (about $170 US). Of course, at that price you won't get fancy dinners. Just breakfast, transportation for your gear and a campsite. You'll have to bring your own tent. (January 19, 2005)