Pond Skating

In the past I've written posts regarding ice skating on indoor rinks or man-made outdoor rinks. This weekend we did some all-natural skating -- on a pond.

We had to break out the shovels to clear off about 4 inches of fluffy snow before skating. It was a "many hands make light work" sort of task. We came prepared with several shovels and several people. We had an area larger enough for skating cleared quickly.

The pond we skated on was located in front of the Plainville Middle School on Northwest Drive in Plainville, CT.

A good time was had by all.

Sledding at Page Park -- Bristol, CT

The winter tradition of sledding at Page Park continues! This light, fluffy snow is excellent for maximum sled speed.

Page Park is located off of King Street (Route 229) in Bristol, CT right across the street from Bristol-Eastern High School.

Ice Skating to Cure Winter Blues

If you're anything like me, you're always on the look out for opportunities to get outdoors during the winter months. Outdoor activities are especially sparse during the time after hunting season, but before the ice is thick enough for fishing. Ice skating is a fun family activity that can be done by people of all ages, and costs little money. Once you make the initial investment in the ice skates (you can get a decent recreational pair for around $50), outdoor ice skating is a free activity. Even if you don't have access to a safe pond, many towns now flood municipal areas for make-shift rinks. If you would rather go indoors, most local indoor ice rinks offer public skating time. Most charge $7 per person. Many also have skate rentals available for an additional fee. I recently went to the rink in West Hartford with my family. We all had a fun time, and we'll probably be returning for Martin Luther King Day. We've also made several visits to the local outdoor rinks.

Connecticut Firearms Laws

While surfing around I found a good summary (from the NRA) of firearms laws in Connecticut. This summary is applicable to rifles, shotguns, and handguns.

If you've ever been curious of the regulations, check out this 4 page summary.

http://crime.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?zi=1/XJ&sdn=crime&cdn=newsissues&tm=556&gps=90_3048_1012_612&f=00&tt=11&bt=1&bts=1&zu=http%3A//www.nraila.org/statelawpdfs/CTSL.pdf

I also found a list of firearms training courses in Connecticut. Link below:

http://www.nrahq.org/education/training/find.asp?Location=USACT&Type=

-J