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Blog Entry 55 of 93 Charmaine in the city

I've called the Denver area home for more than two
decades now. But this urban/mountain city is still full of surprises. I'll be posting my adventures here, as I explore local eateries, shops and sharing birthday and vacation photos. And once in a while, I'll throw in a music, movie or food review. I hope to keep this blog interactive, so don't be shy to suggest places I should visit. And check it out: I'm on Brendan's List. Rock on!

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Roller derby: Rock and roll on wheels

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Contributed by: Charmaine Robledo/YourHub.com on 5/15/2007

Somewhere in my heart, I believe I'm a roller derby girl moonlighting as a journalist. Well, at least after watching the Rocky Mountain Rollergirls' 5280 Fight Club go against the Salt City Shakers, I felt I needed to experience this awesome sport for myself. If you've never been to a roller derby, I highly suggest you go. The sheer energy these women radiate in the rink plus the excitement of the crowd makes for a fun night out and a great game to boot.

I attended my first bout May 12 at the Bladium Sports Club up in Stapleton. It's a very casual atmosphere there, although it had that typical gym smell. And not a whole lot of seating was available, so I, along with my friend Jennifer and her friend Kat, who was visiting for the weekend from Boston, had to sit on the floor, near the action. Needless to say, we were close to falling skaters.

Attending a roller derby match is a little like a blast from the past. There was a retro feel to the game, hailing back to the 1940s and 50s. The members of the 5280 Fight Club were certainly dressed to impress. There isn't a formal uniform for the sport, save for the team shirts, skates, helmet and elbow and knee pads. So the women wore fishnet stockings, frilly skirts, striped tights and anything that catered to their particular personality.

And they had awesome names, too, including Pinky 500, Smash Box, Frida Beater, Misstress Tarable, Anne Shank, Winona Fighter and She Who Cannot Be Named. Now that would be the hard part for me -- thinking of a cool roller derby name.

Now, I won't try to be a roller derby expert and explain how the match goes. But essentially, there's a pack of skaters who skate counterclockwise. Behind them are two jammers, one from each team, who skate about 20 or so feet behind them. The point is for the jammer to weave through the pack and get ahead to be the lead. Being the leader gives you control of the game, or jam. And that's how you collect points.

It's not as easy as it sounds. Skating on four wheels takes real talent and balance. And there were a fair number of skaters who got tangled up and fell (sometimes into the crowd). I'm thinking I have a slight advantage since I'm short and closer to the ground. The fall wouldn't be so bad for me.

Another bonus in attending last Saturday's bout was getting to ride the party bus. I found this pretty practical since I abhor driving and spending time trying to find parking. The biggest perk about riding the party bus (if you haven't already guessed by its name) was all the free beer you can drink. Of course, you have to be 21 to ride the party bus and the Rocky Mountain Rollergirls make sure to check your IDs and have you wear a special armband.

It was a fun night out and I'm glad I went to it with Jen and Kat. I can't wait for their next bout, which is scheduled for June 16. My co-worker Seth mentioned an interest in going, so good times ahead.

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Submitted By: John Zwick

posted on 5/19/2007 @ 2:23:43 PM

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I already gave you mine, but Charmangler or The Charmaine Event are both good.

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Submitted By: Tabitha Dial

posted on 5/15/2007 @ 6:45:12 PM

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Cool! As for your cool roller derby name, I think the staff can help you come up with something ... but not Rhymes with Champagne.

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