Sheboygan Sucks?

The City of Sheboygan has many attractions including, The Blue Harbor water resort, The John Michael Kohler Art Center, The Stefanie Weill Center for Performing Arts, along with the many shops and galleries. Walking down eighths streets bright lights on a Saturday night and scoping out what it has to offer is a must. However not all of these places may attract or give people what they are looking for.

Sheboygan has what you would call, "natural beauty." Our cities edge is Lake Michigan which comes along with two miles of public beach. We also have many natural parks around Sheboygan. They are great for hikes and bike rides, picnics and even camping.

For me, physical activity is a must. I do enjoy long walks and bike rides but that does not quite hit the spot for me. About two years ago I was introduced to a sport similar to surfing and skateboarding called, "longboardring." Longboards are about a foot longer than the standard skateboard. Obvious differences the longboard has compared to a skateboard is that its wheelbase is bigger, the wheels are softer and overall its ride is smooth and can cover way more ground than a skateboard can.

Its an awesome source for transportation, its great exercise and its a great way to see nature and explore this, "little" city, by foot and board. Longboarding and nicely paved hills are best friends. After the initial fear of losing control and possibly death, well, " the juice is worth the squeeze." With proper safety gear and practice longboarding really is not hard. This activity is increasing rapidly in the Sheboygan Scene. Revolution Skate Shop has doubled its sales in Longboards compared to last year said, owner Mike Miller. His team of employee's gets excited when they see a group of young boys and girls eager to try them out. They let anyone, at their own risk of course, try them out right in the shop. But the real experience is when you conquer your fears and master the board.

Common places to cruise the streets, would most favorably be the lake front. It begins at Vollrath park. There is a large nicely paved walk/ride way that extends for miles. There is one major hill as well, which is very fun and adrenaline pumping. The rest of the lakefront is smooth sailing with minor inclines. You can even continue on the boardwalk and eventually just go where the road takes you. If you do enjoy areas with less traffic flow from vehicles and people I suggest areas like Black river, Terre Andre, and our scenic country roads.

This is a sport that can cause serious injury, but with proper practice and appropriate knowledge of your surroundings you really see Sheboygan from a different perspective. I usually go with just my I pod and a few dollars in case I get thirsty somewhere. The experience is amazing. I was once skating through Black River and a pack of dear just right ran all together just a mere twelve feet in front of me. The deer didn't even acknowledge my presence, but the sight of the sun setting through the trees and deers running wild was amazing. The country roads are dead on Sundays and the roads are mine. With a group of friends or alone this sport is exhilarating. Its worth trying and once you have the hang of it, I guarantee you wont stop.

Definitely be aware of safety before just purchasing one of these boards, that usually goes for one-hundred and fifty dollars. There are Laws against skateboarding in certain areas, mainly because of the damage that goes with skateboarding. The social stereotype is way different compared to skateboarders. Skateboarders are usually known to damage railings, benches and public parks etc. People can typically see that longboarding wont cause property damage so the acceptance of this sport is happening. I was only stopped twice by the Sheboygan Area Police Department. They stopped a large group and myself because they wanted to make sure we were staying out of trouble, and secondly I was told to stay on the sidewalk rather than the street. I fear sidewalks due to their unpredictability. Lighting during the night is scarce in certain areas and sidewalks contain huge cracks, and often cement pieces can rise adruptly which can be to hard for the board to go over, if you are going slower. It can cause serious injury, so I would rather risk the citation than my bones. Cruising the road also gives you a march larger area to work with and allows you to carve (reduces speed, looks like a weaving motion) , cruise (normal riding around), slide (done with proper gear such as gloves, done by crouching down and grabbing the front of your board with one hand and the your body is leaned back as your hand hits the pavement you do a full spin around and eventually come to a stop) and bomb (referred to as going down a big hill that can cause extreme speed).

During the summer if your looking for something to do, definitely check this out. If it seems to physical and the chance of injury is too large than even a walk by the beach with give you a great experience visually of what some of these Longboards look like and what they can be used for.