3pm Sunday, time to set off to Wynnum (pronounced win-am, not whine-em as corrected rather pointedly by a friend when asked for directions). Following an overcast morning the sky had turned a rather unappealing shade of grey. Still, it wasn’t raining so that was alright. 3.05pm, it’s raining …. a lot, oh dear. I’ve never been to Wynnum so it should be worth a trip out just to see what it’s like. 3.10pm, out of the city and its stoped raining, things are looking more promising as the sun even manages to break out through the grey clouds.

Arriving at the car park opposite the Wynnum-Manly Bowls Club revealed a hardy bunch of skaters undeterred by the rain in the city and raring to go. The recent bad weather had left its mark on the path with a good sprinkling of gravel, leaves and twigs, the dangers of which were expertly demonstrated by Bruce, who while skating backwards, had what Justine Timberlake would describe as a footwear malfunction. For those who didn’t see the incident first hand, Bruce described it as a high speed backwards collision with a large piece of debris. Asha, who did see the incident, pointed out that he was rolling backwards slowly and tripped over a twig. The result was a twisted ankle and the throwing of a small but elaborate tantrum (if he had a trailer, he would have stormed off to it). After a tentative attempt to bare the pain, the skates came off and Bruce’s skating portion of the day was over.

The tour was hosted by Michelle, Julie and Dave with Asha and Jo helping. Monte, who wasn’t skating in the tour, arrived expecting everyone to be gone and Vaughan who wasn’t participating due to work demands turned up to say hello (and then joined in anyway). After introductions and the briefing we set off along the smooth but debris strewn bike path that follows the sea front out towards Manly. The first section was completed as one group before splitting into two with the faster skaters going on ahead.

With Bruce’s ankle preventing him from skating, he took on a new roll as tour cameraman, driven ahead by Monte, he would pop out from behind a tree every few hundred meters, camera in hand, to catch all the skating action.

Eight kilometres later, we arrived at the end of the path, turned back and skated up the short hill to the shop at the top. Here we were greeted by the tasteful sight of Monte and Bruce eating a whole chicken and a large tub of coleslaw without the aid of cutlery. Monte was ably demonstrating the finger shovelling technique while Bruce had taken to lying on the path and allowing people to pour food into his mouth.

After a brief cross road excursion to the shop for drinks and lollies, Monte pointed out that the Easter bunny had come early. Although everyone looked initially nonplussed, further remarks about Easter bunnies and much exaggerated eyebrow action towards the field (separated from the path by a short but steep and occasionally rocky slope) revealed a large number of Easter eggs nestling in the grass and wedged in low tree branches. The race was on to be the first one down the slope. Asha and Jo made the initial descent, however Jo was no match for a hungry Asha’s Shaolin elbows of death and came a distant second in the scramble for the first egg. Soon, foil wrapped eggs were flying in all directions and a satisfied chocolate fuelled smile covered everyone’s face.

The skate back to the car park saw Karen part Vaughan from his five wheel skates which fitted her perfectly and which she seemed very reluctant to give back and Asha asking if every shop we passed was the Fish and Chip shop we were going to. The chocolate must have unleased the hunger beast, although oddly she declined Monte and Bruce’s invitation to join in the chicken and coleslaw experience.

Skates off and over to the Fish and Chip shop. The chips were good and the fish was …. crumbed. Half an hour later as the last of the empty chip wrappers were dropped in the bin everyone looked suitable stuffed. For the dedicated, the fun continued at the pub opposite while the rest of us made our way home tired but happy after a good afternoons sk8.