Touring * Street *

In San Diego, take Interstate 5 and follow the signs to Interstate 8 west. Exit immediately onto Ingraham Street to cross the San Diego River Floodway. Pass the Sea World Drive/Sunset Cliffs off-ramp and take the next exit onto West Mission Bay Drive. Look for parking next to Belmont Park near the roller coaster. Map: The San Diego County Bike Map is available free by calling (619) 231-2453.

The San Diego Night Skate features weekly recreational, social, and training-oriented skate sessions for people of all ability levels and skating styles. It is sponsored by the San Diego Skate Coalition, which promotes safe skating over a broad spectrum of paved surfaces, night or day. Perhaps the best service the group offers to visitors and locals alike is its campaign to get skaters off the over-used Mission Beach boardwalks and onto alternative routes. Whether skating on city streets or on the flat, sheltered boardwalks, the Coalition actively promotes the wearing of full protective gear and the proper use of the heel brake. Both safety measures are necessary and required for anybody who wants to skate with this group and progress to higher skill levels. Night skaters meet every Friday at 6:30 p.m. on the boardwalk at the end of Ventura Place. Look for a group of eight to 10 skaters wearing helmets outside of Hamel's Action Sports Center or Mike's Cafe, both on Ventura Place near the Belmont Park roller coaster. The typical evening revolves around choosing a place to eat, often in La Jolla, and then skating there and back. The trip covers a distance of anywhere from 10 to 20 miles. Call Mac McCarthy, the heart and soul of the Skate Coalition, at (619) 294-2528 for details. He can also fill you in on issues ranging from Coalition or skate patrol membership to boardwalk and bike lane access to safety gear for night skating.