Sunday, January 6, 2013

Derby Fever

After meeting a roller derby rider last summer on the bike tour, intrigue and curiosity were in the air early Saturday evening for the first Detroit Derby Girl match of the new year (and my first ever) at the Masonic Temple in the D. In tow with me was Susan, her three daughters, and a friend of the daughters. As Susan's youngest is seven, there was a bit of hesitancy in bringing her to the scene as we didn't know what to expect. Would it be a cuss festival with people in the stands getting out of control? Would the derby girls be drawing blood via some fisticuffs? The answer to both was no and in a funny way, we were all kind of bummed that there wasn't at least a splash of it. The seven year old, with a bow in her hair, was yelling for a pile driver as we were leaving.
I guess I've seen Rollerball too many times as I was expecting the "arena" setting for the match to be more like a pit with the track on a slant but it was pretty much a dance hall with a flat wood floor and white outlines for the track. The place only holds a couple thousand and was packed. And yes, it was a people watching smorgasbord.
Lastly, while watching the match, I hear my name being called in the distance, look to my right and there is my sister, niece, and their friends. Small world.

Trail Head



 
me and my sis