June 2004. Michael and I just got back from a much-needed break at Wrightsville Beach, NC, USA, and it was so much fun! You see, there are basically two types of people. There are those who see vacation as an excuse not to have to exercise, and then there are those who see vacation as an opportunity to get more exercise in. Guess which one I am? And my sweet husband puts up with me and always appreciates the amount of activity we are able to fit in at the end of the day.

So I brought our blades with us just in case we might find somewhere to use them. That's usually a tough call as being upright on skates at our age can be very dangerous and rollerblading in Raleigh, NC is a down-hill challenge -- literally! I have scars on my rear-end to prove it. Any little hill is absolutely treacherous, and Raleigh, NC is absolutely filled with little hills.

Wrightsville Beach, NC, however is not. It is a lovely little island just outside of Wilmington, NC (where television programs like "One Tree Hill" are filmed), and it is surrounded by the intercoastal waterway and the Atlantic Ocean. It is absolutely beautiful -- AND it is rollerblade heaven.

What constitutes "rollerblade heaven?" In short this beautiful island, between "Jerry's Market" and "Shell Island" is:

• A long, straight, flat, wide road which has the intercoastal on one side and the ocean on the other with beautiful beach houses and wetland all around
• Slow-moving motorists who are used to and are patient with pedestrians
• Very little traffic
• Beautiful scenery
• A beach community (means you can wear your bathing suit and get some sun while you are at it)
• Very little other pedestrian traffic (everyone else uses the "municiple loop")

Each morning after eating breakfast on a rocking chair overlooking the intercoastal waterway, Michael and I strapped on our skates and took off down the 4 mile roadway to "Shell Island" and back. It was a 60-90 minute journey, one that worked us without draining us and one that burned some fat while sunning our shoulders. It was my absolute favorite part of the whole vacation and I can't wait to go back.

So if you're looking for a great place to rollerblade, remember Wrightsville Beach, NC. It is, without a doubt, worth whatever time you can spend there.