It’s about 6:30 pm on a Friday and I’m currently sitting in a hell I like to call a hospital waiting room. My leg is nine different colors and swollen after making the decision last week that I’d warm up by transferring a kink rail at “A Day in the Zoo,” Kalamazoo, Michigan’s semiannual street and park comp. I figured I would write this article while here in the waiting room ’cause I know I’ll probably be here for the next few hours…

I’ll start with the fact that this contest has grown to be a staple in the diet of Michigan rollerbladers regardless of whether they are from the east or west side of the state. It has grown from just an idea born out of the love of skating to the one thing we all look forward to every summer/winter so we can see all the homies, drink some brews and rip on the blades. Despite the forecast (which thank god held off just long enough for us), hours of travel, gallons of gas, and multiple trips to the hospital, people still made their way out to the west side of MI for the fourth year in a row to experience what this event has to offer.

“A Day in the Zoo” has created a focal point so people can see how sick the Michigan blading scene is, and how every year people come here to do their part to keep our scene healthy. This year we went to some throwback spots from the first year of the comp, and once again they got destroyed.

I was going to explain the entire comp weekend but, thanks to Todd Bowman (photos) and Nick Norton (edit) giving you some eye candy, I only have to tell you that after we killed two kegs and raged ’till the wee hours of the am. Finally, I just wanted to thank the following people for their support in helping this contest year after year: Mark V., Sixwonsix, Integrated Distribution, Kato at Remz, Brian Lewis at Create Originals, Chris Couture, Adam Niemara and Nick Norton at Lowlife, SP, and finally anyone and everyone who has come out to this contest to support or throw down. — Brian Weis

With that said I am proud to announce that “A Day in the Zoo” is now an official World Rolling Series Event.

2010 A Day in the Zoo Results:

1st Place: Joe Hawkey

2nd Place: Jake Cawley

3rd Place: (tie) Josh Jones, Matt Osantoski

Photos by Todd Bowman