Wolfpack_1986 154 Report post Posted February 22, 2008 Hey guys, thinking of taking a job in Bethesda. I did some searching and couldnt come up with solid info...Whats the rinks situation up there? good rinks, bad rinks, stuff like that.I know allsmoke is from the area, right? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
saba 0 Report post Posted February 22, 2008 Good rinksKettlerRockville AshburnIce Gardens LaurelFrederickFairfaxjust to name a few within 20 miles. Most have drop in during the day some have pickup fri sat evening. Good travel hockey, league places are hard to come by Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NoAngleDangler 0 Report post Posted February 23, 2008 Bethesda is close to many rinks but the closest 2 are definatlyCabin John- Decent rink bad proshop and Rockville- Good rink 3 sheets of ice good proshop. Like Saba said there are many other good rinks around, it's not hard to find hockey here. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JR Boucicaut 3802 Report post Posted February 23, 2008 Skated at Cabin John about 4 yrs ago. Pretty good ice then. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wolfpack_1986 154 Report post Posted February 25, 2008 thanks for the info guys. Is there a beer league to stay away from (cause it never fails that theres one league full of dick heads)? hows the organizational structure up there? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freq019 0 Report post Posted February 25, 2008 Cabin John and Wheaton are USHA leagues and you have to play at both of them. Kettler sounds like they have a nice league and I played at Fairfax for a couple of years and it was a good league. Crappy Ice but good people. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wolfpack_1986 154 Report post Posted February 25, 2008 looks like Cabin John, Wheaton, and Rockville are all right near each other, like maybe 20-30 mins apart? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Allsmokenopancake 0 Report post Posted February 25, 2008 I play at kettler and it's good and bad.Good in the sense that you get your full season schedule, so can plan round it, rather than week to week with other leagues. Also, if you are in a league, you will know your games are only ever going to be set for one or 2 nights a week, so you can plan (I play C-1, so our games will only ever be on tuesday and thursday, with either 9.45, 10 or 11pm starts)The bad is they don't police it at all for ringers, and don't move guys who are obviously better than the league standard up to a more appropriate division. I've heard Fairfax is the best league in the area for this, but their schedules change, and you don't get it all up front, so you don't know if you are playing next tuesday, or saturday evening etc. For people who work and have families, that can be hard.Kettler is really easy to get to, even on the metro, and has some great post game bars below (our teams pub of choice is Rock Bottom, where they have a hockey themed beer, their Blueline Pale Ale).Also, it's pretty cool to skate where the caps practice, face-off over the caps logo etc.The pro-shop is decent there too, and the people are easy to talk to/get info from.We have guys and gals from maryland and VA playing with us, so travel doesn't seem to be too much of a deterrent.If you get here, PM me, I'll put you in for one of our charity games (I run a game monthly here) and you can get talking to some of the people then. They literally play in leagues in every rink in the area, from frederick up north of bethesda, to cabin john, kettler, laurel, columbia, woodbridge, reston, ashburn and Mount Vernon.So you will be able to get a good idea of where to go/stay away from, from people who actually play the rinks and leagues.Hope you love traffic!!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wolfpack_1986 154 Report post Posted February 25, 2008 awesome thanks for the info, allsmoke. Knowing the full league schedule in advance is very much a good thing. But, if the games were on the same night, not knowing a few weeks out wouldnt be so bad. I went to the bethesda rock bottom when i was there for the interview. It was a pretty neat place. Big fan of tastybeer.I'll definitely hit you up on the charity game offer, should I end up there.thanks again. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freq019 0 Report post Posted February 25, 2008 looks like Cabin John, Wheaton, and Rockville are all right near each other, like maybe 20-30 mins apart?On paper in reality they could be hours away depending on time of day. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Allsmokenopancake 0 Report post Posted February 25, 2008 looks like Cabin John, Wheaton, and Rockville are all right near each other, like maybe 20-30 mins apart?On paper in reality they could be hours away depending on time of day.They are about 20ish minutes away normallyFrom 3.30pm to about 7.30pm, they are about 90 minutes apart, sometimes longer.I hate the DC traffic, and I don't even have to deal with the 270 spur, which is 5 worst traffic backlog in the country (by the way, bethesda is located up the 270, fine if you live and work there, if you work in DC and live there, use public transport) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cris8 0 Report post Posted February 25, 2008 Cabin John has a very fast surface. Just in terms of ice quality, the best rink I've skated on. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
johnpace2 0 Report post Posted February 25, 2008 I second all of the responses so far. I think Fairfax does the best job with maintaining a balanced league. There are divisions there to fit most skill levels and they are cool with beer, etc. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Allsmokenopancake 0 Report post Posted February 25, 2008 Cabin John has a very fast surface. Just in terms of ice quality, the best rink I've skated on.I've heard the same about Bowie, so we are having our march charity game there Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NoAngleDangler 0 Report post Posted February 25, 2008 To answer you question about time between rinks- Cabin John is probably 10-15 min away from most of Bethesda if that is where you move. Rockville is probably 20-30 depending on traffic from Bethesda. It probably takes 20 min to get from CJ to Rockville but can take much longer in rush hour. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cheesehead 0 Report post Posted February 25, 2008 My favorite rinks have got to beKettlerLaurel Ice GardensAshburnMontgomeryI play in a travel hockey league and we play in pretty much all the rinks in the area. I don't really remember all of the rinks, but these are the rinks that stood out to me. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wolfpack_1986 154 Report post Posted February 26, 2008 I'll have to come back here when I'm kicking around places to move to. the job would be right in the middle of bethesda, on Wisconsin street. It's getting more and more likely that i'm headed there. Just need to work on some salary negotiations. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jeffw 1 Report post Posted February 26, 2008 My favorite rinks have got to beKettlerLaurel Ice GardensAshburnMontgomeryI play in a travel hockey league and we play in pretty much all the rinks in the area. I don't really remember all of the rinks, but these are the rinks that stood out to me.What team/level? My boy plays goal for the Hagerstown U16 upper division. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jm47 0 Report post Posted February 28, 2008 Cabin John definitely has the best ice. Rockville is pretty nice...Fairfax has the worst ice but you can drink beer. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Allsmokenopancake 0 Report post Posted February 28, 2008 Cabin John definitely has the best ice. Rockville is pretty nice...Fairfax has the worst ice but you can drink beer.Fairfax completely rebuilt their ice surface this year. It's meant to be good, but I have not been, so don't know. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cheesehead 0 Report post Posted March 2, 2008 My favorite rinks have got to beKettlerLaurel Ice GardensAshburnMontgomeryI play in a travel hockey league and we play in pretty much all the rinks in the area. I don't really remember all of the rinks, but these are the rinks that stood out to me.What team/level? My boy plays goal for the Hagerstown U16 upper division.Blue Ridge u16. We played AA this year. We are also playing in that tournament in Hagerstown Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jeffw 1 Report post Posted March 2, 2008 My favorite rinks have got to beKettlerLaurel Ice GardensAshburnMontgomeryI play in a travel hockey league and we play in pretty much all the rinks in the area. I don't really remember all of the rinks, but these are the rinks that stood out to me.What team/level? My boy plays goal for the Hagerstown U16 upper division.Blue Ridge u16. We played AA this year. We are also playing in that tournament in HagerstownHigh School? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cheesehead 0 Report post Posted March 2, 2008 My favorite rinks have got to beKettlerLaurel Ice GardensAshburnMontgomeryI play in a travel hockey league and we play in pretty much all the rinks in the area. I don't really remember all of the rinks, but these are the rinks that stood out to me.What team/level? My boy plays goal for the Hagerstown U16 upper division.Blue Ridge u16. We played AA this year. We are also playing in that tournament in HagerstownHigh School?no, in the cbhl. We beat Hagerstown in Bantam playoffs last year (but then lost in the final) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jeffw 1 Report post Posted March 3, 2008 I see. I looked thru the U-16 standings and didn't see Blue Ridge. Are you guys in the playoff picture this year?Never mind, I found it. CBHL website standings are confusing to navigate. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jm47 0 Report post Posted March 3, 2008 Cabin John definitely has the best ice. Rockville is pretty nice...Fairfax has the worst ice but you can drink beer.Fairfax completely rebuilt their ice surface this year. It's meant to be good, but I have not been, so don't know.It still sucks. It is complete snow by the middle of the second period. I love the place but the ice sucks. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
