When you get through one-quarter of a 93-show Champions On Ice tour, the traveling and performing become second nature, and friendships begin developing with former rivals.

Michael, Elvis Stojko and Dan Hollander enjoy some free time on the Champions on Ice tour by racing their cars in the parking lot.

Mike takes to the race track on a tour stop in Austin, Texas.

"Once you hit 20 (shows) you’re on your way," Michael said prior to a rare Friday night off. "You’re in a routine and the skating is better."

Michael said this is when the tour begins to be fun among the skaters and crew. "You are on the bus a lot, and you’re spending a lot of time together so you are making new friends all the time.

On this Friday night Michael was trying to round up a group of skaters to see opening night of the movie "Spiderman". "I love Spiderman," Michael said. "He was my favorite childhood character I always wanted to be like. Not Superman or any other character. I wanted to be Spiderman."

Michael and Elvis Stojko have had a friendship through the years they have been competing against each other. When the tour has two shows in one day, the skaters spend their time on ice practicing.

"You get to see skaters coaching other skaters," Michael said. "Elvis helped me out some. When we were in Detroit I asked Elvis to watch some of my jumps. He gave me some ideas on a quad I had just missed. On the next one I landed it cleanly on one foot."

Friendships also give some relief to skaters when they visit near their hometowns.

When the skaters were in the Washington, D.C., area, Michael invited friends to his training rink to play some hockey in the morning. Then they had lunch at Michael’s house.

Michael’s mother, Margie, who was a competitive gymnast, pulled a professional trampoline outside and the skaters were doing all kinds of stunts. "It was kind of funny seeing the neighbors, who had watched the show the night before, seeing us the next day jumping around on the trampoline in the front yard. Elvis and Sasha (Cohen) were trying to learn how to do back flips."

The off days are a relief for the skaters. Most of the time off is spent resting.

Michael and his wife, Lisa, have worked out a schedule when she can visit with their two children. "I really look forward to those days. We had a day off in Chicago and Lisa came and we took the kids to the zoo and then there was a big mall with a nice food court. We had a good time."

Traveling can sometimes be an adventure.

"Once you’re on the bus everybody is fair game for anything," Michael said of the ribbing the skaters give each other. Practical jokes will eventually fit into the ride once the tour gets further along.

Sometimes there’s a two-three hour bus ride to nearby venues after a night show. Most of the skaters have laptops and will watch DVDs and listen to music. Others will watch the feature of the evening on the bus – this night it was the "Royal Tennebaums".

"We hit the jackpot that night. We told Rich, our bus driver, we wanted some new stuff from the grocery store. Rich came back with Reese’s Peanut Butter cup and Oreos. It was junk food heaven!"

For "on and off tour" photos, click here.