Travis Rhodes is a man.

I mean at least he looks like one. This kid had a full beard as an eighth grader. People think he’s 25 or so, but in reality he’s only 19. Travis moved to Chicago from something like a farm town outside of Cleveland last year when he was 18. He mentioned some nonsense about chickens and shit like that so you can consider him country, I guess. His mom said that if he didn’t get out of Ohio, he’d be in jail within a few months. What exactly she meant and how you could end up in jail living on a farm, who knows but he came to Chicago with a puke green couch that smelled like cat piss, a nasty case of foot odor, about 4 pairs of skin tight pants he always thinks are too baggy, a handful of records, a couple of guitars in disrepair and a pair of rollerblades. He lived in Chicago for a few months before he found a job. He managed to scavenge food, beer and weed all the while. After getting hired at a business a few blocks from the tallest building in the country, he found himself with some money. He spends all but maybe $20 or $30 of his check within no more than one or two days so he’s always broke for just about two weeks until he gets paid again. Back to hustling for food, beer and weed almost every day. Ah, the good life.

Although he may have some money management issues (like every fucking one of us, let’s not pretend), he is a beast on rollerblades and seriously the nicest guy in the world. Its interesting how a 19 year old who is probably the best rollerblader in Chicago can be so humble.

Correction: Travis Rhodes is THE man.

Switch Top Acid to Fakie. Note: Only two other people have ever stalled the top of this: Chris Farmer and Joe Weingart. They both top souled it. Pull.

So Colin Martin says your the hot new deal in Chicago rollerblading. Ive never seen you skate but I trust Colin enough that you must pull if he says your pulling. What do you think a pull is? Have you done a pull?

a pull is seeing the hottest girl at the bar and being the one to take her home. I dont think ive done that one yet. haha. or just getting a satisfying clip/trick for the day.

Whats your style of skating all about. Do you blade down rails only or are you trying to shock on new terrain?

when i skate street i try to find things that are more so like skating park. just finding little fun things to skate. but sometimes you just get that itch to go shred some rails and lay some hammers.

Do you have to skate dangerous stuff to come up in the blade game?

Umm i havnt come up in the blade game at all, so i dont know the answer to that question. but i dont think it would hurt your chances?

Roof run, vent roll and hurdle into the bank (first try)

What does “having style” mean to you?

Having style is good. everyone has there own unique style of skating. it represents you as a person and really shows your personality. i think im still working on mine. haha

Do you think getting arrested is cool? Why or why not?

ive had my fare share of getting arrested and its def not cool man. i try to stay away from the bubblegum now.

Relaxing on a Negative Citric Christ Makio

Do you think ESPN is tight? Why or why not?

What motivated you to come up in the Chicago blade game?
How is the local scene there?

There was a lot of stuff happening in Ohio like myself getting arrested all the time and shit. and i had been to chicago a few times and just loved skating and hangin with all the cats here… they all shred. Chicago is where its at.

If you had a thousand dollars what would you do?

Most important things first: Weed, two handles of jim beam, a new bike to get around, some new shirts, and the rest would be spent on traveling somewhere to go skate and lots of fast food!

What is shocking in blading right now?

Chris Farmer, Alex Broskow, Jonjon Bolino, and Jimmy Spetz

What is currently power brimming in the blade game?

Negatives and illusion spins… now just put them together

Name your top 5 favorite rollerblading video parts?
1.Jon Elliott: Brain Fear Gone
2.Louie Zamora: VG14 Live
3.Tory Treseder: Rejects
4.Chris Farmer: Radius
5.Brent Hopkins: This is Bustown

What makes rollerblading cool? Is it cool to be hated by everyone?

its def not being hated on. its that you can travel anywhere you want and just say that your a rollerblader and you can find other rollerbladers and you can stay with them and they will show you there spots and just let you chill and hang out. no worries! Cant do that shit if you are a skateboarder.

Do you like expensive jewelery? Do you feel you would skate better if you had platinum and gold jewelery & accessories?

I cant afford expensive juwelery. I dont think it would make me a better skater. i dont think…Hmmmm?

How do you feel about breast implants?
I all for it! I love me a nice pair of Boobies!

Name your top 5 favorite music artists:

i lost all of my music in the move to chicago and i dont have a computer or an ipod to download music on… so any classic rock works

1.97.1 The Drive
2.94.7 With Dick Biondi Oldies!
3.Daughters
4.Janis Joplin
5.Buddy Guy

Please provide us a youtube link to the funniest thing you
know of:

LET ME PUSH MY FACE UP AGAISNT ONE! JUST ONE! CHEESE!

Give a shout out to the homies:

Mix Thereom, Collin Martin, Matt Hoodhood, Jimmy Spetz, Matt Luda, Brent Hopkins! Joe Hookey!

Introduction by Birdman. Interview by Tommy Boy. Photography by Collin Martin.

Christ Backslide (first try)

Tags: Chicago, Cleveland, Travis Rhodes, Valo

This entry was posted on Tuesday, June 2nd, 2009 at 12:56 pm and is filed under Blade Ripping. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.