How do you feel about where skating is at right now? Do you have any words of wisdom for the new generation?
I feel like skating is top notch now. The steez has shifted and matured a lot, and is very interesting actually. I am very curious as to how it will progress and shift in the future, say in 10 years.

Hmm, this question makes me look back at the skaters that I used to, and still do, really dig. Brian Shima, Jon Julio, T.J. Webber, Aaron Feinberg, B. Love, Randy Spizer, Dustin Latimer, Dominic Sagona, Blake Dennis… Shawn Robertson… memories…

Nils Janson, Jeff Dalnas, Chris Haffey, Farmer, Aragon, Stockwell and others. I have seen these guys pushing things to a point that is hard to comprehend sometimes.

I saw a game of SKATE with Farmer and Haffey a short while back though, everything was switch. Wow. Reminds me a little of Lurch hitting the Wilshire rail switch royale to switch alleyoop soul, way back.

I saw a video the other week of this kid somewhere in Paris, I think, (I think they might have been marketing a skate that was not just for tricks, like street hockey sized wheels and metal looking frames..) and in almost the entire edit he was just charging everything, tiny gaps, stairs, weaving through people, just rolling. Flying through town like when I first started skating. I think it was a Rollerblade ad actually. (Apparently it’s called Powerblading… POWER… lol) I think the last scene was a slow motion of this kid doing a fish on a real short ledge. It was like full circle from what I first experienced. Dayton Coopersmith sent me a pair of his K2s about a month ago. THANK YOU MAN! But I just found out I can’t even fit my foot inside. Dayumnnn. So I think I’m gonna send them back or give them to someone that can fit in them. (UPDATE) I just bought some new Dre Powells from Intuition Skate Shop when I was in Bakersfield. Shout out to Matt Mickey; super nice guy. THANK YOU sir! Shout out to Leon Humphries, and congratulations on that pro wheel! I highly suggest anyone out there in need of new wheels cops a set of Leon’s wheels! Also, thanks to James at Revolution Skate Shop here in Arizona. One email hitting him up led to him trying to work out a pair of skates for me to roll on last week. I really needed that, thank you James!

If I could conjure up some words of wisdom I would say, tighten the bolts on the skating community if you see room to do so. Reach out to other sports in the same vein as rollerblading and connect the disconnections. We all do the same thing relatively and there is no good excuse to segregate the common passion of expression we all have. Enjoy it while it lasts and plan for the future, when possible, without impeding the now you experience. You can’t skate the way you are skating now forever. Life will throw you curve balls so don’t put all your eggs in one basket. If it doesn’t feel right then you’re either growing or it ain’t right! A smile goes a long way. Humility is good for the soul. If you want it then make it happen, try not to hurt anyone along your way. Believe in yourself.

There, I’ve droned on enough, thanks. I love skating and after rolling last week for the second time in about 7 years I think it might be possible I can get back on the wagon without excruciating pain. We shall see.

One last thing, something close to my heart. Last week my girlfriend’s brother, Michael, died in his sleep. It was terrible, tragic… unbelievable. Two days ago was the funeral. I would say about 600 people came and they all said the same thing which is so true, he had so much joy and touched so many people with that joy, leaving behind a legacy of love. Truly inspiring even in such a heart wrenching experience… like what went down… so… Rest in peace, Michael Chiapa. You are so loved, so missed, and you will never, ever be forgotten in our hearts and our memories! Thank you for being you, man.

* Tracy White started a “museum” of his blade memorabilia collection. Check it out.