Up on America’s “North Coast” is a hulking, expansive urban landscape scoured by years of lake effect weather. It’s home to about 250 years of development set against the ravages of time and industrial neglect, where a river once caught on fire, and a beloved movie exists because the baseball team was once so historically cursed that it became a national laughingstock. To locals it’s known as “The Land,” and in order to thrive in a hardened environment like Cleveland it takes hick skin, tough hands, and a stubborn streak that can survive relentless potholes. Which is all to say it’s the exact mixture of challenges that honed the skills of Travis Rhodes. Frequently hailed as “your favorite pro’s favorite pro,” Travis skates with a singular determination and unexpected fleetness that belies his formidable presence. Check his recent IG posts to see the absurd level of balance and technicality he brings to his tricks. But way back in 2015 we sent photographer Corey Oringderff to Cleveland in hopes of getting a feature for Issue #22. And despite an injury that prevented Travis from getting all the tricks he had planned, with the assistance of the BladeCLE crew Corey came back with images like these that made it into print.

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Photos by Corey Oringderff