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Travis Beattie – Juice Magazine State of Skate Interview

Name: Travis Beattie
Hometown: Richmond, Virginia
Age:  42
Sponsors: Shipyard Skates.

What set-up are you riding right now?
Shipyard 8.5 pop, Independent hollow body trucks, Bones SPF 58mm wheels, Bones Reds bearings, Bones truck bolts and medium truck bushings, Mob grip tape, one rail on toe side (whatever I can find that is skinny and four screw holes…)

What’s the most fun DIY, skater-built or renegade spot that you’ve skated lately?
Phishlips in MD or Brian Drake’s ramp in NC.

Have you ever built something to skate?
I had about five versions of half pipes in my backyard growing up, anywhere from 8’ to 4’ tall and all built by kid skaters with our own money, not parents’ money.

Who do you like to skate with the most these days?
Anyone from Richmond or VA Beach.

Coolest skateboard graphic you have seen lately?
Ben Schroeder’s new deck from Moonshine is cool, Mike Conroy’s new graphic by Shipyard is gonna be sick, so look out for it!

What’s the best thing you’ve ever skated in a skatepark?
The “Boomstone” extension in Florence, KY, which is an offset 15’ high with 2’ of vert with tile and pool coping on a 13’ ramp.

Favorite skateboarders of all time?
Henry Gutierrez, Mike Conroy, Bucky Lasek, Derek Krasauskas, Larry Glover and PLG.

Is there anything that hasn’t been built to skate yet that you’d like to see built?
I’m not too sure you can top something like the Monster/DC Shoe ramp in San Diego. I went to ride it last Spring and sprained my ankle the day before. I hope to return. Any big ramp that has a coping bridge over something or an extended bar above the ramp is rad. Doubt I could do shit on any of it though, but it would be fun to try.

What’s one of the best road trips you ever took?
I went to Super Session last year that Peter Furnee puts on in Kentucky and that was a ripping good time!

Are there any skate-related charities that you support?
I do support some charities, just none skate related, I should look into it. I think starting one to help abused kids would be great and getting them out to ride would be awesome, if one doesn’t already exist.

What music have you been listening to lately?
It runs a wide band from Metal to Shoegaze to Indie to Punk.

What do you consider the responsibilities of a professional skateboarder?
Rip, don’t be a dick.

Which skate shops do you support and go to the most?
I just buy what I need online, usually from So Cal, only because our local shop is geared to street skating. I like to support WRV and Coastal Edge at the beach when I go there.

What is your favorite skate photo of all time?
Anything Mark Nichols shoots.

What is your take on girls skateboarding?
They rip. Lizzie Armanto, need I say more?

What piece of skateboarding memorabilia do you have that means the most to you?
Henry Gutierrez Sims 1987 deck with Gull Wing trucks and Vision Blur wheels, all still in decent condition.

Who contributes the most to your local skate scene?
Hands down Patrick Lowery, Travis Pulley and Bernie McGrew. They made a concrete skatepark in a residential backyard.

Top three favorite skate tricks?
Real sweepers, inverts OTC and long frontside Smith grinds.

Do you think skateboarding should be in the Olympics?
No. Skateboarding belongs in backyards, ditches, streets and parks.

What is your proudest moment in skateboarding so far?
Shipyard gave my old ass a 1/2 page ad in Juice last year and I was really stoked on that.

It's always a good time for a sweeper, so Travis let’s the good times roll in an ode to the old days when style was the reason! Photo by Thomas Rowe
It’s always a good time for a sweeper, so Travis let’s the good times roll in an ode to the old days when style was the reason! Photo by Thomas Rowe

 

ABOUT THE JUICE MAGAZINE STATE OF SKATE:

When we started Juice Magazine 22 years ago, you could count the number of skateparks on one hand and grindable pool coping was mostly a distant memory. Now there are thousands of skateparks all over the world, along with a vast quantity of DIY spots built to skate. In 1993, the majority of skateboarders listened to punk rock or hip hop exclusively. Now skateboarders listen to almost every kind of sound created. Two decades ago, skateboarding related charities were non-existent. Today, there are numerous non-profits giving back to skateboarding in many ways. One of the most important differences between now and then is that, 22 years ago, there was a clear division between old school and new school skateboarding. Now that wall of separation has followed the same path as the Berlin Wall, allowing for an unprecedented unification of skateboarders all over the globe. Great strides have been made for girls that skate as well as the acceptance of skate history and long overdue recognition for skateboarding’s pioneers and its artifacts. At the same time, the current generation of skateboarders is taking skateboarding to new heights, previously unimaginable. As the landscape of the skateboarding industry changes on a daily basis, and the topic of skateboarding in the Olympics rears its head once again, along with the disturbing subject of who controls skateboarding being tossed about by corporate entities, we decided it was time to take a good look at the State of Skate. We asked 20 questions to 100 skateboarders, ages 8 to 58, and found that skateboarding is as diverse as the skateboarders that are addicted to it, no one controls skateboarding except skateboarders, and the State of Skate is savage and strong. Now get out there and skate tough!

JUICE MAGAZINE STATE OF SKATE features interviews with 100 skateboarders including: Tony Alva, Dave Hackett, Chris Strople, Duane Peters, Steve Olson, Dave Duncan, Steve Alba, Tony Magnusson, Pat Black, Jesse Martinez, Bill Danforth, Jim Murphy, Ric Widenor, Lester Kasai, Glen Charnoski, Bryan Pennington, Peter Furnee, Jeremiah Risk, Ryan Smith, Jason Jessee, Omar Hassan, Cam Dowse, Jen O’Brien, Depth Leviathan Dweller, Brett Roper, Travis Beattie, Chris Gentry, CW Dunn, Chris Albright, Charlie Wilkins, Cairo Foster, Pierre-Luc Gagnon, BJ Morrill, Dr. Lenore L.A. Sparks, Sid Melvin, Jesse Irish, Packy Fancher, Greg Lutzka, Jimmy Larsen, Adam Dyet, Luis Tolentino, Greg Harbour, Frank Faria, Ryan DeCenzo, Dave Bachinsky, Johnny Turgesen, Casey Meyer, Edward Sanchez, David Gravette, Ben Hatchell, Brian Geib, Felipe Gouveia, Eric Santos, Kyle Smith, Cameron Revier, Josh Stafford, Justin Grubbs, Etienne Eden Archila, Sanzio Piacentini, Josh Elder, Eddie “Mighty” Moreno, Kevin Kowalski, Otto Pflanz, Jeremy Smith, Adam Wiggins, Jimmy Wilkins, Danny Gordon, Jake Hilbish, Corey Blanchette, Adam Legassie, Nick Santos, Trey Rounds, Curren Caples, Justyce Tabor, Andy Anderson, Sarah Thompson, Coral Guerrero, Collin Graham, Derek Scott, Ace Pelka, Sonny Rodriguez, Jarren Duke, Mikayla Sheppard, CJ Titus, Noah Schott, Emily Earring, Julian Torres, Wyatt Wisenbaker, Josh Forsberg, Nathan Midgette, Roman Pabich, Yago Dominguez, Jack Winburn, Jonas Carlsson, Kiko Francisco, Bryce Ava Wettstein, Desmond Shepherd, Matty Jessee and Luke Kahler.

FOR THE REST OF THE STORY, ORDER ISSUE #74 BY CLICKING HERE…

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