Chris Haffey and the Number 222 (Pt. 1)

I believe in what Chris is doing for our sport—being on the front lines, traveling the world, and opening up people’s eyes to what we do.

If you have ever had the chance to see him skate in person, you can see something else is there. That something has taken Chris all over the world and given him the chance to represent our sport.

At the end of the day, you can see that Chris has a BIG love for rollerblading.

Blade or Die,

— Jose Fuentes

(Editor’s Note: Chris Sent us this last month, but we were greedy and held onto it.)

And here’s Chris…

So, the idea behind this article is to give you some insight into my life outside of skating.

I honestly don’t really have a life that big outside of skating . Haha. Not that I am always on my skates, but I am usually doing something related to it in some way, or at least with other people that skate or that I know through skating.

This year has been a pretty heavy travel year for me, so when I am at home I don’t always spend a lot of time skating. I usually take the time I get here to kick back and enjoy the friends or things I like to do that I don’t get to do when I am out of town for skating.

I live in Long Beach right now, and there has been a serious migration of bladers here in the past few years. JC Rowe, Kevin Gillan, Jeff Stockwell, Kruise Sapstien, and Brandon Smith to name a few. There are also a few people like Sayer Danforth that have lived in the area for quite a while. Now that I think about it, JC has lived here for a while as well. Haha.

Anyway, we usually just hang out or go for a roll during the day and then head down to the local bar for a few beers and some pool at night. I try to make it out to the golf course as often as I can, but don’t get out as often as I would like due to the cost. The winter is very slowly-approaching out here in California (still in the 70’s almost everyday, not that I am complaining!) but when it finally gets here I am planning on trying to do as much skiing as possible in the early season. I will be heading out to the Hoedown and WRS finals at the end of this month, but other than that it seems that tour wise the beginning of the winter should be pretty calm, so I should be able to get a lot of days in.

All of these pictures are things that I saw or things that happened somewhere along the way whether it was at home or on a trip, that for some reason I felt were significant.

Not sure how much of an insight they really give you into my life now that I look at them again haha, but I hope you enjoy them!

i took this picture from the roof of my apartment building. This a pretty similar view from my window...home sweet home California.

i took this picture from the roof of my apartment building. This a pretty similar view from my window...home sweet home California.

this is my local bar that is right down the street. recently we were in there with a shit ton of bladers...I'm talking basically the whole Valo team, AJ's straight jack it tour crew, and all the local long beach dudes. So this guy started shit with Julio. Bad idea. Dude got what was coming to him to put it lightly. Haha. I guess after this happened word got around, cause one of Sayer's friends that doesn't skate told him that he heard that V room was a blader bar. Haha.

this is my local bar that is right down the street. recently we were in there with a shit ton of bladers...I'm talking basically the whole Valo team, AJ's straight jack it tour crew, and all the local long beach dudes. So this guy started shit with Julio. Bad idea. Dude got what was coming to him to put it lightly. Haha. I guess after this happened word got around, cause one of Sayer's friends that doesn't skate told him that he heard that V room was a blader bar. Haha.

Most nights are completely uneventful and end up looking like this. Blurry pool.

Most nights are completely uneventful and end up looking like this. Blurry pool.

Spend a lot of time on the road...

Spend a lot of time on the road...

This is what I mean. 150,000 miles was a milestone so I took a pic. I got my car in August of 2005 with 6 miles on it. This picture was taken almost a year ago. I am at 168,000 something now.

This is what I mean. 150,000 miles was a milestone so I took a pic. I got my car in August of 2005 with 6 miles on it. This picture was taken almost a year ago. I am at 168,000 something now.

Spend a lot of time here as well...above the clouds

Spend a lot of time here as well...above the clouds

I am a huge laker fan, I believe in living your dreams, and I live in LA, so I took a picture of this poster I saw at LAX.

I am a huge laker fan, I believe in living your dreams, and I live in LA, so I took a picture of this poster I saw at LAX.

I was just really thirsty

I was just really thirsty

The next eight photos make a lot of sense… if you know me. Short explanation is that 222 follows me everywhere…these are just a few times I have seen around. Everyone that knows me usually makes fun of me about it. One time Stockwell called me just to tell me it was 2:22 as I was running a red light and getting a red light camera ticket. Weird.

This one wasn't too crazy, just the miles on my car. Had to look at 222 for 100 miles.

This one wasn't too crazy, just the miles on my car. Had to look at 222 for 100 miles.

Again not too crazy, a cop in front of me in Pasadena.

Again not too crazy, a cop in front of me in Pasadena.

 I had put the auto pump thing on and ran inside for a drink and when I came back this is where the fill up stopped.

I had put the auto pump thing on and ran inside for a drink and when I came back this is where the fill up stopped.

just another random license plate.

just another random license plate.

Saw this one just carved into the pavement on a sidewalk somewhere, but I have no idea why I was looking down at the moment I was walking over it.

Saw this one just carved into the pavement on a sidewalk somewhere, but I have no idea why I was looking down at the moment I was walking over it.

I was at woodward east and watching the street skateboarding in the X games, and it was getting close to the end and the 2 dudes tied for first were tied with this score.

I was at woodward east and watching the street skateboarding in the X games, and it was getting close to the end and the 2 dudes tied for first were tied with this score.

This is a cop in long beach, but almost every cop in long beach has 222 on their license plates, so I see that shit allll the time.

This is a cop in long beach, but almost every cop in long beach has 222 on their license plates, so I see that shit allll the time.

Some dude in a popular band has a 222 tattoo on his arm, and they made him a guitar that they sell at target and there is 222's fucking everywhere on it. The guitar itself, the strap, the packaging, and these are the picks that come with it.

Some dude in a popular band has a 222 tattoo on his arm, and they made him a guitar that they sell at target and there is 222's fucking everywhere on it. The guitar itself, the strap, the packaging, and these are the picks that come with it.

I am a huge laker fan and for some reason the lakers have a lot of trouble beating the trailblazers in Portland. For one half of the game every time we have free throws the tunnel number over their left shoulder is 222. This is a moment when they are beating us with 22.2 seconds left in the game and the clock is stopped as Brandon Roy takes some free throws to further their lead.

I am a huge laker fan and for some reason the lakers have a lot of trouble beating the trailblazers in Portland. For one half of the game every time we have free throws the tunnel number over their left shoulder is 222. This is a moment when they are beating us with 22.2 seconds left in the game and the clock is stopped as Brandon Roy takes some free throws to further their lead.

Just a note on the whole 222 thing again: I don’t truly believe it means much of anything, but I looked it up online and found a lot of different meanings other people think it has.

One that I saw said that when you see it it means you are on the right path. Because I like that one the most, I choose to think that’s what it means. Especially when I am wondering if I am doing the right thing with my life when money gets tight or something and I start seeing it more often. Just reminds me that no matter what life throws at me I am getting to experience a crazy-ass life that almost no one gets the chance to and I need to appreciate it.

— Chris Haffey

(continued next week…)

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