Ah, remember the days when jogging paths were filled with elbow-and-knee-padded amateurs weaving on wheels their way to tighter buns? Yes, the rollerblading fad flew by about as fast as a 300 lb. guy descending down Lombard Street with questionable brakes.
So what happened?
Was it the token ER visits that accompanied learning this new sport? Perhaps, it was the backlash of bikers and runners? Or was it simply a victim of going out of style? My guess is that it was probably a combination of all. The rollerblading image became less of an extreme or hockey-related activity and more of a "Let's put on our bright spandex and blade over to that smoothie place for a Lo-Carb Tropical Mango Breeze" kind of thing.
Anyhow, I recently read about how in Paris, urban rollerblading is making an underground uprising. And of course, all you have to do is go on YouTube to discover exactly what's happening. One video below is absolutely insane, as severe injury or death appears to be one hidden pothole or stale croissant away. Another shows how rollerblading can be an activity for the masses. It certainly repositions some of my thinking on the sport. The daredevils performing are not en route to Starbucks for a mocha latte. This is hardcore. So will rollerblading make a revival? Will American skateboarders like our fashion designers follow this Parisian trend? Will average joes then pull out their dusty, buried-in-the-basement blades and go for a glide? Oui or Non?
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